100% raw uncut

James Brown would later learn how to let his band play loose (see LOVE POWER PEACE), but from his debut in the 50s until about 1969 he was on a single-minded path to have the tightest band in the world. Without a doubt this is a crystal-clear document of the achievement of that goal. Listen to the thunderous drum work by Clyde Stubblefield, the stop-on-a-dime precision of the veteran horn section, and the combination of youthful energy and hard-won experience in Brown's voice. 10,000 shows, a stockpile of radio hits, and a lifetime of singing - could you expect any less? His band would get funkier, and perhaps even more innovative just a few years later, but they were never tighter than this. In fact there has never been a band as tight as this, before or since.



A mix of "There Was a Time" from this show was already released on Star Time, which certainly whet fans' appetites for years. I couldn't fathom that the entire show could have as much energy as exhibited in that excerpt, but amazingly, it does. Check out the extended version of "Cold Sweat" for a lesson on controlled groove: Brown leads the band through different vamps, crowd work, chants, drum breaks, and even choruses from "Soul Man" among others.



For an introduction to James Brown "live," there is no better document. As deservedly lauded Apollo 1-3 and Love Power Peace are, nothing exhibits the sheer explosiveness of the James Brown Revue better than this Dallas show. This is one of the supreme artists of the 20th century at the peak of his powers. Absolutely staggering...



Since 1990, James Brown archivists and reissue producers Alan Leeds and Harry Weinger have done a stunning job with the Brown Catalog. The last thing left to unearth is a pristine video of a show from this era. Harry are you game?

ON FIRE!

While the recording, by today's digital standards leaves something to be desired, turn this up as loud as you can stand it, and you might just get goosebumps and feel the hairs standing up on your neck. Whatever the Velvets were up to when they created "White light/White heat", JB & Co. were doing here too. This is a perfect example of the performer(s) whipping the audience into a total frenzy, and the audience reflecting that frenzy right back onto the stage. It's that mystical, fleeting and elusive moment both audience and performer(s) seek again and again. If you have no other James Brown records, get this one.

With His Bad Self

People who saw James Brown live, or have his live recordings know he had a band that had the chops of the best jazz players. This CD is a great example of them working. A must have CD if you love soul, funk, or just plain good music. Jim Carry was never SMOKIN' like these guys. Not one note of filler on this one. The only thing missing is seeing JB dance.