This recent article by Saki Knafo called Soul Reviver offered a thorough look into the musical world of Gabriel Roth—musician, bandleader, record producer, sound engineer, and executive for Daptone Records (picture shows Roth on the right, and partner at Daptone, Neal Sugarman, on the left). His story is one of true grit, and hopefully the article will help spread the idea that there are no shortcuts to creating lasting art. However, I would like to say that although Roth is shown to be headstrong and limited in his musical tastes, the projects he has participated in over the years have been varied. Indeed, Roth’s crew is not as “purist” as the article imposes, and there is still plenty of wiggle room in the Daptone sound. Just one example: Roth plays guitar, co-writes, and works as mixer/engineer on the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra album Talkatif, which is a world music/soul hybrid sound. He also has plenty of experience working alongside some of NY’s diversified working musicians—people like trumpeter Dave Guy, who plays in the Dap Kings along with Roth, as well as the Menahan Street Band, Budos Band, and in the trumpet section of jazz giant Charles Tolliver’s Big Band. I’m sure I missed at least one of the ensembles that Guy promiscuously frequents.
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