BUZZ BANDS

Jones is a natural

Sometimes her tag as “the female James Brown� gets into Sharon Jones’ head. “Every once in a while I’ll notice -- oops -- I sound like James,� the 49-year-old singer says in a lickety-split lilt punctuated by laughter.

Not that it’s a crime; after all, it was her worldly, deeply affecting vocals that earned her a spot at the front of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (performing tonight at the Knitting Factory). “Naturally,� the second album from the former session singer and her eight-piece band, demonstrates that, in soul, old-school is a form of higher education.

“We can’t leave the funk out, because then the kids wouldn’t have anything to sample,� Jones says, laughing some more. “It’s really great because it took me so long to be accepted. For years I was told I didn’t have this or that, didn’t have the look. I don’t want to do hip-hop, and I can’t compete with the Beyonces and do the sexual thing. For me it’s all about keeping the music real.�

If “Naturally� seems, well, even more real, it might be because the album was recorded “when I had a lot of personal stuff going on,� Jones says. She was dealing with the end of a relationship, as well as helping care for her mother, a diabetic. “There were times I’d think, ‘It’s hard for me to sing love songs right now,’ � she says. “But when I get with the Dap-Kings, it doesn’t matter what’s going on at home.�

Songs fall to earth

Jay Nash and Joe Purdy, two of the strongest voices on the L.A. singer-songwriter circuit, found inspiration -- and a kinship -- when they visited Nash’s upstate New York home turf last summer. A collaborative, five-day recording session yielded two full-length albums: Nash’s contemplative “A Stream Up North� and Purdy’s melancholy, romantic “Julie Blue.�

Mostly, the two were trapped indoors thanks to pounding rain -- leading to songs like Purdy’s Nick Drake-ish “Mary� and Nash’s chanty “River Siren.� But on the final day, the sun shone through -- leading each songwriter to contribute one more track.

“To me,� Nash says, “they’re the most inspired moments on the two records.� Purdy that day wrote “I Love the Rain the Most,� a celebratory folk ballad, whereas Nash’s “Labor Day Blues� is a bit more allegorical. “It was like a gift,� Nash says. “It was like the two songs had dropped out of the heavens.�

Purdy performs May 26 at the Hotel Cafe; Nash plays there next Thursday, in addition to his Monday residency at Room 5 on La Brea Avenue.

Look who’s here

So when Jack White surprised friend and collaborator Brendan Benson by strolling onstage last Wednesday at the Troubadour and joining in the vocals on “Good to Me,� what did Benson do? He laughed and said, “Now I’m supposed to play the rest of the show?� The power pop maestro (who has recorded an album with White that V2 will release next year) finished his hook-heavy set with aplomb.... Speaking of drop-ins, that was indeed Morrissey who did a lap around Zen Sushi a couple of weekends ago. He stopped by to say hello to Red Lightning, the new band fronted by his longtime collaborator Alain Whyte.... Hawthorne phenoms Dios Malos are in Seattle recording their second album.

-- Kevin Bronson, with Jeff Miller