Live At The Apollo (1962) [Remastered] - James Brown

...by "critics" as the best live album of all time, but for me parts of Rattle And Hum by U2 and Bob Marley's Live walk all over it.

Read on for the tracks.

THE TRACKS
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1. Introduction To James Brown
A very glitzy, showbiz opening as the compare introduces James Brown (and The Famous Flames, his then backing group). After announcing each song the band will play and Brown ...
...can tell this is authentic live stuff because occasionaly a word or two becomes inaudible as Brown - presumably - steps away from the mic to perform a little dance. This is soulful, frenetic stuff in all under two minutes.

5. I Dont Mind
Going back to the slow pace of Try Me this track is unique on this album because the crowd actually sit back and listen to the soulful outpouring of Brown and his more than able backing singers. ... more

WHO'S THIS THEN?
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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.

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
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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" as the best live album of all time, but for me parts of Rattle And Hum by U2 and Bob Marley's Live walk all over it.

Read on for the tracks.

THE TRACKS
--------------------
1. Introduction To James Brown
A very glitzy, showbiz opening as the compare introduces James Brown (and The Famous Flames, his then backing group). After announcing each song the band will play and Brown will sing, a cymbal and one note trumpet ring sound, followed by the hysterical cheers of the mostly female audience.

2. I''ll Go Crazy
Does some great vocal acrobatics before a mad rhythm and guitar part come in with the trumpets. The crowd, of course, approve. You can just see Brown toying with the brittle emotions of the teenage crowd as he goes through this mid-paced soul classic.

3. Try Me
Aside from Please Please Please this is probably best known pre-fame hit. As he starts the opening vocal parts, the crown cheer and whoop. In fact, not just through this late 50s weepie, but through the whole album the crowd go wild at everything Brown and the Famous Flames do. And that only heightens the reality and electricity of atmosphere to this recording as a whole.

4. Think
Another great early tune. You can tell this is authentic live stuff because occasionaly a word or two becomes inaudible as Brown - presumably - steps away from the mic to perform a little dance. This is soulful, frenetic stuff in all under two minutes.

5. I Dont Mind
Going back to the slow pace of Try Me this track is unique on this album because the crowd actually sit back and listen to the soulful outpouring of Brown and his more than able backing singers. Some nice bluesy guitar penetrates the track halfway through as the doo-wop style crooner comes to a close.

6. Lost Someone
The pace goes up to max again on the intro of this stop-start song that sounds VERY early 1960s in concept and execution. Brown virtually duet with his horn section throughout this epic, amazing ten minute track. It's joyous and maudlin in turns, but never ever boring.

7. Medley
The Jackson used to do this in the early days and
the Reduced Shakespeare Company do it now: take a rich back catalogue and bash off quickfire, truncated performances of each track/play to the joy of the audience. This starts - to the audience's delight - with Please Please Please and then is followed is rapid sequence by You've Got The Power, I Found Someone, Why Do You Do Me, I Want You So Bad, I Love You Yes I Do, Strange Things Happen, Bewildered and then a revisit of Please Please Please. It's a weird way of perforing but for the six odd minutes the crowd are captivated and by the time Please Please Please is revisited, the crowd are ready to go bonkers once again.

8. The Night Train
Cruelly sampled in the 90s by Kadoc for a euro-house version, this is the original. "All aboard: the night train", pipes Brown at the beginning or a largely intrumental foray into early soul/r n b.

OVERALL
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The music is very dated and the appeal limited. However, there's no faulting the Famous Flames' musicianship and Brown's vocal expertise. Not really an album for those new to James Brown's work, but nevertheless am interesting insight to the era before "pop music" really got going.

IN A NUTSHELL
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The birth of soul and RnB caught live in its startling infancy. Highly recommend to the doo-wop crowd. Both of you.

 

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