Our latest addition to the Sax Bandits Christmas set list is a lesser known song called ‘Aint No Chimneys In The Project’ by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, from the Christmas album entitled ‘It’s A Holiday Soul Party!‘ (2015).
This is one of my favourite Christmas albums (especially as I own it on vinyl in limited edition ‘candy cane’) and it brings me great joy to share my love of festive music with our wider Sax Bandits community. Even more so, I feel a responsibility to share the music of lesser known artists, in order to keep their legacy alive. This festive album features some incredibly talented musicians, intricate song arrangements, and crisp production, which culminates in an album oozing with authentic soul groove!
The Band
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings were a grammy award-winning American funk and soul band, part of the revival movement of 1960s/70s style funk and soul music between 2002-2016.
Sharon Jones was born in Georgia but moved to Brooklyn as a teenager, where she immersed herself in 1970s disco and funk with an eye on cutting a record of her own. By her twenties, Jones was turning in backing vocals for gospel, soul, disco, and blues artists as a successful session musician, most of it uncredited. By the 1980s, these musical styles became unfashionable and instead of pushing ahead with her soul diva’s dream, she returned to church singing and took a job as a corrections officer at New York’s Rikers Island!
It wouldn’t be until 1996 that Desco Records would rediscover Jones’ talent as a seasoned performer. Jones released several singles with the label in the late ’90s which earned her the moniker, ‘the Queen of Funk‘. By 2002, Jones released her first full-length album with the Dap-Kings, ‘Dap Dippin’ with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’. The band went on to release a total of seven studio albums until Sharon Jones death in 2016 at the age of 60, after losing a battle with pancreatic cancer.
The Dap-Kings were also notable for their collaborations with several artists, notably with Mark Ronson for their contributions to Amy Winehouse‘s iconic ‘Back to Black’ album.
The Album
What I love about this album is the mix of original festive songs, such as ‘Just Another Christmas Song‘ and ‘Big Bulbs‘, alongside unique soul reimaginings of traditional Christmas songs, such as ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gents‘ and ‘Silent Night‘. However, the authentic funk and soul grooves makes the whole album feel cohesive and captivating. The bands’ performance is flawless and the production is sublime, you can hear every instrument and voice with absolute clarity!
If I had one wish for Christmas this year… please find some time to play this album during the festive season. Let it play from beginning to end and enjoy it’s nostalgic Christmas warmth!
Both the song and band were new to me. Listening now. Thanks for opening my eyes (ears?). Very cool – some great bari lines cutting through too.