I love the way all the guitarists play with their necks pointed high. That’s a lost art, probably opening up added space for choreographed dance steps. I may try to learn that – the high-angled neck style, not the dance steps.
I saw JB twice in the early-90’s at the Valley Forge Music Hall on the revolving stage. The first time, the show was incredible, tight, funky, grinding out hit after hit.
The second time, about a year later, the show was incredible for entirely different reasons. The band still sounded great but James was wickedly perverse. He did a 25 minute, I shit you not, organ solo introduction to “It’s a Man’s World,” with his female backup singer doing interpretive hand movements for the duration. She was a large woman and she might’ve lost 20 pounds as this went on for far longer that anybody but James anticipated. The show ran overtime and the last number, some stomping groover like “Cold Sweat” had multiple false stops with long interspersed monologues about visiting the troops in Viet Nam, over endless vamps. He’d yell out the names of various VN cities, “Saigon, DaNang, Hue,” as he yelled American cities on his records. Meanwhile, a stage manager from the venue, clearly very pissed off, stood right in James’ line of vision, glaring. James would bring the tune to a halt, look right at the guy…and 1, 2, 3, launch back into it. Over and over.
I saw James once, in 1985, a concert that ranks up there with one of the best I’ve ever attended. More like Geo’s first. Started off with Maceo walking around the venue (a 2000 seat theater) for the instrumental bits before James came out. I had an aisle seat and he stopped next to me for a few bars. No particular reason that should have been so thrilling – but it was
I saw him in a fairly small club (maybe 400 people) in Chicago, in 1982, right before he had his “Living in America” hit. He was excellent. We were all packed in and dancing.
I didn’t bother to go and see him when he played at Glastonbury, it was hot and I was tired. I know you can’t do everything, but that was a bit feeble, really.
yeah the crowd struck me too – like a flashback to one of those pre-Kennedy basball games with the cigar smoking fans all wearing suits and fedoras and 40 year old players in wool uniforms. Them Italians came around and done right by the end tho…
BigSteve, the only reason I didn’t mention the tireless dancer is so that I could quote some high-and-mighty viewer on YouTube who had to sniff and tell some other people commenting there, “That woman ‘back there’ has a name,,,Miss Ann Norman……” She is awesome!
I’ma have to do some research – I know that Fela met James Brown when he was in the states to do what is now known as the ’69 sessions, but this show is straight outta Kalakuta. From the instrumentation – double guitar, double drummers (give the drummer some), the massive horn section, right down to the funky keyboard break… Only thing missing was about 30 wives…
A bit late to this, but I have to say that James has to be one of the best squealers that I’ve ever heard. His squeal in “Cold Sweat” still gives me the chills.
Also, one of the joys of listening to old American Top 40 shows from 1970-74 is hearing a James Brown song, although I got a just a great thrill of hearing Bobby Womack’s “Looking for a Love” in the 4/22/1974 show this AM (the JB song that week was “The Payback”)
I’ll kick this off, if you don’t remember how this goes:
The mustache looming behind the presenter’s left arm, at the start of this clip.
19 year old Bootsy Collins.
Having two drummers, and one of them sits there grooving but never playing.
James’ jumpsuit, complete with that ring pull for the zipper. I had a wide-collared hippie shirt as a little kid that had a ring pull for the zipper.
James’ mad keyboard skills
The guys get shirts! (Or belted tunics.)
I love the way all the guitarists play with their necks pointed high. That’s a lost art, probably opening up added space for choreographed dance steps. I may try to learn that – the high-angled neck style, not the dance steps.
The continuous slide up the keyboard over to the mic to end the piano solo.
I saw JB twice in the early-90’s at the Valley Forge Music Hall on the revolving stage. The first time, the show was incredible, tight, funky, grinding out hit after hit.
The second time, about a year later, the show was incredible for entirely different reasons. The band still sounded great but James was wickedly perverse. He did a 25 minute, I shit you not, organ solo introduction to “It’s a Man’s World,” with his female backup singer doing interpretive hand movements for the duration. She was a large woman and she might’ve lost 20 pounds as this went on for far longer that anybody but James anticipated. The show ran overtime and the last number, some stomping groover like “Cold Sweat” had multiple false stops with long interspersed monologues about visiting the troops in Viet Nam, over endless vamps. He’d yell out the names of various VN cities, “Saigon, DaNang, Hue,” as he yelled American cities on his records. Meanwhile, a stage manager from the venue, clearly very pissed off, stood right in James’ line of vision, glaring. James would bring the tune to a halt, look right at the guy…and 1, 2, 3, launch back into it. Over and over.
The little dance interlude beginning around the 2:00 mark.
The dangling tongue of James’s belt.
I saw James once, in 1985, a concert that ranks up there with one of the best I’ve ever attended. More like Geo’s first. Started off with Maceo walking around the venue (a 2000 seat theater) for the instrumental bits before James came out. I had an aisle seat and he stopped next to me for a few bars. No particular reason that should have been so thrilling – but it was
I saw him in a fairly small club (maybe 400 people) in Chicago, in 1982, right before he had his “Living in America” hit. He was excellent. We were all packed in and dancing.
I didn’t bother to go and see him when he played at Glastonbury, it was hot and I was tired. I know you can’t do everything, but that was a bit feeble, really.
The tall trumpet player facing us, on the right, does wonderful trumpet spins and hips shakes.
It’s 1971, it’s Italy, and the place is packed with white people in suits to see James Brown!
You use to hear that James Brown was one of the most popular people in the world. That seemed hard to believe – until you see something like this.
yeah the crowd struck me too – like a flashback to one of those pre-Kennedy basball games with the cigar smoking fans all wearing suits and fedoras and 40 year old players in wool uniforms. Them Italians came around and done right by the end tho…
The standing ovation at the end is really great.
I like the victory lap James takes before he walks off with his jacket over his shoulder.
The great Bobby Byrd.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the tireless gogo dancer.
There is literally something amazing to see at all times in that clip. And that when James walks off, he has a jacket, not a cape, over his shoulder.
BigSteve, the only reason I didn’t mention the tireless dancer is so that I could quote some high-and-mighty viewer on YouTube who had to sniff and tell some other people commenting there, “That woman ‘back there’ has a name,,,Miss Ann Norman……” She is awesome!
When he begins to walk over to the piano around 3:30, is he actually calling for himself, “James, piano!”?
How about that shrapnel guitar break about 7:50 in?
If you can’t get enough, there’s more…
https://youtu.be/HIvrfWGGSwU
I’ma have to do some research – I know that Fela met James Brown when he was in the states to do what is now known as the ’69 sessions, but this show is straight outta Kalakuta. From the instrumentation – double guitar, double drummers (give the drummer some), the massive horn section, right down to the funky keyboard break… Only thing missing was about 30 wives…
A bit late to this, but I have to say that James has to be one of the best squealers that I’ve ever heard. His squeal in “Cold Sweat” still gives me the chills.
Also, one of the joys of listening to old American Top 40 shows from 1970-74 is hearing a James Brown song, although I got a just a great thrill of hearing Bobby Womack’s “Looking for a Love” in the 4/22/1974 show this AM (the JB song that week was “The Payback”)