Godfather Of Soul, The - James Brown (Soul)

INTRO
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With a career in entertainment spanning his debut single release, "Please Please Please" in 1956 to his appearance with Will Young at this year's Olympic Torch Concert, only Cliff Richard could boast a career equal in longevity. Cliff, though, can't boast James Brown's critical kudos and influence. Of the 116 albums he's released, this effort - originally from 2003 - is one of 17 "best ofs" on the ...
...Even if you don't know any of his music directly, the chances are that you'll have been affected indirectly by his vast 45 year output. For a start, he invented what used to be called "soul", that genre that put feeling and vocal passion before lyrics and image. He was 8 years ahead of Motown and Stax and was experimenting with soulful innovations whilst Chess records were still courting rock n roll and blues in the late 1950s. Towards ... more

INTRO
----------
With a career in entertainment spanning his debut single release, "Please Please Please" in 1956 to his appearance with Will Young at this year's Olympic Torch Concert, only Cliff Richard could boast a career equal in longevity. Cliff, though, can't boast James Brown's critical kudos and influence. Of the 116 albums he's released, this effort - originally from 2003 - is one of 17 "best ofs" on the market!

WHO IS HE?
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Even if you don't know any of his music directly, the chances are that you'll have been affected indirectly by his vast 45 year output. For a start, he invented what used to be called "soul", that genre that put feeling and vocal passion before lyrics and image. He was 8 years ahead of Motown and Stax and was experimenting with soulful innovations whilst Chess records were still courting rock n roll and blues in the late 1950s. Towards the end of the 60's, "soul" became a bit more danceable and a subgenre called "funk" was born.

In the mid-70's, Brown upped the ante and the tempo with the use of the hi-hat. Voila! A prototype of "disco" had emerged. "Disco" morphed into "house" in the late 80s and "house" is the old name for the "dance" music of today.

In the mid 80's, rappers 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.

THE TRACKS
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1. It's A Man's Man's Man's World
With the exception of some of Brown's late 1950s output, a ballad by this artist is something of a rarity. He was happier with the horns screaming, the drums thumping and the funky guitar strumming. This is a radical departure and one of only two ballads on the album. A lovely guitar note plucks consistently along as James pinpoints the achievements in life made by men, but concedes wholeheartedly that life would be nothing with a woman (or a girl). Beautiful song, questionable sentiment.

2. Super Bad
I've heard this two note brass riff on a thousand rap singles over the years, but the original still oozes superiority, still reeks of passion. It's typical Brown with just the funky drums, the picked guitar and baritone sax underpinning his vocals. The best James Brown tracks are those that build up to a feverish instrumental climax before falling away to leave just the vocals and this track is no exception. Class.

3. Disco Rap
A real lame turkey when put into context of the rich catalogue of catalogue that must've been availabe to the compilers of this album. It uses the term "rap" in the old 70s sense of getting told off and goes down hill from there. And I swear those horns are out of tune AND time.

4. Give It Up Or Turn It Loose
Like Get Up Offa......, this is a real disco stormer with everything and the kitchen sink being thrown in for good measure. Brown used to perform ten minute version of this track on stage and there wouldn't be a period of more than 10 seconds without him barking out a grunt or singing something. This is a live version and much of that magic is captured here.

5. It's Too Funky In Here
How funky is this? It's a few BPM down from the previous track and the looped guitar that saunters through the track is just superb. No one on Earth can do this sort of music with this sort of groove. It's just against the law! All the old Brown cliches are there: "smokin", "good Gard", "hey, heeeeeey" etc. About a minute in , an excited trumpet kicks and stays for the reminder of the track as Brown waxes about the aesthetic delights that are hot pants.

6. Gonna Have A Funky Good Time
A really funky James Brown call-and-answer track that is disappointing that this version is only two and half minutes long. Great stuff, but what's a "hoot-mama"?

7. Try Me
This song is 48 years old and, although it sounds very much of its time, also sounds incredibly fresh. This was Brown's "pre-funk" period and the song is typical 50''s "doo-wop" with the emphasis on lush backing harmonies and 4/4 drums and bass and piano. Lush.

8. I Got The Feelin'
Back to a more frenetic beat this time, with Brown screaming all over the shop. I don't think this warrants an inclusion on this album as it's not really vintage James Brown. All the trademarks are there: the squeals, the excited brass, the all-over-the-place drums and ding-a-ling guitar, but it just doesn't gel that well.

9. Get On The Good Foot
Ha! Another raucous funk workout from Brown with the emphasis on those horny horns doing their thang. Despite the dominance of the music over the lyrics, Brown's still in charge and what little input he does have in this track, is still wondrously funky.

10. Get Up Offa That Thing
"I'm back, I'm back", he sings over a vocal and trumpet, call and answer intro before the uptempo disco beat and 70's retroporn keyboards kick in to unleash "the funk". A brilliantly distant backing group vocalise with yobbish appeal in answer to Brown's superb vocals. Here he half sings/half talks his way through possibly his second most groundbreaking moment after Sex Machine.

OVERALL
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I own about 10 JB albums, and have yet to find a "best of" that sums up his career. His singles are too erratic and his album tracks are too long and noodly. One day someone will come up with the ultimate Brown album.

Thanks for reading.

Wayne. 

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