There’s certainly no shortage of CD releases from James Brown currently available in the shops and this timely re-issue to coincide with his 70th birthday has been re-mastered and expanded to include bonus tracks of single mixes and extensive sleeve notes for connoisseurs. Whether you love him or hate him, there’s no getting away from the fact his music has had more influence on today’s black music and R’n’B scene (a fact you can argue goes back twenty plus years) that the name James Brown is synonymous with everything that’s good about black/soul music as we know it.

Seasoned Brown fans will be well versed with the different musical styles he has recorded over the years from his early days of singing ballad songs from the heart, to his complete makeover at the turn of the decade (1970) where his million selling ‘Sex Machine’ remains one of the all-time funk grooves ever recorded. There’s no way of defining which style was his best as its obviously down to personal choice – he certainly achieved more commercial success during his funk fuelled dance grooves of the mid seventies many of which sampled to death by a variety of acts during the 80/90’s.

Billed as the ‘hardest working man in show business’ and/or ‘Mr Dynamite’ this special recording made at the APOLLO Theatre in New York was actually financed by Brown himself after his record company were unconvinced of its potential and refused to finance the project. It transpired to be a massive hit and is now regarded as one of the all time great black music ‘live’ performances.

Any appearance at the APOLLO by James was always guaranteed to be a sell out as not only was he a most proficient musician, his stage persona and  delivery beggars belief as he whips his audience into a frenzy. Having seen him live on only one occasion I can honestly say he is the business. Who else do you know that can walk up to the microphone and grunt ‘ugh ugh’ and bring the house down? What a talent.

This CD gives the nearest indication of what it must have been like to have been in that audience in October 1962 and whilst there was no video footage taken at the time (shame) the audio is electrifying, you only have to listen to the APOLLO crowd going wild as James delivers a selection of his early recordings based on his ‘call and reply’ formulae to the audience.

Songs included on this set many of which have become James Brown standards include ‘Think’ ‘I Found Someone’ ‘Bewildered’ ‘Night Train’ ‘I’ll Go Crazy’ and perhaps the daddy of them all in ‘Please Please Please’ where James falls to his knees pleading for his woman not to go.

This album is regarded as the greatest ‘live’ soul recording ever made! I’m not that convinced that it should receive that title. It IS a brilliant live album there’s no getting away from that but those of you who own his other APOLLO live recording from 1967 like myself may find that performance a little more polished even though it contains many of the songs that are on this CD.

Like so many CD’s from Universal Music these days we are treated to various bonus tracks and this disc is no exception with single mixes of ‘I’ll Go Crazy’ ‘Lost Someone’ ‘Think’ and a medley of three songs including ‘I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad’.

Either way, you’ll find this expanded edition a valuable addition to your collection.

Rating 8/10

To see our other James Brown CD reviews please click here.