Funky Christmas - James Brown (Soul)

Advantages: too many to mention
Disadvantages: none

...Funky President is a collection of the godfather of soul's slightly lesser known compositions. Don't be led into thinking however that there is any compromise on quality. This is an official best of released by Polydor records, none of the cheap rubbish you find in the bargain bin at your local record shop, which sounds like it's been recorded live on a dictaphone. James Brown is not a singer so much as a conductor, backed by an extraordinarily talened group of musicians, the JBs, Brown leads from the front. He not so much sings as directs, for example on funky drummer when he prophesises "Take me into the change" leading up to the break. The breaks themselves are truly awesome, interrupting some funky groove or other like a lightning bolt and introducing a new, usually more laid back riff. The musicianship is quite... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Pure James Brown
Disadvantages: only 1 disc

...This is a CD containing 20 of James Brown's best hits. It has songs ranging from Get Up Offa That Thing to Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, from It's a Man's Man's Man's World to Living In America. The complete track listing is below. Before i bought this CD i'd only heard of Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (bad for a DJ i know) by James Brown's but ever since i bought it i can't get enough of him. It has to be the Funk mix with the soul that does it for me. The best thing was i picked this copy up from some supermarket for a pittence of what it should have been. Only £3.50 ish i think. Is well worth the £10 a high street shop would charge. I believe it is now possible to get pretty cheap copies of the net. If you love anything James has done you'll love this CD. Highly Recommended. The track list is as follows: Papa's Got... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: James Brown before he went global
Disadvantages: Very dated, none of his big hits

...and DJs began sampling his funky grunts, soulful beats and brassy stabs. This acceptable theft ensured hip hop moved out of the ghetto and into the charts at the end of the 80's. This new-found commercial sound was, of course, supplied by much of James Brown's 60s and 70s output. OK, so this is a generalisation and I'm suggesting that James Brown virtually invented all black music of the last forty years (except reggae). He didn't, of course, but it's not that much of an exaggeration to cite Brown as an influence on every important black artist of the last 40 years: Prince, OutKast, Public Enemy, Sly Stone. WHAT'S THIS ALBUM ALL ABOUT ----------------------------------------------- It's a concert, recording in Harlem at the world famous Apollo on 24.10.1962. As a historical document it's fascinating. It's rated by "critics... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful