A couple of CD recommendations

In an age where emo-kids and thugs dominate the airwaves, it's amazingly hard to find new music that just makes you feel good. Well have no fear. Daptone Records has two groups on it's label that will have you smiling and your feet tapping in no time.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings out of Brooklyn, New York last year put together Naturally, one of the greatest soul/funk albums I've ever heard. The CD didn't leave my player for weeks. Sharon Jones has a strong and soulfull voice that just doesn't quite. From "Stranded in Your Love", a beautiful duet with Lee Fields to the upbeat "How Long Do I Have To Wait For You", you'll never tire of hearing Sharon's voice and the tight, funky licks of her backup band The Dap Kings. If you enjoy funk/soul or just think there's a possibility you might, pick up this album.

The second band on Daptone's label is called The Sugarman 3 & Co.. Also from New York City, the self-described "hard hitting funky soul boogaloo" band has been together since 1996. Their most recent release, Pure Cane Sugar, is apparently a break from their previous releases, adding a conga, trumpet, and vocals to the ensemble and creating an even funkier sound. They are now touring in Europe, where unfortunately, the music of these two fine bands seems more appreciated, reminding me of how Jimmi Hendrix, techno music, and other styles and bands which were first shunned here caught on after they got big across the Atlantic. Here's your chance to be ahead of the curve. In a country where clueless record execs choose what you get to hear, where corporate giants have shoved bad music down your throat for a decade and a half, the return to skilled musicians and great song-writing is inevitable.