by Jason AnkenyNew York City retro-funk combo the Sugarman 3 was formed by saxophonist Neal Sugarman in the spring of 1996 following his return from New Orleans, where he backed artists including Eddie Henderson and Mike Longo. Teaming with organist Adam Scone (a onetime protege of Ben Dixon) and longtime Brother Jack McDuff drummer Rudy Albin, the trio — inspired by the vintage jazz-funk sounds of the 1960s — quickly emerged as a club favorite, and with guitarist Coleman Mellett, the Sugarman 3 recorded their 1998 Desco label debut Sugars Boogaloo. A single, Cherry Pickin, preceded the release of the combos second album, Soul Donkey. Sweet Spot, a compilation of the previous two albums, appeared in spring 2001. That fall the band met with former Desco Records owner Gabriel Roth and producer Bosco Mann to form Daptone Records, label that would reflect their interests and act as a platform for Sugarman 3 albums. The first of these projects appeared in the summer of 2002, when Sugarman 3s Pure Can Sugar arrived in stores.