Can I Get a Witness?

There are often places in American folklore and culture that are simply not to be explained, like shaped-note singing and mountain church preaching, snake-handling ministries, all the way to improvised free-form exploratory music by everyone from the Grateful Dead to John Coltrane. You, know, things that you just can't analyze.

Well my friend, add the version of "Mother Popcorn" that closes disk 2 of this gargantuan, amazing CD set, a recording from an absolutely incindeary performance in JB's hometown of Augusta, GA in 1969. You figure that in 1969 (and this concert was AFTER Woodstock) James would have his mind on other things besides the Heavy Funk, and the times would have caught up to him (as the liner notes suggest), but have no fear dear reader and future CD buyer, because I HAVE SIMPLY NEVER HEARD ANYTHING AS ALL-OUT PUMPED FULL OF THE DEAD-ON HEAVY THUMPIN FUNK as I have this 9-minute version of "Mother Popcorn." IT IS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE ENTIRE CD SIMPLY TO GAIN ACCESS TO THIS VERSION OF THIS SONG FROM THAT CONCERT, because it is a portal to another dimension, another physical plane, and the CD itself is the transport vehicle by which the listener is going to arrive at a fully revamped impression of his or her existence.

This is not an exaggeration. If I had my chouice, I would lock Ariel Sharon and Yasser Arafat in a room together and force them to listen to it with each other. Or Bush and Saddam. Get the picture?

Oh, by the way, this album has alot of other crucial moments, like full versions of his more well-known hits and the inclusion of goodies like false-starts of "Cold Sweat" and the complete "Brother Rapp" as well as a very potent live version of "Licking Stick" from the "Live in Dallas" album. But it is the closing nine-minute bombast and jet-propelled funk of "Mother Popcorn" that seriously transports the listener and his or her booty into interstellar space, afro first. Ya dig?

Can I Take it to the Bridge? Simply the Best!

Whoaaaa! If this doesn't get you moving...well, funk and soul are not your thang. This is the real thang, from one of the top two or three individuals performers in all of rock/funk/soul music, "Mr. Dynamite, The Man with the Crown, Soul Brother No. 1, The Original Brother Rapp., the Amazing Mr. Please Please Please Himself, JAAAAAAAMES BROWWWWWWWWNNN" (from the liner notes)." You'll hear some of his all-time great performances, mostly live and non-stop; all of it excellently recorded and remastered material. Close your eyes and you can easily picture James slipping and sliding, working himself and exhorting the band and audience; it's an emotional, visceral performance, you can almost feel the sweat rolling off when you experience this. I think it's as exciting as the famed "Live at the Apollo" CD, maybe more so.

The personnel is outstanding and, again, recorded exceptionally well. While I expected the tight horn section, I was surprised by the brilliant solo performances, often by the well known Maceo Parker. Aside from the dynamism of the music itself, you can discover the band's progression into deeper and deeper expressions of funk, with now-familiar guitar riffs, funk drumming, and strong bass lines. Absolutely essential for anyone interested in the roots of funk. Personnel and recording dates for every recording here, photos, and excellent, intelligent liner notes by Harry Weinger with Alan Leeds Electrifying!!!! Do yourself a huge favor and get this outstanding compilation from the incomparable JB!

THE ROOT OF IT ALL!...

This is definitely a must-have, and a special treat to us JB fans
with a few alternate mixes and the extra-informative liner notes.
Take a dose of this, if this doesn't help, jump into the Big Payback 2 disc set(1971-1975) maybe that will do the trick.