Sometimes I see bands that I have never heard about, and because of that, my expectations are usually quite low. And often the expectations equals the experience. But not in the case of JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound. Their concert at the Continental Club during SXSW was far above my expectations.

The band was formed in 2007 in Chicago, and so far they have released two CDs. Their style is a mix of many genres, garage, funk, soul – you name it. The band is tight and funky, and the frontman, JC Brooks, is the one who really lift them above the crowd of good and competent bands.

JC Brooks has a style that mimics a mix of Sam Cooke and James Brown, but is definitely his own. He looks great, and has an expressive stage show. What he does, is to combine the old soul showmanship with newer influences from punk, funk, a dash of hip hop, and blends this to his own style.

The band’s sound is also based on the old analogue soul sound that we remember from Muscle Shoals and other studios. They have put a modern touch on it in the mix of genres, but still kept that good organic sound. You can clearly hear it on their latest CD, I Want More. I like this sound, it reminds me of what Daptone Records have done with Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse and Charles Bradley.

Check out JC Brooks, they are a good bet for a great live experience.

All pictures are © Per Ole Hagen and must not be used without written permission.