The Sugarman 3
Encyclopedia
The Sugarman 3, sometimes titled The Sugarman Three, is a retro-funk
band from New York
formed in 1996 by saxophonist
Neal Sugarman, Hammond organ
player Adam Scone, and drummer Rudy Albin. The band has released three studio albums—Sugar's Boogaloo
(1998), Soul Donkey
(2000), and Pure Cane Sugar (2002)—and one compilation album, Sweet Spot (2001).
and played saxophone for punk rock
bands Boys Life and Black Cat Bone during the 1980s.
He moved to New York in the early 1990s to pursue jazz
. After a stint in New Orleans playing with musicians including Eddie Henderson
and Mike Longo
,
Sugarman returned to New York and formed a funk band with organist Adam Scone and drummer Rudy Albin.
The trio, named The Sugarman 3, were influenced by artists such as "Brother" Jack McDuff
and The Meters
.
The band was among the musicians who established Desco Records, a label that released reissue
s of 1960s and 1970s funk and jazz records in addition to material by current acts.
The Sugarman 3's debut album, Sugar's Boogaloo
, was released in 1998. Soul Donkey
followed in 2000, and included cover versions of songs by James Brown
and Lou Donaldson
along with original songs by the band. A compilation album
, 2001's Sweet Spot, contained selections from the trio's first two albums. In 2002, the band released their third album, Pure Cane Sugar. It featured guest appearances by funk percussionist
Bernard Purdie
and vocalists
Lee Fields and Charles Bradley.
Tom Moon of Rolling Stone
described the album as "organic, locked-tight music."
Maurice Bottomley of PopMatters
said, "Play this at your next party and watch your coolest friends unwind and start to Boogaloo
. This is the real thing, undiluted and impossible to dislike."
Dusted Magazines Andy Urban said the album "sounds good, but it operates in a vacuum of sorts, music that is pretty, but fundamentally anachronistic and relevant in aesthetic terms only."
Sugarman, who also formed The Dap-Kings
with Gabriel Roth,
was a session musician during much of the late 2000s, playing on albums by Lily Allen
, Amy Winehouse
, Robbie Williams
, Al Green
, Nas
, Mark Ronson
, as well as the Dap-Kings' own recordings led by vocalist Sharon Jones.
"You Don't Know What You Mean (To A Lover Like Me)", a 2004 single by Lee Fields and the Sugarman 3, appeared on the soundtrack
to the 2008 comedy-drama
film Soul Men.
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
formed in 1996 by saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
Neal Sugarman, Hammond organ
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
player Adam Scone, and drummer Rudy Albin. The band has released three studio albums—Sugar's Boogaloo
Sugar's Boogaloo
Sugar's Boogaloo is the debut album by The Sugarman 3. It was released by Desco in 1999 and re-released in 2006 by Daptone Records.-Track listing:# Sugar's Boogaloo - 3:07# Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - 2:58# Sock Monkey - 4:05...
(1998), Soul Donkey
Soul Donkey
Soul Donkey is the second album by The Sugarman 3 and differs somewhat from the band's previous album by focusing more on funk/jazz instrumentals...
(2000), and Pure Cane Sugar (2002)—and one compilation album, Sweet Spot (2001).
History
Neal Sugarman grew up in Newton, MassachusettsNewton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
and played saxophone for punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands Boys Life and Black Cat Bone during the 1980s.
He moved to New York in the early 1990s to pursue jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. After a stint in New Orleans playing with musicians including Eddie Henderson
Eddie Henderson (musician)
Eddie Henderson is an American jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player. Henderson's influences include Booker Little, Clifford Brown, Woody Shaw and Miles Davis.-Family influence and early music history:...
and Mike Longo
Mike Longo
Michael Josef "Mike" Longo is a jazz pianist, composer, and author. He is most known for his work with Dizzy Gillespie.-Early life:...
,
Sugarman returned to New York and formed a funk band with organist Adam Scone and drummer Rudy Albin.
The trio, named The Sugarman 3, were influenced by artists such as "Brother" Jack McDuff
Jack McDuff
"Brother" Jack McDuff was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era of the 1960s, often performing with an organ trio.-Career:...
and The Meters
The Meters
The Meters are an American funk band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Meters performed and recorded their own music from the late 1960s until 1977...
.
The band was among the musicians who established Desco Records, a label that released reissue
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
s of 1960s and 1970s funk and jazz records in addition to material by current acts.
The Sugarman 3's debut album, Sugar's Boogaloo
Sugar's Boogaloo
Sugar's Boogaloo is the debut album by The Sugarman 3. It was released by Desco in 1999 and re-released in 2006 by Daptone Records.-Track listing:# Sugar's Boogaloo - 3:07# Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - 2:58# Sock Monkey - 4:05...
, was released in 1998. Soul Donkey
Soul Donkey
Soul Donkey is the second album by The Sugarman 3 and differs somewhat from the band's previous album by focusing more on funk/jazz instrumentals...
followed in 2000, and included cover versions of songs by James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
and Lou Donaldson
Lou Donaldson
Lou Donaldson is a jazz alto saxophonist. He was born in Badin, North Carolina. He is best known for his soulful, bluesy approach to playing the alto saxophone, although in his formative years he was, as many were of the bebop era, heavily influenced by Charlie Parker.His first recordings were...
along with original songs by the band. A compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, 2001's Sweet Spot, contained selections from the trio's first two albums. In 2002, the band released their third album, Pure Cane Sugar. It featured guest appearances by funk percussionist
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Bernard Purdie
Bernard Purdie
Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie is an American session drummer, and is considered an influential and innovative exponent of funk...
and vocalists
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Lee Fields and Charles Bradley.
Tom Moon of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
described the album as "organic, locked-tight music."
Maurice Bottomley of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
said, "Play this at your next party and watch your coolest friends unwind and start to Boogaloo
Boogaloo
Boogaloo or bugalú is a genre of Latin music and dance that was popular in the United States in the 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City among teenage Cubans, Puerto Ricans and other groups. The style was a fusion of popular African American R&B and soul with mambo and son montuno...
. This is the real thing, undiluted and impossible to dislike."
Dusted Magazines Andy Urban said the album "sounds good, but it operates in a vacuum of sorts, music that is pretty, but fundamentally anachronistic and relevant in aesthetic terms only."
Sugarman, who also formed The Dap-Kings
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are a funk/soul band. They are signed to Daptone Records, where the Dap-Kings are the house band. They are spearheads of a revivalist movement that aims to capture the essence of funk/soul music as it was at its height in the mid-1960s to mid-1970s...
with Gabriel Roth,
was a session musician during much of the late 2000s, playing on albums by Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
, Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
, Robbie Williams
Robbie Williams
Robert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, Al Green
Al Green
Albert Greene , better known as Al Green, is an American gospel and soul music singer. He reached the peak of his popularity in the 1970s, with hit singles such as "You Oughta Be With Me", "I'm Still In Love With You", "Love and Happiness", and "Let's Stay Together"...
, Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
, Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson
Mark Daniel Ronson is an English DJ, guitarist, music producer, artist and co-founder of Allido Records. He currently works with his band under the music alias of Mark Ronson & The Business Intl....
, as well as the Dap-Kings' own recordings led by vocalist Sharon Jones.
"You Don't Know What You Mean (To A Lover Like Me)", a 2004 single by Lee Fields and the Sugarman 3, appeared on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the 2008 comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film Soul Men.
Studio albums
- 1998 - Sugar's BoogalooSugar's BoogalooSugar's Boogaloo is the debut album by The Sugarman 3. It was released by Desco in 1999 and re-released in 2006 by Daptone Records.-Track listing:# Sugar's Boogaloo - 3:07# Papa's Got a Brand New Bag - 2:58# Sock Monkey - 4:05...
(Desco) - 2000 - Soul DonkeySoul DonkeySoul Donkey is the second album by The Sugarman 3 and differs somewhat from the band's previous album by focusing more on funk/jazz instrumentals...
(Desco) - 2002 - Pure Cane Sugar (Daptone RecordsDaptone RecordsDaptone Records is a funk and soul independent record label formed by Gabriel Roth and Neal Sugarman and based in Brooklyn, New York.After the demise of the Desco label Gabriel Roth teamed up with Neal Sugarman to create a new label, Daptone Records...
)