Daptone Records


Daptone Records is an American funk and soul independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as the home of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley, the label boasts a roster which includes Menahan Street Band, The Budos Band, The Sugarman 3, and Antibalas, and runs the recording studio Daptone's House of Soul.

History

Daptone Records was formed in 2001 by Gabriel Roth and Neal Sugarman. Daptone was born out of the closure of Desco Records, a label run by Roth with fellow musician Philip Lehman who both played in the band Soul Providers. Roth and Lehman ended their band and business relationship in 2000. Roth, who had played with Sharon Jones as part of the Soul Providers, subsequently founded a new label with Neal Sugarman, leader of The Sugarman 3, as the home of their new group, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings.
Their first release was 2002's Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. In their first four years, Daptone would also put out Sharon Jones' sophomore album, Naturally, as well as original releases by the Sugarman 3 and Dap-Kings-adjacent The Budos Band.
During this time, they also converted a two-family home in Bushwick, Brooklyn into an analog recording studio space. The first album recorded there was Antibalas's "Who Is this America?" in July 2003. DJ and producer Mark Ronson became a fan of the studio. He brought in Amy Winehouse to record parts of her album Back to Black there with The Dap-Kings and Antibalas members Nick Movshon and Victor Axelrod. The Dap-Kings would tour with Winehouse in 2007.
In addition to Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Daptone has recorded and released the music of Antibalas, The Sugarman 3, The Budos Band, The Poets of Rhythm, The Mystery Lights, The Daktaris, The Mighty Imperials, Lee Fields, Charles Bradley, Binky Griptite, The Sha La Das, and Naomi Davis. The Daptone Record label is inexorably tied to Sharon Jones. The label and members of her band were with her during the last weeks before her death.
Since its founding, Daptone has released over one hundred 45 RPM singles and fifty albums.

Imprints

As of 2021, Daptone operates four specialty imprints.
  • Ever-Soul, an imprint that reissues rare soul singles from the 1960s and 1970s.
  • Dunham, a label run by Thomas Brenneck and Homer Steinweiss, best known for their releases of Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band.
  • Penrose, a Southern California offshoot of Daptone began by Bosco Mann in 2020.
  • Wick, a subsidiary founded in the late 2010s with a roster of rock-leaning artists.

    Recording studios

Daptone built their studio, called Daptone's House of Soul, in a converted two-family home in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn on Troutman Street. It was very run down when they first rented it, and the neighborhood was not great. Daptone Records has its offices in the top floor, the studio is on the ground floor. The label built the studio from scratch, and made the decision to not have computers, but to rely completely on the more old-fashioned analog recording methods to make music. There are tape machines and a CD recorder, but no Pro Tools or digital reverbs.
The studio is where they have recorded most of their releases. Their distinctive sound is a product of the studio acoustics, recording only on analog tape, and mixing done by Roth. The recording studio and engineering personnel have been sought out by record producers such as Mark Ronson.
In 2006, Amy Winehouse recorded parts of her Back to Black album at Daptone studios.
In February 2009, Daptone's House of Soul was broken into and thieves made off with the better part of its equipment.

Artists

Daptone

ArtistTitleCatalog NumberRelease date
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsDap Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-KingsDAP-0012002
Sugarman Three & Co.Pure Cane SugarDAP-0022002
The Mighty ImperialsThunder ChickenDAP-0032004
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsNaturallyDAP-0042005
The Budos BandThe Budos BandDAP-0052005
The Sugarman 3Sugar's BoogalooDAP-0062007
The Poets of RhythmPractice What You PreachDAP-0072006
The Sugarman 3Soul DonkeyDAP-0082007
The DaktarisSoul ExplosionDAP-0092006
Bob and GeneIf This World Were Mine...DAP-0102007
The Budos BandThe Budos Band IIDAP-0112007
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings100 Days, 100 NightsDAP-0122007
Various ArtistsComo Now: The Voices Of Panola Co., MississippiDAP-0142008
Menahan Street BandMake the Road by WalkingDAP-0152008
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel QueensWhat Have You Done, My BrotherDAP-0162009
Pax Nicholas & The Nettey FamilyNa Teef Know de Road of TeefDAP-0172009
Various ArtistsDaptone Gold DAP-0182009
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsI Learned the Hard WayDAP-0192010
The Budos BandThe Budos Band IIIDAP-0202010
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsI Learned the Hard Way DAP-0212010
Charles BradleyNo Time for DreamingDAP-0222011
El Rego Et Ses CommandosEl Rego DAP-0232011
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsSoul Time! DAP-0242011
Menahan Street BandNo Time For Dreaming DAP-0252012
The Sugarman 3What The World Needs NowDAP-0262012
The Como MamasGet An UnderstandingDAP-0272013
AntibalasAntibalasDAP-0282012
Menahan Street BandThe CrossingDAP-0292012
The Poets Of RhythmAnthology 1992-2003DAP-0302013
Charles BradleyVictim of LoveDAP-0312013
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsGive The People What They WantDAP-0322014
Naomi Shelton & the Gospel QueensCold WorldDAP-0332014
The Budos BandBurnt OfferingDAP-0342014
Saun & StarrLook CloserDAP-0352015
Various ArtistsDaptone Gold, Vol. II DAP-0362015
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsIt's A Holiday Soul PartyDAP-0372015
The Dap-KingsA Closer Look at The Dap-Kings: The Instrumentals Behind Saun & Starr's "Look Closer"DAP-0382018
Walker Family SingersPanola County SpiritDAP-0392016
The James Hunter SixHold On!DAP-0402016
Charles BradleyChangesDAP-0412016
The FrightnrsNothing More To SayDAP-0422016
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsMiss Sharon Jones! DAP-0432016
The OlympiansThe OlympiansDAP-0442016
The Como MamasMove UpstairsDAP-0452017
AntibalasWhere the gods are in peaceDAP-0462017
Sharon Jones & The Dap-KingsSoul Of A WomanDAP-0502017
The James Hunter SixWhatever it takesDAP-0512017
Various ArtistsDaptone Super Soul Revue Live at the ApolloDAP-0692021
Jalen NgondaCome Around and Love MeDAP-0762023

Notable awards

Grammy Awards
A2IM Libera Awards
  • 2021: Antibalas, Fu Chronicles – Best World Record
  • 2021: Label of the Year
  • 2019: Orquesta Akokán, Orquesta Akokán – Best Latin Album
  • 2019: Charles Bradley, Black Velvet – Best R&B Album
  • 2019: Charles Bradley, Black Velvet Deluxe – Creative Packaging
  • 2019: Label of the Year
  • 2018: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Soul of a Woman – Best R&B Album
  • 2018: Label of the Year
  • 2017: Charles Bradley, Changes – Best Blues/Jazz/R&B Album
  • 2017: Charles Bradley – Best Live Act
  • 2017: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – Best Sync Usage
  • 2017: Label of the Year
  • 2017: Charles Bradley, Changes – Marketing Genius
  • 2016: Label of the Year
  • 2015: Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Hardest Working Artist
  • 2015: Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, Cold World – Best Heritage Album
  • 2015: Label of the Year
  • 2014: Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, "Retreat" – Video of the Year
  • 2014: Charles Bradley – Hardest Working Artist
  • 2014: Charles Bradley – Best Live Act
  • 2014: Label of the Year
  • 2013: Antibalas, “Dirty Money” – Video of the Year
  • 2013: Label of the Year
  • 2012: Charles Bradley – Road Warrior of the Year
  • 2012: Label of the Year