Raised in Brooklyn, surrounded by drugs, not meeting his mom until 8 years old, having no place to go, trying to fight his temptations and the thought of giving up, and his brother being shot to death; Charles found Job Corps and took to being a chef and cooking, searching for his way out for a better life.  While traveling about the Northeast and all over the country, Charles still kept to his music and went through various band line ups that ultimately brought him to where he is today, as he called “humbled success”.  Daptone Records found Charles in the Tar-Heel Lounge of Brooklyn, NY, when he was then better known as Black Velvet.  They then gave him a home  to make his music heard, and from 2002 on, the world was little by little introduced to the loving soul and spirit of Charles Bradley.

For a man that has had meetings with the Hell’s Angels, the Ku Klux Klan, rode in a car with serial killer who didn’t kill him because he said Charles had “a good spirit”, hitchhiked across the country and into Canada, and not see recognition until past his 50s, you would think that Charles would have chip on his shoulder- having been dealt so many hard hands in life that the rest would seem useless or of less importance.  Charles instead views his success as God waiting for his time to allow Charles’ soul to shine it’s brightest.  No Time For Dreaming is an absolutely beautiful record front to back, reminiscent of Marvin Gaye‘s social commentaries, Otis Redding‘s outpouring of emotions, to James Brown‘s hooks and screams, and even touches of today’s Anthony Hamilton‘s darker edge soul grooves; it’s all there in Charles’ performance.  Heightened by the performance of the Menahan Street Band, Charles has created a record of timeless sound that can only be summed in the same words as it’s predecessors by greats of old- honest and legendary. Both heartbreaking and hopeful, No Time For Dreaming is exactly what Charles’ life and what the culmination of it is about- taking the good with the bad and making the most of your time here, and having no time for dreaming.  Dreaming can only get you so far, it’s upto you to push as hard and as far as you can until you get to the greener grass of the other side- whether it’s today, tomorrow, or when you’re 63 years old.

Charles stated in an interview with Sound Tracks, “If I can use the instrument, my body, my mind, my soul, to make this world a better place; then I did my job.  And when the time comes that I don’t need this body no more, I’m going to a brighter light.  So I did my job, I gave my heart…what else can a man give?”  Expect no less with No Time For Dreaming, and the absolutely wonderful performance by Charles Bradley.  While most in the younger generations would take this small taste of fame as something of a bragging right to gloat your talents or push yourself on others as the otherwise greatest entertainer alive, Charles basks only as far as he’s happy he can take care of his mother and do what he loves everyday.  In a world that is quite literally “going up in flames”, it’s heartwarming and hopeful to see someone who still has a heart of gold and wants to see the world make it through their problems.  Charles just wants to spread love and peace, open your arms and give it right back to the world- we need it now more than ever.

Sock Monkey Sound