Leon Dinero returns with more rocksteady magic from producer Victor Axelrod.

Originally written and recorded by James Hunter, "Heartbreak" gets the Axelrod treatment, turning this mid-tempo R&B gem on its head. The laid back vocal and tasteful organ give "Heartbreak" a wholly fresh vibe whilst staying respectfully true to the original.

On the flip is "Cut Both Ways" an instrumental version courtesy of The Inversions. One listen and you'll find that these are some of the baddest musicians in the game.

TRACK LISTING

Side A – Heartbreak
Side B – Cut Both Ways

1We are proud to present two unreleased sides from the late Queen of modern soul, and her Dap-Kings.

Recorded during the sessions for Soul Of A Woman and penned by sax stalwart and Daptone co-founder Neal Sugarman, "Don't Wanna Lose You" is a heavy slice of soul sophistication teeming with groove and vibe.

"Don't Give a Friend a Number" is a haunting, R&B tinged mover whose eerie background vocals provide the perfect backdrop for Sharon to take an unqualified lover to task.

TRACK LISTING

Side A – Don’t Wanna Lose You
Side B – Don’t Give A Friend A Number

Arguably the very best soul singer alive, Lee comes correct with two massive tunes from his critically acclaimed Sentimental Fool LP.

With the deep piano intro, frantic shuffle and pleading vocal Two Jobs has the conviction of James Brown with the swing of Bobby Bland. A sound very few folks could pull off, yet Lee triumphs with command and swagger in equal measure.

Save Your Tears for Someone New is a deep, dark ballad tailored-made for Lee’s ferociously soulful voice. A veritable masterclass in rhythm and soul.

TRACK LISTING

Side A – Two Jobs
Side B – Save Your Tears For Someone New

An unreleased gem from the Come Around and Love Me sessions, "Here to Stay" is a gorgeously breezy ballad that will most definitely appeal to fans of the sweet soul output from our Penrose imprint.

A standout track from the aforementioned long player, "If You Don't Want My Love" delivers a one-two punch of class and style that harkens back to the sounds coming out of Motown in the late sixties and early seventies.

Coupled with Jalen's uncommonly soulful voice and lyrical prowess you have another top-shelf composition that can hang with the very best of 'em. 

TRACK LISTING

Side A – Here To Stay
Side B – If You Don’t Want My Love

A modern, mid-tempo masterpiece whose lush arrangement and laser-sharp groove provide the perfect foundation for Jalen’s profoundly soulful vocals. The track exudes charm and manifests positivity in a way rarely captured on today’s soul scene.

On the flip is the moody, previously unreleased beat-ballad, “What is Left to Do”, whose gorgeous strings, plaintive, call and response chorus and tasteful delay create the kind of subdued psychedelic that was coming out of Motown in the early 70’s. But contrary to the trends of that era, both sides of this disc are presented in glorious mono.

TRACK LISTING

Side A – Come Around And Love Me
Side B – What Is Left To Do

If youʼre a fan of Daptone Records, chances are youʼve read or heard the name Victor Axelrod, and even if you havenʼt, youʼve heard music from his hand. As a producer, arranger, recording and mixing engineer, and keyboardist, his creativity has extended across more than two decades of the labelʼs releases, even dating to its prehistory with Desco Records.

If You Ask Me To..., the first LP under his name for the label, is a collection of singles released between 2007-2023 as well as unreleased tracks from Sugar Minott and Binky Griptite. The genesis of which came via an 11th hour request from Daptone for a Sharon Jones remix (2007) that resulted in the reggae version of “How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?” found here.

This opened the door to additional explorations of reggae/soul synergies within the catalog, affirming the musical and cultural link between Daptoneʼs core soul sound and Axelrodʼs passion for Jamaican music. While previous projects like Ticklah Vs. Axelrod and Roots Combination (produced under the alias Ticklah) were inspired by the Jamaica of the 1970s and 80s, this set specifically channels an earlier period in the 1960s when Jamaica was both strikingly original in its continuum of genres but also closely and empathetically attuned to Black American music.

Through Axelrodʼs exceptional taste and the notable contributions of guitarist Tom Brenneck, original tapes from Bob & Gene's MoDo discography, members of The Frightnrs, and others from the NYC reggae community, the legacy of trailblazing Jamaican artists like Alton Ellis, Tony Gregory, and Ken Parker continue to resonate and inspire a whole new generation of reggae and soul enthusiasts.

TRACK LISTING

One Step Ahead - Sugar Minott
If You Ask Me To - Leon Dinero
Whatcha Doing (to Me) - Charles Bradley
Icanbecool - Bob & Gene
Lover Like Me - Binky Griptite
I’d Rather Go Blind - The Frightnrs
I Can’t Stand These Lonely Nights - Bob & Gene
It’s Not What You Know (it’s Who You Know) - Bob & Gene
How Long Do I Have To Wait For You - Sharon Jones
Conscience Is Heavy - The Inversions

Artists like Jalen Ngonda come around once in a lifetime, so it is our privilege and distinct pleasure to announce the release of his debut album ‘Come Around and Love Me’.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Jalen perform live knows that he is one of the most captivating performers on today's soul scene. His voice, equal parts raw feeling and elegance, exudes confidence and charm—disarming packed rooms of rowdy concert goers, leaving them silent as they hold fast to every syllable sung.

Plans for the album were struck just months before the COVID 19 pandemic shut the world down. Notwithstanding, Jalen eventually made it to Hive Mind Studios in Brooklyn, NY where he began writing and recording with the help of producer/arrangers Mike Buckley and Vincent Chiarito (both members of Charles Bradley's Extraordinaires) and a crack team of a-list musicians from the Daptone family. The team skilfully blends heavy arrangements and introspective lyrics with Motown sophistication, leaving the listener in a blissful wash of wonderment.

Jalen has been writing songs since he was 14, and his compositions are also very much of these times. He explains, “I love music from the 20th century— I listen to it all the time, but I'm in this world and the 21st century. ...to a stranger, I'd describe my music as modern soul and R&B, while trying to ft in the Beach Boys and the Beatles somewhere in between.” ‘Come Around and Love Me’ reveals how he creates a classic approach that is rooted in the sounds of revered pioneers, without falling into imitation–leaving no doubt that Jalen will continue to shine within the superlative, timeless musical tradition that is Daptone's hallmark.

STAFF COMMENTS

Laura says: Born and raised on the East Coast of the USA, just outside Washington DC and now resident in Liverpool, Jalen Ngonda’s debut album is released on Daptone, which is reason enough to take note - let’s face it, they rarely put a foot wrong do they? The album kicks off with the title track “Come Around And Love Me”, that brings to mind ‘What’s Going On’ era Marvin, and then runs through a collection of pristine 2-3 minute gems that perfectly capture the golden era of soul, from the mid 60s to mid 70s.

Jalen is the real deal, with a voice that ranges from raw soul power to sweet falsetto, and songwriting skills to match. There isn’t a bad track here, in fact pretty much every song could be a single in its own right. You can pick out a whole host of influences, from the aforementioned Marvin Gaye, to the psychedelic soul of Isaac Hayes, the Motor City sound of The Four Tops and sweet harmonies of The Temptation but there’s a fresh modern feel to the production too, it’s not some tired pastiche. I guess if you’re looking for a contemporary comparison, Michael Kiwanuka springs to mind in the way that he fuses the old and new so seamlessly. So to sum up, if you’re a fan of modern soul, full of romance and heartbreak and infused with classic Motown and Philly Soul ingredients, then this is for you.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
1. Come Around And Love Me
2. If You Donʼt Want My Love
3. Lost
4. Thatʼs All I Wanted From You
5. Please Show Me
Side B
6. Just Like You Used To
7. What A Difference She Made
8. Give Me Another Day
9. So Glad I Found You
10. It Takes A Fool
11. Rapture

Soul great Lee Fields signs to Daptone and announces a new album.
Lee Fields is arguably the greatest soul singer alive today. In an age when the shelf life of an artist largely depends on posturing and trends, he has proven to be an unassailable force of nature. His prolific, decade-spanning career continues to reign supreme on the modern soul scene.

In early 2022, Lee reunited with Daptone Records and producer Gabriel Roth to record Sentimental Fool, a deep, blues-tinged, wholly-conceived soul album. From his first line to his final plaintive lyric, the beauty, power, and raw humanity of Leeʼs voice is on full display here; the culmination of an astounding career that has seemed to defy gravity, rising to only greater and greater heights.

Soul music pours out of Lee Fields, as free and unstinting as God's love.
It was ever since the 1960's, when he was a teenager in North Carolina sweating it out on juke joint stages, crumpled dollars hailing at his feet. It continues now that the living legend is in his late sixties, ushering in the most successful and fruitful period of his career.

Like any living legend worth their salt, Fields has suffered despair, obscurity, defeat. Although he now tours stages around the world, and although he helped fellow soul legends like Sharon Jones (who was once Fields' backup singer) and Charles Bradley (whom Fields took on his first tour) get their first break, he did not always have this position. There were years—they were known as "the 1980's"—when Fields nearly gave up. His success these days, then has a bittersweet tinge: His dear friends Bradley and Jones have both passed, leaving Fields to outlive them and carry their legacy forth.

With all these years, and all this life, comes a sort of divine wisdom, and Fields has it in spades. "I am a sinner, just like everybody else," he says gravely. He is no "holier—than—thou guy," he adds. He just believes in people's ability to love and be loved, and he understands that music is the divine bridge to these places.

TRACK LISTING

1. Forever
2. I Should Have Let You Be
3. Sentimental Fool
4. Two Jobs
5. Just Give Me Your Time
6. Save Your Tears For Someone New
7. The Door
8. What Did I Do?
9. Without A Heart
10. Ordinary Lives
11. Your Face Before My Eyes
12. Extraordinary Man

Longtime Daptone Hammond ace, Adam Scone was seduced when his travelling performances brought him from Brooklyn, New York to Brooklin, Brasil, where he found a trove of new love and music. Produced by Bosco Mann, and featuring Jimmy James (True-Loves, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio) on guitar and Neal Sugarman (Sugarman 3, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings) on tenor sax the group took this newfound inspiration into the studio and tracked some of the freshest soulful music we've heard in some time.
With help from his intergalactic choir, the opening track, "Cold 40's", leaps out of the speakers with the screaming organ sound that has put Scone on the short list of goto organ players. The Hammond then gives way to a dreamy, funky groove that's perfectly seasoned with ethereal background vocals that will transport you to a place where summer is on repeat. "Brooklyn to Brooklin” brings you deep into a fever-dream of tropical rhythms and seductive flourishes of psychedelia, sure to delight dancers and dreamers alike. Come take a trip!

TRACK LISTING

1. Cold 40's
2. In Your Hands
3. Anadira
4. Brooklyn To Brooklin
5. All These Bad Things
6. What's Her Name?
7. It Wasn't Meant To Be
8. Night Ballads
9. Golden State
10. Laughing Because

For Thee Sacred Souls, the first time is often the charm. The band’s first club dates led to a record deal with the revered Daptone label; their first singles racked up more than ten million streams in a year and garnered attention from Billboard, Rolling Stone, and KCRW; and their first fans included the likes of Gary Clark Jr., The Black Pumas, Princess Nokia, and Timbaland. Now, the breakout San Diego trio is ready to deliver yet another landmark first with the release of their self-titled debut on Daptone records.

“Every step of the way has just been so organic,” says drummer Alex Garcia. “Things just seem to happen naturally when the three of us get together.”

Indeed, there’s something inevitable about the sound of Thee Sacred Souls, as if Garcia and his bandmates—bassist Sal Samano and singer Josh Lane—have been playing together for a lifetime already. Produced by Bosco Mann (aka Daptone co-founder Gabriel Roth), Thee Sacred Souls is a warm and textured record, mixing the easygoing grace of sweet ’60s soul with the grit and groove of early ’70s R&B, and the performances are utterly intoxicating, with Lane’s weightless vocals anchored by the rhythm section’s deep pocket and infectious chemistry.

Hints of Chicano, Philly, Chicago, Memphis and even Panama soul turn up here, and while it’s tempting to toss around labels like “retro” with a deliberately analog collection like this, there’s also something distinctly modern about the band that defies easy categorization, a rawness and a sincerity that transcends time and place.

TRACK LISTING

Can I Call You Rose
Lady Love
Easier Said Than Done
Overflowing
A Trade Of Hearts
Weak For Your Love
Future Lover
Sorrow For Tomorrow
For Now
Once You Know (THEN You'll Know)
Happy And Well
Love Comes Easy

Daptone Records presents The James Hunter Six's latest offering, With Love: a heart-shaped collection of candle-lit ballads and love songs.

Plucked like so many "he loves you" petals from the vast and sumptuous garden of his Daptone Recordings, these twelve lilting melodies have been selected and sequenced with great care, tenderness, and intention by Daptone staff for the solitary purpose of compiling some of the criminally overlooked treasures in the James Hunter Six's critically acclaimed catalog.

TRACK LISTING

1. Something’s Calling
2. I Don’t Wanna Be Without You
3. Who’s Fooling Who
4. If I Only Knew
5. Carina
6. Take It As You Find It
7. This Is Where We Came In
8. Heartbreak
9. It Was Gonna Be You
10. Never

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings are here to help music fans get into the holiday spirit. The band provide a soulful soundtrack to the holidays this year with new album 'It’s A Holiday Soul Party', released on Daptone Records.

And we're not just talking Christmas here either, as other faith-based seasonal celebrations are catered for as well. Kicking off with “8 Days (Of Hanukkah)” - the band’s ode to The Festival of Lights - the 11-song set of original and classic holiday songs is the group’s first holiday record and follows their Grammy-nominated 2014 album 'Give The People What They Want'.

Get your menorah lit, your Xmas tree decorated and then stick this record on - happy holidays ya'll!

TRACK LISTING

8 Days (Of Hannukah) 
Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects 
White Christmas 
Just Another Christmas Song 
Silent Night 
Big Bulbs 
Please Come Home For Christmas 
Funky Little Drummer Boy
Silver Bells 
World Of Love 
God Rest Ye Merry Gents

Daptone celebrates it's 20 year anniversary with this new album, recorded and filmed live at the world famous Apollo Theater in Harlem NYC 2014!
Performed and recorded over three nights in front of a sold out crowd at The World Famous Theater in Harlem, NY (December 4th - 6th, 2014), this album brings the electrifying performances that helped put Daptone on the map directly to your living room!

Featuring live sets from: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley And His Extraordinaires, Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, Antibalas, The Budos Band, Menahan Street Band, Saun & Starr, The Sugarman 3, as well as MC, Binky Griptite; it’s a rambunctious, star-studded and celebratory affair which almost takes you right into the heart of the action!

Pour yourself a rum daquiri, put on your finest clobber, and get settled for a high-glitz, high-glamour Saturday night! By golly you deserve it! Bring the party to your living room and experience the incredible vibe of this incendiary night over and over again at your leisure. 

TRACK LISTING

Side One:
1. Introduction By Binky Griptite - The Dap-Kings
2. Hot Shot - Saun & Starr
3. Confess It - Saun & Starr
4. In The Night - Saun & Starr
5. Witch's Boogaloo - The Sugarman 3
6. Love Went Away - The Sugarman 3

Side Two:
1. Thank You Lord - Naomi Shelton And The Gospel Queens
2. Stranger - Naomi Shelton And The Gospel Queens
3. Higher Ground - Naomi Shelton And The Gospel Queens
4. Make The Road By Walking - Menahan Street Band
5. Out Of The Wilderness - The Como Mamas

Side Three:
1. Heartaches And Pain - Charles Bradley (And His Extraordinaires)
2. The World (Is Going Up In Flames) - Charles Bradley (And His Extraordinaires)
3. Lovin' You Baby - Charles Bradley (And His Extraordinaires)
4. Slip Away - Charles Bradley (And His Extraordinaires)
5. How Long - Charles Bradley (Featuring The Menahan Street Band)

Side Four:
1. Let Love Stand A. Chance - Charles Bradley (And His Extraordinaires)
2. The Sticks - The Budos Band
3. Ain't It A Sin - Charles Bradley (Featuring The Budos Band)
4. Sáré Kon Kon Pt. 1 - Antibalas

Side Five:
1. Sáré Kon Kon Pt. 2 – Antibalas
2. Miss Sharon Jones' Intro - The Dap-Kings
3. He Said I Can - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
4. If You Call - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
5. Tell Me - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
6. Get Up And Get Out - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

Side Six:
1. Making Up And Breaking Up (And Making Up And Breaking Up Over Again) - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
2. I'm Not Gonna Cry - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
3. Calamity - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
4. Every Beat Of My Heart - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
5. There Was A Time - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (And Friends)
6. Family Affair / Outro - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings

The Dap-Kings' electro-sax space warrior returns with a groove-heavy sequel to All My Relations. Vol. II: Baca Sewa, an expressive, transcendental voyage through the archives of his indigenous roots and beyond. Drawing on ancestral memories and family histories to wrap new flesh around the bones of history, this album is a bold, semi-autobiographical work that leads us deeper into the annals of family histories, mythology and the cultural imaginary.

“Baca Sewa” is Cochemeaʼs original family name prior to Spanish colonization and the fracturing or erasure of ancient knowledge and ways. The melody for the title track was composed by Anthony Gastelum and features vocals and drumming by the Baca Sewa Singers- a group composed of several generations of family members. The album runs thick with sonic tributes and remembrances. “Chitoʼs Song” is a contemplative, ethereal tribute to a beloved uncle. “Curandera” conjures the memory of the irrepressible healing power of medicine women. “Black Pearl” recalls his great grandfather, heir to a legacy of indigenous peoples enslaved as pearl divers in the Sea of Cortez.

Leading a 7-piece ensemble composed of New Yorkʼs top percussionists and members of Daptoneʼs rhythm section, Cochemea recombined ancient elements of drums, winds, and voice, creating his own world of emotional textures and rhythmic possibilities. His musical and spiritual synthesis is made possible through his deep reverence of the horn and of the music and traditions preceding him. Vol II: Baca Sewa - is an offering and continuation of Cochemeaʼs explorations, part of a musical process of cultural reclamation and healing through connection, relations, memory and imagination. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Burning Plain
2. Tukaria
3. Mimbreños
4. Chito’s Song
5. Nahsuareo Bwikam
6. Black Pearl
7. Peace Prayer
8. Curandera
9. Baca Sewa (Chant)
10. Baca Sewa (Song)

Formed in NYC, this grammy-nominated group of Moroccan expats has been making waves locally and abroad with their hypnotic live shows. The group is led by Ma'alem Hassan Ben Jaffar, a master musician and spiritual elder of the ensemble who plays a three-stringed african bass known as a guembri. Ben Jaffar is accompanied by a brotherhood of musicians – (Amino Belyamani, Ahmed Jeriouda, Samir Langus and Nawfal Atiq) – all playing the qraqeb, metal castanets that represent the shackles and chains of slaves and also singing chorus responses. Gnawa music is a spiritual tradition rooted in Moroccoʼs ancient history. Often referred to as “Sufi Blues”, Gnawaʼs African influence originated from West African slaves brought to Morocco centuries ago. Not unlike blues music in the American South, Gnawa music is revered throughout Morocco as treasured indigenous soul music.

After seeing a performance at a mutual friend's party, producer and local Gnawa enthusiast, Bosco Mann, invited Innov Gnawa to come record some tracks at The Daptone House of Soul. The invitation was accepted and over a five-hour session, the group tracked an entire albumsʼ worth of material - all in one take. The session tracked that evening is what we humbly offer up to you, the beloved Daptone Family. Lila, literally meaning "night" is a traditional ceremony in which the Ma'alem and his qraqeb ensemble dedicate an evening of healing through music. This all-night rhythm fest is a spiritual ritual which cleanses the body, mind, and spirit. We invite you to immerse yourself in Lila. Experience Freedom, Liberation and the power of healing through music. The spirit of Gnawa is people. Experience the freedom, liberation, and power of healing through music. You are not alive if this music doesn't move you. 

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklisting (please Note That Songs Are Broken Down Into Groups Of Tracks)
1. Chorfa (made Up Of The Tracks L’3fou, Salaw 3lik, Jilala)
2. El Kouhel (made Up Of The Tracks Mimouna, L’Ghumami, Gnawi Baba Mimoun, Baba L’Ghumami, Fofo Denba)
3. El Ghaba (made Up Of The Tracks El Hadiya, El Hadiya Sala Nabina)

CD Tracklisting
1. Youmala / Zidelmal
2. Chorfa
3. El Bouhala
4. El Kouhel
5. El Ghaba
6. Hamdouchia

THIS IS A BLACK FRIDAY RELEASE AVAILABLE ONLINE ONLY ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27TH FROM 6PM.
LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

Throughout their career, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings remained in high demand both publicly and privately to recreate and often re-imagine songs by other artists. More often than not, these covers were recorded by request – commissioned for placement in movies, television programs, tribute albums, or for samples. This album compiles some of their most popular as well as never-before-heard renditions.

Though the band has mostly built their career on a prolific catalog of originals, these forays into other artists’ compositions lay bare their gift for arrangement and the unmatched studio prowess that earned them their reputation as The Baddest Band in the Land.

TRACK LISTING

1. Signed Sealed Delivered
2. Little By Little
3. Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition Was In)
4. Here I Am Baby
5. What Have You Done For Me Lately
6. Take Me With You
7. Inspiration Information
8. Giving Up
9. Rescue Me
10. In The Bush
11. It Hurts To Be Alone
12. Trespsaser

"A split-screen maelstrom of Fela Kuti, Led Zep, Morricone, psych and dub" The Budos Band - MOJO - Rising - August 2019 Celebrating 15 years from the release of their debut album, Daptone's Royal Court from Staten Island delivers a truly epic collection of new material that finds the group further bridging the gap between the farfisa-fueled Ethio-Funk stylings of their early recordings, with the psychedelic, Sabbath-inspired hellfire of late. “In some ways, itʼs reminiscent of our first two albums The Budos Band and Budos II,” says Tom Brenneck. “We branched off on Burnt Offering and Budos V. Now, weʼre still moving forward.

You can play these songs on the dance-floor. We knew the horns had to stand out too. Thinking about hip-hop allowed us to put the bounce back into The Budos.” This is evident from needle drop to final rotation. Heavy drum breaks, reminiscent of the B-Boy approved grooves of their early output reign supreme, setting the stage for the pulsating, hallucinatory wall of organ, menacing horns, and rugged guitar riffs to permeate your soul - leaving the listener in a rhythmic wash of Budonian rapture. Long in the Tooth represents the culmination of a 15-year journey by a band that has consistently carved its own distinct path through the grooves of history.

TRACK LISTING

1 Long In The Tooth
2 Sixth Hammer
3 Snake Hawk
4 Dusterado
5 Silver Stallion
6 Haunted Sea
7 The Wrangler
8 Gun Metal Grey
9 Mierda De Toro
10 Budonian Knight Renegade

The third album by soul powerhouse Charles Bradley.
The entire album features the Menahan Street Band, and was produced by Tommy Brenneck.

Soul singer Charles Bradley’s star has been on the rise since the release of his widely praised 2011 debut album No Time For Dreaming, and his ascent has continued long after the release of his triumphant second album, 2013’s Victim of Love. Dubbed “The Screaming Eagle of Soul,” the singer will release his third albumChanges on April 1, 2016 on Daptone Records imprint Dunham Records.

The album is named for his popular cover of the Black Sabbath track, previously only available as a Record Store Day 45. “I think about the lyrics very closely when I sing ‘Changes’ and get emotional,” says Bradley. “It makes me think of my mother and the changes in my life since she passed away.”

Charles Bradley has also made a name for himself as a riveting live performer. He’s taken his show to venues and festivals across the globe including Coachella, Glastonbury Festival and Primavera Sound. Bradley’s also performed on famed stages including the Apollo Theater, and the Beacon Theatre where he’s separately supported The Tedeschi Trucks Band and the Afghan Whigs. He has just announced a number of European and North American shows for Spring 2016, including performances at L'Olympia in Paris and the O2 Forum in London.

By now, Charles Bradley’s remarkable, against-all-odds rise has been well documented: how he transcended a bleak life on the streets and struggled through a series of ill-fitting jobs before finally being discovered by Daptone's Gabriel Roth and releasing his debut album No Time for Dreaming. The year following the release of No Time For Dreaming was one triumph after another and his second album Victim of Love saw Bradley emerging from his past heartaches stronger and more confident, overflowing with love to share. Victim of Love went on to receive overwhelming praise and was included on "Best of 2013" lists by SPIN, MOJO, Paste, BuzzFeed, Rough Trade & more. The album’s title track was also named one of Rolling Stone’s "Best Songs of 2013."

TRACK LISTING

1. God Bless America
2. Good To Be Back Home
3. Nobody But You
4. Ain't Gonna Give It Up
5. Changes
6. Ain't It A Sin
7. Things We Do For Love
8. Crazy For Your Love
9. You Think I Don't Know (But I Know)
10. Change For The World
11. Slow Love

Back in the spotlight with a sublime new rhythm and blues record, James Hunter follows up six critically acclaimed albums with his latest recording, Nick of Time, set for release on Brooklyn’s renowned soul label Daptone Records.

Nick of Time is a shining testament of how a master songsmith continually draws fresh water from a bottomless well. Recorded and produced by Bosco Mann, Nick of Time features one of today’s foremost soul singers at the top of his game performing with musicians who’ve backed some of the biggest contemporary music stars including Daptone artists Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley. Nick of Time will be internationally released on March 6, 2020.

For Nick of Time, Hunter and Daptone co-founder Bosco Mann hunkered down in the label’s Penrose Studios in Riverside, California for what certainly will be one of 2020’s standout soul recordings. Unmistakably another stunning James Hunter album, Nick of Time is a voyage between beautiful, mid-tempo rumba recalling early King/Federal releases, while lush arrangements summon lost tracks from early '60s Burt Bacharach sessions. Nick of Time is steeped in an era when soul records were driven by earth-shattering vocal performances. James Hunter hands down ushers classic soul music into the 21st Century with a sense of timelessness that’s rare these days.

James Hunter is an everlasting writer of compelling narratives sung with true grit while backed by an ace band of New York City’s finest musicians. Nick of Time finds Hunter in the company of Victor Axelrod (piano), Adam Scone (organ), Rudy Petschauer (drums), Myles Weeks (bass), Michael Buckley (baritone saxophone), and Freddy DeBoe (tenor saxophone). On the road for an extensive U.S., U.K., and European tour in support of Nick of Time, Matt Slocum (keyboards) takes the reins on keys for a hearty James Hunter Six ensemble ready to electrify soul music fans as they hit venerable stages in a city near you in spring 2020.

TRACK LISTING

1. I Can Change Your Mind
2. Who's Fooling Who
3. Till I Hear It From You
4. Never
5. Missing In Action
6. Nick Of Time
7. Brother Or Other
8. Ain't Goin' Up In One Of Those Things
9. Take It As You Find It
10. Can't Help Myself
11. How 'Bout Now
12. Paradise For One
13. He's Your Could've Been

For the better part of 15 years Helsinki's own Timmion Records has released some of the most exciting soul sides happening today. To help spread the Timmion love, Daptone staffers and brass made a list of their favorite Timmion tracks from the past couple years. Presented here is Bad Education, Vol. I, the culmination of weeks of deliberation and infighting (mainly due to their unusually high batting average) - 10 tracks that best represent the eclectic wealth of soulful riches Timmion Records has to offer.

Side 1 one gets cracking with "This is What Love Looks Like", a mid-tempo, breezy dancer by NYC's own Carlton Jumel Smith whose recent album, 1634 Lexington Ave, is poised to be one of the top Soul releases of 2019. Johnny Benavidez, the Texas-born, California-raised balladeer showcases his heartfelt falsetto with "Tell Me That You Love Me" - a beat ballad of the highest order, and a must for fans of Texas giants The Commands. Pratt & Moody, a vocal duo who have been making waves for sometime in their native Finland, serve up another heart-wrenching, head-bobbing ballad with "Lost, Lost, Lost". Picking up the tempo we have the undisputed queen of Finnish Soul, Miss Nicole Willis! The New York native is already a household name on the UK Northern Soul scene, but now it's time for this expat to make some noise Stateside. Closing out the side we have the leather-clad-fringed flute phenom know as Ernie "Scorpio Man' Hawks. The Scorpio Walk's deep groove laced with murmuring fuzz bass and surf guitar rushes the listener like a maniacal villain in an art house spy movie.

Side 2 two packs even more soulful punches, starting with the unreleased track "Until You’re Mine" by Wanda Felicia. Equal parts slick, Big City street harmony and raw, southern soul, the track evokes the ver y best of Fame-era Candi Staton. Next up, we have Bobby Oroza whose featured track "This Love" took the Soul scene by storm upon its release in 2016. His understated, earnest vocal let's the sparse arrangement and heavy beat take you to a place where the sun shines bright and the low-riders shine brighter where the Sunday afternoon sun dances off the gold flecks of custom paint jobs. "Bad Education" the funky, afro-latin soul monster with a message (whose title graces the cover of this album) tips the hat to legends like Joe Bataan and Ray Barreto. The debut single by Bardo Martinez, already known for his work with Chicano Batman, lays down a fier y indictment of the educational system defining it as a mouthpiece for the militar y industrial complex. A heavy tune with a heavier message! From top to bottom Bad Education, Vol. I is a feast for discerning funk & soul freaks alike!

TRACK LISTING

This Is What Love Looks Like!
Tell Me That You Love Me
Lost Lost Lost
Paint Me In A Corner
Scorpio Walk
Until You're Mine
This Love
Bad Education
Don't Believe You Like That
I'm Still A Man

Direct from Cuba! Daptone Records is proud to introduce Orquesta Akoka?n, a big band collective of Havana's top musicians both young and old, joining forces with some of the most creative and spirited talents of New York's Latin music scene.

Born out of a shared vision by singer Jose? "Pepito" Go?mez, producer Jacob Plasse, and arranger Michael Eckroth, the group reinvigorates the sound of the golden era of Cuban mambo with a bold new energy.

Featuring all-original music cut live to tape over a three day session at Havana's hallowed state-run Estudios Areito - one of the longest operating studios in the world and where seminal Cuban records have been made since the early '40s, and more contemporarily with the 1997 release of the Buena Vista Social Club album - the group's self titled debut feels like a heartfelt gift from the band to listener. Which is no coincidence being that Akoka?n is a Yoruba word used in Cuba meaning "from the heart", and indeed every song presented here is just that.

This is a fascinating next step for Daptone, which released the final album by Sharon Jones and the Dap- Kings and mourned the loss of Charles Bradley in 2017. ‘Orquesta Akoka?n’ finds the label branching outside its own studios to release its first Spanish language album.

With overwhelmingly poignant timing, the celebratory and life affirming "Miss Sharon Jones! OST" arrives not a week after the unique artist's untimely passing. The film, directed by two-time Academy Award winner, Barbara Kopple, follows the dynamic front-woman through her 2013 battle with cancer and her triumphant return to the stage around the release of "Give The People What They Want". The soundtrack, featuring the exclusive "I'm Still Here" and a live recording of "His Eye On The Sparrow" in Sharon's local church in Georgia, boasts a nice selection of tracks ranging from her early singles on Daptone alongside tracks from the band's 2014 release - Give the People What They Want. Much like the film, the soundtrack gives you an intimate, candid look into the life of a woman who refused to be defined by the challenges she faced. Packed to the rafters with the full range of emotions, this set presents an artist at her peak and a fitting farewell to fans everywhere. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Tell Me
2. Retreat
3. Genuine Pt. 1
4. Longer And Stronger
5. If You Call
6. 100 Days, 100 Nights
7. People Don't Get What They Deserve
8. Humble Me
9. I'll Still Be True
10. Let Them Knock
11. Stranger To My Happiness
12. Keep On Looking
13. Mama Don't Like My Man
14. I Learned The Hard Way
15. Slow Down Love
16. I'm Still Here (exclusive)