James Brown recommendations.

[mcgarick]

Hi
I'm looking for some James Brown recommendations!

Here's where I hope to go with this.....I like good recordings, not so much into live, unless it really kick butt and the recording must be decent.

Maybe some of his 70's and 80's stuff with good production, and if it rocks all the better.
Maybe his harder edge stuff, I'm really only familiar with some of his hits, and even that; not too much.

I heard some track of his on a small station in Seattle awhile back and it was funky, rockin and fun to listen too. That's why I'm a searching and asking here.

My taste run 70's prog Jazz, prog rock, classical and old pop. I'm 46 after all.

Thanks for any direction!

 

[Maicobmw]

Look for the fantastic Star Time box set... excellent (awesome) sound quality and includes both his 'standard' stuff from throughout his career and some cool obscurities. :thmbsp:

http://www.allmusic.com/album/star-time-mw0000654673

 

[parman]

I don't know if you like greatest Hits but there's one call something like JB's 20 Greatest Hits and it really is 20 great songs.

 

[El Pee]

Personally, I fing his 80s stuff to be my least favorite... a little too polished and pop sounding for my tastes. Either of the Live at the Apollo albums are a great place to start and they sound decent or a live album, but if live isn't your thing I understand.... Look for anything originally recorded on King records and you should be cool. As mentioned above, the box set is awesome..... because he put out soo many albums over so many years, sometime a greatest hits collection really is the best place to begin. Find the songs you dig the most, then go from there. With James Brown, it's hard to go to terribly wrong before the late 70s.

 

[tommarantz]

As far as funk goes, 'The Payback' is fantastic. It was originally intended as the soundtrack to an old blaxploitation flick, but was turned down for 'not being funky enough'. Figure that out! Fantastic band, excellent production and catchy tunes.

If you can get ahold of it, 'Grits and Soul', is great too. I have it on vinyl actually, and it's an excellent recording of his bluesy/jazz material. All instrumental, but showcases his organ playing very well.

 

[Cactus Bob]

This 30 Golden Hits double lp has a lot of good stuff on it. Early 60's to '76 tunes. Hot Pants is really good also.

 

[Wally Swift]

"In The Jungle Groove" is a good compilation of the Bootsy/Phelps Collins period. His best era, imo.

 

[mcgarick]

Cool!!! Thanks everyone!

 

[poppachubby]

HHHHHHaaaaayyyyyy!!!!!

Yes, the Star Time is superb, but even better are the latest and greatest chronological releases from Hip-O-Select. It's a look at James Brown from the POV of 45 releases.

I know you are into the "funk" thing, but looking back to his earlier work with the Famous Flames, is to look into the dutch pot of soul and funk. Another great point regarding The Singles series is that they give you all of the King and Federal material - remastered and sounding excellent. Of course they go right up through his career over the years, and each volume has 2 discs of material. This is the best bet, aside from the Star Time set, for early audiophile quality sound. Of course, it's not going to be perfect, but I think you get my drift.

Aside from this, I agree that for funkytime, The Payback and Hell are stone cold classics - for that 70's cocaine usin', pimp hand, fur wearin vibe. I would also suggest a great comp of early instrumentals called Soul Pride - really fun although if you grab the first three discs of The Singles, you would have these songs - mostly. Just be aware that as you move into the 70's, his work starts to become hit and miss.

Right up into the early 70's, nobody could touch James... nobody!!! He was an innovator who could see well beyond most. So have fun discovering a real music legend, and always keep it on the one. Haaay!!!!!!