NORWICH – After seven days of music on 12 stages and more than 400 bands, Offbeat magazine, known as the bible of the New Orleans and Louisiana music scene, this week proclaimed Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings the biggest hit of the New Orleans Jazz Fest.
And they’re coming to Norwich!
The volunteer members of the Chenango Blues Association have once again outdone themselves, with not one, but two world-class artists scheduled for this year’s festival on Friday, Aug, 21 and Saturday, Aug. 22 at the Chenango County Fairgrounds.
Jones and the legendary Charlie Musselwhite, whose music is infused with 1960’s-San Francisco rock ‘n’ roll, both promise to blow away blues fans who attend the 17 annual Chenango Blues Festival, sponsored by Manpower.
Known as the Queen of Funk by audiences across the globe, Sharon Jones - along with her band the Dap-Kings - will tear it up on center stage in the final act of the night on Saturday. Audiences who prefer to sit back in their comfy lawn chairs and listen after a long day of blues and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que might want to think twice. Jones’ command of the stage is rooted from watching James Brown dance and sing; the two both call Augusta, Ga. their hometown.
“They’re calling her a cross between James Brown and Tina Turner,” said Eric Larsen, president of the association, who just returned from the New Orleans Jazz Fest himself. “You don’t ever miss her if you get the chance to see her. This should be the best show we’ve ever put on.”
Upon learning about this year’s line-up, Dinosaur Bar B Que’s catering director Lindsay Amorese said, “Awesome! We wouldn’t miss the festival. We love being there every year.”
Like many famous blues entertainers, Jones grew up singing in the church choir, as back up for local dance bands, and later, for dance records. She got her break In 1996 when she was called in to sing behind 70’s soul legend, Lee Fields for Desco Records.
Her subsequent long career with Desco Records brought hit singles such as The Bump & Touch, Damn It’s Hot, and You Better Think Twice as well as versions of funk classics I Got the Feelin’ and Hook & Sling. In the UK, a blossoming Deep Funk scene showed support for these Desco releases and paved the way for Jones and her then band, the ‘Soul Providers,’ first international tour in 1999. It was in England where her command of the stage earned her an overnight title as the ‘Queen of Funk.’
