REVIEW OF MY FIRST JB CONCERT IN 1969

This is my review of the first James Brown concert I ever attended. 

A next door neighbor was taking her kids and asked if I wanted to go also. 


I was just entering my teens at the time, but I have been a JB fan ever since I heard "DON,T BE A DROPOUT". 


I can,t recall everything about the show as it happened that night but I will do the best I can.


My father used to listen to a radio station out of Nashville, Tennessee, that played a lot of the  R&B hits of the day. 


Only being around 5 or  6 years of age at the time, the only singer that I remember hearing was James Brown.
 

In 1969 I was taken to a  JB concert by a neighbor and witnessed a show I will never forget!



This was James Brown with his late 60s band featuring saxophonist extraordinaire, Maceo Parker.


I don,t remember all the songs but I do remember the band opening with "THE CHICKEN".  Then the band,s classic hit featuring Maceo, "THE POPCORN".

Then the lovely Miss Marva Whitney came on and performed two songs, "BALL OF FIRE" AND "IT,S MY THING".


Looking gorgeous in a long blue grown she had  the crowd in awe as she belted out her hits, then left the stage.


Let me tell you something; these songs were performed identically like the records ( most were extended in concert)!  Then Maceo blew everyone away with an imprompt  solo sax performance!


I believe  after that the announcer came onstage said a few things pertaining to concert show books and whatnot.


  Finally... he brought out the man HIMSELF...


                                Mister Dynamite,
                           JAAMES BROWNNN!


He was immaculately dressed in a white jacket,  black silk turtleneck shirt and white pants with black patent leather boots(so shiny you could see your face in them).  


Soul Brother #1 strutted on stage and  delivered a quick handshake to the announcer. 


He went into his big hit, 


"SAY IT LOUD  I,M BLACK & PROUD!"


 

The audience sang along with him as he went thru the song and when JB finished, he started rapping with the audience as the band stood silently in the background.


I did recall one thing that he said which really left an impression on me.

"The color of a man,s skin does not make a   man."

                  "A man makes himself." 
Still rapping, he held the mike, when all of a sudden...


he spun around and stood in the SAME POSE HOLDING THE MIKE!

This happened in a SPLIT SECOND!

I tell you as I saw it with my own eyes, the man was as fast as GREASED LIGHTNING!
 

JB went thru his hits from "IT,S A MAN,S WORLD"( he sang live to a tape being played while the band stood around ;at this time he no longer had the three violinists touring with him).







On "LOWDOWN POPCORN", he accompanied the band on organ, playing the song note for note.  


His footwork was dazzling as he went from one side to the stage to the other.  



The camel walk, the one-legged dance, (especially the James Brown) he performed as we all watched mesmerized!


He spun around three and four times, almost falling on one of the drum sets at one point.


You could actually see the sweat flying away from his body as he worked himself into a frenzy and the crowd along with him.


 I noticed he didn,t do the splits at all that night, (I found out later during that period in his shows he didn,t do the splits) nevertheless still had an exciting exhilarating show. 


On the live  JB concert dvds, "LIVE AT THE APOLLO 1968" and "LIVE AT THE BOSTON GARDENS 1968" ( filmed a month before the former and the night after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed) he did no splits. 



Then came his signature cape routine with "PLEASE PLEASE".  Mister Dynamite then left the stage to rest for a few minutes. 


The announcer appeared again and talked about the concert books and other things that were still available for sale.


We heard the shout, "ONE MORE TIME, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MISTER JAMES BROWN", as he took the stage one more time. 


 
He had removed his jacket before he left the stage the first time, but did not change his clothes before his finale.


 
All of a sudden came a familiar scream, "EEEEYOWWW!" The band immediately went into "GIVE IT UP OR TURNIT A LOOSE". followed by his current monster hit, "MOTHER POPCORN"!


The whole audience, worked into a frenzy by this time, (me included)rushed to the front of the stage. 



That,s when I noticed how his pants were made.  Instead of a belt or buttons in front, they were laced up, just like football jersey pants. 


I also noticed for the first time his dancer, the lovely Ann Norman, on an elevated platform behind the band.  


I,ve seen (what we called back then)go-go dancers before but this woman was a SUPER FINE FOX! 


She was so sexy in that tiny mini-whatever she had on, I wanted to motion to JB to move over so I could get a better look at her, lol!


Someone  hoisted a little girl up onto the stage.  The child looked bewildered as she stared into the crowd of faces looking back as her.  


 JB was oblivious to the child, as he was grooving back and forth with Maceo.  


One of the trumpet players saw the little girl, put his instrument down momentarily and gently lowered the child back down into the crowd ( so she wouldn,t get in the way or accidently get hurt).


 
The show ended with James Brown leaving the stage, drained but with a satisfied look on his face, knowing he killed them! 


  I,ve seen JB about five or six times after that, but I never, ever will forget that first show!  Im glad that 
I got a chance to see him with the late sixties band.


James Brown is gone now but...


Not only there is a movie  titled "GET ON UP" on August 1, 2014 coming out about his life, but there is quite a bit of  footage of him  available online, like  YOUTUBE, and a few officially released James Brown concert dvds out now.


So no matter what you,ve heard about JB, good or bad, mistakes and all, know this; to see him live back then was not just a concert, but an EVENT!


He was a flawed human being (we all are) that pushed himself to the top of the music world. 


He had help along the way, but did it HIS WAY!


 There will  always be imitators, duplicators, people that will take something from him and take it to the next level.  


BUT... there  will never, ever, be another...  JAMES BROWN!

2ND JAMES BROWN MOVIE TRAILER DROPS!

A 2nd "GET ON UP"  movie trailer has arrived and I am thrilled! 

While the 1st trailer looked good,  it came off to me more like a movie of the week.


Boseman looks great in the role but it just didn,t meet MY expectations. (I,ve seen JB five or six times live) Forgive me, I,m just picky, but i want it done right.


  I know that it was just a little premature to pass judgement just yet, but I have been a solid JB fan for the last 50 plus years ( shook hands with him in 1970) and I just want his story told right after waiting all these years! 


Here comes the 2nd trailer and guess what?  Whatever apprehensions I had about the film before are gone! 


This trailer shows a little more in depth about what to expect  and believe me, it is impressive!  


Of course they,ve  taken taken certain liberties such as Boseman is not  a short guy, or that JB,s shotgun went off in the insurance seminar ( maybe they are showing witness accounts of what could have happened, during his trial). 


Aside from those shortcomings, I really like what I saw in this trailer!



Here is the 2nd "GET ON UP" trailer






Looks very impressive huh?  I know they will use some well known songs but hopefully include some lesser known ones.


For example;  "Let A Man Come In & Do The Popcorn",  "Mother Popcorn",  "Ain,t It Funky Now", "If I Ruled The World",  "Lowdown Popcorn",  "I Don.t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door I,ll Get It Myself)".


Okay, quite a bit of popcorn in there but James was heavy on the funk!  


One interesting tibit;  JB,s reference to the word "popcorn" in his songs meant a woman,s behind ( he loved big butts with small waists and had as many as five women a night after shows). 


Yes, he was a REAL SEX MACHINE, lol!  



There are several books on JB and here are my top 3 recommendations below;



 


1. The One: The Life & Music Of JB

    This the most fact-filled book of JB that I   

    have read to date.  Great insight into the 

    mind of James Brown; what drove him to 

     push himself and his organization to almost 

     inhuman limits(marathon touring, 

     recording in the studio after finishing an 

     exhausting concert, the need to get on top

     and the will to stay there.   
  

2. The JB Reader: 

Another book full of notes and different views by JB and friends, members, staff, newspaper press releases, etc.  

 


These are the  most comprehensive books on JB,s life that I,ve ever read, filled with many facts that I didn,t  know before.

 
I,m sure that there will be other interpretations of JB forthcoming on film and in books,  now that the floodgates are open.


There is an untitled JB documentary that was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival back in April 2014.  

I don,t when it will be released but the runtime is 2hrs and 10min. 


Mick Jagger is one of the producers of the film (man, he REALLY is into doing JB right on film!) and that it contains archival footage of JB throughout his career.


Done with the permission of the James brown Estate, we should see footage that has not been seen before.


Case in point; there is ANOTHER film about Elvis already in the works.  


Just to be fair, there has never been a movie about his life on the big screen, only tele-movies and concert films so he deserves his due also.  


Remember,  come August 1st,  world will be amazed because "GET ON UP"    will hit the big screen!



**********************UPDATE**************************

If you like James Brown, then GET READY for the "GET ON UP" MOVIE SOUNDTRACK!!!


HOT! HOT! HOT!  DON,T MISS THIS MOVIE!!!



On July 29th,  the original motion picture sound track will be released featuring 20 songs consisting of studio and live versions of many of JB,s hits! There will never be another like the #1 Soul Brother, so check out the movie and get the audio cd!

 

FIRST IMPRESSION OF "GET ON UP" TRAILER

Hello again JB fans!


I would like to say that I,m very excited that we have a JB bio movie at last!  The cast and crew look good and hopefully this movie will be on a par with "RAY". 


 I,m not completely sold on Boseman as JB but I think he is going to pull off a nearly impossible job as the Godfather Of Soul.  One of my concerns is a few liberties, listed below,  that they are taking in the movie, judging by the trailer;

• JB was around 5'7 or so; Boseman is much taller (he almost towers over actor playing Bobby Byrd)  
•  
• One scene with Bootsy and the JBs - the drum sets are too far apart  (on stage they were closer together). 
•  
• Vietnam scene with JB complaining to the officer- I could be wrong but I didn,t see Tim Drummond anywhere ( he was the first white member of the late 60,s band, playing bass guitar, and went with JB to play in Vietnam). WHOOPS! I was wrong! He was in that particular segment as well at the Boston Gardens scene.
•  
• JB shooting the shotgun by accident at the insurance seminar( the shotgun didn,t go off because it wouldn,t work).
  

 I realize that movies take certain liberties with scripts and change some things, but just as long as they stay true to the spirit of JB, then it will be ok.

The Jacksons TV movie had Randy  almost grown when he officially joined the group, when in real life, he was a little boy who was excellent on playing congas.

 I want this movie to do really well and hopefully see other movies or documentaries on Mr. Brown,s life. As for some people saying that they have seen this story time and again, no they haven,t!


JB,s story is one of a kind and is unique and thank God, it will finally be seen on screen, for better or worse!

JB BIOPIC TO START FILMING THIS MONTH

 

 

 

 

 I,m sure that most of you know by now that the upcoming movie about the Godfather Of Soul James Brown titled "GET ON UP", will start filming in Mississippi in November. 

  Director Tate Taylor(The Help)is set to take on the monumental task of putting the world famous icon on screen.

  Mick Jagger himself is one of the producers of the movie and it boast an impressive talented cast. Chadwick Boseman the star of the Jackie Robinson movie (42) has signed on as JB himself.

The rest of the cast so far includes;

Aunt Honey.....................................................................Octavia Spencer

Susie Brown....................................................................Viola Davis 

Ben Bart..........................................................................Dan Ackroyd

Deidre "Dee Dee" Jenkins...............................................Jill Scott

Bobby Byrd.....................................................................Nelsan Ellis

Syd Nathan......................................................................Fred Melamed

Maceo Parker...................................................................Craig Robinson 

Catfish Collins.................................................................David Carzell 

Bootsy Collins.................................................................Justin Hall 

Clyde Subblefield............................................................Rob Demery

Tika Sumpter...................................................................Yvonne Fair

Joeseph "Joe" James (JB,s father)..................................Lennie James

Julius Tennon.................................................................Grandpa Byrd



Tariq Trotter....................................................................Pee Wee Ellis

Jamell Richardson...........................................................Jimmy Nolen

Brandon Smith.................................................................Little Richard



  VISIT MY AMAZON STORE FOR SOUL MUSIC DVDS

  Im sure other cast members will be announced like the actors portraying Fred Wesley( his musical director and trombonist off and on in the 70s) and announcer Danny Ray ( who was the cape man for around 50 years).

  With this array of talent, I think that this movie will be on a par with "RAY". Do I have reservations? Well, of course I do! Im sure that Boseman will most likely lip-synch (no problem there) but what about JB,s frenetic dancing in his early career?

   Not crazy about the title right now( I would have called it one of Brown,s many well deserved monikers over the years; "MR. DYNAMITE", "GODFATHER OF SOUL", "SOUL BROTHER #1". Aside from my gripes( just thrilled at this after waiting so many years), I think it will be an amazing film.

   It will cover the period of  Brown,s life ranging from 5 yrs old to 1993 and hopefully be at least 2 hrs 20 min. long. There is a lot of history associated with Brown and maybe the most important aspects of his life, good and bad make it to the big screen.

  Personally, I would love to see a few things, like; how he made the band head to the recording studio after finishing a sell out performance. 

His dreaded "HORROR" rehearsals, his time performing in Vietnam,  his visits to the White House, his appearance at Elvis  Presley,s wake, his interaction with band and family members.

 His almost inhuman drive to be in control of every aspect of his career.  The toll performing took on his body (had to get an intravenous drip to build fluids back in his body after sweating so much onstage. 

  So get ready everyone because "GET ON UP", the James Brown story has started filmed and is due for release in the fall of next year. 

              I CAN HARDLY WAIT!

***********************UPDATE************************




A few more tidbits about the upcoming JB biopic, "GET ON UP"

* ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY has posted the first pic of
 Chaswick Boseman as James Brown 

* JB,s grandson, Jason Brown, is working on the film as a           production assistant.

* JB,s nephew, Darren Glenn, also is working with the film to help find entertainers to fill the roles of musicians. His father, Willie Glenn, was JB,s road manager for 40 years.

With a great array of talent working on this film, I have no doubts that it will deliver!  Come August 2014, if the Good Lord spares me, I will catch the FIRST showing in my town!    



*****************SUPER UPDATE********************

The VERY FIRST Trailer for the JB Biopic " GET ON UP"

IS HERE! 

IKE AND TINA TURNER: ON THE ROAD 1971-72 DVD

Get ready for a rare look into the lives of Ike and Tina Turner on stage and off at the peak of their career together!



 

   

This 90 minute documentary has intimate, behind-the-scenes look of the husband and wife entertainers, at work on stage and at home. 
Ike, the consummate professional, putting the Ikettes and the band,thru its paces in the studio in preparation for their amazing stage performances.

 Tina is seen burning up the stage as she churns out one of their many hits. 

Rare insight into Tina at home, life as a mother to their kids and in the studio, rehearsing songs and dance routines with the Ikettes.

 VISIT MY AMAZON STORE FOR SOUL MUSIC DVDS

Their day to day travels on the road, by plane and car, waiting in motels and airports give a glimpse of what being an entertainer is not all a glamorous life.







Despite the footage, ranging from good to bad(almost all in black and white), this documentary is a must have for all the fans of Ike and Tina!

A fascinating look into their life and show!

There have been quite a few complaints about previous shows by old soul school artists released before, mainly the quality of the video.

This is not high definition quality footage because it has not been digitally remastered, but a great treat to watch and see one of the greatest duos in music history on stage and off.

So if you are a fan of Ike and Tina Turner, this will be a great addition to your music dvd collection!