With a globetrotting 20-year career as a voice for the people across four decades of political and societal upheaval from the late ‘90s to today, Antibalas celebrates its 20th Anniversary with a stark return to their Williamsburg roots on its latest Daptone Records studio album, "Fu Chronicles". Pre-gentrified Williamsburg serves as the backdrop for "Fu Chronicles" – voyaging back to the early days when the 12-piece Afrobeat ensemble and revered soul label Daptone Records spawned out of lead singer Duke Amayo’s kung fu dojo. A senior master of the Jow Ga Kung Fu School of martial arts, Amayo along with Antibalas founder/baritone saxophonist Martín Perna guide listeners through an epic journey of where kung fu ingeniously intersects with Afrobeat on "Fu Chronicles".

“Lai Lai” (meaning Never, or Forever) is a gate into setting intentions and following through. In tribute to the resistance of the indigenous Africans and their sustainable practices, Amayo is spearheading a green school project in Ikeja (the capitol of Lagos) featuring a rooftop garden with rainwater harvesting and solar panels “M.T.T.T. Pt. 1 & 2” (meaning Mother Talker Tic Toc) dives back in time to when Gabe Roth and members of Antibalas studied with Amayo at his dojo in the late ‘90s. Initially composed in 1999, “M.T.T.T. Pt. 1 & 2” remains a scorching centerpiece of Antibalas’ live repertoire. Fu Chronicles is the first time it appears on tape.

Amayo opens the track referencing the African proverb, “The Truth and the Morning, becomes Daylight with Time.” “M.T.T.T. Pt. 1 & 2” is about cause and effect, and the Karmic nature of time. A soundtrack for dreamers and activists, “Fight Am Finish” invokes the spirits of Seshat (ancient Egyptian goddess of wisdom, knowledge, and writing) and Ogun (Yoruba Pantheon of industry, technology, and war) as a means to rebuild our world with wisdom. “Fight Am Finish” prepares one for daily battles, offering encouragement to be steadfast in the dreams you have. Upon the start of “Fight Am Finish,” it’s on and get ready to rumble. Don’t ever let go! “Koto” focuses on resilience and how one can overcome any predicament. Upon being evicted from his space the Afro-Spot Temple due to acute gentrification in Williamsburg, Amayo brings to life the sense of falling into a hole and emerging even stronger. 

TRACK LISTING

A1. Amenawon
A2. Lai Lai
A3. MTTT Pt . 1
B1. MTTT Pt . 2 
B2. Fight Am Finish
B3. Koto

Released on the anniversary of her passing, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings' final studio album, Soul of a Woman is a lush, orchestral masterpiece. A true testament to the life and career of Daptone's fearless leader and one of the world's greatest performers.

In the year prior to her death from pancreatic cancer in 2016, Sharon Jones toured and performed tirelessly, and was also the subject of Miss Sharon Jones!, an acclaimed documentary by Oscar-Winning director Barbara Kopple. Yet somehow, the beloved and heroic soul singer found time to complete a studio album. Soul of a Woman features eleven songs which reveal that the emotion, dynamics, and drama of Jones' voice remained at full power until her final days. The songs on Soul Of A Woman exemplify two distinct sides of the band’s sound. Side One showcases grittier, bluesier material like "Matter Of Time" and "Sail On!," giving Sharon the room to flex her vocal prowess and creating a "liveness" that few studio albums posses. Side Two takes on a more sophisticated orchestral mood. Tracks like "When I Saw Your Face" and "These Tears (No Longer For You),” capture a soft vulnerability in Sharon's vocals that draws you deep inside, and yet they remain nuanced with the signature toughness that never allow you to forget she's steering the ship. The finished product is an album that captures a band and a singer at their peak.

TRACK LISTING

1. Master Of Time
2. Sail On!
3. Just Give Me Your Time
4. Come And Be A Winner
5. Rumors
6. Pass Me By
7. Searching For A New Day
8. These Tears (No Longer For You)
9. When I Saw Your Face
10. Call On God

Antibalas’ new studio album, "Where The Gods Are In Peace", is an epic Afro-Western trilogy searching for solace from American political opportunism, greed and vengeance. Through its battle cry of resistance against exploitation and displacement, Antibalas’ long-form compositions investigate oppression in 1800s America that eerily mirror the current state of the country.

Three explosive original arrangements cultivate an urgent call to heal a broken system. Ultimately, the sonic excursion lands on an island where love is our first instinct. A new ideology is born opening our hearts to the possibilities of living as one unified people, where all gods are equal and together we prevail. True to traditional form, "Where The Gods Are In Peace" pays respect to the forefathers of afrobeat with compositions spanning nine to 15 minutes in length.

With a blessing from the Fela Kuti legacy early in the band’s career, Antibalas has long been revered for re-popularizing the classic afrobeat sound while adding their distinct New York City grit to the mix. Influences of punk rock, free jazz, and hip-hop seep into their expansive works to define a truly 21st century translation of the afrobeat genre and beyond.

TRACK LISTING

1: Gold Rush (10:53)
2: Hook & Crook (8:56)
3: Tombstone Pt. 1 (5:11)
4: Tombstone Pt. 2 (5:52)
5: Tombstone Pt. 3 (4:22)

In April of 2010, Robert, Bobby, Alberta, Delouse, and Patricia gathered at the home of their parents, Raymond and Joella Walker to make a recording with Michael Reilly. It would be Reilly’s third venture to record the a capella gospel tradition of Como, Mississippi for Daptone Records.

It was during his first recording (The Voices of Panola County: Como Now) that he encountered the Walker family and learned of their great musical tradition. Raymond Walker was courted by both Fred McDowell and Sam Cooke - each asked him to sing behind them on tour. espectfully, Raymond declined, on account that the singers wanted him to sing blues rather than gospel.

However, it was the Walkers’ voices and not their rich history that captured the attention of Daptone and inspired Reilly’s return to Como to make a full-length record of the Walker family songs. Recorded in their living room, these performances are as deep and stirring as they are unembelished. Take a moment to take in Panola County Spirit, with The Walker Family Singers.

James Hunter has been on the scene for enough years to acquire plenty of feathers in his cap. He has earned an international reputation as a rhythm and blues troubadour for his command of the microphone both on stage and in studio. This album, however, is something far deeper than just another notch in his belt. It is truly an artist’s vision come to fruition.

This may be James Hunter's fourth album, but it is his first Daptone record. Produced by Daptone's own Bosco Mann (Gabriel Roth) at Penrose Recorders (Daptone West) near his home in Riverside, California, ‘Hold On!’ is a perfect portrait of an artist at the top of his game. 

Though tunes like "(Baby) Hold On," "If That Don't Tell You," and "Stranded" carry the buoyant energy, crackerjack arrangements, and tough soulful pulse for which the band has become renowned, the true treasures of this LP may lie in the deeper grooves. Rumbas, boleros, bossanovas, and easy rockers, each one swinging more than the last: "This Is Where We Came In", "Something's Calling", "A Truer Heart", “Light of My Life”, “In The Dark” - no clichéd throwback nods to a-time-gone-by here.

These are forever songs crafted with immaculate care and ingenuity, sung with an effortless balance of tenderness and grit. Many will be tempted to describe it as “authentic,” but the word really has no place here. Hunter's words are truly his own and though at moments his voice may "evoke" Ray Charles or Sam Cooke, there lies an inherent naturalness in these songs that bucks any comparison past or present.

Following their 2014 breakout single "Hot Shot" - the biggest selling Daptone 45 ever - longtime Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings backing singers, Saundra Williams and Starr Duncan Lowe, (known as Saun & Starr) release their debut full-length album, 'Look Closer'.

Produced by Gabriel Roth and recorded at the House of Soul in Bushwick, Brooklyn in 2014, 'Look Closer' features 10 tracks including massive hit hit “Hot Shot”. Recorded with the Dap-Kings, the track has that signature Daptone sound: hard hitting drums and those horns that producers far and wide are craving for. Airy and soulful like a summer breeze, these two harmonize and trade vocals throughout. It’s no mistaking that this is a Daptone effort, and Saun & Starr are spot on with their vocals. This is an essential uplifting retro soul gem from the Daptone stable.

The Budos Band return with 'Burnt Offering'; a wild, booze-fueled ride of hazy riffs and take-no-prisoners horn lines that summons the occult - an evolved sound for this mighty 10-piece band sparked by their love of Black Sabbath and Pentagram.

'Burnt Offering' was recorded live in the studio, engineered and produced by Tom Brenneck, a founding member and guitarist in The Budos Band who runs Dunham Records and Studios. It was written at the band’s longtime Staten Island studio, where they’ve gathered for weekly rehearsals for over fifteen years. The haunting album cover was created by drummer Brian Profilio, a NYC public school art teacher.

The new album is dripping with the psychedelic sounds of early heavy metal fused with the tight-knit propulsion of Fela Kuti. “The Sticks” kicks off with a snarling riff seamlessly doubled on bass and guitar and unfurls into sludgy breakdowns and searing guitars.

In the six years since the release of their last full-length record, Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens have toured extensively, playing main stages at some of the most prestigious festivals in the world, including Bonnaroo, The Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Pop, and The Ottawa Blues Festival.

Though seasoned veterans, these years of touring played a major role in the creation of the twelve songs that we are so delighted to offer to you, our beloved Daptone Family. Presenting: 'Cold World'. With Gabriel (Bosco Mann) Roth at the helm, Naomi and company went into the studio, and cut onto tape what can only be described as bonafide Soul Excitement of the highest order.

Though the music is most unapologetically gospel, most of the lyrics on the record would fall under what could be called “message songs”. That is, music containing uplifting spiritual messages, reminiscent of the more inspirational moments of The Staple Singers or Curtis Mayfield. However, the relationship between gospel and soul music does not need to be discussed again here. It is as plainly and naturally inherent in these grooves as it is in the singer’s every word and motion. There is no one alive today that has a voice or spirit more capable of lifting an audience than Naomi Shelton.

On this record, the grooves are pure Soul. ‘Sinner’ sits atop side one as a dark welcome into the soulful stomping world of the Queens. They flow effortlessly from the Sunday stomp of ‘Get Up, Child’ to the country-twinged swagger of ‘One Day’ and ‘I Earned Mine’; from the river’s edge lilt of ‘Everybody Knows’ and ‘I Don’t Know’ to the energetic boogie of ‘Thank You Lord’, ‘It’s A Cold, Cold World’, and ‘Bound for the Promised Land’. This album is a menagerie of Soul music at its finest, untied by the strong message-laden lyrics. Trust us, the wait was worth it.

TRACK LISTING

1. Sinner
2. Movin’
3. Heaven Is Mine
4. Bound For The Promised Land
5. It’s A Cold, Cold World
6. I Don’t Know
7. Get Up, Child
8. One Day
9. I Earned Mine
10. Humble Me
11. Everybody Knows (River Song)

In 2005, Michael Reilly embarked on a journey down south with the intention to film a documentary about local musicians. Through a series of unexpected yet fortunate events Reilly was led to Como Mississippi, and ultimately to the table of Angela Taylor - where she, her sister Della Daniels, and long time friend Ester Mae Smith performed an a cappella rendition of “Peace of Mind”.

It was this moment that inspired Michael to return to Como with proper recording equipment, and much like what Alan Lomax had done decades before, document some of the most honest, soulful music to ever be tracked to tape. The first volume of recordings, 2008’s Como Now featured the Como Mamas, as well as several other local groups delivering heart stopping a cappella renditions of songs they cherished. And though the Como Mama’s remained skeptical that anyone would want to hear them singing an entire record of acappella gospel, we at Daptone Records are proud to present Get an Understanding, 13 songs of unadulterated gospel greatness.

There are only three instruments on this recording: The powerful, raspy voice of Ester Mae Smith, the deep soothing voice of Angela Taylor, and the energetic, spirited vocals of Della Daniels. There are no other musicians on this recording, yet the harmonies the Como Mamas create are so powerful, musical accompaniment is not missed.

Recorded on a sweltering morning in the humble wood structure that is Mt. Mariah church, this record is sure to mirror that heat throughout your body and soul. Don’t be fooled by the term Gospel for this record will move everyone from the pious Pastor to the staunchest atheist. The Como Mamas believe whole-heartedly that these songs have the power to help and inspire people in their everyday lives. As Della put it “We just want folks to listen and get an understanding.”

Recorded over a two-week period at Daptone’s House of Soul Studios in Brooklyn with Roth at the helm, "Antibalas" is the first Antibalas full-length to be released on Daptone, which - given the band’s deep and long-running ties to the label - brings things kind of full-circle for the band. Antibalas has shared past and present members with several outfits in the Daptone stable (such as Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Menahan Street Band and The Budos Band), while Roth was an original member of the band, and produced the first three Antibalas albums. “Making this record was like going back and playing basketball with all your high school buddies, or something,” says Roth.

The “family reunion” feeling on Antibalas is further bolstered by the return of original guitarist Luke O’Malley, who contributed “Dirty Money,” the album’s effervescent opening track. “Luke O’Malley has an amazing sense of music,” says tenor saxophonist Stuart Bogie, “and ‘Dirty Money’ is a perfect example of that. But he’s also such a hilarious and inspiring person, who leads with just kind of a blind energy into everything he does. He’s very much a reason why everyone in that room is there.”

STAFF COMMENTS

Philippa says: Afro-beat and cinematic funk from Antibalas who join the Daptone label for this LP.

TRACK LISTING

Dirty Money 6:15
The Ratcatcher 8:13
Him Belly No Go Sweet 6:56
Ari Degbe 6:44
Abeji 6:17
Sáré Kon Kon 8:08

You know that little something you’ve been missing but can’t quite wrap your noodle around what in the world it could be? This is something of an epidemic here in sunny Bushwick Brooklyn, and if the fan mail and phone calls don’t deceive, which they never do - this is happening worldwide folks. But don’t waste another second pondering this proverbial hole in your soul, because Daptone has the solution.

After years of research, 10 to be exact, it came to our attention that everyone’s favorite funky instrumentalists, The Sugarman 3 hadn’t released a new LP in some time. Well, of course!!! How could we have been so neglectful to our fans? Within hours of this epiphany Daptone Brass had the boys back in the studio. With only 8 tape tracks, a handful of peanuts, and a bottle of high proof Dutch Schnapps these gentlemen flexed their musical maturity - writing and tracking the entire album in four days.

There were tears shed, and blood spilled over those four fateful sessions, but we’re happy to report that what went down is some of the finest instrumental tunes ever laid to tape. Dig the masterful renditions of favorites such as: The Bacharach penned opus, and title track of the album “What the World Needs Now Is Love” - quite a fitting title considering this record is practically saving the world from incomplete-itis. As well as JJ Jackson’s soul classic “It’s Alright” - and for all you Bean Town enthusiasts, “Dirty Water” by the Standells (take it easy Mr. + Mrs. Know-it-alls, we know they’re from LA). And if that ain’t enough to make you wanna Boogaloo down Troutman St, surely their newly crafted originals will have your tail feathers shakin’ all over.