James Brown Live At The Apollo

Class but not his beat

A fantastic live performer, full of energy.

Gotta like this one!

Lively, impeccable recording. You can feel the energy in the room. A nice quick introduction to James Browns’ talent.

This was fun. The energy from the crowd really added to the vibe. I gotta listen to more James Brown now.

Nice funky soul music. I also now acknowledge this man's insane influence on the music world and industry. Overall the album is not bad, but I feel like I'd need to listen more for it to hit properly. 7/10

Not usually one to listen to live albums, but I did really like this one. It was fun, dynamic, and energetic. The crowd screaming was a bit annoying at times, but some moments where he interacts with the crowd are pretty cool

As much as he was a problematic person, his songs are catchy and just great.

Not my genre

Slapped

Ok a live soul record is really something else. The audio is amazing and there is just an absolute scream of joy and anticipation at the beginning of almost every track. It's kind of delightful. In "Lost Someone" someone just loudly shrieks in the middle of the track and it's genuinely amazing. You can tell they are just overcome with joy and I love it. Soul, especially live soul, can be so jazzy or proggy or whatever you want to call it. There is obviously a ton of structure on this record, but because it's live, there are so many moments when he just like, ~VIBES~ for a while and it is amazing and I feel like that live aspect of soul is nearly a genre in and of itself.

Okay, hear me out. James Brown is phenomenal, and absolute icon. Visionary performer and entertainer, hell he invented Mick Jagger and got minimal credit. But, 1962 live at the apollo was not his best performance. Frankly, cocaine was a god sent to this man and is art. Albeit a Motown & RnB purist goldmine for James Brown fans but, I prefer the later coke fueled sex-funk.

Yep.

Very busy and energetic. Definitely James Brown!

James Brown. Sex Machine. Did not know many songs besides that one, and even though that one is a hit, it never occured to me to listen to an entire album of him. After listening to it and reading a bit about it, it seems this live album is a good place to start. You can hear and feel that he was a great musician and - nice touch since it’s a live album - that the audience was exctatic about it which adds to the atmosphere.

Never heard before! The songs seem rooted in call and response also found in some preaching. The tunes just pull me in and make me want to move and dance!

Very tight band, likely driven by the hardest working man in show business

Energetic!!!

James Brown's Live At The Apollo album delivers an electrifying performance, showcasing the Godfather of Soul's unparalleled stage presence. The energy is palpable, and the band's tight arrangements are on point. However, my main gripe lies in the prominent audience noise, occasionally distracting from the musical brilliance. While it adds a live atmosphere, at times, it overshadows the intensity of Brown's incredible vocals and the band's tight instrumentation.

Not my usual type of music, added “Lost Someone”

James Brown is a revolutionary icon with an unprecedented impact on music. The "Hardest-Working Man in Show Business" influenced the development of several music genres including funk, soul, R&B, rock, and pop. This album, "Live at the Apollo," is an incredible live showcase of Brown's popular music from the time. This album was hugely popular and a critical success.

this gave me chills, it being a live recording made it feel so much more visceral and raw. browns voice is incredible

You can certainly tell why he’s known as the Godfather of Soul.

4.5

Fun, raw, unpolished but real. Made me dance.

Huge amounts of energy, great guy

Classic

Amazing performance and awesome crowd. Great album!

The sounds isn't great the but the performance is pure heat. Incredibly tight rhythm section doing instant switches between soul ballads and funk rave ups so uptempo it sounds like they're playing on 1.5x. The horns and bass carry the songs along, with some subtle guitar counter melodies and syncopation. It's all about the the vocals though: they reach beyond his throat's breaking point becoming raw screams and then dive back to controlled crooning. The songs are mostly short RnB/pop compositions that don't develop into the deeper grooves of later 60s/70s funk. They introduce James Brown and then it's over before you know it.

James Brown has always felt punchy to me, like the band is boxing my ears. I wish they’d settle into a groove and ride it. But I think it’s a feature that would have made them a joy live. And you can hear it here, this gets an extra star for the euphoric Apollo audience. Also, the man can sing, and his band kills.

Night Train has such a deep groove! Love the screaming girls losing their minds.

It's James Brown, and even though it's a more understated version of James Brown, it's still James Brown. Such energy, precision, and performance. He really was incredible. Love the cover, by the way.

Anticipated I was going to enjoy this, and I did very much. Funky!

Definitely a cool sound, I was disappointed with how short this album was. Good classic R&B.

This is great. James Brown has such a legendary voice, and the instrumentation is top notch.

Quite enjoyed it

Skilled musicianship right there. I respect a really solid live performance.

This is a super influential / seminal album in the history of rock and soul music. The band is tight af and Brown's voice is amazing. But would I listen to it again? Doubt it. 4 for the history.

😎

Bursts with energy from decades ago. Are you ready for star time?

Probably the Most Energetic Performer The USA Has Ever Produced. Hot Funk & Cool Soul, Need I say More. The man was a Walking Fire Ball Great Album, Great Documentation of Him as a Performer & Band Leader. The Fact is, Springsteen Borrowed a lot from James Brown & Otis Redding forms live shows. But James Brown was the Master

Great album top to bottom. The man has energy.

Pretty good

A classic album that I honestly expected to like a lot more than I did. James Brown is a legendary performer, but I don't think this was him at his best!

good live jazz album. probably wouldn’t add any of the songs to my playlists but would definitely listen to the album as a whole again!

Compared to his studio albums, this isn’t my favorite collection. But it’s still James brown so pretty legit.

i love this album. his jazz was very relaxing to listen too. i don’t usually tend to listen to jazz however this album was very fine. not too long but not too short.

James Brown performances are always next level and his band is wonderful, flawless and groovy.

Extremely tight and satisfying playing. Great band, but I do prefer James Brown when the cuts are built upon and extended, like Lost Someone and the Medley

Hyvän fiiliksen settii! Kuuntelin saunassa ja toimi :)

You can feel a lot of history in this album. This is the set up to a lot of classic rock and pop. I wouldn’t have this on repeat today but this definitely contributed to a lot of what we have today in the modern music.

Not something i’d listen to in my free time but you can’t deny it’s an electric performance. The tracks Try Me and I’ll Go Crazy really encapsulate this albums tantalizing mix of RnB and Soul.

Excellent

The tracks themselves are good, but the audience detracted from the music.

Un bon live punchy, sauvegardé pour réécoute

While the crowd noise was distracting at times, this was a really fun live album. James Brown kills it on the vocals. Every song has its own vibe but the whole set has a consistent aesthetic at the same time. Just great vibes from start to finish.

Not a lot here that I've heard before but James brown is James brown iconic sound. Very short for a live event. It is 60 years old

soulllll brudda make girls scream brudda

I wish I could've seen this live. This album is a lot of fun, especially the call-and-response scream thing on Lost Someone. Favorite(s): I'll Go Crazy, Try Me, Think, Lost Someone, Medley

One of those "it must have been amazing" live recordings. I'm sure I don't have anything meaningful to add to the critiques of James Brown.

I never really fully understood James Brown until I listen to this live album. I get it now. He was a true showman.

I really enjoyed this album. I thought that James brown was definitely active with his audience when he was singing and he had is own little kick to the song! 4/5

Never listened to James Brown before but really enjoyed this album

classic and worth the time. Play it Loud.

Great fun to listen to. Live albums can be really hit or miss, but this one benefits from being a tight 30 minutes with no fat on it. The 10 minute song that takes up a big portion of the album is great, his back and forth with the crowd takes what could've been a repetitive song into a fun experience that slowly builds over time before exploding into the medley after it. His vocals are insane too, some of the screams are almost inhuman.

This was a pleasant surprise after only knowing 80’s cocaine James Brown

This is an energetic live album. I really enjoyed it, and James Brown is just a blast. Sound quality might not be the best but it was fun.

The hardest working man in show business is what they called James Brown. I can see why. I'm usually not a huge fan when the audience is super loud in live recordings. It takes away from the music. But it kind of works for this album. Because they go crazy at the start of every single song. The people in that audience loved him. His stage presence and voice had a very commanding energy, so he really had the audience in the palm of his hand. I love Brown's voice, and I think for '62, this album sounds amazing. It was recorded excellently for a live environment back then. But I'm not as big of a fan of some of the musical content. I like the more upbeat tracks like I'll Go Crazy or Night Train, but the tracks that tone it down a little bit more just aren't super memorable. Usually I get excited when I see a song like Lost Someone that has a length of 8 minutes or more. But this particular song doesn't really do much in 10 minutes. It is kind of the same thing repeated. None of these songs are bad, and they don't take away from the quality of the record. They just don't do it for me. But if I were basing this review purely on whether this is a good live Soul record, this would be a great introduction to James Brown.

I had to listen to the twice; the atmosphere is electric. It's a really good quality recording that puts me right there in the audience. And what a voice! Favourite tracks: Try Me, I Don't Mind.

It's James Brown at the beginning of his career. Full of vigor and power. He was 29 in 1962 and had girls screaming at him everywhere he was. Deservedly. Great one this.

Good fun, entertaining live aspect, not the best James Brown imo

Good mix of jazz/blues/rock. James Brown is an impressive live performer.

Some 5 star stuff here. Mostly 5 star. It’s just so much to take in you need an entire weekend

Good vibes. Hard not to bop along to the music and James Browns voice is iconic.

So much fun. I forgot how exciting James Brown was.

Słuchając miałem wrażenie że już kiedyś słyszałem dany riff czy linię melodyczną. Widać był bardzo wpływowy na resztę muzyki i na nagraniu wyraźnie słychać, że lubiany przez młode damy :)

truly one of a kind. Energy is unmatched

High energy, super sexy, no wonder the boomers had so many kids

Great Live Album with good quality.

I don't normally agree with live albums being on here, but this one is an exception. There's such energy on here, and the recording is great. James Brown sounds like he has the crowd eating out of his hands. I'm not very familiar with his work, so this serves as a good "Greatest Hits" of his early period as far as I can see.

Good stuff but still prefer the funky coked out madness of the 70s

Very jazzy album. Really enjoyed listening to it and it spiced up my day despite not being my normal kind of listen.

Amazing album, a young James Brown in his prime

Very good!

So funky and a good atmosphere

Every great concert you've ever seen is a pale attempt at recreating the energy that James Brown had when he performed. This live record is fantastic but also misses on that energy, but that's not the record's fault for not being able to encapsulate a four dimension experience on to a three dimension piece of media that yields an aural sound. 4/5

I think the big highlight of this is the liveliness of the crowd and it feeling intimate. The energy the artists bring this from a good, to a great lovely short and exciting listen.

Great music, worth a vinyl purchase. 4/5

Yeah... live album. I like James Brown but do we had to get concert album with audience? I don't know what is the deal with things like that. It is both worse than live event and worse than studio album. It could be 5 just because voice of James Brown and great, energetic music but it gets -1 for live version

Brutal disco de soul sinceramente

Real star power, great audience energy. Not great recording quality, though, and pretty short.

Great album. Masterful

Concert sounds electric feels like i was there

Enjoyed

Great live album from The Godfather of Soul

4 stars instead of 5 because this is a short album. Otherwise it’s 5 stars always for JB.

I enjoy James Brown, but was unfamiliar with everything on this album, likely because this was relatively early in his career. Unsurprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic blend of doo-wop-inflected R&B and soul. And given the profusion of long-winded albums chock full of overlong tracks that we've gotten over the year we've been doing this, I never thought I'd say this: this album was too short. I don't need 90 minutes of Todd Rundgren, but I'd like more than 30 minutes of James Brown.

Bangs through a whole lot of tune after tune after tune before taking it right down for an epic slice of soul. Band is perfectly in step, really well recorded, voice is at his early best, great crowd work, and you can't quite believe it's all over in just half an hour. More please!

Okay! Try Me just came on. Such a pretty song. I really love blues! I liked the energy in this album. 4 stars.

I dislike Live albums, but this one wasn’t too bad.

Hell yeah King of the Apollo, Hardest Working Man in Show Business rips off the roof and renames it the House of James. This album’s really short! But listen to the famously tough Apollo crowd melt in his presence, and you’ll be wanting more too.

Not what i expected. Very hip, soulful, bluesy and electric energy. Enjoyed it from start to finish. James Brown is very dynamic in this set.

I'm not normally a big fan of live albums but this is certainly an exception. It's definitely the best way to experience James Brown. What a performer. There's not a note (or scream from the audience) that's out of place here. The second half is surprisingly calm but still performed flawlessly.

Man I bet he would have been great to see live

I've never actually listened to a full james brown album before so it's weird having a live album as an introduction. I liked it tho which makes sence considering most of the artist I like are heavily influenced by him

szkoda, że koncertówka

I've never really given James Brown a listen other than his biggest commercial hits but I totally get how he gets his nicknames. This is one of the better live albums I've listened to. The band is unbelievably tight and clean and James Brown is a powerhouse. Favorite Song - Try Me Least Favorite Song - Lost Someone One of the reasons I am not super into live albums is the crowd and this song had a lot of crowd work towards the end that dragged on a little but the transition into the medley is great. No Skip Album? - Yes

very good early JB. I prefer 1968+ but this was good

The ”Godfather of Soul” showcases his unparalleled stage presence, dynamic energy, and undeniable talent on this live record. The album bursts open with "I'll Go Crazy," immediately hitting you with infectious rhythms, impassioned vocals, and tight, groove-laden instrumentation. The band, including the renowned Flames, is exceptionally tight, providing the perfect backdrop for Brown's electrifying performance. Brown's voice transitions between smooth crooning and fiery, gospel-inspired shouts, showcasing his vocal range and versatility. His ability to command the stage and captivate the audience is quite something, as he effortlessly weaves through hits like "Try Me," "Lost Someone," and "Please, Please, Please." The sheer power and emotion in his delivery are unparalleled, showing why he was regarded as one of the greatest live performers of all time. The album's defining moment in my opinion is the extended rendition of "Lost Someone." Clocking in at over ten minutes, the song is an emotional tour de force, with Brown pouring his heart and soul into every note. His improvised interplay with the audience, the intensity of his screams, and the unrelenting groove of the band create an atmosphere that is both intimate and explosive. This is a great example of a good live album, capturing the rawness and spontaneity of a live performance, with the audience's enthusiastic participation adding an extra layer of excitement. Brown's ability to connect with the crowd is undeniable, as the cheers, screams, and call-and-response interactions amplify the electrifying atmosphere of the Apollo Theater. This one is a testament to Brown’s skill on the stage and I heavily recommend it to anyone looking for a good live album experience.

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

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

Good background funk

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

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

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

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

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

He’s the man

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

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

4.5 / 5 stars

Lost someone with the audience participation was fun.

mono recording kinda ruins it. still a great set

3.5/5

3.5 it’s fine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wish I was at this gig... sounds lit

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

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

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

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

Funky

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

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

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

All the funk

A nice little live album.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is one of the few live albums that works.

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

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

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

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

Yeah that was a fun listen

Powerfully funky stuff

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wantlist

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

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

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

Class. Great live album.

4.5

Jag är publiken

Kova

Why don't all albums have instrumental interludes?

brown without bloat

Lotsa fun

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

Great stuff

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

What a performer!

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

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

Awesome like album. Love the crowd noise.

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

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

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

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

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

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

I don’t mind.

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

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

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

Seriously a mind-blowing experience hearing ladies scream in the background to James Brown. You can feel the energy in the crowd listening to this album.

4/5. Can't go wrong with James Brown. Classic.

Ahhh, everyone likes James Brown. 4/5.

So self-evidently pretty good that reviewing it almost feels like a waste.

curto o cpx

The kids especially liked this one. Hardest working man in showbusiness

Great concert. Nice record

Pero qué gran fiesta es esta. En el medley de Please, please, please los gritos son increíbles

Love James Brown a great live album. But I did find the crowd noise a little annoying so loses a star for that.

je retire ce que j'ai dit sur les live👍

4/5

Early James Brown is the best James Brown! A stellar selection of songs and performance.

Very good but in serious need a a remaster. The parts were too far panned in 1 direction or the other so listening in AirPods was a pain. But James brown is an undeniable talent with a great voice and I think this show would have been incredible to watch in person. If we had half stars it would get a 3.5.

Fun album, moves quickly, nice flow.

Legendary voice and performer. You can feel the electric performance from the speakers.

4.5

Enjoyed it, would listen again. Not as crazy/flamboyant as living in America.

Pretty good. Usually I'm not a live music enthusiast but this album barely felt live to me. Performance was stellar and I didn't really hear the audience disturb the recording so that's also a big plus.

Makes 33 minutes feel like two. It's almost frantic in its energy. I love it. He throws out 10 second versions of his biggest hits (at the time) the band is awesomely tight. Just wow, really.

I don't know if I've ever listened to this artist but the swelling of bass in the intro track has me excited to listen to this. kinda has some surfer dude vibes on I'll Go Crazy. Try me! it being a live recording I'm not sure when the next song starts, if it wasn't for the crowd going crazy. while I feel put of the loop, the crowds excitement makes me more than happy to hear his music. like dang what have I been missing? I find myself tapping my foot, while waiting to start my job. I like Think! How it starts the instruments lead hard and he scats to Chase them. very fun. I wish I could scat and woman go crazy. I don't mind, might have me favorite lead into the song. this dude has the crowd in the palm of his hand it's amazing. just finished Please Please Please. good album! I had started my work about halfway through so my notes stopped there but it was a cool listen. jazzy and strong vocal I would listen again.

Very cool album. The energy in the room is palpable. I'm not a huge fan of JBs music / songs but a couple did resonate with and the experience of attending a JB show is definitely not lost on me and comes through vividly on this album. 4 🌟

Thought it would have more energy

First time of listening to this album, I was much more aware of his late 60's/70's output, but it is amazing that in 1962, when the Beatles were just starting their Mop-Toppery that James had an audience screaming at the Apollo and was already known as the most hardworking man in showbusiness. A great live album that highlights the skill and artistry of both the band & the Famous Flames and the sheer soul of JB's musical ability as both an artist and an arranger. My favourites on the album are "Lost Someone" a great expression of lost love (or is it lust!), "Think" and the "Please, Please, Please" Medley. A good pick for this list I think.

Hardest working man in show business wins again. Great album with lots of fun and energy

I really like how you can hear how James Brown is interacting with the audience. You can feel the energy.

Hell yeah. Röstar mycket på viben jag fick av att lyssna på James brown hela dagen

Good vibes! Easy to listen to, sit back and enjoy

I mean, it's James Brown. So of course it's gonna be good. But I have to say, it wasn't quite as good as I expected. It deserves to be on this list but it was not nearly as enjoyable for me as Sarah Vaughan or Sam Cooke. Obviously he's a great singer, great dancer, and in that sense a great performer. But the crowd interaction was a bit lackluster compared to many live albums imo. Also there's the fact that as a person, James Brown was an absolute total flaming bag of shit. He literally pushed girlfriends down flights of stairs or beat them up. So although I know he's a great artist it's pretty hard to take his work and completely remove it from that context. But hey, James Brown is a music legend so people will probably overlook it more than they should. Chris Brown has far less talent and people ignored and didn't care about that, too. Fave track: Try Me. Four stars for the album, but would give James Brown zero stars as a human being if I could.

Sadly, I’ll never get to experience seeing James Brown in his prime. Fortunately we have this gem though. Great capture of the energy and excitement. My only complaint is that it’s too short! 4 stars.

How much fun to listen to a live concert by James Brown from 1962! No one can scream like James Brown. Hearing the audience screaming and shouting really made this an exhilarating experience. There was a lot of screaming overall. The structure of this album was surprising to me. An almost two minute introduction with a long list of hit songs. Five songs of about two minutes each. Some short jazzy interludes. A six-minute medley of eight of his hits. And in the middle of it, an 11 minute tantric opus that apparentely was spread over two sides of the LP. Ow! Aaaaaaaaugh! It seemed that 31 minutes would be short for an album, but I was worn out at the end.

This was some James Brown with which I was not familiar, but clearly the audience was. What a fun listen. Some upbeat to dance to…and I imagine that JB did…and some slower tunes to sway and swoon to. I think I would have enjoyed the show.

Pretty fun stuff that goes by quick

Jazz is nice! Doet me een beetje denken aan de muzikale opvoeding met ons Wiesje. Lekker meezingen. Kort album, goed voor mijn korte aandachtspanne.

Prefs: I'll Go Crazy, Think, I Don't Mind, Medley, Night Train Moins pref: Try Me

An absolutely stellar performance by some extremely talented musicians. James Brown obviously keeps the energy going, and there is never a dull moment. I don't really get the point of the interludes, but they're short and don't really affect the flow of the album. Favorite Tracks: "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Medley: Please Please Please / You've Got The Power / I Found Someone", "Night Train"

nice! I loved it!!!

4/5 Other than the popularity of the name and his voice I’m not very familiar with James Brown. I’ve read that Brown was much more enjoyable live and I agree that there is a lot of life and excitement due to the crowd and his interactions with them, especially on tracks like “I’ll Go Crazy” and “Lost Someone”. For how old the album is the recording quality is very good other than a few minor blips. Musically the band is on point the whole time and length of the album is just right, keeping the high energy going without it getting tiring to listen too. Fav Songs: I’ll go Crazy, I Don’t Mind, Lost Someone

Its a bit early to be a JB classic, but its still pretty bloody good!

A different side of JB. - before the funk but clearly a star.

Love the energy!

Totally incredible voice and fun sounding performance. 7/10.

🐞 vivid sound. The 10 minute freeview of an album

I liked it, not huge fan of live albums like

A great live album, nothing more nor less than that. Of course, this is not at all a bad thing to be. The standout track is the 11-minute Lost Someone, which not only manages to predict several soul developments of the 60s (it has shades of Papa Was a Rolling Stone), but anticipates funk and even elements of hip-hop. The minor tracks are, well, minor, but in no way sound unpleasant. In fact, the whole album is a treat.

This'll probably comes as a bit of a surprise to you guys, but I'm not a recording engineer. I know, I know. I'm as surprised as you are. But as a non-engineer, I have to imagine that capturing the energy of an artist on record is not nearly as easy as just setting up a mic and pressing the record button. If it were, then pretty much every metal band I've seen live would have much, much better sounding albums. And live albums - oh God, those are the worst! They very rarely have any energy at all! Not. This. One. Not James Brown. The man exudes energy. You can see this performance as much as you can hear it, and that's crazy to me. So yeah, big thumbs up. I could listen to him just sing the names of cities for about thirty-six hours, no exaggeration. Cover the globe, James. I'm here for you. Also, kind of cool how close the artwork of this is to the Sarah Vaughn record. I guess it makes sense, given they're both live recordings. Anyway, I'm all caught up on my Thanksgiving listening. I liked the Vaughn record, but there's only one person who should be singing "Just a Gigolo" and his name is Diamond David Lee Roth. Three stars. Sugarcubes? Loved it. Bjork's energy is well on display here, too. What a wonderful weird record. At times, poppy and happy alternative-y, at other times kind of oddly menacing with some German sounding dude saying oddly menacing German things. "Fucking in Rhythm and Sorrow" might be the best song title we've come across yet on this list. Four stars.

An all round very smooth album. Less high-octane than I expect from James Brown, much more soulful than funk. May have been earlier in his career? Goods: I'll go Crazy, Lost Someone.

Was alright, outside my usual listening but enjoyable for working to

Easy to see why he’s so revered, his crowd work was phenomenal and the tone of his voice comes across crystal-clear despite it being a live album.

What a live album - the screaming fans (especially well timed in Lost Someone), the influence it's had on other artists and albums, and the energy coming from the band and Brown makes this album a 5 star. It's too bad I'm not a big fan of funk - which pushes my personal rating down to 4. I appreciate the historical significance and love how it captures the screaming crowds and the energy of a live show ; but I probably wouldn't listen to it over and over again.

It was a pretty darn good album. Gave that cool old school jazz, soul wibe. 4/5, just because, I don't really like live recordings.

Good, but no better. Live album was interesting, and loved the introduction he was given. Didn't know many of the songs, but all pretty catchy. Will come back to when I'm not driving, so I can listen more fully

I think we are lucky indeed to have this concert on a record. The songs don't matter so much; Instead, the runtime captures the three-part interplay of Brown, his band, and his audience. Each strand is unique, each party pushes and pulls and contributes to some thing. That thing existed in space in 1962 and was immortalized in crackly tape. I haven't listened to the remaster. It might make me think better of the album, or worse. But the artifact is important to me, and the crackles don't make it hard to listen to.

Short, sharp bursts of funk. I'm generally not a fan of live albums, but this one's worth a listen just to hear the sheer amount of fervour Brown generated.

I prefer both of the Sam Cooke live albums that were released around the same time (both of which are all-time, slam-dunk 5's). Make no mistake, this is a great live album. It's an incredible time capsule that literally takes the listener to the Apollo in 1963, where you hear some female fans shriek like those in Ed Sullivan's audience when The Beatles performed. For my money, Sam Cooke took the Hardest Working Man In Show Business to school as far as live albums are concerned. Bonus points for making me daydream about Eddie Murphy's "Too hot for the hot tub" Saturday Night Live sketch.

Hella good funk, aged well, may listen again in the future

Obviously iconic. Really enjoyed the way he interacted with the crowd and the audio quality all things considered.

Dynamic live performance by a generational talent. The energy was palpable through the audio as he worked the audience like few can. I can only imagine his moves were equally electric.

Great live performance w classic songs, James Brown is super charismatic. I wish the recording quality was better tho 8/10

7/10. Nothing super special, but was fun to listen to, and it is always nice to get a short and sweet album in this challenge.

Short and sweet live album. Honestly wish there was a little more. 8/10

I feel good

I never thought I'd say this on the 1,001 albums list, but this album is TOO SHORT! Wow, can't believe I said it. But it's true. This album is like a flash in the pan of high octane energy. Just as you're really getting into the groove, it's over!

So many iconic James Brown-isms in this! It was cool to hear the crowd screaming (the girls!) because he was a sex symbol. So many of the iconic James Brown songs were still to come—this was 1962–but his demeanor and voice is all there. The band and the horns! I could practically see him twirling onstage when I was listening to it.

I'm not a fan of Live albums but this one is great!

It sounded exactly like what you would expect! It was a good time, but I didn't recognize any of the songs.

An amazing catchy souls album. James voice sounds amazing and the transition to try me is insane. You just feel that moment on record

Этот альбом я послушал, когда родился мой первый сын

Great live show, almost too short!

Godfather of soul for a reason!

Classic

I have not connected much with James Brown's music in the past. It always felt so dated. Having listened to a lot more swing music these past years, I feel like I'm listening to this in a slightly new light. I'm enjoying the more up-beat numbers - the slower tracks don't do much for me. Enjoyed the percussion, enjoyed the brass hits, enjoyed the backup singers. Still don't understand James' singing style. Nevertheless incredible for a live performance.

Very good.

Oh, this was really refreshing to hear. It's exhibit A in why musicians keep making live albums. Live albums are the attempt to capture in a bottle the energy of the artist in front of an audience, capture that moment in time. And this album absolutely crackles with the energy of James Brown's live performance at the Apollo. You can almost imagine his moves when the girls start screaming. Brown is in fine voice and the band is flawless. Recorded fairly early in Brown's career, the song selection is a nice mix of early hits. Almost every song here was a top 10 R&B hit, although some may have been overshadowed by the songs that were to come. It's a beautiful little snapshot of that moment in time, featuring one of music's most dynamic performers on the cusp of superstardom, with his audience at one of the hottest venues in the world. Fave songs: I'll Go Crazy, Lost Someone, Think

A solid live performance. It would have been pretty wild to see Mr. Brown work a crowd at the peak of his career.

The playing on this is nuts.

Very funky Livealbum. James Brown's screams are simply legendary and the way he handles the audience! (7/10) Favorite Tracks: Try Me, Lost Someone

An excellent amount of screaming

Unbelievable recording quality for the era. Lots of excellent JB performances, but not the "Greatest Hits" most people are familiar with. The backup band is rock solid.

Hi Jojo! It's Shaun. How ya doin?

Great music! Since it was live there was a lot of screaming from the audience amazing performance

4/5 would listen to again

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: I’ll go crazy, Try me, I don’t mind

I’m usually not into live albums but I was completely won over by this one. James Brown is just too good a performer and hearing the reaction of the crowd just enhances the overall experience so much. It’s also crazy how good this sounds for a live recording from 1962!

A fun, educating listen

Love the energy here =]

Dope

This album shows just how gosh darn talented James Brown is. It truly is a very moody album, and an incredible live performance. This is ideal for when you sit down at home and want to listen to good music and relax, I don't think it should be listened to in the midst of other work or errands, but I think that's true for all live albums. Gets a bit samey in a few songs, so -1 star :(

I love the audience. The shouts from the audience fill the album with life combined with James Brown's excellent singing. He's the reason why we've got artists like Bruno Mars today.

About as good a live album as you can get with an incredible performer and band. It transports you to front row of The Apollo for one of the best live sets ever recorded. And yet, I still can't really bring myself to give this kind of recording a perfect grade. For me, a live album just lives in a different category than the others we're listening to and rating. So on its own terms, its a five, but in the context of this list, I'm going with a four. Favourite songs: "Lost Someone", "I'll Go Crazy"

I wonder what this sounded like to folks at the time. I imagine it was very bold and somewhat new sounding. I enjoyed it.

Better than expected. Will keep in mental rotation.

Nothing against some awesome tunes not an everyday listen for me though

Brilliant!

man, I really dug this album. I am sucker for Live stuff and hearing a legend like JB was pretty cool. I listened to it probably five times this weekend. I give it four eddie murphy hot tubs!

Haiku Tuesday: ### James Brown ain’t no clown #### Hardest worker in the biz ### Energy through cool. ###

Excellent, an amazing snapshot of James Brown at his first peak. The band is excellent and the grooves are undeniable.

Wardle will probably give it 2 stars because he hates everything.