James Brown – Messing with the Blues

Recorded between 1957 & 1975. Includes liner notes by Cliff White and Harry Weinger. MESSING WITH THE BLUES is a collection of Brown’s blues and R&B covers, and includes many previously unreleased recordings; several tracks released for the first time without overdubbed applause; and two tracks in stereo for the first time. The package includes a 16-page booklet with rare photos. This two-disc set makes an intriguing case for an aspect of James Brown’s roots not always considered: blues…

NME (Magazine) (2/23/91) – 8 (out of 10) – “…Although James Brown has been cited by many as the last great blues shouter…[he] has been quoted as saying he didn’t even like the blues. For one who didn’t like the blues, he was certainly a consummate blues singer….Imagine what he’d have done if he’d have actually liked the blues.”

James Brown – I Got The Feelin

Simply put, this is probably one of James Brown’s all-time greatest, most consistently hot and funky records that he ever put out.
“I Got the Feelin'” released as a single in 1968 & it reached #1 on the R&B charts and #6 on the pop charts. It also appeared on a 1968 album of the same name.
The Jackson Five auditioned for Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1968 with a filmed performance of “I Got the Feelin'”, with the ten-year-old Michael Jackson closely mimicking Brown’s vocal style and dance moves…

James Brown – Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud

The funk gem “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” is a song written and recorded by James Brown in 1968. It is notable both as one of Brown’s signature songs and as one of the most popular “black power” anthems of the 1960s. The song was released as a two-part single which held the number-one spot on the R&B singles chart for six weeks, and peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100.Both parts of the single were later included on a 1969 album of the same name.
“Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” was the first Brown recording to feature trombonist Fred Wesley, who went on to become the bandleader of The J.B.’s.

James Brown’s Funky People, Pt. 2

You have to be deaf or from Mars to not instantly recognize Bobby Byrd’s deep, resonant voice from James Brown’s “Sex Machine”– he’s the guy in the call-and-response routine with James, singing “Get on up!” And thank Providence that the Godfather of Soul allowed the little people a chance to strut their stuff, ’cause this album is packed with gems. Bobby Byrd shines on the all-time classic cut “I Know You Got Soul”, the song that later revived interest in all things J.B. when Eric B. & Rakim sampled it in the mid-80’s. In fact, most of the songs on this album have been put to use in classic hip-hop records, for instance Bobby Byrd’s other track, “Hot Pants… I’m Coming, I’m Coming, I’m Coming”, perhaps the slamminest on this collection, was manipulated to great effect by Marley Marl for Big Daddy Kane’s “Raw”. My only disappointment, as far as Bobby Byrd is concerned, is that his amazing tune “Keep On Doin’ (What You’re Doin’ Baby)” is overlooked here.
But no bother, ’cause there’s much to make up for it. “Soul Power ’74” by Maceo & The Macks is a showcase for the tightest horn section in history, over an instrumental version of “Soul Power”. Not only is this particular record sampled more than hors douvres in a supermarket aisle, it contains samples itself in the form of tape overlays of civil rights rallies, a Dr. King speech, and an announcement of King’s assassination. This track and several others are also available on the JB’s Anthology, but don’t let that scare you away…

James Brown – The Godfather Returns

James Brown – Funky Men

As James Brown worked with a stable of talented female singers, so he also allied himself with the best and brightest funky men in the business. This imported single disc collects those men and their classic songs in a nice, tight package that rounds up a lot of difficult to find (or even remember) material from his years with the TK label. While the bulk of the disc focuses on the mid- to late-’70s material of Bobby Byrd and the J.B.’s in particular, it hinges around the seminal 1980 “Rap Payback (Where Iz Moses?)” — the song that opens and closes (with the 14-minute remix version) Funky Men. Released late in the year, it is a winning combination of funk mixed with a little proto-rap and, although it failed to make much of a splash in the U.S., where rap was rising thanks to Fatback Band’s “King Tim III” and the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rappers Delight,” it did quite well in the U.K. charts. An additional highlight is the incredible funk groove of Byrd’s “Back From the Dead” — a solo venture recorded after he had parted company with Brown. Elsewhere, the contemporary, sharp disco of “Just Wanna Make You Dance, Pt. 1,” by the J.B.’s featuring Maxxi, and the quiet groove of the J.B.’s Internationals’ “Nature, Pts. 1 & 2” round out the mix nicely. And, of course, no compilation would be complete without a dance or two. Brown, Byrd, and the J.B.’s teamed up for a jamming 1980s rehash of “Mashed Potatoes,” which finds its way on board as well. Although it can be argued that Brown’s earlier collaborations are his best, this is still a solid collection of late-in-the-day hits that have been cruelly overlooked in recent years.

James Brown – 1974 Live In Zaire

James Brown – Funk Power 1970 A Brand New Thang

The period during which Brown was backed by the original J.B.’s (with Bootsy and Catfish Collins) was extremely brief, lasting only a year. But it was also an extremely important and influential phase of Brown’s career, when he moved from soul-funk to hard funk, stretching out the grooves and putting more stress on the bottom than ever before. This 78-minute disc is the cream of his recordings from the Bootsy Collins era. The nine tracks (the tenth is a brief public-service annoncement) include some of his core funk workouts — “Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine” (two versions), “Super Bad,” “Give It Up or Turn It Loose,” “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing,” “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved,” and “Soul Power.” It’s not for those who find Brown’s funk phase too monotonous, and indeed the grooves do get a bit similar when experienced all at once. But it’s unquestionably the best of Brown’s ’70s recordings, and indeed some of the hardest funk ever waxed by anyone at any time. As a bonus, the CD has previously unreleased complete versions of “Soul Power” (12 minutes) and “Talkin’ Loud and Sayin’ Nothing” (14 minutes), as well as a previously unreleased version of “There Was a Time.”

James Brown – Jazz

Not socking soul, but laidback jazz – an under-acknowledged side of James Brown’s career, presented fully in this excellent collection of work from the 60s! The package shows a growing sophistication in James’ music as the 60s moved on – not just in his vocals, which were surprisingly suited to a jazzy ballad, but also in his instrumental work on organ – which is featured here in a few key cuts that step out strongly! And even if you’re a fan of The Godfather for many years, there’s still some important highlights here – as a number of tracks are rare versions or previously unreleased – including “That’s My Desire (alt mix)”, “After You’re Through (extended version)”, “Tengo Tango”, “Home At Last (alt mix)”, “There (unreleased version)”, “What Do You Like (stereo single edit)”, “Go On Now (alt mix)”, “For Once In My Life (alt mix)”, and “Cottage For Sale (alt mix)” – along with already issued tracks “All The Way”, “Why Am I Treated So Bad”, and “All About My Girl”