James Brown Live At The Apollo

i mean it’s james brown.

Fantastic live album. I imagine seeing him live would be unreal. Band is tight and it sounds like a studio recording in some places.

A nice treat that shows what a great performer Brown was - especially when he had the right band with him. Overall it is a bit short though.

Perhaps the template for the greatest live album ever recorded, James Brown & the Famous Flames set the roof of the Apollo (and the New York skyline) on fire with this all killer and no filler collection of songs that showcased how accurate the "hardest working man in show business" moniker was for the headliner. Before his metamorphosis into the nucleus of what became hip-hop, he was the consummate showman (he never ceased being such) and gave his all not just for the band but for the Richter Scale screams of his adoring fans, who are the backbone of the album if we're being honest. There is no need for more and there is no need for less here. Sixty years on and this remains essential listening for understanding.

Hmm not for me 2/5

Funky

Not my all-time favorite, but James Brown is a very compelling performer.

Good background funk

Music and performance is incred but the screaming is really annoying. Loses another star for not including 'Living in America' despite it not being written when this was recorded.

I mean yeah it’s ok.

I liked this one already. For all his great songs he doesn't really have a classic album so I suppose this is it. As live albums go its one of the best

I liked the overall show and will listen again.

Nice good oldies

A legendary performance and album.

Turn it up and let it rip! James Brown is awesome! Crowd noise was a bit annoying (screaming girls, eww) 4 / 5 stars.

I listened to living in America instead does that count? I like that. Actually I did try listening to this, but I'm not really a fan and the recording is dire. I'm happy to die not hearing it again.

Funky and soulful as you would expect from James Brown. I was only familiar with his hits, none of which were performed here. I'm also usually not a big fan of live albums but the audience reactions and upbeat instrumental bridges were charming.

didn't know i needed to hear young Jim Brown.

Not my fave live recording

Was fine.

High energy live set of early to mid-career material. Illustrates why Brown was famous for his shows.

Cracking performance from the band, intense and sublime vocals, enthusiastic audience... but man, what a recording and mix. Part of me wants to track down a mono pressing, because the stereo mix isn't doing this album any favors. This pacing of this album, especially the first half, is unlike anything I've heard before. It feels like a watching a speeding train suddenly screech to a stop to pick up passengers (all screaming "ow!", enthusiastically!) for 10 minutes. The ending of the album lacks the punch I would have expected. Solid, enjoyable, but flawed live album. 3.5

Live albums are never as good as one made in a studio, are they?

crazy energy! ze willen hem allemaal sloppy toppy geven

Heerlijke classic voor op de achtergrond

I love JB and you can hear him working out what he will be here but it’s rushed.

I wanted to like this more :(

A short, sharp, sexy burst of funky soul! This was awesome, guy was at the top of his powers and you can tell that too! Excellent fun!!

He’s the man

Probably one of the nicest first listens of one of these albums I’ve had in a while, despite it being a live recording James Brown’s voice and the band are so and just sound amazing. The only issue I have with this album is that because it’s a live recording it doesn’t necessarily feel like an album but the songs are fantastic regardless particularly ‘Think’, ‘Lost Someone’ and ‘Night Train’. The mix of Jazz, funk and R&B throughout makes for such a pleasant first listen

A couple of legend tracks on this album, complimented by good R&B support tracks. I did do a couple of skips part way through a couple of the tracks, as they got a bit tedious repetition where I just said, enough, move on.

Liked this more than I thought I would. I preferred his lower-tone melody parts to his screeching though.

Great voice and some good songs but not quite sure why this is so highly rated as a live album. Nothing particularly special and some of the screaming is annoying. Best song Try Me

Quite short album and includes many slower songs, while I personally like his faster songs more

Short and sweet. Really a surprised by how feminine his range sounded when younger.

This is smashing. Glimpses of the future, deconstructed stuff, are in the fun interstitial pieces; it's almost avant-garde, though it always is about charging the audience up. The audience feels close.

Nice to hear some James Brown that aren't the same old overplayed cliche tunes. Still not very interesting however

I didn't particularly enjoy it, but understood the legacy of the music and sound.

Soul

4.5 / 5 stars

Did not enjoy at all. Just don’t like this style

6.8/10

Lost someone with the audience participation was fun.

This is another record I'm not sure I think I'm able to fully appreciate, if you like James Brown and classic RnB then of course this is essential but personally I can only really get into his music when I can see him perform it directly. It doesn't help that the mixing on this is pretty terrible? AFAIK the master tapes were lost for a while so it took ages for this to get remastered beyond 60's vinyl quality, and it really shows in how empty and tinny the mix feels. But the man's a crazy good performer, and the moments you get where you can hear the audience going apeshit are fantastic (especially the 'say it a little louder' part on Lost Someone). Honestly I wish the album leaned into the crowd interaction more because it never failed to put a grin on my face. Its definitely worth the listen but its not one of my favorite live albums, nor something I'll likely come back to. Also I have to give a shout to that album art, absolutely fantastic atmosphere created by that painting. Highlights: Lost Someone, Medley: Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone

That was pretty fun. It’s wild to hear all the screaming girls and the way he amps up the crowd. The music itself wasn’t super special but it seemed like a wild experience. 7/10

The Godfather of Soul, say no more...

mono recording kinda ruins it. still a great set

Funky, soulful and wild, this is a great live performance by a legend. I enjoyed it, but probably won't be back for more.

This is a pretty cool album. I love that you can hear the last pieces of big band still hanging on while hearing the emergence of the instrumental palette of funk and soul. James Brown gives a great performance and the audience adds to the experience. Some production quirks, but I won’t hold that against anyone.

every single live album we’ve gotten so far has been excellent, and this one is truly amazing.

3.5/5

Get up!

3.5 it’s fine

Jazz halt. Idk

Oozing swagger from top to bottom. Good energy and flow throughout the songs. James brown exudes confidence and has great crowd interactions

I don't think it's possible for a '60s James Brown album to be bad. This is marvellous.

Incredible album Such power and wow What a soulful voice Think especially was a super banger

3/4

James Brown Live At The Apollo was an experience with it being live. The music itself was good, but the touch of it being live made it authentic. It made it more special. The crowd was electric and made it so much better.

They don't call him the godfather of soul for nothing. A smooth easy album to listen to. For some reason it gave me comfort. Like that it finished with a song with some pep.

Every album should have an introduction. I bet this concert went crazy. Album probably doesn’t do it justice. However no one song stood out to me as a foot slapper

Very good album, a lot of fun. Those cats were swinging goddamn were they cookin

Hot damn blue hits different live The crowd becomes part of the performance which is always wonderful in a live album. I was jammin not gonna lie.

Very enjoyable listen. Brown and his band did a fantastic job of sprinkling blues, funk, and soul into a blend that was very innovative and exciting for 1962. It very much took me to a place that reminds me of yearly trips to Blues Fest. I would not be shocked if statistics showed a higher birth rate in late July of 1963 in New York City. My two regrets with this album are as follows: the cuts in the mastering of the album and that there isn’t live footage of this concert. The cuts between tracks are understandable as this is a time period where live albums were a very new concept, but I always feel that the experience of a live album is enhanced when crowd noise between tracks is included. As for the footage, James Brown is a performer to the core. His stage antics came second to none. The crowd wasn’t screaming at random points in the show for no reason. It felt like I was missing out on something great.

Wonderful, wish I was there.

Good album, but 1 star for live albums.

wasn't bad but live.. fuck off

Some parts sound flat but others are full of energy. The communion with the public Is palpable.

It's good but not quite as good as I hoped that it would be. I'd give it a 3.5 but bumping up to a 4 for a true legend.

u pozadini je ovo fora slušati, taj feeling jel

Some incredible songs, the recording hasn't aged well, or the upload quality was poor.

very very good- very soul- very good rhythm and vocals- the entire album went by super fast and flowed extremely well- it made you really want to get up and dance. I did not enjoy the screaming in the background though from live fans

Not bad, but not my cup of tea

Pretty good, although not my thing

Based on the success of the last live album, I gave this one a shot since it's Mr Brown, but this fell below expectations. This goes back into the live albums category. James was performing but it felt very repetitive, and even on the song I was looking forward to the most, Sex Machine, he kept repeating things over and over. I know people do that when they are live to get the crowd going, but that, to me, doesn't need to be an album on this list.

Speaking of live albums, here it is. One of the biggest culprits of my dissension with this list. Along with several other foundational artists, James Brown is only featured on this list with a live album. Why not The Payback? Why not Sex Machine Today? Surely those albums could get a placement over not just this one, but the endless field of generic rock offerings from the '80s and '90s? James Brown is Soul Brother #1, the Hardest Working Man in Showbusiness. Confining his sound, his impact to not just one album, but to a live album from 1963, before many of his greatest hits were even written, feels criminal. I have to assume a bias against James Brown, it just doesn't make sense otherwise. And given that he's not the only Black American artist given this same treatment (see also Sam Cooke, BB King, Sarah Vaughan), I worry that bias is more insidious. How's this album? Well obviously it's good, it's James mf'in Brown and his Famous Flames. But we can get a whole lot better. Favorite tracks: Try Me, I Don't Mind, Night Train, Medley: I Found Someone. Album art: Really dig this one, adore the impressionistic art style, and love that it's contrasted by the clear marquees above the scene. The white border is nice too, just a great cover all around. 3.5/5

'60s soul always get me. And a live album by James Brown shows it in its raw glory. Decent at it's best.

All time great album by all time great performer

I wouldn’t be interested in listening to this as a studio album, but it’s so fun to hear the crowd going crazy in this. Hard not to enjoy it.

Explosive, passionate and pin-precise. The Godfather of Soul could work a crowd better than almost anyone.

I was expecting more. But I get it. This comes from earlier in his career. This is all soul, no funk.

Great performance, high energy, but the way it’s mixed makes it seem like James Brown was standing off stage in the right corner of the Apollo singing these songs.

Absolutely fucking incredible. 5/5

I thought this was really nice to listen too, relaxing and groovy

Terrific energy from James Brown (The Godfather of Soul, as Chris Frantz once shouted out) from start to end. You feel like you’re really there!

Unexpectedly boring.

James Brown the legend in action. The Live aspect keeps it real. Nearly a 5 star for me but just shy.

James Brown hasn’t usually done it for me the way other soul singers have. But I get the hype on this one. The raw energy, the tight band. Nice.

Wish I was at this gig... sounds lit

Live album, never gonna get more than a 3 from me but I did look up some other non-live versions of songs that I added to my own Spotify so can't hate too much

Performance was stellar, even when the songs weren’t as strong. Wasn’t until “Lost Someone” that I understood the gravity this concert/live album possessed. February 6, 2023

SCREEEEEEAAM!

Genres: R&B, soul Formed: mid to late 50’s Run time: 11 songs, 31 min, 33 sec James Brown a.k.a. "The Hardest-Working Man in Show Business", "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", and "Soul Brother No. 1". Spotify: Least popular song: 285k plays Most popular song: 730k plays. James Brown was an amazing, entertaining singer with boundless energy on stage. This album captures none of that. While there is a hint of what’s to come, there are none of his trademark hits. Listen Again?: No My Rating: **

Great bit of history

One of those landmark albums that needs to be graded on a curve based on how new it was at the time (the first time a lot of people were exposed to the James Brown live experience) as well as how influential it has become. The show has high energy from start to finish and the group is tight all the way through.

The band sounds great and the album captures what must have been a very exciting night for those who attended.

I love the dramatic way in which the MC introduces not only James Brown but the whole damn set list. When live albums go right, they go oh-so right. And this recording is a shining example of the live magic a master like James Brown can summon up. I feel like I'm right there, screaming along with the ladies, body swaying with the crowd. Those interludes, though... it's like I'm in church!

An okay album that I would prefer to hear as a studio album compared to a live version. Like most songs or albums the live version takes away from some of the best sounding parts of the song and adds crowd noise that makes the album less enjoyable. This album is no different. I like James brown. I like these songs but I don’t enjoy the live album aspect. 4.6/10

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes, it’s short and sweet, plus you gotta love his vocals, spectacular even for a live performance Favourite song: Track 5 - Think

Lovely!

You had to be good to get an album in 1963... James Brown was more than good!

I have the same complaints about this album that I have about all live albums, which is that the inferior sound quality makes it really hard for me to like them. This one doesn't sound too bad, and the crowd sounds really add to the ambiance without taking much away from the songs. The music is really good overall (it's James Brown, so it would be really weird if it wasn't), but this album is also sort of a tease, since you just know that Brown is doing a ton of visual stuff that the crowd is reacting to, but you can't know what he's doing. It's a fascinating look at the early part of his career and clear evidence that the man oozed charisma from the very beginning. Fuck I would have loved to see this concert 4/5

He’s great, I’m sure this would have been a wonderful show to witness but… It’s a bit early in his career so doesn’t include the biggest hits and I’m just not that into live albums.

Jeese stop screamin

This guy has a story. I've always enjoyed JB.

Quality

What a performer! I love James Brown. Album was quite short, and the screams from the crowd were a bit annoying at times. But definitely enjoyed this one. 4/5

Funky

Great album, preferred the faster paced songs

That'll preach. It's only in a live album that you can really appreciate the natural-born entertainer that this man is. James Brown's adaptation of the church's call-and-response preaching style feels so... well, natural here. Brown is having a conversation with his audience and they are absolutely speaking back. This feels more like an important piece of recorded history than an album at times. And, if that's truly what it was, I'd give it a 5-star review without hesitation. But, at the end of the day, it was a piece of entertainment media and must be judged accordingly. It's still utterly fantastic, don't get me wrong. But the recording quality is SO bad it's nearly unlistenable at times and that has to cost it a star.

Ew

You know, I feel alright! This album, while lo-fi by today's standards, is proof that if you want something done -- and done right -- you self-finance the project and reap all the benefits!

Decent background music but nothing special 🤷‍♀️

Not as good as I expected.

Musically stunning - but for some reason I didn't vibe with it today.

All the funk

Not usually a big fan of live albums, but this worked

I'm sure this was influential at the time. Great passion and you can feel how hard he's working. Just not something I connect with.

I could have done without the screaming teenagers

I thought I liked James Brown, but thoroughly disliked this one.

A nice little live album.

Great album

Automatisk stryk for livealbum. Men wtf Opening Fanfare e jo introen til Radioresepsjonen på TV

Brilliant live album Referential performance

Had never heard this album. The band is tight and James is on fire.

"Live At The Apollo" is a live album by James Brown and The Famous Flames (backing vocalists) recorded at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and released by Key Records. It was recorded at James Brown's expense and was a huge success reaching #2 on the Billboard album charts. It is also recognized as one of the successful examples of the Chitlin' Circuit which were venues in the US East, South and Midwest providing commercial acceptance of African American entertainers. Considered one of the best live albums ever, the album was also added to The National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2004 and also the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. The album begins with Fats Gonder introducing James as the hardest working man in show business and also introducing The Famous Flames. And he probably was performing roughly 300 shows a year at the time. The horns and guitar begin "I'll Go Crazy" and we're off and running. James shouts "I Feel All Right." Fans screaming. Lots of fan screaming during this album. "Try Me" has great backing vocals and is more in the doo-wop style. James crooning. Horns come in at the end rolling right into "Think." More fast paced; they're groovin' now. Horn heavy and even clapping. The 10-minute "Lost Someone" slows things up. James screams, goes soulful and gets the audience involved especially the females. The next song is a medley of six songs including "Pleae, Please, Please" and "I Found Someone" It's pretty unique in its medley approach basically jumping from each song stanzas to the next song's. I guess that what a medley is. The medley transition right into the last song which is James Brown's version of Duke Ellington's " Night Train." More audience involvement. An interesting end with the horns and strings. I had the chance to see James Brown in the early 90's and didn't. Something I still regret especially after seeing the video of him at Bonnaroo from 2003. He still had it. This was a great pick-me-up on this gloomy/snowy Thursday.

James brown is good and worth a listen but this album is a pain to listen to as half of it is screaming fans. Enjoyed lost someone but it seems to be the only version of that song. He has 4 different songs called lost someone.

James Brown, the hardest-working man in showbusiness, was a performer through and through. Backed up by The Fabulous Flames, Brown would finance this live record out of his own pocket. And while the record is dreadfully short, Brown's energy and the band's tightness are undeniably excellent. This sort of stage presence would be the benchmark for live performances going forward, impacting how bands and singers would present themselves. It's best exemplified in the 10-minute Lost Someone where Brown has the audience in the palm in his hand, especially right before breaking into Please, Please, Please, wherein the crowd goes wild.

Clearly legendary and seminal, but in actual fact, it is pretty dull and samey and not really in the groove that made him a legend

Not my thing. Never was. Just don’t get the vibe or hype of JB

4/5. A pretty loud and fun live album but the first half feels unfinished. Second half is basically perfect. Just 4 long songs would make this a banger.

When I started my music review project, I was sceptical about the inclusion of live albums as I’d previously always preferred the studio recordings. However, my experience of listening to other live albums has completely changed my mind and I find myself liking them a lot. Excited to listen to the hardest working man in show-biz! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Lost Someone There are no other voices quite like James Brown. Strangely, I remember exactly where I was on the day he died, despite never exactly considering myself to be a fan. I always respected the music he made, but it wasn’t exactly like I could name more than a few songs. 16 years later (almost exact to the day), I’m driving to meet up with family and listening to this album, and frankly appreciating the fantastic music as much as it deserves. This man clearly knew how to write a funky track, and how to win over a crowd. Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot today, and wish I’d listened to more James Brown long ago.

About halfway through I was like, there isn’t as much crowd work as the others said. And then it started. The music is great. But yeah a little bit too much yelping and screaming

I enjoyed this, but reluctant to place a 30 minute live album, ten minutes of which was one song, among the greatest of all time. A fun listen.

Hate hate hate

If you want to listen to half an hour of James Brown working a crowd of screaming girls, this one's for you.

good

Did you know he was voted no.1 R&B star of 1962

What a character! What a presence! What funky jams! What soulful ballads!

instrumental > vocals nicht so ganz mein geschmack idk

Though it was performed at the Apollo, it has the intimacy of a lounge performance, it feels like he is playing to a crowd of 100. Not usually a fan of live albums, but this one’s good.

Good singer, nice use of the instruments but the fact that it’s live detracts a bit from the score for me

I don't get it

I usually don't love live albums but this one was pretty good. James Brown has an insane voice and has unbelievable energy. I knew none of these songs and was getting hyped and signing back to him. This is definitely worth a listen 6/10

got my hips moving despite a frustrating day. not my favorite james brown though

had never heard that much james brown, so good to hear the og's

It’s amazing to hear the showman in his prime. If they had edited the crowd cheers out it could easily be a fast paced studio album. The sound production is really good.

Sehr guter Live Auftritt! Gefällt mir stimmungstechnisch gut.

Wanted more than it gave. One and done.

"In 2003, [Live at the Apollo] was ranked number 25 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, maintaining the rating in a 2012 revised list, and re-ranking at number 65 in a 2020 reboot of the list."

would be 5 but the production just doesn’t do justice to the music i know it’s live but still

No me gustaron muchas canciones pero aún así es un buen álbum

One of the best live records of all time. So explosive and expressive. A must listen.

It's just kinda okay. I understand it's essential, but it doesn't really move me at all. It's a pretty good performance, his voice is great, the band is tight but it doesn't present much that really perks my interest. There's far more interesting stuff on this list when it comes to reviewing and discussing music. 2.5.

1962, an interesting time. The Godfather is treading water, he's got the r n b circuit show down pat, tight band, great energy and passion, it's a killer and floor filler but we know there's so much more coming. Let's say James carked it screaming one time too many in 62 and never went on to his next and greatest incarnation. Would we view this as a bona fide classic? I'd reckon yes. All the elements are there, Lost Someone is a great example of where he's heading, he's reaching for it, he's so close..."say it a little bit louder!" I saw him in 88 at the Hordern Pav and it was brilliant, but I'd love to sent back in time for this. He's not shouting "Fred!" or "Maceo!" or "hit me!" yet, but he's thinking about it.

I grew up with the Beatles Live at Hollywood Bowl, so I have a love-hate relationship with these kinds of recordings. At least here they scream more or less on cue, and not incessantly. Getting beyond that: interesting to hear this earlier side if JB - like most, I mostly know only his later hits. Great tight band, as always, and surprisingly well mixed for an early 60s live recording. 3.5 stars.

The audience are the real stars here. It’s worth listening to just for the intro, and I swear that the intro was exactly the same the night I saw him at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion in February 1988. The tracks are the usual suspects, and the whole concert just flows. Wonder if any of the band got fined that night?

It's a cooking band and an energetic performance, probably the best live recording of early 60s RnB. That makes it a legendary and iconic performance, but why is this the only James Brown on the 1001 list? He was a pretty good RnB performer, and this album really made his reputation, but not the music that changed everything. It has some great, even iconic moments ("Ladies and gentlemen, it is star time, are you ready for star time?", "the hardest workin' man in show business", an uptempo version of Think, the audience screams during Please Please Please, a proto-funk Night Train), and shows off his impeccable skills as a band leader. I would have LOVED to see this show. However, Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (and the invention of funk) was still a few years off. And, if we are talking about James Brown, how can you have him on the list with an album that pre-dates his greatest contribution to popular music, the invention of an entire genre? James Brown is one of the truly great singles performers. he released literally hundreds of singles, and many of them have been amazingly influential on music as a whole. But he is not so well known for albums that make the grade, and so they have picked this one. Good album, but not what is truly great about James Brown. The listmakers desperately want to have James Brown on the list (because of course!), but the constraint of albums but no compilations make it impossible to showcase his most amazing work. Missed opportunity.

Such a terrific backing band. They’re all very much in sync with each other but they also have a loose, organic style. The music feels alive. And James Brown is an incredible entertainer. The call-and-response portion of “Lost Someone” is fantastic. You can feel the electric energy in the room.

Exciting, fun, and energetic. James Brown oozes stage presence and I feel like without even having the visual component you can still get a sense for what the performance was like. Overall very enjoyable.

äh, inte så kul väl

So I could just say: I don’t mind. I listened to this a few hours ago, and I remember almost nothing. It made such little impact on me that I just don’t care and I don’t mind. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it. I was just indifferent. I know the big James Brown hits which I’m happy to sing along to and dance to. But I’m just as happy to live without them. I’m also very happy to live without this album. Mercifully it was short. It’s probably worth a 2.5 - but that ain’t an option so this is probably meaner than I intended.

This is one of the few live albums that works.

I guess this is an "early" James brown album, even though he had ten releases before this — I think he has 250 since. Maybe an exaggeration, but dude's got a deep catalog. The material I'm more familiar with, his later more renowned music, I find a bit tedious. I hear what makes him a revolutionary artist, but the repetition just wears on me and I don't love it. This album is largely devoid of that — so many elements of Brown's artistry are intact, but it's so clear how bad-ass he is, and the band is killing. As I mentioned in an earlier review (Deep Purple), live rock albums are rarely excellent, but here's a good example of an exception. The band is minimized a bit by the recording, but the recording captures other elements that make it clear that the band was rockin', the room was rockin', and there was something special going on. I also love the rawness of the performance. He's not nearly perfect as a singer, there are lots of things that might have gotten a retake in the studio, and modern music may not allow for the "flaws" in the performance, but he lets it all hang out because James Brown is capable (and willing) to go places others may not dare to go. Another artist with a troubled story off-stage, but gee whiz, there's something magical going on when he's on it.

One of those live albums, like Johnny Cash's Live at Folsom, where the audience is half the fun. "Lost Someone" is the highlight: the man sure knew how to work a crowd. I prefer his later music, but damn, what a document.

The audience sounds like fun and I bet the energy was great at the Apollo on this night. But this just came across as flat for me. Might be that I'm returning to life post bout with COVID and my sense of taste is off but I'm not feeling the greatness that is James Brown on this one.

James Brown being primo James Brown

Good

Good album but I much prefer James Brown with the JBs. For me Love, Power, Peace is James Brown's best live album.

As a fan of James Brown I really enjoyed this. The band wasn’t quite as tight as later versions and the audience seemed bit high in the mix. But damn, he’s always been great. But also damn, it’s not the best of his in my opinion.

Wasn't what i was expecting.

Uneven is the perfect word. Some great things, some really not great things. It's fine.

Like one big song, difficult to know when one ends and another begins. Album is about 30 minutes. Favorite song is probably number 7 - I Don’t Mind.

Really cool vibe, we really feel at the concert and how much he plays with the crowd. I usually don't really like the live albums but this one was pleasant. The music is groovy and furnished with instruments and he has a nice voice. I had a great time listening to this album ! 4 / 5

That is a great performance album. Live is a bit low volume but overall great to hear. A lot of of screaming (from him and hysteric crowd) rather than singing makes it very unusual to hear... I mean it's a mood to have to listen to it. Great to discover James Brown live. 3.5/5

Yeah that was a fun listen

Who doesn't love James Brown, he's an amazing artist and showman but I didn't enjoy the last be aspect of this album. It somehow became less intense and I found it hard to maintain my interest.

An important album, but I'm not a fan of "live" albums, particularly those of poorer quality recording

3+/5

fantastic

Great album

Mjeh.... Æji, leiðist hann pínu.

Brilliant album, cool, groovy, I like anything else. Greasy, edgy, smooth, gospel, soulful funk goodness. Short too, which I like

Like any live album it’s filled with crowd noise. Worth a listen but JB translates his live sound into recordings it’s not much different, this is short enough to not be annoying

Powerfully funky stuff

not reallly my thing but what a stage presence he must have had. the girls were going crazy.

Goddamn he was good. James Brown's influence on soul, R&B, and the development of funk is well known, but it really has to be heard to be believed. Brown knew exactly what to do to get his audience to react exactly as he wanted them to. His band is tight and he is the consumate showman.

ESPETACULAR

Great live performance! Not exactly my kind of music, but it's still quite enjoyable.

Incredible performer, very expressive and great range. Songs themselves are great too, and the backing band is great. Transition between songs is so seamless. That whole section in "i lost somebody" is captivating

This is mostly interesting as a peek into a moment in history, the early James Brown Show. The highlight is probably the introduction. There are a couple of fun performances, but honestly a lot of this pretty dated at this point 60 years later.

definitely a cool piece of history and im glad i listened to it, but it’s not really my cup of tea

Listens: 2 Enjoyed: yes There's something electrifying here that most live albums just don't seem to grasp. Everything is smooth and perfect even down the crowds reactions. I don't think a studio version would reach where this does

Another giant of musical history that just doesn't do it for me

Decent but so samey

Catching up so not doing usual format (might bin that format off altogether to be honest) It’s a solid 3

Yeah everyone sounds like they're having a quality time, can't knock it. Not into James Brown, but there is a tune he plays that's used in the When we were kings documentary and that's pretty decent.

Funky time this. I like that the intro proper sounded like the 60s Adam West Batman. I also back how he just announced the upcoming set list. Just a good time seeing that live. I’m just going to do my favourite as every song could be used for a run or karaoke. My favourite song was Try Me

What an animal.

Meh, nice drums

first listen decent live soul, i though he only did funk smh

Funky and awesome. The screams of the ladies in the audience reacting to James Brown are equally entertaining to the performance of the Father of the Get Down.

Really not a fan of live albums. I could see why this is a must listen to, but nothing really stuck out that made making it live any more important to it's musicality. Just a lot of screaming. My favorite song was the middle part of the medley for the fact that people would just let the man sing. Obviously he's having fun with the crowd, having them participate, but it's not that fun for the actual listener. Seems like I'd prefer an album by Brown that isn't live, huh?

Ha, yeah I don't know, this is great, it's fine. I have a hard time caring about live performances. They are so limited. I know this is supposedly legendary, so trying to listen to it through that lens is somewhat disappointing. James Brown is great though, this kind of stuff is just kind of ho-hum on this list.

A nice album enjoy the instrumentation

Definitive James Brown. Lost Someone is sad :(

The fandom and the soul. Really great album.

2. Feels dated and flat for a live performance. No real standouts or reasons to recommend.

Pretty funny hearing James do a little "yeah" and letting the crowd scream it back. Otherwise, not something that really drew me in

Very solid live album, every song sounded good live, the orchestra was phenomenal and James Brown's vocals were perfect. Solid 7.5/10 album for me.

Ehhhh, it's not bad, just not for me, the live crowd slightly detract from this.

fiilistelyä ja ajankuvaa, ihan kiva

Tämä levytys onnistuu luomaan illuusion loistavasta keikasta, vaikka äänitys kuulostaakin ohuelta ja soitto kiirehtivältä. Brownin äänen avautuminen konsertin aikana muodostaa myös oman narratiivisen sävynsä. Ja vaikken näkisi kuuntelevani samaa keikkaa kovinkaan usein, en myöskään tule täysin unohtamaan tämän levyn olemassaoloa.

Very few people can command a stage quite like James Brown could. And literally nobody I've ever heard before could translate it so well to a live recording. And damn is the audio quality great on this for a live album from 1963! Great performer, great artist, great album!

One of the best live albums of all time. A genius at the height of his powers. Listen to that band! How tight is that horn section?? I could listen to this a thousand times and never get bored.

Never a big JB fan. Too much screaming

Not my kind of music

Pure Energy

Day 2: James Brown Live At The Apollo 1962 - love the introduction - it’s fuckin James Brown!!! - the raspy voice just does it so well - the screeching groupies are a plus - instrumental bridges are crazy - absolute king of soul - mellow yet powerful - the brass section are the stars of the show - favorite: Try Me - 8/10

Pretty cool, quick live album. I love the energy that James brings for many of the tracks, and the songs are really catchy and fun. 7/10

10/10 based and redpilled

The front half of this album is really strong, I loved the energy, the songs that didn't work for me were lost someone, and the medley. 7/10

Wantlist

R&B y soul. Entretenido. Venga, un 4.

très bon cuivre, bon public, un peu long à écouter en une fois

James Brown Live at the Apollo is probably his higest point in his career. The singer is very confident in his ability on this live record and rightfully so - he has a great voice and has enough charisma to fill an entire concert hall. This is a very entertaining album, perfect for a saturday night frenzy, something to help you give it all on the dancefloor. James Brown being called grandfather of soul is a statement very close to the truth. The songs flow from one to another as in a concept album. No breaks between them (which probably is a point in this version) make it feel like you are on an ocean, and the tides just keep crashing onto you, with just couple of seconds in-between to catch breath. If the point of this game would be to rate an album in context of the specific genre it is recorded in, then it has to be rated as high as possible. But I think the main idea is to rate it as you like it personally, right now, without any context. And in this case I enjoyed it, but it's not something I will come back to anytime in the near future.

Probably the James Brown LP all fans of soul and funk should own, along with *Sex Machine*. I personally only own a James Brown compilation, and I plan to get those two one day. I wish I had had the time to revisit this live album today, but unfortunately, I didn't. Gosh, the pace this app gets you to pick up is as relentless as anything the Godfather of Soul himself ever put in his songs, lol. Where can I go on the app and ask for a break for weekends again? Number of albums left to review or just listen to: around 800, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

Yeah, enjoyed that more than I thought I would

Great soul! Captures the early movement and the energy of the time.

The man, the legend himself, on a live album! It makes his music come to life so much more with the sound of the crowd. It's an whole other experience than listening to an studio albums. And that says alot since I'm not really into live albums that much. Listening to this album makes you long for a warm, sweaty soul party. Great listening!

James Brown is a big soul man.

Class. Great live album.

Classic James Brown in his prime.

Got what a tight ship Brown ran. Band is spot on for a live performance. However - the songs seem somewhat truncated and the whole things sounds like JB was rushing through the set. Never heard a live set sound so much like a production line before. Brown’s vocal quality and energy is undeniable however, I think a lot is lost when we remove the visuals. Standout track for me is “I Don’t Mind”. Overall, short and very sweet.

loved that this wasn't a super long album, and I love listening to James Brown sing of course, and the band was great, but I'm not really into live albums in general and would rather just listen to the studio versions.

4.5

It's James Brown.

Jag är publiken

One of the tightest albums ever, live or studio. Also, it’s James Brown. Also also the crowd’s enthusiasm is infectious. And a bunch of other things

Kova

Vanskelig å ikke bli litt revet med

Why don't all albums have instrumental interludes?

Ow! Huh! Waaaaaah! Huh! Wooooooah! Good God!

brown without bloat

Bon divertissement, on se croirait là, le genre d'album qui doit être cool en vinyle juste pour le vibe que ça donne.

Lotsa fun

Nothing stood out

James Brown deserves nothing but a 5.. live recordings are rarely enjoyable though

Great stuff

A classic. Not fully to my taste but would listen again if someone put it on one evening!

Good music, great voice! I think I would have personally preferred a non-live version more but you could feel his and the crowd's energy so that was cool

Good album. Was pretty fun with it being a live album from so long ago.

A lot of the songs sound the same and there was too much shrill screaming for me to actually enjoy this album.

Enjoyable, not my favorite. Shortest concert ever?

I was excited to check out this album, as I have heard of the legendary performer James Brown. My first impression was that the music was just alright. I didn't hate it but I was expecting to enjoy it a lot more and maybe include a hit or two that I had heard of but didn't realize was one of his songs. I am going to give this another listen to fairly judge it.

Inte min kopp te i musikväg direkt.

James Browns powerful vocals shine bright in this live album. You really get a sense of his showmanship with how you hear the audience react to him. Good album, I'm just personally not a huge James Brown fan

I wish I could have seen this live! Can't say I'm a huge Brown fan, but enjoy the vibe and the energy he brings to his music. I enjoyed this album. Was perfect for preparing budget templates. 3.5

3 James Brown is one of my favorite cameos in Blues Brothers so I loved hearing the music that influenced the movie. Pretty good live album, energy is really high and JB does a great job with controlling the crowd through interactions or whatnot. Musically I hasn’t left much of an impression but I think it’s an album to listen to just for the vibe

4.5 Holy cow this has to be one of the most explosive live albums I've ever heard, and the energy James gives the crowd and the crowd gives back is the stuff that separates great frontmen from legends. This was an incredibly quick 30 minutes, and it honestly could have gone on so much longer for me. I really, really need to check out more James Brown. My only complaint with the album is the production on Lost Someone... there's a good chunk where James Brown sounds completely washed out? Other than that, the sound and energy on this record feels like a lightning in a bottle live album, and I'll definitely be listening to again. Favorite songs: I really liked them all, but I'll Go Crazy, Think, and the buildup on Lost Someone stood out to me

Totally fine. Doesn’t have much in the way of iconic tracks but shows the electricity Brown brings to the live setting.

Is this the greatest live album ever recorded?Maybe. Is James Brown undeniable? Without a doubt. The crisp drums, the funky bass, the horns - everything perfect. Even the crowd screaming and yelling in the background is perfect. I own this on Vinyl and it's not played enough. James Brown is the most sampled artist of all time, and If you want to see something crazy, go see the list on Wikipedia.

I really enjoyed this but would have been totally fine with about 60% less screeching.

Oh Shit. This is going to be great. Wow, I loved the intro where he told the crowd what to expect. My man was 30 when this was recorded and he sounded like he was 60. I mean any album with Try me on it will get 5 stars automatically, that song is sooooo amazing. His command of an audience is incredible. They are hanging on every word.

What a performer!

Just never get the James Brown thing

The one thing I marvel about this live set is how tight it is. It's only slightly over a half hour, and there's no mic talk "hey how you all doing?" "Here's a song about..." "Blah Blah Blah" They just go right into each song, bing bang boom. I figured that most of James Brown's live songs would be pretty short, I was surprised that there was at least one song he REALLY stretched out. The medleys were pretty cool, too. So energetic, and the band was just aMAZing. Just great stuff.

Pretty cool album. The start was a bit uninspiring - it was just a bunch of screaming girls. But as the album progressed you really started to feel the energy from his awesome band and Mr. James Brown himself. The two long tracks at the end of the album (Lost Someone and the three song medley) were dynamite; that's where I was sold.

I love a good live album, and this is the first time I’ve listened to a James Brown album, live or otherwise. The Live at the Apollo show rocks. I can see why he’s called the godfather of soul and is one of the most sampled artists on hip hop albums. This guy just radiates cool out of his voice. He’s working the audience right from the opening vocals of “I’ll go Crazy” and doesn’t let up. His backup band, a mix of horns, guitar, bass, and drums, supports him with fiery playing the whole way through. Looking forward to hearing more of music after this listen.

Sigh, two live albums in a row. The music is really pretty boring. Could very well be a 3 without the annoying live bla bla or if it were at least mixed much better, with clearer and less background instrumentation and less dominant crowd cheering.

Un bel album de funk, j'adore j'aime brown et cet album est un de ces classique. Je l'ai ecoute en courant et crla ne m'a pas rendu l'energie que j'ao habituellement avec les albuns de funk. Cepe dant, c'estun album live! Les musiciens sont tellemrnt tight c'est incroyable 5*

oh man... to be at that show. God that would have been fun. For the hardest working man in show biz... this is a pretty short record though. Still amazing.

Great voice

3, wild

Awesome like album. Love the crowd noise.

Não funcionou para mim por não estar envolvido com o clima de show.

James brown going out on stage for 33 minutes and owning every moment of it.

The audience are clearly along for this soul train ride but I just couldn't get on board I'm afraid.

Great energy in the performance.

good

Had some very fun and groovy tunes. Was very entertaining and original.

I'm honestly just not sure what id apparently be missing in life if i didn’t hear this

What an experience. The whole album was so fun and full of soul. The seamless transitions between songs caught me off-guard, felt like i was just listening to one long song and it felt so effortless. Epic!

The essense of James Brown is captured in this recording. Especially the Please Please Please medley is a tour de force of the power and energy of James Brown

Just plain fun. Would have loved to be in the crowd for this.

Good stuff. The atmosphere was excellent. A bit short though.

Live albums zijn irritant

-A new listen for me. I'm shocked this doesn't have so many more listens on Spotify. Does this mean that it's not a good entry point for JB? -The production on this is super interesting. The mics seem...not underproduced? But there's not a ton of production here either. It seems like the vocals and the audience mic are one and the same. -For being from the 60s, you can barely tell that this wasn't recorded in a studio. Overdubs? -The bass and drums are carrying the groove of the instrumentation here. -His vocals are GREAT on Lost Someone (waoh that SCREAM) -oh my god this track goes on for seven more minutes -This song to me is peak James Brown -WOAH THESE SCREAMS -The band is carrying -Very awesome all around. Would be curious to see how this stacks up to his studio work if there are other albums of his on the list (and I'm sure there are).

Muita gritaria e muito soul/funk com a voz maravilhosa de James Brown. Um bom álbum/show. Melhor música: Try Me

Loved the energy of this album, I can only imagine what it must have been like in real life. The screaming audience bits get a little old, but everything else is very enjoyable. 4/5 stars

I don’t mind.

Short live album but demonstrates how much of an impact James Brown will have had on multiple musical genres. Brown’s voice and the band are great.

Good early James Brown but he has yet to make many of his main hits.

4.5/5 Love this album. It is one of the few live albums that I like. The audience really adds to the enjoyment of the music! Great songs throughout.

Dit was prima te hebben van die ouwe heer, die eigenlijk toen nog helemaal niet zo oud was, maar wel zo klinkt.

Brown nog voordat ie funky ging. Het is meer R&B en laat dat nou net niet in mijn straatje liggen. Sorry James!

Alsof ik naar een soort funky kerkdienst zat te luisteren, die interactie tussen James en zijn publiek. Heerlijk!

Ik had verwacht dat dit me beter zou bevallen. Ik trek dat gekrijs niet.

I like it but I’m not super familiar or familiar at all with James Brown so I don’t really know what he is like but I enjoy live soul albums because there is always so much life and soul in both the artist and the crowd. The screaming girls are funny

This is the first James Brown album I've ever heard, gotta say "Think", "Lost Someone", and "Night Train" were my faves from there