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James Brown, The Movie. What do I expect? A movie that focuses on the interpersonal relationships of James’ life (especially with Bobby Byrd), his struggles to be a star, his role in the black power movement, his well documented demons, his late 70s/early 80s fall from popularity and his mid 80s global acknowledgement of his greatness…how you gonna get all of this in and still deal with his 1988 problems? I have hope. Chadwick Bosman is a fine actor and should do an excellent job portraying James. I am absolutely looking forward to seeing Nelsan “Lafayette from True Blood” Ellis as Bobby Byrd. In fact, since I know almost nothing about this movie just yet (and I do not want to know….spoilers!), I could imagine that the whole film could be told from the perspective of Bobby.
But I would tell the story from a slightly different point of view. If I were producing the film I might consider telling it from the point of view of one his later bandmates. And I’m not going to name him just yet other than to say that the name on his birth certificate is William, though I suspect his mother didn’t even call him that.
Please take it to the bridge through the orange squiggle and dance suckas.
James Brown, May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006, decided to become a star when he saw this.
(Though the choice of POV for my imaginary movie was born on October 26th, 1951 and is still alive)
Normally I blog about Jazz every Sunday evening here at Daily Kos. For what must be at least 25 years now, WBGO—the jazz public broadcast radio station out of Newark NJ, has had a program called The Rhythm Review every Saturday morning. This program, hosted by Felix Hernandez, showcases old R&B and Soul recordings. Jazz was once pop music and the Rhythm and Blues recordings of the 1950s and 60s really can illustrate how jazz transforms and survives into popular music. Unless it’s a “jazz age aficionado only” sorta jazz musician, just about every jazz musician likes and has listen to at least SOME James Brown.
James Brown is “bigger” than most. James is to Rock and Roll Era Popular music what Miles Davis is to post WWII Jazz. James Brown holds a place on the short list: James, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Ray Charles, Johnny Cash…does Elvis and Buddy Holly make this list? Hank Williams Sr? John&Paul? Mick&Keith? Pete, Roger, John, and Moonie? Brian Wilson? Bob Dylan? Jim Morrison? Jerry? Sting? Bono? George Clinton? Does the list need to stop @1967? The more you add then the more debatable things become. James, Jimi, Stevie, Marley, Ray Charles are not debatable. (And if this diary gets attention, I know folks are going to argue with this “short list” statement lol).
James Brown has a great voice. He can scream in tune better than just about everyone. But just like with Louis Armstrong, it’s the phrasing of his vocal lines and his use and flexibility with rhythm that make James so important. And his leadership. What he could draw out of his band. Especially with regard to his second great band.
Mr Brown emerges out of relatively standard Doo-Wop and Rhythm and Blues music. His first recordings are on the Federal lable, a subsidiary of King records, from 1956 through 1960. This is James Borwn and the Famous Flames. The Famous Flames will be his backing group until about 1965 and features on backup vocals Mr. Bobby Byrd, August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007. Bobby started the Flames. Bobby “discovered” James Brown. Their first hit was 1956’s “Please, please, please”
Followed by 1958’s “Try Me”
Try Me hit #1 on the R&B Charts and #48 on the pop charts. I should know this, but I don’t: I’m not sure when record companies and radio stations stopped dividing “race music” from pop music. I suspect that this sort of segregation was still in place in 1958.
In 1960, James switches to King Records. This is significant. King is not Motown and it is not Atlantic Records. Nor is it Phillies Records or Capital. Motown had their musicians, song writers and producers. How many songs were written by Smokey Robinson for Motown? It’s amazing music--we all know this right?—but there is a consistency in the releases from Motown. Sure, the singers change and certain songs are obviously synonymous with some of their artists…but it is the conception of a small handful of—amazingly talented—people. Atlantic records have Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles (until he switches around) and they have their sound. Phillies records were Phil Specter’s crew though they did much with Capitol as well. Capitol had the Beach Boys and allowed Brian Wilson’s conceptions. Nor is this Stax (Otis Redding) or even Chess records!
I think it is important to notice that James Brown is recording for and with completely different people than many of the other huge R&B artists from the 50s and 60s that most of us just love. With whatever record company BS James dealt with (and you know it was there…Industry Rule #4080), James Brown is able create music without the direct involvement from the other major producers and executives in the R&B wing of the music industry.
Night Train (1961)
Mashed Potatos USA (1962)
It’s great stuff. James’ voice is incredible. But how unique is this for the time?
James also is recording the pop “standards” of the day. No one plays this tune anymore unless they are playing jazz….
That’s from 1963. Also released in 1963 is one of James’ first great albums (is it THE 1st?). King didn’t want to finance this, so James did himself. Recorded in 1962, 1963’s Live at the Apollo Theater vol 1
Live music. James is live music. (btw…the POV star of my story would at this point be watching James on TV and buying his records when he could afford them, probably playing along when he could, imitating as much as he could hear). I’ve come to accept that I’ve crossed that age line where current pop songs hold very little interest to me…not completely, but Im not on top of things like I once was. But it really gets to me when people rely on technology and construct music via cut and pasting. This is not a value judgment on their end product nor does it question how talented they are. In fact, many of these people are quite talented. But the nature of a lot of popular music these days is not about collective performance. Or virtuosity, mostly.
One of the things that make James Brown’s music so damn strong is that it is the product of multiple people playing together. The percussion and the bass and the guitar all work together to make the polyrhythmic groove, and since each of those things are being played live by individual people the groove is the collective product of people playing together in a particular way. “Sterile” is not a word one would use to describe this. There is depth even to the most simple of musical ideas when things are produced by the collective.
Live at the Apollo was a hit. And it created issues with King records. So James goes over to smash records in 1964 and makes a rather interesting and lesser know album called out of sight
Notice how much the title track sounds like one of James’ hits to come
It has the original recording of I Got You
And even another jazz standard! I Loves you Porgy
Dig James live on The Hollywood Palace in 1964
King records, however, is not thrilled by James’ work with Smash and create legal problems for James. Mr Brown therefore records an instrumental album, Grits and Soul
Grits
James is not the only organ player. I’m not sure if it’s James playing the solo or not. Maceo Parker is on this. I also do believe that this period, dealing with Smash, is what ends the Famous Flames. Bobby, of course, remains with James.
And then in 1965, James, back with King Records, releases his most successful recordings to date, Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag and the more well known version of I Got You (I Feel Good)
1966 sees more. In fact a few albums are released with the word “Soul” in it. This is the period when James comes to be known as “Soul Brother Number One”.
Ain’t That A Groove
And another HUGE hit, which was actually recorded in 1964
Cold Sweat comes out in 1967. I’ve heard some folks refer to this as the first “Funk” song ever.
“I can’t stand it when you touch me” also gets released
And so does There Was a Time
The full version which was released on 1968’s Live at the Apollo vol 2. However it was edited up and released in shorter versions (as a B side first) in 1967.
Ask yourself…what hits harder in 1967 than this? Jimi Hendrix maybe.). Cream maybe. Live Who…..MAYBE. MAYBE The Jefferson Airplane. It’s a year or so early for Sly. Frankly, I’m not sure what else hits this hard until Deep Purple and Slade…well, other than Coltrane and perhaps a whole host of Jazz artists.
“There was a Time” to me is a musical turning point. Lyrically, it seems as if James is acknowledging the past in order to grow into the future. Musically, I feel we stop hearing the time period so much with this one. Which is also interesting since the drum beat contains that “train” sound. The sounds of the built environment have entered popular music throughout the 20th and 21st century. In jazz—and in a particular style of blues guitar—you can hear the sound of a train. Duke Ellington exploits this in his arrangements. And you hear it in this one, but this is no local train. This is a silver bullet.
1968 sees even more. I totally dig this duet with Bobby: You’ve got to change your mind
Ive got that feeling is relased
James was to perform at the Boston Gardens the day after Martin Luther King was assassinated. There were riots in several cities and a decision was made to broadcast the concert on local TV as well as radio in order to keep Boston from exploding. This performance was released on DVD a few years ago
James Brown very much was part of the Black Power Movement
Say it loud (im black and proud)
And then this got released as well: Give it up or turnit a loose
This is the 1970 rerecording. Our other hero is on this. I couldn’t find the 1968 original.
1969 stays funky.
I don’t want no body to give me nothing
Mother popcorn
Aint it funky now
James had issues with the band. Money problems. I don’t know the details, chances are James simply did not want pay the band what they thought they were worth. The band got fired or maybe they quit. Music history now changes.
I'll let the man's own words describe it...
I was in a band called The Pacemakers with my brother, and we were recording at King Records, which happened to be over in Cincinnati, Ohio. Which happened to be where James Brown recorded some of his records. We knew that, so we hung over at King Records every day after school, waiting and watching for anybody. We happened to run into a guy called Charles Spurling, who was an A&R guy, and he liked us. He wanted to come and hear us. So we invited him down to a club and he came down and checked us out. He said, “Man, you cats have got a whole new energy... I want you to be my band over at King Records.”….
….So we happened to be in this club called the Wine Bar, performing a benefit, and we got a call from Bobby Byrd. He said, “Hey, Bootsy man, the Godfather needs you to come to Columbus, Georgia, and he needs you right now.” Now, mind you, we’re playing a gig and we said, “Nah, James doesn’t want us.” “Yeah, he needs you right now. I’m coming up on a plane in James’ Learjet and I’m gonna pick you up in about 45 minutes.” We thought it was a joke. Actually, he showed up in about 45 minutes and says, “Come on right now, just as you are.” We looked at each other like this is unreal, but as funk would have it, we said, “Funk it!”….
….But once we get back there he’s, “[imitates James Brown] Uhh. I knew you could do it. I want you to go onstage and when I call these songs out I want you to play what I call out.” “OK.” He knew that we knew all the songs. So we get onstage and he calls them out: “Cold Sweat.” Bam! “I Feel Good.” Bam! So we knew all the songs and we made it through the show. I don’t know how we made it. I was a little fuzzy because I was probably a little geeked, a little lit. It was unreal….
Yes, here is the man whose perspective the story could be told. His name is Bootsy (baby). Bootsy Collins is to James Brown what Tony Williams is to Miles Davis. At age 18, Bootsy and his brother Catfish join James Brown and the band is now known as The JBs. They also leave king records to go with Polydor.
It’s a New Day
Get up get into get Involved
Talking Loud and Saying Nothing
Get on the Good Foot
Im a Greedy Man
AND INSTRUMENTALS CONTINUE!
Bootsy and Catfish only stay with James for about a year, though material is released through 1972 with them on it. How much of this has been sampled? How much of this has been recycled and edited to be part of modern Hip Hop? How much of this has been digested by folks like Flea? In the post RUN DMC/Aerosmith collaboration world, how influential are these tunes on the rock/funk hybrids that come in the late 80s into the 90s and beyond?
Those are rhetorical questions of course. The influence of this music is immense. And it is the collective product of all of these men playing together. Oh yes…James Brown is very much in charge. He is directing things. He is singing his ideas to Bootsy and Catfish and they are interpreting it. But it is that collective interpretation that makes the music so strong. And it is the individual strengths of these men that make it so damn funky.
For those that don’t know, Bootsy and Catfish leave James and join forces with George and Bernie. George Clinton and Bernie Worrell. Parliament-Funkadelic. Bootsy’s Rubber Band. The lineage is profound and expands outward to even touch the Talking Heads and The Pretenders.
Two and Half Hour Conversation with Bootsy from 2011.
Bootsy Collins deserves a bio-movie. Bootsy probably deserves a national Holiday. Bootsy, being from Cincinnati, should go to Cleveland on opening day to announce Lebron in the Cavaliers starting lineup just to enhance the Ohio pride this coming fall. The influence of Bootsy on modern music is also quite deep. And who is to say, but if it were not for James Brown there might not be a Bootsy or P-Funk.
Of course James Brown is NOT finished when Bootsy leaves
1974 sees
The payback
Papa don’t take no Mess (from Soul Train….because if I didn’t the ghost of Don Cornelius wound come and haunt my dreams tonight)
And 1976 sees James 2nd to last big hit: Get up Offa That Thing
Tastes change. Disco came and went. Old Soul and R&B become the mainstay of “Oldies” stations. Of course James doesn’t go away……
Live 1980
But his popularity wanes. Let’s consider an additional though unlikey hero in this story. Tom Snyder gets rather unceremoniously cancelled from his post Tonight Show slot on NBC and is replaced by a relative unknown named David Letterman. Letterman taps the former musical director from Saturday Night Live as his band leader. The very accomplished musician, Paul Schaffer, decides to put together a small band to do old R&B and Motown songs during the commercial breaks. Paul even goes so far as to use a Hammond Organ! (Its like 1981 or 82 when the show starts. NO ONE was using a Hammond in pop music at the time. It was anachronistic). And Dave and Paul rather early on host one of their favorites
1982
Paul has said that after this show, James thanked him for keeping his music alive. I do believe Paul was flabbergasted.
Finally 1985 saw James’ last hit which was also his highest charting hit. Before you listen, did you watch the short clip of Bootsy talking where he discussed how James and PFunk would accentuate “The One” up above? Well, notice how this tune accentuates the 2. (That refers to the 4 beats per measure. The one being the first beat, 2 the second, etc)
The movie can fill in the biographical details. My mission was to draw your focus to the music. And to Bootzilla.
Hmmmm…maybe this diary got a bit away from me. James Brown is an immense figure and I probably could have made this two diaries. I seem to have failed to mention Maceo Parker or Fred Wesley or the recordings made by JBs. Simply goes to show, James Brown’s influence on modern popular music is extensive. The movie has a lot to live up to.
Sorry about last week. I didn’t get anything done in time to post a diary. I wanted to write about George Coleman but I kept listening to Bootsy. And then there were some gigs and a rehearsal and my mom’s 70th birthday. Meh…its July, I missed a week. Next week back to George Coleman I think. I’ll do a Hendrix diary next month. Sooner or later I’ll do a diary on P-Funk just for the funk of it and to better explain why everyone should know who Bernie Worrell is.
Thanks for listening everyone! Please support your local jazz and funk musicians and all live music.
Now this is what I want you all to do:
If you got faults, defects or shortcomings,
You know, like arthritis, rheumatism or migraines,
Whatever part of your body it is,
I want you to lay it on your radio, let the vibes flow through.
Funk not only moves, it can re-move, dig?
The desired effect is what you get
When you improve your Interplanetary Funksmanship.
Sir Lollipop Man! Chocolate coated, freaky and habit forming.
Doin' it to you in 3-D,
So groovy that I dig me.
Once upon a time called Now!
Somebody say, "Is there funk after death?"
I say, "Is Seven Up?"
Yeah, P.Funk!
No James? Then no this…