LOS ANGELES, CA- When I’m feeling down, there’s nothing that get my spirits up more than a horn backed, soul infused funk band. If a music doctor had to give me a dose of something, I’d hope that Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds would be somewhere on the prescription.
This New York based band formed about a decade ago, and is fronted by Arleigh Kincheloe and her brother Jackson. They had released 3 studio albums before Arleigh had to take some time off to have a child, but they satiated their fans appetites with a live album in 2016, Fowl Play and came back strong in 2018 with the stellar album Gold, released October 12, 2018.
Gold is fantastic. With strong and affirmative vocals from Arleigh, and terrific musical arrangements (damn, that horn section on “Leave Here with Me” during the chorus is heavy!), the whole album is a soulfully rocking party that grooves from start to finish. 10 solid tracks of outstanding blue-eyed soul (and Arleigh does have blue eyes!).
Arleigh is a petit woman … but don’t let her looks deceive you. She’s got a huge, booming voice that can raise the roof off any building. Couple her vocal ability, with the type of attitude- bold and fearless- that she exhibited on stage, and you can’t ask for more in a front-woman. She’s got more soul her pinky than I have in my entire record collection.
It was a dynamic performance by Sister Sparrow and her “Dirty Birds”. When Arleigh wasn’t belting out tremendous hooks, her band feverishly jammed and blew out note after note to keep the fire stoked. You remember that horn section I was talking about? I think I endured a serious case of the “stank face” during the chorus of “Frankie” when the horn section supported Arleigh on the chorus. It was that good.
What I especially loved about the show was the crowd’s overall reception of the performance. The stank-face that I had during “Frankie”? I wasn’t the only who had it. The little girl next to me was making the same face when I looked over at her to share in that sonic moment of bliss.
That little girl? It happened to be her first concert ever and she happened to be part of Arleigh’s extended family (her god-daughter or niece I think). In fact, there was a nice little gathering of Sister Sparrow’s close friends and family in attendance, truly making the evening a family affair, which mostly likely added to the warm and congenial temper of the whole evening.
As Arleigh danced around the stage, and as her band filled the venue with thumping music, the crowd danced with her, and I’m sure that some of them were making stank-faces as well. A true testament to how fantastic the evening’s featured act was.
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