James Brown Live At The Apollo

It doesn't have all the hits you'd expect from a James Brown performance but still an absolute banger!

Live peak "early" James.

Best live album I’ve heard?

Amazing live performance and the quality is well worth a listen and beyond a normal live album. Younger people like me think of James Brown as an older singer, but you can hear so much energy in this performance. Fantastic live album.

Love this live album!

cool!

This album really surprised me! I knew James Brown was a historic songwriter and performer, but just did not know how much I would enjoy this album. It had soul, had some great songs, and was an awesome example of a live album.

What a great live record! This captures the spirit of James Brown and is just breath taking.

"All aboard?!?! All aboard?! THE NIGHT TRAIN!" This is a super quick but *massively* important recording. Live at the Apollo captured a critically important moment in music that also changed James Brown's career--and Motown R&B--forever. The crisp audio track captures the audience falling in love with Brown's music in such a cool way, particularly during Brown's epic, 10:43 "Lost Someone." Clearly, this album deserves not only a spot in this 1,001 Albums collection but in the pantheon of its five-star gems. How many other albums have been regularly played front-to-back on the radio? Please, please, please recognize Live at the Apollo as the masterpiece it is. Is this the best $5,700 ever spent (by the artist themselves, no less) in music history? I think James Brown would easily argue, yep. Interesting Factoids from Wikipedia: *Live at the Apollo is the first live album by James Brown and the Famous Flames, recorded at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in October 1962 and released in May 1963 by King Records. Capturing Brown's popular stage show for the first time on record, the album was a major commercial and critical success and cemented his status as a leading R&B star. *The album was recorded on the night of October 24, 1962, at Brown's own expense ($5,700)...While Brown's record label, King Records, originally opposed releasing the album, believing that a live album featuring no new songs would not be profitable, the label finally relented under pressure from both Brown's manager Bud Hobgood and Brown himself. *Live at the Apollo was an amazingly rapid seller. It spent 66 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, peaking at #2. Many record stores, especially in the southeast US, found themselves unable to keep up with the demand for the product, eventually ordering several cases at a time. R&B DJs often would play side 1 in its entirety, pausing only to insert commercials and to flip the record to side 2, which was often played in full as well. *In 2015, Rolling Stone listed it as the greatest live album of all time. *In 2004, it was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. In 1998, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. *Despite its renowned and historical significance, Live at the Apollo was not reissued on CD until 1990 because the original master recordings had been misplaced and the available copies were not of a high enough quality for a satisfactory CD release. The master tapes were recovered in late 1989. *By 1958, James Brown's career was faltering...On the way back to Macon, Georgia, after a disappointing West Coast tour, Brown approached his guitar player Bobby Roach with a tune he said he had been given by a patron at the Million Dollar Palms, a Florida nightclub. After Roach crafted a guitar part for "Try Me", Brown and the Flames worked out the vocal harmonies together and cut a demo to send to label head Syd Nathan...Released in October 1958, the song became their first to crack the R&B charts in three years and their first ever to crack the Billboard Hot 100. *A cover (of "I Don't Mind") by the Who for their 1965 album My Generation led to the track gaining wider attention, being covered by other British Invasion groups at the same time. *A performance of "Lost Someone" is the centerpiece of Brown's 1963 album Live at the Apollo. Nearly 11 minutes long and spanning two tracks on the original LP release (the end of Side 1 and the beginning of Side 2), it is widely regarded as the album's high point and as one of the greatest performances in its idiom on record...Long, drawn-out performances of "Lost Someone" continued to be a feature of Brown's live shows until 1966, when "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" largely supplanted it in his concert repertoire. Interesting Factoids from SongFacts.com: *("Please, Please, Please") was the song where James Brown would do his cape bit, where after exhausting himself on stage, a functionary on his revue named Danny Ray would place a cape on his shoulders and start to guide him offstage. Brown would summon the strength to continue, throw off the cape, and keep performing. It always brought the house down. *Several different sets of lyrics have been set to the tune of "Night Train"; James Brown's version features a shouted list of his regular East Coast tour venues along with many repetitions of the song's name. Standout Tracks (spoiler alert: it's every officially titled song on this absolute institution of a live album): I'll Go Crazy, Try Me, Think, I Don't Mind, Lost Someone, Medley: Please, Please, Please/You've Got the Power/I Found Someone, Night Train

Great listen to this album

Song the song James!

Sounds like they might have done a little booger sugar before this show

Undeniable. 5

This album is a party. After listening, it's easy to understand why his style influenced so many artists- It's infectious!

Who doesn’t love James Brown? This album isn’t my favorite of his but it does capture the intensity of his live performances

Great album, there was no one like James Brown.

This album was awesome. The crowd's reactions to him had me laughing at my desk. Great instrumentation, singing and crowd energy. I'll be revisiting this album for sure. 9/10

Love this album. James is the man! The crowd really brings something special to the album. 4.5

100% yeeeeeaaaah-uh

Favorite tracks: I’ll go crazy

"Let me hear yah say OW!!"

Just raw live awesomeness.

Very nice music! Fun album, and you can hear how it influenced other artists like the Beatles.

The people complaining about the shouts and screams don’t get it- you can feel the energy build through the Apollo as the show goes on, reaching a fever pitch on the second side, and James Brown and the band know exactly what to do with it. Crazy that he had to pay for this album out of pocket because King didn’t believe it would make them money. There’s nothing worse than a bad live album, and there’s nothing better than a good live album, and James Brown (and the Famous Flames!!) do such a good job that you spend the whole thing wishing you could’ve been there at the Apollo in person (and also that it went on for another 20-30 minutes). Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9/10, the instrumentals were soulful especially on 1 am late night drives The tracklists gives a funky/soothing environment James brown's vocals never fails to impress Overall, the album is an iconic figure to the genre

James Brown is an eternal classic...great album!

This record is so tight - it’s shocking it’s a live record. A brisk 30 minutes, James Brown and his band never miss a beat.

Earl James Brown live show that shows shy he was such a popular concert. I've listened to it a bunch but it never really got into a steady rotation. Still a great listen that I enjoy every time I revisit.

You just can’t beat the work of the “hardest man in show business.” This is such a unique moment in the transition from big band to funk, making heavy use of a full brass band. It was interesting that the curators chose a live album rather than one of his more produced works, but it’s fitting, since he really made live albums successful in a time when they were mostly duds. it was really cool to hear him interact with the audience, and this was my first time listening through this particular album. Not only is his music phenomenal for pure enjoyment, but you have to respect the man’s ability to break out of the gospel mold, impact culture at large, and largely break out of the segregated nature of the music industry!

This was a fun album! I really enjoyed the energy!

Really loved this album. Great cooking album! The "live" aspect is so intoxicating. You can feel the NYC energy.

That's gotta be the tightest live band of all time. It sounds clean and contemporary. James and his Flames put on one hell of a show. You can't go wrong what the sub-half-hour runtime, too. This thing would be BLOATED if it came out today, but instead, it's a lean, mean R&B machine.

An all out R&B and soul jam medley, front-to-back, that must have been life changing to witness live. James Brown is truly the "Hardest Workin' Man in Show Business", and you can hear the physical effort of his hot singing style as he belts out, wails, and croons with his signature raspy vocals. The band is absolutely cooking on this recording as well, with tight brass jabs, gainy guitar work, and killer backing vocals. My favorite part of this record is the audience reactions as they scream in excitement, respond to Brown's calls, and shout at him during the show; just so much fun. Stand out tracks include "I'll Go Crazy", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone" and "Night Train", as well as all of the Instrumental Bridges.

Fun album. Dude was amazing.

FUCK YES!!! So, I knew this girl in high school. Her mother moved from Alabama to NYC, back in the 60s, for the sole purpose of seeing James Brown at the Apollo. She had listened to this particular album and knew immediately that she needed to radically change her life. She was a very smart woman, who lived an interesting and joyful life.

This is kind of an amazing record. James Brown is most remembered for his upbeat tunes, but he definitely had some romantic crooner in him as well. I actually had the great fortune to see James Brown live in the 90s in the Bay Area, he played a relatively small venue, the Circle Star Theatre, and the fashion, the vehicles, the spectacle of the pre-show from the attendees alone was worth the price of admission!

Excellent stuff. Really fun

Loved it!!

Great

Anything James Brown is awesome!!!

Just straight fire..

Exceptional performance

How many musicians that considered as superstars in nowadays did you influence. I havent got your genre yet cuz you were inducted into so many institution and received enormous number of awards. And i also love your came-back-performance that you do every time in the live. (Sorry, i dont know how do you say it)

Great album! I loved the musical interludes and having them as separate tracks makes them easier to find. I’m also not usually big in listening to live performances but it just felt right on this album. A lot of the audience interaction added to the music, in my opinion. Good stuff.

LOVED this live album. I danced & laughed & danced!

5 million stars. I don't think I have anything else to say on the matter.

So much fun, the intro is epic, showing how beloved James was in 1962

Classic

Sounds like a damn good party

Wow! Awesome live album, this is some amazing stuff!

A legendary performance, great music, supercool intro, but as this album ages I wish the production of it was better.

5000 stars.

Made me wanna dance on few tunes

Best live album I've ever heard!

Wow - it's JB so yeah, but that band is TIGHT

It’s just a masterclass in how to play to an audience. James Brown was the master of showmanship. He wouldn’t have been as good as he was without having such a great backing band, but the band wouldn’t have been as good without James Brown at the helm. A lot of people are decrying the quality of the recording and the fact you can hear the audience over the performers. But… that’s the point… it’s a live album, and it’s a live album from a performer who’s biggest draw was the fact that he was the best! fucking! showman! in! existence! And that comes across in the performance even through a recording made 60 years post the fact. The fact that the audience are responding in such a raucous way is testament to the greatness of the performance. Maybe it’s a due to a difference between performance values in the early 60’s compared to now, I’m listening to Sam Cooke at the Harlem Square club writing this, and there’s a similar vibe, little to no patter between songs, little between songs at all really. But too quality bands backing a performer who just knows how to play to a crowd, how to keep them engaged, how to keep them in the palm of their hands

Great

So good. The live aspect helps to out job into perspective. Lots of fun.

Don’t usually listen to this genre or era of music but thought it was fantastic. Dudes voice wails!!

All time classic.

very cool and movement

very good

Awesome. The crowd brought the performance to life.

It's James Brown live 🔥🔥🔥

This has got to be one of the greatest live performances ever recorded. It's top-notch funky soulful James Brown.

I've doubted the inclusion of live albums here but this is great. It has so much energy from band and crowd - you can hear the crowd's desperate anticipation and the way James milks it just long enough. It's also cool to hear something earlier from his career that I was less familiar with.

Few people ever have or will embody the definition of “performer” like James Brown.

First Album Encounter with The Hardest Working Man in Show Business, and he did not disappoint.

Brilliant

Funky

heart heart heart

i mean it’s james brown.

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.

A legendary performance and album.

Heerlijke classic voor op de achtergrond

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

The Godfather of Soul, say no 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.

Get up!

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

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.

Wonderful, wish I was there.

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

All time great album by all time great performer

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

Absolutely fucking incredible. 5/5

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!

Quality

Great album

Brilliant live album Referential performance

"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.

good

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.

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

fantastic

Great album

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

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

What an animal.

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.

Definitive James Brown. Lost Someone is sad :(

The fandom and the soul. Really 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.

Pure Energy

10/10 based and redpilled

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!

Classic James Brown in his prime.

It's James Brown.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Feel-good, singalong blues performance for the ages. The recording has held up extremely well and should remain timeless. The man has a great voice and has a way of captivating your attention on any of his albums. Fave tracks: I Don't Mind, Lost Someone, Night Train

Hot! In the Hot Tub!

Love James Brown, great live performance

I don't always love James Brown, but this is him at his absolute best. I would imagine this is only a portion of the entire show, but he packs a ton into 32 minutes on this record.

Sensational.

Favorite Track - I'll Go Crazy Where I was - Office How I listened - Amazon music on BT Speaker Listen Again? - Very Likely

one of the greatest live albums, the hardest working man in showbusiness giving us his all

I'm normally not a huge fan of live albums but I'll have to make an exception for this. The energy is electric, with a feedback loop between JB and the crowd. I find it completely enthralling.

Great fun!

!!!!!!!

super nice

I've been lucky enough to see James Brown twice, this comes close to capturing the energy and charisma of the man and the band. A healthy and heady dose of nostalgia is the icing on the cake for me

Wow. I mean, what can I say? It's James Brown we're talking about here, one of the hardest working entertainers we've ever seen.

James Brown Live At The Apollo really captures the feeling of a James Brown performance at his peak. Of course it's cheating to put a line album on the list. It's also cheating to exclude it as his studio albums often lack the spirit and intensity that bring his songs to the next level.

classic

Absolute classic.

Damn

King shit

A classic experience

STunning

Un disc a ser degustat tot d'una, com una ràfaga huracanada de funk, r&b, soul amb un James Brown cantant com un cavall desbocat i la banda seguint-li tots a una fent de tot plegat una estona de pura màgia. Mai es fa pesat, sempre es manté fresc, per més anys, décades que passin

good fun

Awesome. Sexy and energic.

A great musician father of the soul.

Really gives a feel for what it might have been like to see JB live. And that intro! Only knock is that the recording quality (at least the one I listened to on Spotify) is pretty bad.

Rawer than the later records

Amazing. An incredible performer at the top of his game. Only problem is that it is too short.

Neat

Brilliant album, love those old crowd noises going wild for JB

Fire. The Famous Flames are on another planet this whole album. Tight, grooving, and fierce as hell. And James Brown is running the whole show like he might never do another. Every song has funk, soul, emotion, charisma, and raw energy. I imagine it’s only a 30 minute set because they’re all out of gas by the end.

Yeah man, this is good shit. But only when you're already in a good mood. Which I typically am not. 5 stars though, what a legend.

Genial, directo mítico. Soul y funk con Brown dándolo todo. Imprescindible.

Umm wow. Knew I got down with JBrown. Never this much though.

Awesome, set the tone of the morning upbeatly

Decent just not my thing

Emoji Monday: 🎵🤴🏿🕺🏿🎷🗣🎺😎🎶

Amazing... a lot more love songs than I expected.

I really miss live music

FINALLY!! The HARDEST working man in show business at his best.

An absolute belter! To think the label didn't want to release it!!!

With some albums I feel like given the artists body of work and/or long term significance there has to be at least one album included in the list. I feel this is the situation here and this in the only James Brown album in the list so a live album makes sense. Could have done without the live bit. His greatest hits album is 2hrs 30 so perhaps that's a bit much. Didn't know any songs in this album but here I am rating on body of work and who he is.

This album is absolutely beautiful. I don’t usually listen to live albums—the FOMO is too much but—I’m so glad I got to listen to this one. I only know the James Brown songs that everyone else knows. But some of his more soulful songs like “Lost Someone” are just… phenomenal. It makes me think of the desperation of some Jonathan Richman songs; raw and authentic.

It’s James Brown, of course it’s good. Funky, smooth, soulful. A great live album. 4/5

Another record that was way ahead of its time. You can hear that the funk was absolutely coming, even way back in 1962 (the time of recording). The Godfather of Soul is on the top of his game here, wailing and grooving, and the crowd is loving every second. It's a great selection of his early hits, and one of the best early live R&B albums around.

Tää oli kova! Innostuin James Brownista aikanaan Blues Brothersin myötä, ja kyllähän tässä yhtä kovaa ajoa on kun leffassakin.

Very fun. James Brown Rocks

Fantastic energy and musicianship. Good live shows are something else, and we are fortunate that Mr. Brown had the gumption to pay for this recording out of his own pocket. I'd only heard his hits, so all the slower, soulful songs he performed at the Apollo that night were a surprise and a treat. RIP James Brown.

YOOOO

Cocaines a hell of a drug

It was good, I enjoyed it, there was just a lot of screaming from the crowd. I’m just not huge on live albums.

Terrific live album. There are bands like this where a studio album can’t capture the magic of a live set so concert recording makes sense. My issue with concert albums is I miss the visual experience more than I would if it was a studio album and it ends up feeling like it’s lacking. Still amazing.

James Brown didn't need to mog to aura farm

Don't know how to rate a good album when the person is an asshole

Iconic. Really interesting dispersal of songs, having a bunch of little bits at the start and then all the meat at the end. The crowd really got into it too, this sounds like such a fun and emotional night

Barnwell, South Carolina native James Brown was a bad person. He was, simultaneously, the greatest showman of the rock & roll era, and possibly the most influential recording artist of all time. James Brown gave the greatest concert I ever attended and I still measure all live music next to that performance thirty years later. James Brown stole his greatest musical rival Joe Tex’s girlfriend, dated her for a month or so, then wrote the man a letter saying “hey I’m done with your girl. You can have her back now.” When Joe Tex made fun of Brown at a concert, Brown went to the club Tex was partying at after the show dual-wielding shot guns and shot up the place, killing some hogs kept out back. His guys later passed out money to people to get them not to make a thing out of it. I had the great privilege of attending Mr. Brown’s funeral. Everyone there was completely despondent. We all knew that life would never be the same without him. I looked around and saw nothing but silent weeping and utter despair as they slowly lowered him into the ground. Just as the coffin was about to reach the bottom of the grave, damned if the lid didn’t burst open, funky horns blared, James Brown jumped 20 feet in the air to land next to the coffin, fresh as a daisy, and lived another 20 years. That’s showmanship!

fun funky fresh

31 minutes of pure unbridled charisma.

James Brown, in general, is amazing, and this album is too, but it is very short. The jivy tunes are quite good, but didn’t get developed too good.

Brilliant short live album from the Godfather of Soul with really tight backing band. This was a joy to listen to. 4 stars

Nobne of the songs stood out, but there was a lot of urgency, riffing, grooving and much faster than I'd normally associate with James Brown. Preferred it to the later stuff because less huffing and puffing.

performance made this album better

Awesome

cool and awesome

Tatsächlich zum ersten Mal gehört

This album is an early progenitor to 70s soul and funk. It should therefore be pretty good. It was a good live album with lots of energy. It had a lot of soul and was very funky. The lyrics were typical for early soul, but the songs were good and sung well. The backing band was very energetic, and the crowd was as well without being overbearing. This is a very good album that was fun to listen to, like all soul albums should be. I recommend this for a simple funky album that you can have fun with. This album is ranked #4 of 8 albums for 1963. Other 1963 albums rated by me: Live at the Harlem Square Club(1/8)-5 The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan(3/8)-4 A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector(7/8)-2

- I feel like I'm actually at the Apollo when listening to this. Great energy

Oh baby funk town Really enjoyed this one the live album felt like I was there

Need to add a little James Brown into my listening rotation.

issoke, for it's time daym.

Listened on: Spotify Listening experience: Single session while doing housework and in the shower Loved this - can’t wait to hear more 60s albums. Would put this on again. Only a point off for the screaming fans.

lovely album!

Fyrverkeri av en fyr! For en kul liveinnspilling! Mye mer dynamisk vokalist enn jeg trodde! Han er rå’

Overall Rating - 4.38/5 (8.75/10). Absolutely awesome concert recording. Love it.

I bought a repress of this on vinyl early into my collecting so have listened to it quite a lot! I’ve also been lucky enough to see the man live albeit well into his latter years. Still the consummate showman with great energy and you can hear that on this in spades!

Funky!

Always great!

James Brown recorded this at his own expense because his label didn't think a live album would sell. It went to number two on the Billboard charts and stayed there for over a year. The label was wrong, and the instinct that drove Brown to capture this moment was right — there's something here that needed to exist on tape. The performance is extraordinary. Brown commanding the Apollo is Brown at his most elemental — preaching, sweating, working a room that's completely his from the first note. The Famous Flames are locked in behind him, the energy is real, and the whole thing plays as one continuous experience rather than a collection of tracks. You can hear the foundation of everything that came after — the JBs, Fred Wesley, the entire funk tradition — being built in real time. And yet. When "I Got You (I Feel Good)" autoplayed immediately after the record ended, something crystallized. The studio recording had a presence and physical immediacy that the live album, for all its historical weight, doesn't quite match. The 1962 recording technology captured most of the room but not all of it — maybe 80% of what being there must have felt like. Sam Cooke at the Harlem Square Club, recorded the same year, somehow got the other 20%. This one leaves you feeling the gap. A four that fully respects the greatness without being seduced by the legend. The performance deserves five stars. The record earns four.

One of the rare examples of a good live album.

man, i love me a live album, a breath of fresh air. i really liked this album, it seems longer than 30 minutes, i felt completely immersed on that live performance and the crowd really helped it. good listen overall.

pretty good

Really great energy, the live performance really added to this recording

álbum lleno de alma

Le live est incroyable, on ressent bien l'atmosphère de la salle et on s'imagine bien l'ambiance. l'orchestre est très cuivré et la voix de James Brown est impressionnante, notamment dès qu'il atteint des notes aigues, où là j'ai des frissons. Du twist et du dicty dancing, rythme plus vif en fin d'album

very good album, never listened to much soul/funk, but really enjoyed it easy 9/10

Shoot this is tough asf

Not a live album fan, and this isn’t his best stuff, but I still enjoy James Brown

The Hardest Working Man In Show Business does more than funk. I have been educated. What a great example of an album that I needed to hear. The roots of James Brown's future sound pops up from time to time. Especially in the medley sections. But the sound he pumps out for this audience is true RnB and Soul.

I really got a feel for being there live with all the screaming. Funky but still quite similar to a lot of music from the 60s

Good shit! Made me strut around the house.

I gues i know nothing about James brown but I know something now. I figured he was a little bit later than this. 70s or maybe even 80s. Nah dude was killing it in the 60s. There is alot to like here. I love the crowd. Those ladies are letting him hear it. Like they are screaming their heads off at times. It makes a live recording feel very alive. I enjoy it. And the songs themselves are pretty darn good too. Can't complain a lick. The real star is James himself belting everything out with such power. Dude was a freakin fog horn at times. Howling like an animal. Its sick. Incredible even. I also like that this set has basically zero downtime. They come out and play. Thats it. No frills. Just music. Its admirable. I had a great time and need to listen to some more James brown. Thats for damn sure

James is a legend. I may not vibe with the music, but it's still pretty good. As for live recordings, this one is very well done.

Un album live qui envoie, les moment plus calmes où il hype la foule servent vraiment à l'album, qui gagne beaucoup de charme grâce à ça, le but premier de l'album n'est pas d'aller le plus loin possible au niveau artistique mais de divertir et faire le show, ce qui est très bien ! Mais, tout en gardant l'album dans un coin de ma tête comme quoi il peut être utile à passer en soirée, je ne vais pas le réécouter pour autre chose qu'un moment sympa

Singer, instrumentalist, dancer and all-round well-earned self-promoter, this was wonderful. You can feel his energy, feel the excitement of the call and response in the medley, and also the beauty of his voice in his tender moments. Are you ready for star time?

Need to listen again but James brown blows the doors off.

It was a revelation to me that James Brown and a version of his band go back to 1962. Laid the groundwork for so much of what was to come.

Как все-таки мало нужно женщинам для счастья. Кричат как на концерте one direction. Лайф как лайф. Нормик.

God, give me Frank Ocean's voice And James Brown's stage presence I will be your rock, God When you're rolling the dice

Вайб определенно присутствует

Loved this!!!

4.7 Me encantó

i usually don’t like live recordings, but the more i listened the more i liked this. groovy and easy listening, nice in the sunday afternoon sun.

Captures the energy and genius of the early JB exceptionally.

A high flying, intense, power-packed jam! James was owning it!!!

The vibes are immaculate

Good songs but too many interludes.

Lovely

I FEEL GOOD

estuvo bueno la vdd musica interesante 7.5/10

Somewhat of an introduction for me to James Brown and I'm glad it was a live album, I'm intrigued!

James Brown doing his thing. Fitting to hear him belt it out to an audience, since he was such a showman. The backing music was great too.

Smooth

¡James Brown en vivo! Obviamente esto desde el título anuncia que será una explosión de fook, música ultra cool y en general ritmos geniales para mover el cuerpo y ponerse de buenas. Y lo cumple, lo único que no me hizo tan feliz es la brevísima duración del álbum. ¿Un concierto de James Brown de menos de media hora? S¡aquen la versión de más de dos horas que seguro existe por ahí!

I would’ve absolutely loved to see James Brown in this sort of era. Tightest band around, running the absolute ship.

Both James and the band are brilliant on this one. Impossible not to enjoy.

Excellent album! "I'll Go Crazy" was my favorite.

Inreresante

Buen album. Realmente escencia de los negros en la musica

The King of Funk from the early years. Good listen, but his other albums are much more fun.

He's just the coolest

That's a lot of fun. I'm not crazy about the amount of live albums on this list. I typically prefer studio records. In this case it feels well justified. The atmosphere in general feels electric and compounded by the awesome fun crowd work. The music is excellent as we would expect, even if it's not my favourite jb stuff

Too much girly screaming prevents this from being a 5* - the sound quality is amazing.

Feel bad for all the people screaming and enjoying the music. If only they had smartphones back then, so they could focus on creating wonderful content for their friends and family and followers instead.

Despite what some of the reviews say, I actually really enjoyed that it was live and I find it more fun. Made me smile hearing the audience scream and shout!

I prefer his later funk stuff, but an objectively classic snapshot of a legendary performer!

I can somehow hear all the people this *had* to influence (Stevie Wonder, Childish Gambino, Rick James, Prince) - while it still also somehow manages to sound fresh, fun, and innovative. That is an amazingly high bar given some of the trail blazers this list has exposed me to who often manage to sound dated and rote.

30 mins of peak james brown. Epic crowd interactions.

The hardest working man in showbiz - und wie der ackert! Nice!

Very much enjoyed this. I got a real sense of being at the show. Killer band. James Brown in his prime. Hearing the audience reactions added to it, none of which sounded overdubbed which is the case with a lot of live albums. Banger.

I don't love a live album, but this was a short, fun, funky good time.

Didn’t think I’d enjoy this but James Brown from 68 is fantastic. It’s subtle- his voice is raspier, the set more bare-bones- like Try Me is flawless. This is bluesy in a pre-60’s way that I love

High 4. Don’t like the live as much as I would probably like the studio version

Amazing. Great horns. I’d love to have been at that show

I liked that it was live but there was a lot of screaming lol

Great! One of those albums that just feels classic, the 10 minute one got a bit dull though

Very cool. Like funk before funk was a thing (because it's surprisingly un-funky). Still interesting and great vocal/instrumental performance.

Where are the hits, wicked band Think

James Brown! James Brown! He still is the godfather of soul y'all Also I don't get the people who say crowd noise distracts on live albums. I love it, it adds energy to the recordings

Great album and a classic for sure but not my favorite James Brow. No Maceo Parker or Clyde Stubblefield.

4 out of 5 The Godfather of soul. Very fun and short live album. Great tracks.

Such beautiful songs performed so tightly. The band performing with Brown is very precise. I don’t usually love live albums but I think maybe the energy of the crowd is necessary to understanding James Brown. I enjoyed listening to this a lot.

Amazing sounds. A time capsule, yes - I can believe (with awe) that this is what was played and sung at a performance in 1962. I can believe that MC5 and many, many others were consciously inspired by it. What strikes me most strongly is that these sounds and this performance would work so well today! It is far more contemporary than many much later recordings - hardly dated at all, in key elements. The songs themselves are somewhat overshadowed by the performances of them - they may not be my favourite songs ever. But the album as a whole I'm saying is Very Good, 8/10.

Pretty nice listen, especially for a live album.

Fun high energy album!

What can you say? It's not the years of "Sex Machine", but it is still the hardest working man in show biz James Brown, and his band is so tight that the coal in your pocket just turned into a diamond. The choice of a live album to represent the greatness of James Brown and his band was the right one, as he never had a super solid studio album, and most of his best songs were released as singles. It was the live experience where you could see the lightning crackling off his form as he roamed the stage and wove the audience around his finger. Funk and Soul for ya brothers and sisters. That 31 minutes flew by. I think another reviewer said it best, "This absolutely belongs on this “must hear” list, a wonderful time capsule of music from an earlier era. It is notable that this album was recorded before the Civil Rights Act, before the Beatles, before JFK’s assassination. A dramatic recording from a dynamic time."

I'm mean, ya super fun. Short set lol

It’s great to have documents like this so we can hear how pure and vital live music used to be. It really is too bad that we don’t get music performers doing this kind of thing anymore with a large ensemble. It’s so unfortunate that the art of rehearsing, arranging and performing live with a large ensemble does not happen because of the financial constraints. All the rich people of the world should invest in making art like this possible again instead of blowing all their money on their useless and bullshit lifestyle. This album is the truth. Real music made by real people.

Normally not huge on the live versions, but this was solid

Really good album, wasn’t sure why it was the live version specifically but totally understood after listening. Great live performance and fun music

A privilege to listen to such a great performance live.

Live crowd reaction creates so much more emotion. The gentle crowdplay, some songs the crowds so loud they’re practically singing with James and then others their absolutely silent. James browns vocal range is that of what I wish my fuel range was in my personal vehicle. Light audio buzz brings it all together. Favourite Song: I Don’t Mind

Hardest working man in slow business

Killer set from a soul legend himself. Really sets the tone for what a live show of his would actually be like which is incredible.

Dramatic opening. Extremely professional. Too short to give a true reflection the live experience.

Me sorprendió porque imaginaba iba a ver funk y claro, por la fecha, era más soul. Pero qué onda tenía el tipo. Un fenómeno. 7/10

johnny this is how you do a live album

I’ve owned this a couple times over the years on different formats, and it’s one of the great live albums; James Brown at the top of his game in front of an enthusiastic and vocal audience who feel very much like they’re part of the show. Crank it loud and it’s irresistible. 9/10

Great album! I wouldn't mind a bit better audio quality, and a longer album, but great music, lots of fun.

I mean, who doesn't know James Brown? I can't say I've heard any of the songs on this album before, which is all the more surprising considering its his only album on the list. • I really like the hits in I'll Go Crazy • Hearing how loud the crowd gets at the start of Try Me reminds you of how big James Brown still was at this time, before most of his biggest songs released • I like the instrumental breaks being on seperate tracks • Lost Someone is a nice change of pace. It's funny how much longer it is than the other songs (over a third of the album is this one song), but it never feels like it drags. I like the back and forth between James Brown and the crowd around the 7 minute mark. • The transition between Lost Someone and the medley was crazy • I almost didn't realise the last track had started, the introduction to Night Track flowed just as smoothly as any of the transitions in the medley This is a fun listen, and with its historical context (being the first live recording of James Brown) I can see how it earned a place on this list. For a 64 year old recording, it sounds very good. It's obviously not pristine, and there were a couple of moments where the sound suffered, but on the whole it sounds great. I do wonder whether Live at the Apollo Vol. II would be more fitting on this list, with it having more of his biggest hits to ease new listeners in (e.g. Cold Sweat and Man's World), but honestly I feel like the real issue is that, of all artists, James Brown probably deserved more than one album. Still, I have to give this album props for what it is, and that is a really solid (albeit short) live album. Favourite song: Think

Number: 69 Date: 03/09/2026 Artist: James Brown Album: James Brown Live At The Apollo Year: 1963 Genre: Funk Soul Rating: Notes: Before: Awesome, James Brown! I love James Brown! I'm not familiar with this album though. I don't see any songs I recognize on it. During: 3 Introduction 4 I'll Go Crazy 3 Try Me 4 Think 3 I Don't Mind 3 Lost Someone 3 Medley (Please..., You’ve Got….) 3 Night Train ----------------------------------------------------- 3.25 AVERAGE After: My favorites were Instrumental Bridge #1, #2, & # 3; however they were each only about 10 seconds long. I wish there had been more of that. I don't think this album is his best. I am surprised to see he only has one album on this list. He is one of the few artists I think deserve more than one album here. I know there has got to be a better representation of his work out there. 3 - my personal rating 4 - suitability for this list 4 - relevance ----------------------------- 4 - composite rating

Early stuff is way more R&B than funk/Soul but it's still great. The audience screams add to the overall feel rather than detracting from it.

I liked this it was smooth and powerful and the best at that hardcore, cuts deep, soul voice that James Brown obviously does best.

Pretty great sound. He's got confidence in spades, that's for sure. He feeds off the energy of the crowd, for sure. It's almost like the lyrics and what he says is far secondary to the performance and the energy. He's a great and talented singer, but the draw is the totality of the performance itself. This album works great as a live album. I don't think it would be as enjoyable without hearing the sounds of the audience. It's still great, but the synergy is a requirement for this album. It's obviously less polished than a studio album, but that just adds to its appeal.

I rarely say this with records on this exercise, but…gimme more. I felt a little cheated on this one as it was over just as I was starting to feel it. But it was still a good listen. Men want to be him, and clearly women want to be with him as exhibited with lots of swooning going on. Lots of legacy with this album and the man himself. From the Apollo to appearing in Rocky IV just over twenty years later. How’s that for a career arc?

Hot start to the week. More bands should start shows with formal intros. Although I bet Bruno Mars does it and it’s probably fucking lame

This guy was bringing the bops to kids that didn't feel represented by the Beatles. The audience simply goes nuts for him and the music is a fun listen

After a few days of mid albums, this was such a relieve. I liked the instrumentals and the way James Brown sings.

Love the energy the crowd brings to this one. The transition from Lost Someone into the Please Please Please medley is overwhelming.

Amazing vibe, super nice recording and really mood-setting

It was really good and very high energy. I did get a bit bored towards the end though.

Live is a whole different ball game. Only a pro can pull it off! Could've done with less screaming though!

The way this album was recorded added a great deal to this album. You can hear some conversations and commentary from the club, which makes it truly feel like you're almost there. Musically, James Brown is a legend. It's not exactly my kind of music but I can appreciate what he's contributed to so many different genres of music.

Fun listen, so much energy, loved hearing the screaming crowd. Nice recording quality for a live album and dude can sing, impressive vocals for a live recording.

Quelle bête de scène… quoique je persiste à dire que les albums live c’est pas pour les neophytes d’un artiste.

James and the band are so hot on this show. Incredibly tight. I've heard a few James Brown albums but they don't come close to the energy of the live band. The fanfare where they introduce the songs is genius. The sounds of the screaming girls is so classic and fantastic.

James Brown is a foundational artist who only put out fantastic funky music. One can never tire to his sound.

Funky and sweaty. I don't think I've ever seen a picture of James Brown where he isn't sweating, and it sounds like he is on this album too. Tight and nonstop, although funk type of music isn't my go to, this was good, he really was working it and it was working for me. Highlights: Medley

never heard of him before and I was honestly surprised, really good sound live, and he got the audience mad fer it! not really my type of music but i'm definitely downloading this album, it's a no skip. the transitions are really clear and his voice is imposing! the band sounds really good in my opinion. the only bad thing i find here is the low quality of the audio, it's from 1963. a solid 4/5. favorite tracks: all of them, they are all connected to each other. i love this type of things, must have been crazy to be there.

listening to this makes me wish i was there, which sounds like the dumbest most 10-year-old sounding way of saying i liked it, but actually i found that feeling almost working against the album because i could sense what a difference actually being in the room would have made and it just turned into sincere FOMO

It's a hell of a performance - but it's so of it's time, 11 tracks and four are intros or bridges

Very nice and different than others!!

Just not in the mood right now, lovely album

So electric felt like I was there!!