When searching for the spiritual home of real soul music in the 21st century, look no further than the Daptone Records’ House of Soul recording studio in Brooklyn, New York.

For the last eight years, Daptone has produced authentic rhythm ’n’ blues music with an original 60s/70s feeling, while at the same time managing to sound contemporary. The label has brought the world Sharon Jones, Sugarman 3, Budos Band and a host of others. Their house band, The Dap-Kings, are also well-known for providing the funk for more mainstream pop artists like Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson.

This December, Daptone introduces Barcelona to its latest act, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens.

The soul singers are in town promoting their debut  album, What Have You Done, My Brother, a timeless  blend of soul and gospel that brings to mind Ray Charles, The Staples Singers, Sam Cooke and Wilson Pickett.

Hailing from Alabama, Naomi began her journey through the music industry after meeting musical director/keyboardist Cliff Driver at the Night Cap club in Brooklyn in 1963. Since then, the two have been making music together – on and off – for over 45 years.

Although blind since childhood, Cliff crisscrossed the US with various rhythm ’n’ blues bands for many years, before settling down as a church organist in 1980. In the late 90s, he went back to the clubs and reunited with Naomi. During that time, they cut some 45s for the Desco label, which were championed by ‘deep funk’ DJs Keb Darge and Snowboy.

The group that we see today, including backup singers The Gospel Queens, came together in 2007. They started right away on an album, recording mainly live and direct onto eight-track tape, giving it incredible life and vitality—the kind you only get from analogue recording. With fantastic songs like “Wind Your Clock”, “What Have You Done” and the direct attack on the US healthcare system and Iraq war in “Am I Asking Too Much”, the record is definitely one of the finest R&B recordings of recent years.

So, if you want to discover how great soul music should sound, with rich gospel vocals and a band of musicians, whose experience stretches back to the late 1940s, this a show you shouldn’t miss.

December 12th at 8pm