James Brown Live At The Apollo

If you see my other reviews you know i like a band who can hit a groove so this album is going to hit the spot no doubt. James is great. Not a classically amazing singer i dont think but decent range, super soul and emotion. But it is the band that really make this. So together. So much shade and light. Amazing. Nevwr been to the Apollo but assume its a big venue no? If so this recording and the band manage to make it sound very intimate.

I can only repeat myself so many times about live albums. We're only getting half of the experience! I'm sure the half we're missing was great, given the reactions of the audience captured with the music here. Aside from those reactions, I'm not sure there was much more here to make it stand out. Noticeably, this album doesn't follow the usual trend of live albums by running long. It's short and sweet save the last three tracks: Lost Someone (running 10 minutes), the medley (a bit over 6 minutes), and the closing track, Night Train, which is still short (3.5 mins) but runs a minute longer than the next longest tracks. There are a couple songs that aren't even 2 minutes long. The quick changes (and lack of the visual half of the performance) made it a little hard for me to stay engaged as a listener during the middle portion. I also got lost in the runtime of Lost Someone (nominative determinism at work?) for the opposite reason. I thought the medley was the most engaging section of the album, but that too had some ups and downs. Night Train was a strong finish, though. While this album was enjoyable, it didn't really strike me as all that special. That's probably got something to do with the number of live albums I've had on here recently, and I may have liked this more with some separation from those. Even so, I found it a little hard to stay engaged with despite the short runtime. Instead, I'm again left wishing I could see what was happening in the performance. I'll give it a "good" and move on, hopefully getting a break from these live albums for a while. Overall: 3.1/5

An amazing look into the energy, emotion, creativity of a legend and his band at the top of their game.

Fun live albums, the intro and the audience & performer feedback is so amazing. 4/5

must have been a hell of a show

Cultural 5; personal 4. That one long song kinda killed me.

“If he thought you were doing something wrong, he’d throw up five fingers, or ten fingers, and that’s what he would dock your salary.” Clyde Stubblefield There are more important things, James! 2.5 This is interesting, it just isn’t very good. Here is a nice, crisp account of female fans shrieking their hearts out while Brown’s band plays tidily and efficiently. James Brown’s singing is sporadically brilliant but largely sounds like the squawking of an indignant old lady. The main issue though is simply the songs. I understand they’re hits - Fats the hype man explains this at the start - and that they are, here, about as well performed as they could be. The songs just aren’t very good. 2/5

I enjoyed this, but inevitably wont come back to it. Always nice to get a shorter album, doesn’t outstay its welcome. As is often the case with this age of record switching to mono was a must.

I’ve never really ‘got’ James Brown but this album really captures the live energy well.

Was kind of expecting more from this. Low-mid 3

He's great

To be honest, I never really got into James Brown because his vocal style and tone never really appealed to me. That said, I thought this was a decent live album. The energy and atmosphere are fun and uplifting, and the musical instrumentation stood out the most for me. It’s not a personal favorite, but I can appreciate what it brings to the table.

I actually thought this would be a live album that I really enjoyed, but once again, I feel like I was missing out while listening.

James Brown is solid but live albums are not

For a live album of its time, this is so clear and he obviously knows how to work the crowd. With that said, I thought this would be really fun starting out but it got repetitive really quickly. I think it’s worth a second listen.

What can i say, i listened to it twice

good album but just not my vibes !!!! but i trully see the talent and good mood

Never listened to James Brown really I knew the famous songs but this was good and I don't normally like live albums

Wow！I get it

He’s stolen my heart and soul and body and attention and dedication and nostalgia and my pain and my all and made magic

Just didn’t feel like this had his bangers

Can’t slight the king

At times it felt like James Brown was being played outside my headphones while the band was playing in them. My distaste towards live albums only continues… There’s a lot of soul jazz and funk to enjoy here, or at least there would be with a better recording…

My right ear heard a little James Brown and a lot of screaming

James Brown Live At The Apollo is an album that i have odd feelings towards. I did enjoy it but i feel like it is missing a few things to be truly great. For someone like James Brown, it really makes sense for him to have a live album on this list as he feels like one of those singers that really has a presence when performing that really suits being live. As for the show/album, it is enjoyable and had a lot of fun moments but my main issue is that a lot of the best moments on this album are simply too short and are unable to properly sink in most of the time. I still think its a really solid album but i don't think i can justify giving it any higher than 3 stars. Best Song: Think Worst Song: I Don't Mind

All the energy and passion. What would it have been like to be in that concert.

This was a pretty good album, James Brown isn't my favorite but he's pretty good!

Great live show

Funk!

Fun little album!

Such a fun listen to get the crowd's screams as well!

So good. So much emotion. So much groove

It's a perfect showcase of how he is live! It is early in his career so you don't get a lot of the hits that were to come but you could tell early on he was special

I didn’t realize that James Brown was such a POS until I read some of these reviews, which caused me to do some research on my own. In any event, I don’t take that into account when reviewing an album. Having said that, I thought this was pretty good and enjoyed listening to it, and I certainly understand why it made this list. The main problem for me was that it was a live album, and I was really distracted by the intermittent loud screaming in the background…also, on one of the tracks it is hard to hear him sing. What should have been a four star album gets knocked down to a three due to these issues.

The screams of the souls of the damned haunted me with every track and Ill never kill again I promise just leave me rest I like the music beneath it all tho

Whew

I tried to appreciate this in my younger years, but it just didn’t take. This time I did actually appreciate it, so it’s like a personal victory.

Full of energy - a showman - not the greatest songs, but imagine to see that live would have been something special

Didn’t think this was a great album. I was listening and when it finished, I couldn’t believe it was already over. Yeah the energy was decent throughout, just as you’d expect from Brown. But that’s about it. Just not a whole lot to it for me. Pretty average.

I own this on the music server but I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. I'm looking forward to it. I have a feeling I will love this before even starting. Funk/Soul is one of the best genres in the history of music and James Brown was a master. I'm now two songs in and it's so good. The horns! You know how I'm a betch for horns. I've loved this. James Brown, unfortnuately a terrible person, had an incredible messianic ability to sing and dance. His ad libs are great and better than anyone else in the business.

Now, how do you rate James Brown. 5 just for being him & one of the most entertaining entertainers, ever. This album seems like a taste of what was comin' down the pike..maniacal energy, enthusiasm, spontaneity, feeling every note in the depths of his soul, just awesome

Early, too early. JB’s magnetism and control of the crowd is on full display. This is a glimpse of the father of funk he would later become. Lost Someone is a 10 min window into his artistic brilliance. Not much more you can expect from a live recording from 1962. Still, only 2 stars because everything up until Lost Someone is not worth listening to.

The space between two breaths. He leans in, goes hard, but then exhales completely. In that moment of silence, the song releases the tension, so he can bring it right back even stronger.

My man comes out and throws absolute heat from beginning to end. The band is tight as a drum(?) yet still breathes. And it breathes fire. And while the band is incendiary, that voice is the main attraction. And what an attraction - it's like a theme park ride - twisting and turning. The highs scrape the stratosphere and the asides leave a mark.

# Album Name: James Brown Live At The Apollo # Artist: James Brown # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: A very mid album. Wasnt bad. But live albums dont really do it for me. # Top Tunes: Nothing that struck me # Would I listen to it again? No

confesso que eu não sou muito fã de jazz, mas esse álbum me deu outra perspe sobre o estilo musical. Eu também nunca tinha escutado James Brown, por isso nunca entendi sua fama, mas agora entendo.

Pretty fuckin good. I love old time jazz/r&b/soul live stuff, it’s fucking awesome. But I left feeling this one was missing something. Probably just how short it was. Hell of a voice tho

it was like a 4 until it ended and a studio james brown track came on and i was like “holy shit this is so much better”

Some of these go on for a while!

5/5 one of the first real and best live recordings just like ur at a james brown club gig

It seems that some people, distinguished music writers, value this album to death. I really don't understand. Musically nothing is happening. I'm listening to James Brown shouting in a mic for 31 minutes. Nothing is exciting. Even worse: in the intro we hear painfully false notes. The saxes in 'Try me'... oh boy. Yes, the charm of a live album, but it's a pain to the ears. Low point is 'Lost someone'. It's eleven minutes of call and response, except that nothing's happening. Not my cup of tea.

Pretty good. Not really my genre but I can see why it’s loved.

Incredible lesson in tight rhythm performance, spot on harmonies, just a tour-de-force

Can recognise the raw musical talent and how early this music was - funk, blues, country even. Absolute energy to have the crowd going. But musically doesn't do it for me :(

The Apollo was (is?) a phenomenal venue and I am sure shows there were amazing. I watched some Apollo shows on TV as a kid but not James Brown. I did not care for this entry. Saved no tracks. ⭐ Just not my vibe at all

Sounds great, the energy is fantastic, liked it a lot.

#DÍA 39: 1001 Discos Que Hay Que Escuchar Antes De Morir (English Translation Below) Dios mío, realmente James Brown hacía que sus conciertos, si les quitas la música, pareciesen matanzas… La leyenda del Soul o R&B o Funk o de la Música emocionaba con una facilidad que sólo pudo ser superada por su discípulo Michael Jackson, básicamente. 1963 fue todo un año para el barrio Harlem contando con que Sam Cooke actuó por allí también. Hablamos de la cumbre de su carrera, cuando todo el mundo deseaba ver en vivo sus icónicos movimientos y el poder de su voz. El concierto, de primeras, sorprende de sobremanera por la cantidad de medios que se invirtieron en su momento. A diferencia de lo que vi con Sam Cooke, Brown contó con gran cantidad de músicos para acompañarle, sean vientos metálicos, un órgano, coros… Es llamativo como entre tema y tema hacen divertidos interludios instrumentales, no hay momento sin música más que la introducción; son 30 minutos del R&B y del Soul más puro. I’ll Go Crazy es un potente comienzo en el que el cantante hace luz de sus especialidades: un rango sorprendente, unos agudos que hacen temblar y un control total de sus cuerdas vocales que le hacen ir de los más dulce a gritos distorsionados. Try Me es un momento bonito y sutil, así como I Don’t Mind, por lo que sorprende que entre medias tocasen Think que es un frenético tema anticipador del Funk con ese predominante bajo y el semi-scratching de la guitarra. Por supuesto, el momento más impresionante es Lost Someone, una pista en la que James Brown no para de recordar que es uno con su voz, haciendo gritar al público prácticamente con cada frase que pronuncia. Hasta aquí no había tenido mucha interacción con el público, pero aquí les anima a gritar y gritar junto a él. Es una expresión bastante sintética de lo que es el Soul, un beat sólido, cierta sensualidad en las cuerdas y vientos, y una voz que con versos sencillos penetra el espíritu del oyente mediante sangrar de emoción con cada nota. Perfectamente unido a la pista anterior, tocan un Medley de distintos temas que fluye a la perfección. Especialmente la conexión entre el tono más picante e intenso de I Want You So Bad y la calidez y dulzura de I Love You, Yes I Do. Finalmente vuelve a escalar a la perfección con Bewildered, creando un clímax precioso para volver a Please Please Please, el que fue uno de los singles que dio a conocer a James Brown. Es un concierto emocionante, aunque pienso que el interés realmente comienza desde Lost Someone. El resto de interpretaciones son de calidad y estoy seguro que vistas en vivo debieron ser para enmarcar. No obstante, como álbum en vivo la experiencia no es tan completa, y pienso que termina de un modo algo abrupto con Night Train, canción que tampoco es que sea muy llamativa. Aún así, es una muestra del talento de una joya de la música como fue James Brown, y es toda una fortuna que tengamos grabaciones de audio de cómo fueron sus conciertos. Favoritas: I’ll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Medley Menos favorita: Night Train #DAY 39: 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die My God, James Brown really made his concerts, if you stripped away the music, seem like massacres… The legend of Soul, R&B, Funk, or simply of Music itself could electrify with a natural ease that was only ever truly matched by his disciple Michael Jackson, basically. 1963 was quite a year for Harlem, considering that Sam Cooke also performed there. This was the peak of his career, when everyone longed to witness live his iconic moves and the sheer power of his voice. The concert, right from the start, is astonishing for the amount of resources invested at the time. Unlike what I listened with Sam Cooke, Brown was backed by a large number of musicians: horns, organ, backing vocals… It’s really fun how between songs they played playful instrumental interludes. There isn’t a single moment without music, apart from the introduction; it’s 30 minutes of pure R&B and Soul. I’ll Go Crazy is a powerful opening where the singer immediately showcases his specialties: a surprising vocal range, falsettos that shake you, and complete control of his vocal cords, shifting from sweet tenderness to distorted screams. Try Me is a subtle, beautiful moment, as is I Don’t Mind, which makes it all the more surprising that they played Think in between, a frenetic track foreshadowing Funk, with its dominant bassline and semi-scratching guitar. Of course, the most impressive moment is Lost Someone, a track where James Brown proves over and over that he is one with his voice, practically making the audience scream with every phrase he utters. Up to this point, there hadn’t been much crowd interaction, but here he urges them to shout and cry along with him. It’s a distilled expression of what Soul is: a steady beat, a touch of sensuality from the strings and horns, and a voice that, with simple verses, pierces the listener’s spirit by bleeding emotion into every note. Seamlessly connected to the previous track, they play a medley of different songs that flows perfectly. Especially, the transition between the spicier, more intense I Want You So Bad and the warmth and tenderness of I Love You, Yes I Do. Finally, the set builds once again, nicely, with Bewildered, creating a beautiful climax before closing on Please Please Please, the single that first put James Brown on the map. It’s an exciting concert, though I think the real magic begins with Lost Someone. The other performances are high-quality, and I’m sure seeing them live must have been unforgettable. Still, as a live album, the experience doesn’t feel entirely complete, and I think it ends somewhat abruptly with Night Train, a song that isn’t particularly striking. Even so, it’s a valuable showcase of the talent of a musical gem like James Brown, and it’s a true blessing that we have audio recordings of what his concerts were like. Favorites: I’ll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Medley Least favorite: Night Train

This is a treat. To hear Rev. Brown when he was young and not the caricature he became in his later life. A Lot of purity here. Enjoy

I like James Brown and was lucky to see him live in 1999 (I think). There's a good energy to this album but actually think this isn't the best collection of songs... 3/5

Felt as though you had to be there and then this would have been a 5. I just didn't get the atmosphere through this live album

Un album pour l'histoire, même s'il y a des creux. Quand tu vois ce qui sortait en même temps, vla le choc.

James’ voice is enigmatic. The band is incredible. I can’t believe this is early 60s

So easy to rate Jazz highly, but this is genuinely outstanding even to casual fans. How they managed to capture the perfect amount of crowd reaction and energy is beyond me. Such a treat Will be listening again and again

I love a good live album and this certainly fits that bill. Great energy and atmosphere. Favorite track: Night Train

I felt this album has more “yaaaoww” from both the audience and Mr Brown than actual music. There was a 10min long rendition of “yaaaoowww”. Now while I am a fan of the occasional “yaaaoww” I would have liked the album to have packed more of a musical “yaaaoww”. The live nature didn’t add to the music. However the occasional songs were enjoyable

Not a fan of live albums, and this just doesn't scratch the itch required when I want to listen to James Brown… Hopefully he has a few better selections on the list. ⭐️⭐️

Boring live album. At least it was short. 2/5

Low 7/10 for me Kinda jazzy some funkier songs but Sinatra tops this for me defo

This is why he's Mr Dynamite - it's a life affirming half an hour of impossibly tight energy

H: I don’t typically like live albums as the music sometimes loses the quality. This album lost no quality and had amazing energy throughout the performance. Only downside the crowd was a little over the top sometimes. 7/10 H fav song: I’ll go crazy Z: effortlessly balances between infectious energy and soulful ballads. The instrumental bridges helped tie this live album into a cohesive gift. Hearing the crowd engagement was also so cool— it felt like I was in the room with them. The recording is also incredible, especially given the fact that this was in 1962! James Brown baby. Like a sniff of cocaine. 8/10 Z favorite song: I Don’t Mind

Very charismatic

It's alright, he has a really good energy and I enjoyed his voice but it's not my type of music. 2/5 stars.

Just makes you feel a certain way

Me ha encantado, muy divertido, muy fresco, te pone de buen humor. Se me ha hecho corto.

Wonderful performance and honestly just the fact that this made me enjoy listening to an artist working with a crowd is impressive as hell. Not my music over all, but probably the best version of what it is.

De muziek was wel oke, maar de hoeveelheid gillende meiden was erg storend.

Bothers me that this hits me as just fine. The Sam Cooke album was SO GOOD that this had to be basically the same thing, right? Well, it's not. It sounds like there might be energy in the room but it doesn't really come through on the recording, which sounds a little muddled. It's like too much and too little of a good thing. Also it's 30 minutes, one third of which is one song. It's a good song, but it's just kinda weird.

Completely forgettable - nothing stood out. 31 minutes including a 2 minute intro and almost 11 minutes of Lost Someone which just ambles along with crowd screams in the background. He was a great showman and has an incredible voice but I don't think this album showcases his best songs.

Usually not a fan of live albums but this was fantastic. Brown and crew crushed this set. I am unaware of most of James Brown's discog so I can't attest to any "oh wow that's a fun way to do that live" moments but this was great. Favorite Song: I Don't Mind

At first I wondered what I'd get from hearing raw footage of screaming fans of James Brown - as I continued to listen I understood why. He had a unique relationship with them, with stage presence and crowd interaction that is seen less frequently today. Was this a concert or a sermon? Overall very enjoyable, exactly what I'd expect from Brown.

> the Beatles

Not long enough…

Early 60s JB is the best JB

A stone cold classic and one of James Brown’s best works

Great R&B music. One can notice the novelty of this style of music and how people loved it in this album. I really liked "Lost Someone", which consists of the same accompaniment repeating over and over again for 10 minutes, until it suddenly ends and transitions nicely into "Please, Please, Please".

Great snapshot of James Brown from 1962 which he actually had to fund himself! Really captures the power of his live performance. Not heard before so was worth the listen.

Fantastic.

It was fun

Now this list needs to stop giving me albums from the 50s and 60s because none of them hold up well today. And it sucks that these albums will probably all get given lower rating just because they are so overdone and I’ve heard it all before. Now this isn’t a knock on James brown I think he’s a fantastic singer and there’s nothing I don’t like about his music but it just isn’t anything special. Solid bluesy funk soul music that I’ve heard 1 million times. My favourite song was Medley: Please Please Please which was a good example of his talent. Damn I hate to say that it’s solid 5.7/10 2.6/5

It's James Brown! And one of his best albums. The godfather of soul. Amazing, classic music. Always worth listening to.

Loved this, so fun and captivating

Incredible performance and the atmosphere of the crowd elevates this album to 5 stars.

What more can I say than James Brown goes hard. The man is talented and this sounded like an awesome live show to have witnessed!

Music was well produced for a live album. I'm not typically one who listens to live music, R&B, funk, or soul. The album seemed very good, but it isn't for me. Still, I enjoyed listening to it. My goal is to expose myself to music I normally wouldn't listen to, and this album did exactly that. It's amazing that this was all done in 1 take as a live album, and I see talent, even if it isn't my taste. 4/5?

The novelty wore off too quickly. This really is a time capsule, though. It was interesting to hear a crowd of fans from 1962 vibing along with one of the best vocalists ever. I wouldn't necessarily listen again, but glad I experienced this album. OH and that band was really good too.

3 5

Not listened to much James Brown outside of I Feel Good. This album is a great listen, but I wish it was made up of studio versions of the songs, instead of a live performance. Brown and the band perform excellently, but I'm not a big fan of listening to live performances if I'm not/was not at the event myself. It's why I don't watch Glastonbury on TV - for me, the crowd cheering takes away from the performance when you're not in the crowd. Short album overall, only 31 minutes. The second and third from last songs are 16 minutes on their own, making up over half the run time, but musically, Brown was very talented and I now want to hear more of his repertoire.

Que sea un directo no me esta dejando disfrutarlo se esucha mas a las fans que otra cosa y me saca de la cancion con los gritos. Como cantante esta guay, los coros estan guays la instrumentacion esta guay, pero le falta algo, lo disfruto mas cuando las canciones son relajaditas. Se nota que al tio le gusta el publico

A really powerful live album. Have it on vinyl, so I’ve listened to it plenty. Brown and his band are in total control of the crowd.

Hell of a voice. I like the funkier stuff by JB better

A powerful, timeless, soulful sound. I will be listening to this album again at gatherings, events etc. Loveleh.

Lowkey electrifying.

This concert sounded like a religious experience and a great time!

James Brown showing why he is a legend. The only thing keeping this from being an easy 5 is it's way too short. He must've done more than a 30 minute set. A bunch of short (2 minute) songs, followed by one 10+ minute song, a medley, and his latest hit. That's it. Songs: 5 Performance: 5 Album: 4

Another well selected snapshot of musical history! Plus its James Brown!

I can understand why this made the list because it's a piece of music history. Very cool to hear the audience going wild for James Brown. He has a lovely voice with a lot of power and emotion. This recording isn't the most engaging to listen to though and likely doesn't do this performance full justice. 7/10.

It's great, but not what i need now.

Excellent. The band is razor sharp. Mr Brown's charisma is off the scale and the crowd are totally into it.

Such a fun, energetic album! Love Soul Brother No. 1!

Not for me

Pretty funky and fun

Good morning listen

Bored by it.

I'm sure it was great if you were there - but not sure this recording does it justice. Does James Brown not have any good studio albums?

James Brown Live at the Apollo It’s great of course, but I’m not sure how much I’m into it. The band, the backing singers, his voice, they’re all great, and the energy and charisma is obvious, and I know it’s held in high esteem for all those reasons, but it feels slightly unsatisfying. Maybe because it's a live album or maybe because my expectations were too high, or perhaps it just can’t live up to the late 60s James Brown concert of my imagination. A solid 3 feels about right, I appreciate all the good things about it, particularly the backing vocals on something like I Don’t Mind, but overall I just don’t love it. 🟤🟤🟤 Playlist submission: I Don’t Mind

This clearly has its roots in the call and response of the gospel tradition, and it's difficult not to compare it to Sexual Chocolate or other parodies. But JB really does have the (seemingly all female) audience in the palm of his hand, with his dramatic shouts and exhortations ("Can you feel me children?!". Actually that sounds bad written down). The solo scream from the crowd amidst 'Lost Someone' is hilariously fantastic. And it's that dramaturgy (that word making its first album review appearance) that makes this fizzle. This may well be his second best live performance ever committed to tape, behind his 1985 ringside performance of 'Living in America' in Rocky IV.

“Somebody screeeeam!” 4/5 Highlights: I’ll Go Crazy Try Me Medley: Please Please Please/You’ve Got The Power/I Found Someone

I'm immersed in a kind of ecstasy from beginning to end, which is too short for such a good album, without a doubt James Brown, everything is perfect

Wow. Just wow. I don’t know how I made it this far not hearing this before. (Except for Night Train.) I can’t imagine how awesome it would have been to be at this show.

oh. my. god. james brown is awesome! i wish i had heard this MUCH earlier. perfect is the only word for this...

It's ok.

A powerful reminder that human beings can do this without the support of technical wizardry like click tracks and auto-tune. These folks didn't even have particularly good stage monitors, let alone in-ears -- you've really gotta know your part to sound this good when you can hardly hear yourself. In fact, you can hear the first few bars the guitar player (Les Buie) plays on 'I'll Go Crazy' are rushed. He settles in quick enough to avoid a fine from the boss, though (it was standard for bandleaders to dock the pay of musicians of this period for all manner of infractions, from musical to personal issues; it's how they ran tight ships). Check out the bass playing on 'Think', too. Hubert Perry just killing it. And, of course, the Famous Flames sound divine. It ought to be said that a great deal is lost without seeing Brown's performance. The show is choreographed and his charisma is magnetic, the costumes immaculate. James Brown was a top-to-bottom showman. It's worth checking out video of The T.A.M.I. Show (1964) for proof (it also features The Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, Leslie Gore, The Miracles, The Supremes and The Rolling Stones, back in the Brian Jones days). In the end, this is an easy recommendation: it's a live recording of a live legend at the peak of his powers. 4/5 and by the time its 30-minute runtime ends, you'll be in a better mood than you started.

Loved this

Легенда

The Godfather of Soul. About as cool as you'd expect. The voice is pretty amazing (especially considering this was recorded over 60 years ago) and musically it's just such a vibe. It's not my favourite genre or an album I'll be making lots of return trips to but it's a highly enjoyable listen and a lot of fun.

You can hear how much fun this show would have been to attend. Well crafted, high energy live set with smooth instrumental transitions

Was not actively listening to this album. But I enjoyed what I paid attention too.

I love seeing a live album on this list. I loved midway through the album when. You just hear som random audience member scream at the top of their lungs

Honestly can see why this is on this list, as its quite an amazing live performance truth be told, with some very talented musicians as well. It would have been AMAZING in person I am sure. But as a listening experience in 2025, I think its a little dated (which gives it some personality if you look at it the right way.) Overall though, I think the live quality elements make me unlikely to revisit this in the future. However I will be looking into James Browns other music due to the quality of the music here itself!

I don't typically like albums, and this is no exception. The screaming is so obnoxious. Ugh. Definitely did not need a track over 10 minutes *encouraging* the screams. Meh. Please Please Please make it stop. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A My ratings are kind of based on general vibes and how many tracks I save to my Deezer profile -- ⭐: Hated it.

Felt very short but cool as fuck. Interludes made me laugh

Starts strong and has a lot of energy. The mood swings wildly between songs but they are vowen together nicely. Also the opening is fantastic. I want to like this album but it's hard. The big, big negative is that it gets a loud a little bit to often, both from James and screams from the audience, but I understand that it's a bit of the charm with a live recording. It gets a bit jarring for me when the song has a nice groove and it gets "interrupted" every 10-20 seconds. I guess I feel like there is a disconnect between the energy in the songs and the audience in most parts. Also some songs can feel like they get a little bit repetitive in text and sound. I feel like there is a soundmix/alternate recording of this set that is fantastic. I got annoyed listening to this. Haven't really listened to James Brown before but I'm a fan. Might give it another try at some other time in another setting, but I don't think I would play this again "for fun". I would rather seek out some other live album or one of his studio ones and give them a try. No particular song from this album would go into my playlists though.

One of the great frontmen in music, although the recording and production on this record is of it's time you can still feel the energy of his shows, I wouldn't say the album has any great standout tracks but still a fun listen and his vocals are insanely good.

nah

Great jazz record

It's a good album, with James Brown, in top form, giving 110%, and the crowd giving it right back, and the music is good, but it's not for me, I think. Would not skip a song if it came up in a shuffle, but as a whole album, it's a little much for me, I think.

Its an amazing listen. I dont think that any songs will fit in playlists just cause of old vibes but it is an album that i will be revisiting like listening to it completely. I enjoyed it a lot and daaamn James Brown's voice is amazing

I prefer the more bluesy numbers on this record because the "tender" songs came off as annoying (Try me, I Don't Mind, Lost someone ). I loved the instrumental bridges, they flowed so well. The guitar took a back seat which was odd, and didn't work. Lost someone dragged on way to long. Overrall this album had some pretty good highs and low lows. https://share.google/images/KXeYC7C6ybqWeeJkN

This was alright. I don't have much to say about it. James Brown is one of those artists for me where . . . I understand why people like him, but he just doesn't connect with me. And I can't listen to him without thinking of Eddie Murphy's "James Brown's Celebrity Hot Tub Party." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAJnpaFRrlw) I kinda wanted to go two stars, but that felt wrong.

I loved this album. Compares to jazz albums from the same time and place it feels much more modern. And it's damn fun to listen to. Will def add this into the rotation.

3/5 - I needed to hear this because it is a brief window into a particular moment in time that I’d never get from a studio recording. That said, I don’t care much for live albums, and they are almost always “one and done” listens for me. The tracks here are mostly shorter than I expected and feel like they’d be especially flat without the audience. I have a ton of respect for the outsized influence Brown would have for the decades to come, but I doubt I’d revisit this recording.

Lost Someone is probably one of the 5 worst songs I've heard since I started this challenge (300+ albums ago). If I wanted someone to yell and scream in my ears, I would've made my wife angry. Easy - peasy as that!

Only ever heard individual songs and seen impersonators do JBs thing. I listened to this album on a plane and it was difficult to keep still in my seat as the whole performance is infectious 5/5

Made coffee while listening, it was easy listening but couldn't pick up anything. I'll give it a 2 but a very nice two.

Incredible vocal range from the man himself, James Brown. Great listen.

The crowd at the Apollo really takes this recording to the next level, I can feel how exciting this was at the time. Great performances as well.

Such a trill! it was amazing, vibrant, moving the nerves all around.

This is the first album, I dont listen to old music often so the differences are blaring, however i do find this sound very intresting to listen to and i wont say it is bad in anyway. The biggest change i can see is the vocals are way different than anything today and it doesnt feel like the music played is a background track to the actual vocals like modern music. It feels like the vocals are being used as an instrument instead of being the stronger force. Like an example is that there are times where he makes a loud part of the song happen in tadem with the music as the instruments will stop and then start again right when he makes the big noise. Lastly there is also a lot of crowd work in the songs due to them being live which makes them very unique. i dont know what other albums are going to appear so i will start out giving this a 80/100

I loved the music.

Fun and quick

Fun recording. Infectious energy, tight arrangements, Brown's vocal power burns through on this.

I’m a big fan of many of the classic live albums: Live at Leeds, Live/Dead, The Last Waltz, At Fillmore East, Live at the Regal… I had never listened to Brown’s Live at the Apollo and was excited to see it as my album of the day because I know it’s often ranked with the above as an all-time great live album. After a couple of listens I was left thinking… that’s it? There’s definitely a palpable tension building that releases during Please Please Please that is very much the highlight, but otherwise I’m pretty underwhelmed with it. Maybe the quality of the record on Spotify is poor and influenced my experience, but other than being a semi-interesting relic of Brown at that point in time I didn’t get much from it.

3 - it was ok. You miss out on what made James brown so great without video of his performance

A little slow to start, but the second half is pretty good.

It’s fine I think it would be better live but. Yeah not for me

At my old job I listened to a disturbing amount of James Brown (not by choice) and whenever id get tired of hits, id put this album on. Damn this is an iconic performance. I wanted to dock a point because im slightly tired of these songs but upon relistening with intent, the energy is undeniable and I cant think of a good reason not to give it a 5.

Such rawness and energy in a single album. My god. 10/10

It’s a classic, chic and elegant

Not really a fan of live albums, but this was enjoyable. It felt like it would have been better to be there in the audience.

This is so intense, so energetic, so tight, and so funky that I really don't know what band and performer could ever match it. Obviously Brown is the standout piece of this, but the band is much better than could reasonably be expected in a hectic liveset.

Good god yall! It’s James Brown. This was fine.

I find myself liking the ballads more the the uptempo songs. Overall, a pretty good live record. Favorites: Try Me, I Don't Mind Would I listen to it again: Probably

Great

What an awesome concert! This almost felt like a church service. You can hear the young ladies screaming as they're overcome with the emotion of hearing James. His diction leaves much to be desired, but that's what you get with him. It was an interesting take to hear the MC come out and tell everyone what songs were going to be performed. My Rating: 5/5

I loved this. The live feel felt so great. Wonderfully recorded and James Brown absolutely killed it.

Killer

it’s james brown live at the apollo

Bonne performance!

Man it’s James Brown at the mf’n Apollo, enough said.

Amazing soul made even cooler with a live performance. Bonus points for screaming women.

It really feels like you're there at the Apollo watching him. I loved the energy and the atmosphere, the screams from the crowd. The recording still sounds so crisp and clear while being live. And James Brown is just.... the king of R&B. He's the ultimate performer.

Interesting live album kind of shows off James Brown’s vocal chops and showmanship. The last three tracks are the only real song length takes in the album, the rest of the album is kind of live show filler type material. I’d rather just listen to a studio album.

I don't generally like live albums. James Brown is probably an exception to that. The way he feeds off the crowd (and the crowd feeds off him) makes the usually annoying crowd sounds part of the music. This likely wouldn't be as impactful if it was a studio performance.

fantastic

I mean it’s James brown

did not listen

Love his voice and a concert album

The Apollo was a tombstone when it comes to famous venues. Brown's perfomance shone through the crowd vibrant and enthusiastic presence along the energy that he always delivered throughout his shows.

Own this, just the greatest showman

I was really stoked when I drew this album. Love the funky trumpets, and eclectic jazzy feel, songs to clap along with, etc. But the live format didn’t really do it for me. Too much distracting background noise and screaming.

irresistible

Oh to be a successful artist and be able to throw up a 28 minute, 6-7 song set. Obviously a very talented performer and I like some of his studio work but this did little to nothing for me. Don’t just say ow say OWWW was hilarious.

Great energy, but this is hard to rate. Top 1001 ALBUMS you must listen to? Idk about that. There are better James Brown album experiences that you could have. The magic of this music would've certainly been in person more than the other live albums that we have received. Feeling the weakest 3 you could possibly give

How can you go wrong with this? So much energy, only 30 minutes. Never gets old. 5/5

It’s just so good.

With very few exceptions, I don't like live albums. This is not one of those exceptions. I don't need to hear ladies screaming high pitched through my headphones. The music itself is good. If this were a normal recording, I'd probably give it a 3/5, but I'm docking it a point for being live.

Really enjoyed this actually. Didn't take note of much songs by themselves but overall the album was very enjoyable. I think the live recording improved it as well. Wish I could play piano like that!

Si court (trop?), mais intense et fougueux.

Just yesterday, I was complaining about how Live at Leeds didn't have any songs I cared about on it, and then this one comes in to remind me that I don't actually need to know any of the songs to have a blast with a live album. I just need a singer with the energy of James Brown!

How statistically unlikely that this should be my third live album in a week having previously only had two in over 200 days. Not grumbling though as this was good, showcasing what a live force Brown and his band were at their peak. When I was growing up James Brown was much more recognised and lauded than he is today. The biggest music star of that era Michael Jackson openly acknowledged the influence of James Brown on his own music and showmanship, now it feels he's much more slept on. There was a biopic that I vaguely recall about 10 years ago but it didn't seem to generate the renewed interest that others did. It starred Chadwick Boseman, albeit pre Black Panther super-stardom. For someone whose timing was so immaculate on stage, it doesn't seem to have translated into his posthumous career.

69/100 pretty fun to listen to, love the instrumental bridges and the intro very much, you can feel the atmosphere in the theatre, one of the most influential live performances of all time but musically isnt anything crazy

Jag tycker det har potential men jag måste lyssna på det mer för att faktiskt tycka om den.

Groovie förstås. Gillar karln men et helt album lite enformigt.

Jag har med några undantag svårt för Live-inspelningar. Dessutom är jag inte ett jättefan av James Brown. Men bandet är tight!

An extraordinary entertainer. Live album, not so much.

So few have this talent to whip a crowd into a frenzy, then pull them back. Absolute palm of the hand

banger from 60s

Lost my notes. Wanted to love it, only liked it. Curious what a James Brown album would sound like, but the live concert is a bit rough on the edges. Feels like a weird selection for 1000 albums list.

Du James Brown quoi Get up, pour ceux qui aiment pas mal 😉

Not a huge fan of his work but the production on this live album is soo clean and good. The people sound like theyre having a helluva time. Wish i could've been there fot it

‘Live At The Apollo’ is pretty good, but I prefer my brother James in his fonky era.

No one does it better.

This was before JB found the funk. Not a fan of live albums

Whoa. This is super old school. Soulful and blues driven. You can feel the passion.

I'm very conflicted by this record, the whole listening experience for me just felt underwhelming and not as explosive as I'd thought it would be. As I understand James Brown was considered by many as being "That Guy" he influenced countless pop stars, was a progenitor of many genres of music, and grew impressive reputation that even those at the top could only dream of. It feels blasphemous saying this but I really don't know what I was expecting out of this. Maybe it's crowd going a little too crazy, maybe it's the instruments not hitting hard enough, or maybe it's just me not understanding the time period well enough to appreciate this record. In any case this record was not bad or mid but I just expecting something more. I'll look further into this. 3.00-3.50/5

High energy, James, as always! This was a younger, powerful James Brown, full of excitement and power. Short bursts of dance music designed to whip the crowds into a frenzy. In it, I can definitely see the icon-to-be. This is my second live album on the journey, and I have to say, they don't appeal to me, so far, as much as studio albums. Not sure why. Maybe live recordings have matured since them, but they both seemed rather disjointed.

I don’t generally like live albums, but this is great. There is the usual James Brown performance, which is Church with loads of soul. I prefer Godfather of Soul JB to funky JB, so this album is fine by me. Loads of cool here, loads of emotion, and a lot to enjoy.

Man those cats are swinging!

I thought this album was really fun. The band is tight. The energy in the room is palpable and James actually sings instead of screams which he seemed to do more in his later years. I wish I had been in the room. I bet it was a blast. I love when the mood is so well captured on an album.

Damn good and fun short and sweet very simple and effective very

Pretty good. Although I’m more familiar with and prefer volume two that was recorded about five years later. On the deluxe version of volume two I love the extended grooves of There Was A Time and I Feel All Right.

Love that this is just a nonstop groove that only slows when the music demands, but sustains power. They bottle this up it could replace all those cancer-filled windmills.

I love me some James Brown. This was pretty great, and had a nice mix of four and five star songs, but doesn’t quite get to 5. I prefer Sex Machine, and I don’t think it’s on this list for some reason.

Live album 2.5

There is a reason that James Brown is called the godfather of soul.

good live album. similar to the sam cooke album that was on this list but not as good imo 7/10 Favourite Medley Least Favourite: Try Me

3.5/5

a ver no es mi estilo supongo que es entretenido pero off no lo voy a volver a escuchar 2/5

1963. Yeah, not for me. It's like an event in history has been recorded for prosperity. I've heard it now, I don't need to again. Couple of tracks were OK. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ nope ★★☆☆☆(3/10)

James Brown might be best heard through Live recordings, if for no other reason then the crowd will let you know when you're missing a dance break. I have listened to Get Down With James Brown: Live At The Apollo Vol. IV (1972). James Brown does very little singing on that album, but presumably dances and otherwise entertains most of the time. I assumed this album would be similar, but that was incorrect. James Brown does a lot more singing on this album, and it certainly feels like a proper JB album. This won't be a comparison of the two albums because they're very different and it wouldn't be fair. Listen to both. If you're curious about the origins of Soul/Funk, this is a great place to start. I have no doubt that JB was an amazing entertainer in his day, and the Apollo was probably the best place to witness that. You really get the links to Rock'n'Roll and R&B, and some solid crooning (do we call it crooning in Soul?). Worth the listen.

This album mostly proved that some music just needs to be experienced live.

another certified bop two days in a row. james brown is the goat. people don't perform like this anymore.

An epic album for sure, though I prefer the funky-er side of James that comes later in his career.

Fine. Chill.

Classic album and very influential

The sound quality for a live album from the 60’s was impressive. James Brown doesn’t disappoint either.

It's alright I guess.....I think I expected a little more from the hardest working man in show business.

Frenetic-gospel James Brown. Good musical backup and the crowd participation adds some punch.

Live = Shit James Brown belongs on this list - this album does not.

I wanted to give this a shot as I had high hopes for James Brown. I dont really know a lot of James Brown, but I don’t think this is his best. And this is the worst kind of live album.

I like when the audience goes AAAH

6/10

I originally grabbed this album a while back and got rid of it. I like James Brown but in concert... meh. If you want to hear James Brown, grab Star Time and listen to all of it. You'll thank yourself in the end. 2/5 stars because it's James Brown. Other than that, it's a live album and I hate them for the most part.

*Fun album. *Only 30 mins. *Listened as background music while reading - that worked great. *Amazing music, but probably wouldn’t return to this album. RATING - 6.5/10

I've listened to other live James Brown albums and this very much captures the electricity of what he does. It's a very interesting contrast to modern concerts with the amount of interstitial instrumentation involved. A great listen.

Not my favorite James Brown recording, but still solid.

tell you what - this album tells you just how popular James Brown was with the ladies. The level of crowd noise on this album mixed with Brown's sultry ballads combined with beautiful screeches make this album unbelievable.

This felt meh. I don't love live albums being on here, and this was too quick to really get into. Good at time though 4/10

Fantastic R&B and soul record. Just not a huge fan of it myself. I did recognize I Don't Mind though since it was on The Who's My Generation. Cool to hear the original. For once I'm not gonna complain about a live album being on the list, but what I will say is, how come a lot of these old live albums are (I assume) heavily cut down from the original performance? I have a hard time believing Brown only played 30 minutes of material. Is it a "We only have so much space on the vinyl, so we picked the best tracks" situation?

Exciting stuff. I hadn't heard stuff from this early in James Brown's career before and it was cool to find out that he had already taken on the "hardest working man in show-business" moniker and that his vocal style was already fully formed.

Soul and jazz and crazy vibes from the crowd. A fun listen.

Screamin' James Brown.

A good, short album. It feels like this doesn't really encompass the Godfather of Soul's energy (or his lewdness). It's because it's early on his career and Brown didn't have a lot of his catalogue. Nevertheless, Brown has infectious soul, even in these truncated tracks. Top Tracks: "I'll Go Crazy," "Medley: Please Please Please ..."

kinda ild that they're just giving the playlist at the top of the show! I guess they didn't have setlist.fm back in 1963 lol. His part in Rocky IV still my favorite James Brown moment. This is fine. I feel like the 70s and 90s were really the good times for amazing live albums, and a 30 minute live show just ain't it for me, boss. Still love the old school feel of soul and r&b but it really isn't my bag, baby, so I'm going to say good listen. Probably one of the 700 or so albums on this list that could charitably be characterized as albums I'll listen to once before I die. Begging for half points here, so this gets a...

--I'll Go Crazy...cool --Try Me...too early for a ballad but it's fine --Think...this kicks. But it's too short! --I Don't Mind...a sexy and slow groove. Very cool --Lost Someone...after a few rapid fire tracks we have a 10+ minute epic. Sounds like the audience is having fun but if all you're doing is listening, it just meanders --Medley...You've Got the Power section is beautiful --Night Train...we end with a nice groove

Love me some godfather. Definitely appreciated the vibes on this one. This live album did a great job showcasing the musicianship of his backing band, and the solid grooves they could put down.

I would have loved to have been at this show. Incredible how most of the songs are 2 minutes if not shorter. I love the feel of the band being so clearly incredible good but also that their performance is so wildly imperfect. It's the perfect combo. So alive.

More muted than I thought it would be. Somehow the live atmosphere didn’t come through for me.

Bien chouette

7/10

#120 - Awesome to hear it live. Wish I could've been there!

Rock n rol

While the sound quality of this recording is not the best it still captures the power and energy that James brought to the stage. Along with an extremely tight backing band and some fun interactions with the audience this is a memorable performance.

1. Introduction By Fats Gonder/ Opening Fanfare - N/A It's an introduction so it will not be rated. Please note that the instrumental bridges will not be either. 2. I'll Go Crazy - 9 Great song. Brown's vocals are impeccable. The blaring trumpets between the lines, concluding the chorus. Amazing song. Classic big band style music. 3. Try Me - 5 Pass over track. The vocals too minimal, too repetitive, and the instruments subdued so as not to drown Brown out. It just never gets going anywhere. 4. Instrumental Bridge #1 - N/A 5. Think - 6 Frantic song. Random clapping that sounds like it should be there for the whole song, which is under 2 minutes in length it will randomly stop. Instruments at times have the same randomness to them outside of the verse. Brown almost mumbles his lines instead of sing them. Overall, could be a lot better. 6. Instrumental Bridge #2 - N/A 7. I Don't Mind - 6 I don't mind this song. It's slower, little bit barbershop quartet until the very end. Nothing spectacular. 8. Instrumental Bridge #3 - N/A 9. Lost Someone - 3 Brown's voice is impeccable but the song is pointless. It just goes on and on and on and on with no real purpose. 10. Medley: Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone - 8 The medley starts great with a burst of sound before mellowing out in the later parts. Brown is insurmountable in his excellence on the track. It's exactly as a medley should be. 11. Night Train - 6 The beat is great, the tempo is good, the pause in the middle is unnecessary. The lyrics aren't anything phenomenal, just naming random places in the United States along the east coast. Average Rating: 6.14 Adjusted to a 5-Point Scale: 3.07 Rounded Down: 3 Stars

Ends on an absolute banger.

Absolutely electric performance

After listening to Tim Buckley go funk yesterday, today it's time to explore the genre's origins with James Brown's "Live at the Apollo Theater". Admittedly, I haven't listened to James Brown much beyond his hits. But I did see a couple of videos of his coked-up concerts from the 70s, and as energetic and raw as his performance here is, it's still a much tamer version of him than the one I'm familiar with. The crowd losing their minds tells you everything you need to know about how good he was live. The vocals are superb, as you'd expect. It's not only his voice (which is, of course, one of a kind) and control that make it so, it's also how he handles those slower, more restrained sections. However, aside from the vocals and his performance, which I had expected to be good before going into this, I really didn't connect with the album at all. The songs sounded a bit samey, the lyrics aren't particularly compelling, and I was left with the feeling that I've heard something similar countless times before. And all the screaming and noises from the crowd were a bit annoying. 2.5/5

Seems like a fun night, I love the passion in his voice and how he interacts with the crowd.

How does a live album recorded in 1963 sound this damn good?! It's a great performance by a legendary performer. Band is great. Everything about this record is great. However I do not believe this is mandatory outside of it being a masterclass in live concert recording.

It is a very interesting album, although not my style

Live albums are mostly a waste. The sound is bad the songs arnt as good

All the energy.

James Brown is amazing. There's so much influence on Janis Joplin and Michael Jackson that's unbelievable. Very good work. 8/10

So quick, so tight, so good. Lost Someone is the peak: the crowd is in to it!

not fond of live albuns, but James Brown kills it

it was pleasant, but nothing blew me away. Probably would not intentionally listen to again, but would have no issues if it was being played. 3 stars

So so good. The model used by Prince and Springsteen and Elvis. Designed to entertain and please a crowd and it did.

Live music shouldn't be in this list but at least the crowd seemed to like it.

I’m not saying I disliked this album. It was okay. However I do have some critiques. Lets start off with the good. The atmosphere is electric, the whole crowd is into it. And I do think James Brown has an incredible voice, that’s even better live than it is in his studio recordings. On the other hand, the bad… There are parts where you can tell he isn’t singing directly into the microphone because his voice fades out. Kind of frustrating not being able to hear what he is saying for half the album. I will say this isn’t particularly my style of music, but I didn’t necessarily have a bad time either. It was just okay to me. Standout songs: I’ll Go Crazy I Don’t Mind Medley

he is a legend

Det er bra

Can't go wrong with James Brown

i would have liked to have been at that show

It a very important album, and a very good album. It difficult to understand what a big deal James Brown was in the early sixties. He was popular in the black theatres, and his masterstroke was making this album a live recording....one of the first live, in concert, albums. It's the perfect way to capture the energy, Nowadays, it sounds a bit hokey... but By God, James is the consumate performer. And imagine how much of modern music is based upon the JB sound. Massively influential, massively enjoyable.

Absolutely pristine recording, especially for 1962. The band is in top form, tight as hell. Brown's voice is impeccable, easy to see why he's such an icon. The setlist itself could be a little better and, mainly longer, it feels like it's over just as it begins. I'd also love to see live footage, given the amount of screams you hear through the album. Would definitely listen again, a master at work.

Not bad at all, but again not my type

Surprisingly dull for an artist like James Brown

Probably one of the best live albums of all time. 5/5

I’m not a massive fan of James Brown’s howling brand of soul music, but I can recognise and appreciate how talented he is as a singer and frontman. Not one I want to listen to endlessly, but I understand all the love.

great

OUGGHHHHGGHHHHHHHHHH

A bit short but good

Felt more like a cool historic artifact than a good listening experience to me. Love the cover art. Rating: 2.5

Bad just like someone screaming , Piece of shit

there's no fucking businiss like show business, people usually say... and here's this live album by the hardest working man in the show business. i listened to it in the middle of the night during a night flight to new york when im in some place transferring in the middle of the night and sitting near the broading gate at 2 in the morning listening to the blaring horns and james scatting into my headphone. so dynamic. so lively. so out of this world. some songs are a bit long but thats ok. im hallunicating cause i need to sleep at 6 in the morning to adjust to time lags the quickest. post script: i rly hate people who don't enjoy live albums. 4/5

I was already familiar with this album before listening. It's a very good illustration of James Brown was like in concert, earning him the "hardest working man in show business" moniker. It's high energy and showcases his strong vocals and stage presence. My only complaint is it's pretty short at only 31 minutes. Would listen again.

Not my thing, sounds good though. Probably good background music for something.

I will say one thing about James Brown. He put 100% into his performances, so he gets some points just for effort. The music is not really my style. I prefer the Otis Redding style soul, but it's decent enough. He likes to repeat phrases over and over again. And in this live performance, he too often is hard to hear from being far away from the microphone. The audience is definitely into it though.

James Brown är allt som oftast bra

Years later, this album would inspire some great Eddie Murphy skits.

The one!

Excellent stuff!

hell yeah

Live album.

Not too bad, but not great, feels like your ordinary jazz

The closest I ever came to seeing James Brown was seeing The Screaming Eagle of Soul, Charles Bradley (who started his career as a James Brown tribute act). James Brown’s voice is so powerful you think it’s going to go horribly wrong at parts, but he manages to hold it back from breaking completely. I think he’s at his best live, and this album certainly showcases his showmanship and energy as an entertainer; the crowd also adds an electric energy to this album and is the better for including it on the recording. I found the tracklist quite dull though compared to other live recordings I’ve seen/heard from him.

Pretty pleasant to listen to, especially with the jazzy instrumentation and groove. Very different style of singing from back then though.

Clásico.

This is a fine listen, but nothing on this album really does it for me. The energy is there, but the live aspect, while historic, probably worked better in the room than it does on the recording.

It sounds like it would have been fun to be there