Charles Bradley's "How Long": Live in Athens, GA

Here's an early attempt at capturing the energy of a live performance. The performance part is definitely Charles Bradley's specialty--along with his amazing, soul-baring voice, of course!  Check out the "bearing the burden" maneuver--classic allusion!

*A wee disclaimer: my proximity to the excellent speaker system at the GA Theatre helped to "c l i p" the sound a little bit, which was a tad disappointing, but lesson learned for next show. Still, Bradley's showmanship and well-honed vocal talents, as well as the extremely tight backing from His Extraordinaires, trumped any technical difficulties.  Check out the inspiring story of his long rise to finally become a recognized R & B / soul star.

The bill that night was shared by The Budos Band, the instrumental group whose name stems from a preference for facial hair -- thus, 'barbudos' . Both acts are on Daptone Records, the stellar outfit from Brooklyn, NY, where else?  Their analog approach to record production has made them a highly respected label in recent years; that crisp but warm Motown / Stax Records sound consistently comes through like it's always existed in the catalog of essential tunes.  I've mentioned Daptone previously around here when Sharon Jones first shook my world , like she always will,  as 'The Hardest Working Woman in Show Business'!

Here Jones sings a tune by a familiar name; the backing rhythm by The Dap Kings is totally infectious, even after the hundredth time!