Daptone Doppelgangers
February 19th, 2008 | 4:03 pm est |
Connie Price & the Keystones
http://www.myspace.com/conniepricethekeystones
Though Connie Price is actually the name of a non-existent drummer, the Keystones blaze along as if they were a full ten-piece band. Most of the studio work is done by guitarist/mastermind Dan Ubick (also of Breakestra fame — more on them later), though he brings in friends for live shows. On the latest album, Tell Me Something, the band plays warm, smoky spy-movie riffs as guest MCs rhyme over, showing off how wonderfully open and organic hip-hop can sound.
The Poets of Rhythm
http://www.myspace.com/thepoetsofrhythm
The Poets of Rhythm may be German, but they play as if they’re straight out of the American Midwest. Like any self-respecting funk outfit, they have a number of alternate names under which they perform (Soul-Saints Orchestra, Bus People Express, to name a few), and like any self-respecting contemporary band, they’ve collaborated with a rapper, in this case Bay-Area MC Lyrics Born on his excellent 1999 single “I Changed My Mind.” Both Quannum and Daptone have put out their material, which only serves to highlight their relevancy and, more importantly, how hard they rock.
Sound Directions
http://www.stonesthrow.com/sounddirections/
As this is one of the many, many Madlib side projects, the music here takes a more experimental, jazzy twist than the hard-edged deep funk of many of the others on this list, but that doesn’t mean it grooves any less. Live horns and guitars layer over Lib’s typically druggy keyboards while the drums glide easily along through sets of lesser-known covers. It’s L.A. smooth and hip-hop cool, but with just enough grit to grind down the burnished edges.
El Michels Affair
http://www.myspace.com/truthandsoulrecords
Leon Michels, the co-founder of another Brooklyn-based funk and soul label, Truth & Soul (who, as you might guess, has ties to the Daptone family) started El Michels Affair way back in 2001, but the band really began to take off when they started to do instrumental covers of Wu-Tang beats, which has lead to live performances with the Clan itself. Now how’s that for cred.
“Da Mystery of Chessboxin’” live with Wu-Tang on XM Radio
NOMO
http://www.myspace.com/nomomusic
Michigan’s NOMO is certainly more directly influenced by Fela Kuti than James Brown, but that doesn’t mean the band doesn’t know how to get down. Bandleader Elliot Bergman’s saxophone leads a killer horn section, and the African-inspired rhythm section drives the group along effortlessly and cleanly. Recently exposed to the greater funk-loving world thanks to a signing to Ubiquity, NOMO have spent the past couple of years touring the world and working on their upcoming album, due for a spring or summer release.
Osaka Monaurail
http://www.myspace.com/osakamonaurail
Named after the J.B.’s “(It’s Not the Express) It’s the J.B.’s Monaurail,” Japan’s Osaka Monaurail have been around since the early ’90s, when singer and organist Nakata Ryo was still in college. Nakata doesn’t quite have the chops that Mr. Brown had, but the band is still tight and funky enough to earn the honors of backing former James Brown Revue singer Marva Whitney on her 2007 solo album I Am What I Am. Occasionally, Osaka Monaurail will break into jazzier blaxpoitation rhythms, but for the most part the band works hard to stay true to the classic sound.
The Quantic Soul Orchestra
http://www.myspace.com/quanticmusic
The vehicle for Will Holland’s (or Quantic) live music aspirations, the Quantic Soul Orchestra revisits the funk that today’s diggers look for in dusty record bins. Although as Quantic, Holland takes full advantage of the use of samplers, here he focuses on the organic and the immediate. QSO even takes the Dap-Kings route with its collaboration with soul singer Spanky Wilson on her fantastic 2006 album I’m Thankful.
The New Mastersounds
http://www.myspace.com/newmastersounds
Formed in 1999 from the ruins of the Mastersounds, this British four-piece plays music that’s equal parts deep New Orleans funk and the jazz-funk made by people like Jimmy McGriff. Their first-ever single, “One Note Brown,” was produced by famed Northern Soul DJ Keb Darge (who then also handled the group’s debut full-length), they’ve played with Osaka Monaurail, featured a then-up-and-coming Corinne Bailey Rae on their 2006 single “Your Love Is Mine,” and have been remixed by everyone from the legendary Kenny Dope to Nostalgia 77.
Breakestra
http://www.myspace.com/breakestra
As their name suggests, Breakestra is a (funk) orchestra that focuses on playing the breaks hip-hop acts sample in their own songs. The L.A.-based group was started in 1996 by Miles Tackett, a DJ and string player, and a selection of like-minded friends, including Connie Price’s Dan Ubick. Their covers (Bobby Byrd, Sly & the Family Stone) are just as funky and tight as the originals, and, as shown in their last album, Hit the Floor, their own work (which featured appearances from prominent L.A. rappers) is just as popping.
Daptone Round-Up
http://www.myspace.com/daptonerecords
Much of the funk revival craze has been thanks to Brooklyn label Daptone, which emerged after Desco Records folded in 1999. They’re most famously known for their house band, the Dap-Kings, but they’ve also release music from new bands — most of whose members overlap — and reissue old soul material as well. Here are three you should definitely know about.
The Mighty Imperials: When the Meters-indebted Mighty Imperials recorded Thunder Chicken they were still minors, but you’d never tell by the way they strut and kick their way through this set. The band no longer exists, but its members (Leon Michels, Homer Steinweiss, Nick Movshon, Sean Soloman) can still be found around the scene.
The Budos Band: Mixing blaxpoitation and Latin rhythms in with the standard Daptone funk, the Budos Band play songs that are more appropriate for late night car chases than dancing. Which isn’t a bad thing at all.
http://www.myspace.com/budosband
The Daktaris: Their one and only album, Soul Explosion, is actually a Desco release, but the Daktaris fit in nicely with the Daptone catalogue. Like NOMO, the band draws heavily from Afrobeat, and even gave themselves Nigerian names to help authenticate their sound. Again, pretty much everyone in the band can now be found in other top-name ensembles, including Antibalas, and of course the Dap-Kings.
http://www.myspace.com/daktaris
Honorable mention:
The Bamboos
What about the Brand New Heavies? Great funk revival…and brought the funk back to rap, too…see “Heavy Rhyme Experience” and the subsequent albums by Guru…
Thought they were worth mentioning, though.
And though they’ve gone a lot of different directions over the years, I’ve always been a HUGE fan of Jamiroquai…especially “Return of the Space Cowboy”
…and while we’re on the subject of hero-worhipping, let me sing the great praises of Joseph Henry. “Who’s the King? (Pt. 2)” is just plain ferocious. Best funky soul jam ever, if you ask me, and it came out 5 years ago, I think. The article also failed to mention The Dynamites, whose “Bodysnatcher (Intro)” beats the stupid out of that other “Bodysnatcher” song of 2007. Radiohead gonna start spitting some Rufus Thomas before long…”sometimes I feel so UN-NECESSARY!” Okay, Radiohead still shines bright, but this list needs an update.
Am I wrong, but don’t PoR pre-date Daptone?
The Dap-Kings evolved out of two bands called the Soul Providers and the Sugarman 3, so that might also be a good place to start. I saw the Sugarman 3 back Lee Fields once; Fields looked and sounded exactly like James Brown.
There is also, as one could assume, a plethora of underground bands tapping into these influences. SoundScape (www.myspace.com/soundscape) from the college town Oxford, OH has blended funk, jazz, and hip-hop, as well as Cincinnati’s Eclipse (www.myspace.com/eclipsejamband), and that’s just southwestern Ohio!
Nice list…can I throw some love in for Deep Banana Blackout with the lovely Jen. And on the groove side anything with Will Bernhard is tasty.
Deep Banana Blackout’s Live in the Thousand Islands is definitely one of the greatest funk masterpieces of the last 20 years. That being said DBB’s brand of funk owes more to the raw in your face power of Funkadelic and Sly Stone than the more funky soul oriented offerings of Daptone and on most of this list. They stood poised to break the funk revolution to the masses 8 years ago if not for the inner turmoil that eventually made this band de-funk-t.
Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reid & the True Loves.
Respect.
Seek them out.
http://www.myspace.com/elipaperboyreed
they bring it, I will be seeing them ‘live’ soon.
they are great.
I love the music on Daptone and have 5 of their releases (2 Budos and 3 SJ.) But I find their sound quality is consistently too muddy. I’d buy more if their production was better. BTW, Sharon Jones is fantastic live!
Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators is one to look for.
check Out The Apples. Deep funk from Israel and mad covers of Rage Against The Machine!
http://www.myspace.com/theapplesmusic
To J,
Daptone’s production is a little muddy, but doesn’t that just serve the music better? It seems to me they’re sole purpose is to recreate a 60’s and 70’s feel. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re using vintage recoding equipment as well. Sometimes, new and improved doesn’t mean better. I’ll bet most new country would actually be relevant if the producers weren’t taking their cues from the hair metal bands of the 80’s. It’s all so shiny and glossy, which more often than not translates into a tepid, mediocre performance (read: Grammy-worthy). To coin a phrase, you gotta put some stank on that song!
May I mention “Trouble Funk”?Only because if you like the bands mentioned in this article, you might also like “Trouble Funk” from back in he day.
All good mentions. Personally, I think what the truth & soul guys are doing is the best of all
To JJ Tuff Stuff,
To each his own. No problem really.
But I wonder how much of that 60’s/70’s sound is intentional or the result of not so expensive recording equipment. When I buy a modern blues album I’d rather it didn’t have the rough sound of a Robert Johnson recording. Some may emulate that sound thinking it’s the way a blues album should sound. In reality, that’s the best they could do or afford at the time. Just my POV.
What about Keb Darge presents Funk for The 21st Century Connie Price and The Keystones - The Badger ?
http://musiktag.eu/
Daptone is all analogue, therefore has the old school sound. IF you listen to these albums on vinyl you will see the true light. These albums are produce for vinyl and not the cd format. Some might be confused because many of these release did come out on the Desco label that had some of the same people behind it as Daptone. They forgot the Sugar Man 3.
I’d also give props to an act out of Nashville, The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker. Walker actually had some prime cuts back in the day, and when the band discovered him (they’re all Daptone-esque revivalists in their 20s and 30s) they rightfully gave him a starring role.
Thanks for the advice Leroy,
I might have to go and pick up some of Daptone’s stuff on vinyl. I like the sound fine, but I’d be curious to hear the difference on vinyl, as it probably was, as you suggested, recorded for this format.
JohnDavis, good call! That Funk for the 21st Century is a killer compilation. A real revelation when you first hear it.
Here’s a few more in no particular order. (Sorry if any duplicates.) Whitefield Brothers, Speedometer, Soul Command, OO-Soul, Ravi Harris & The Prophets, Papa Grows Funk, Orgone, Mighty Imperials, Liquid Soul, Lefties Soul Connection, Lettuce, JD and The Evil’s Dynamite Band, Diplomats of Solid Sound, Calypso King and The Soul Investigators and last but not least The Bamboos.
Some are still playing around and some aren’t but all have recordings worth checking out. Dang I forgot to mention that Chuck Brown is still around and pushin’ that Go-Go thang.
Lack of Afro is good too.
Daptone is the best label ever!
Nice entry! Also be sure to check out the many great jazz/funk/soul artists and bands that hail from Finland. Finnish boy already mentioned Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators, but there’s more: Tuomo, Huba, Q-Continuum, Rhythm Funk Masters and The Stance Brothers all deserve at least a couple of minutes of your time so go check them out!
www.myspace.com/organkane
www.myspace.com/hubamusic
www.myspace.com/qcontinuum
www.myspace.com/rhythmfunkmasters
www.myspace.com/thestancebrothers
Yeah, I’d add Nicole Willis & Soul Investigators as well.
pow!
Why are The Bamboos an honourable mention when Breakestra is in this list? Please! Breakestra sound like a glorified wedding covers band.
Have you heard The Diplomats of Solid Sound. They have played with the great Andre Williams!
this band the woodsmen got some fonky things goin on, plus all their shit is free:
http://thewoodsmen.net/
On the subject of funk. I heard a relatively new tune with a sample of the bass from Lalo Shifrin ‘School Bus’ (Dirty Harry)in it. Been trying for quite sometime to find it. Any ideas?
No intention to hi-jack this thread by the way.
Cheers
best new funk band out right now, perfect mix of dirty beats/psych/out:
HELIOCENTRICS
as nick lowe said, white so white, refrigerator white.
One band I forgot to mention was the Dynamites featuring Charles Walker. I caught them this past weekend at the Langerado Festival http://www.langerado.com/home2.php They were great.
The added bonus was that the New Mastersounds played two separate sets due to a cancellation of another band. The Funky Meters had their groove on too.
lots of great bands in these comments… I would add Chin Chin from NYC… http://chinchinnyc.com/ or http://myspace.com/chinchinnyc
Heliocentrics is wonderful. Orgone is great. Nicole Willis is awesome and is Motown to Sharon Jones’ Stax. Eli Reed is a great up and comer. You cant mention Nomo without mentioning Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra and once you do that you open it up to all those great genre bands.
COOL! I think i shall be adding this to the play list on the iPod.
DJ Music
There is so much good music out there! Where does one start? I recommend checking out Tramp Records Germany to get a direct line on some of the most exciting new and reissue funk, soul, jazz, latin and afrobeat 45s in the universe.
Dig the Lucky Brown releases!
Enjoy!