James Brown Live At The Apollo

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.

Albums like this make me understand the appeal of live albums

Enjoyable. Don't want to feel too stingy so will give it a 4 for 'Lost Someone' alone.

Amazing energy. Can feel stage presence in recording.

SHEEEEEEEEEEESH

great album and love the feel. the original ll cool j (ladies love cool james brown). only problem was it was too short...

Excellent. Very nice.

Surprisingly pleasing! I usually do not like live albums and I have never been into James Brown, but I really enjoyed listening to this album. Catchy!

3.5 - I dunno man, I am normally into Jazz but this one feels like it got in because 'James Brown!'. The crowd has to be in it. Go take a look at Sam Cooke - Live At The Harlem Square Club and listen to that crowd. Maybe just not in the mood.

awesome live album. hardest working man in show biz

I thought this was a great live album to listen to. The concert looked fun. Absolute tunez in there too

I liked it

Definition of a classic, great party album

One of the greatest live albums of all time. Slightly behind Johnny Cash Live at Fulsom Prison.

I like 60s music, so I liked this one pretty well. I liked BB King better, but this one was good.

Heerlijke soul? Iig goeie shit

Very chill and relaxing

I liked the songs a bit bit slow for my tastes. It was close to jazz but not quite there. Some songs have more of a groove to them then others.

Good call-response structure in the songs. Live recording captures the energy and devotion of the fans. Good toe-tapping music to pickup your mood and pace.

1. Chill intro, I like the fact that it is pretty much a live thing, really immersive. 2. Really cool guitar work, instrumentation and harmonized voices are really cool. The use of the horns was really cool to accentuate the beats. 3. Reminds me of Earth Angel, really cool, slow song. 4. Hectic, cool transition. 5. Nice kind of jam song. Muted guitar technique is cool. 6. The high energy and momentum is nice. 7. The bass tone and bassline is really cool, as well as the slowness of the song and background voices. 8. Cool bridge. 9. Really nice, slow song. The horn accents are really cool, and the laid back instrumental is relaxing. OOOWW 10. Really amazing instrumental. Love it a lot. Bassline is cool. The song at the end with the rhodes and guitar was awesome. 11. One of the best tracks. The rhodes and the guitar tone make this song amazing. Love it so much. Favorite track.

The band was tight, listening to this live makes me wish I could have seen it.

James Brown certainly lives up to his name as the Godfather of Soul. I'm not usually a big fan of live albums, but this is an excellent recording, and the performances are incredible. James Brown's vocals are outstanding, and the band are incredibly tight and all sound fantastic. Crowd noises didn't even annoy me as much as they usually do, as they punctuate the recording nicely and almost behave as another instrument in the mix.

s ok

This was the first body of work by James Brown that I had the pleasure of listening to, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. the sound of the live crowd boosted the already electrified atmosphere that burst forward through James Browns stellar voice.

Amazing energy and talent!

I really enjoyed the album but I felt like some of the songs dragged on a bit.

Rhythm & Blues

great.

More soulful r’n’b than some of James’ more famous work. Short and sweet!

Maybe I struggle with enjoying live albums (as opposed to experiencing them live), maybe it's the length, but this wasn't my favorite to come through the queue. James Brown puts on quite an eclectic performance that doesn't quite hit home for me, as the audience reactions draw away from the performance. Favorite Song: I'll Go Crazy Score: 77/100

USA Beatles

I was surprised to find this a little underwhelming. I'd imagine that being able to actually see James Brown do his thing is a big component of the live show. The energy was really solid, but none of the songs really stood out to me.

Ok 3/5

average james brown record

Great artist, terrific performer, subpar live album.

6.8/10

It's a decent live album.

I think in its context, this recording is significant. Obviously in a 2026 lens on one listen the impact is not as profound. 3 for the impact.

The live version meant there were a lot of screams going on. Still, high quality for a live album. A difficult album to appreciate. A great artist, not particularly my genre though. Didn't recognise any of the songs. 'Think' was by far my favourite. The final songs felt like background noise. Would be interested to hear a different album perhaps over this.

really fun to hear the crowd go crazy with Mr. James Brown

Classic Godfather of Soul.

I’m not generally a fan of live albums, and although it’s not a bad listen, I don’t really care for it

Pretty good, it would’ve been lit to be at that concert, the vibes were nice and I really liked h tbh e instrumentation, it passed by really quick tho

Really good as a historical artifact, and obviously he's overflowing with talent. However, I don't think this has what I'm looking for and I don't think I'll listen again. The vocal performance is the huge star but the music as a whole is a little too straightforward.

Sounds great but not much sticks.

No guardo practicamente nunca nada en vivo, james brown tiene muy buenos temas, y pues el album, demuestra lit como el titulo del showman mas trabajador.

It was nice to get some actual food music after what felt like 2 weeks of suffering.

Not bad for a live recording from 1962! James Brown is always energetic, fun, and gets your feet groovin'! It's a quick listen and a good pick me up, no complaints on this album.

#101 The band is tight, and it sounds like a fun performance. Brown has a great voice and stage presence that can be felt through the recording. Too much crowd noise and screaming. Highlights: Try Me, Medley

Niet helemaal geluisterd maar james brown heeft wel swingy liedjes

groovy

Was fun

This was a fun listen. Kinda like lounge room jazz rock solo vocals.

Love the cover of this album And I love James Brown. So cutting edge for the time and really was an eye opener as a live album.

Slap some funk on my plate! A calmer Brown than I've heard before, enjoyed much more than expected.

First James brown album, considering some of the stuff on here surprised he hasn't featured sooner. Great voice and hell of a showman and while it makes me want to hear it live I'm not sure I enjoy it as an album, which is usually the case for live albums. Would have preferred a studio album I think. Songs are very of the time, variations of love songs with easily memorable choruses. The singing carries them though, must have blown most other artists in the early 60s out the water. So enjoyed it but not enough for repeated listens, largely because it's alive album. 3.5.

My man James Brown had them ladies going UP. Musically this wasn't anything special - few live albums are. It's just impossible to capture the energy of the moment. Was still a fun listen. Highlights: I'll Go Crazy, Lost Someone

Good for its era, but one of the weaker soul albums I've listened to. 2.5 stars.

Not similar to the genres I listen to frequently, but still enjoyed a lot of it. However, I generally don't like the sound/quality of live albums

A fun live album. Always enjoy these.

It was james brown.

I respect the singing and the songwriting. It's just not for me. I prefer Funky James Brown.

A bit more energy than my normal morning commute. Enjoyed it but I don’t always love live albums. Still this is something I happily listened to. Especially after being banged over the head by Neil Young…James Brown can sing. Neil cannot.

5/10 This album has a few things going against it: I'm not a fan of live albums on this list (generally speaking, they are a completely different beast compared to studio albums, so I don't think they should be placed together); the genre is not my cup of tea; and I find James Brown's music hokey at the best of times. The music makes it even worse, honestly - there's just so little of substance lyrically here that I don't have anything to grab on to. In some ways, I feel like James Brown is more of a live performer rather than a musician, which makes it hard to judge the album when the whole time I'm wondering if his charisma just doesn't translate when you can't see him on stage. A mediocre album overall.

Fun live album. The crowd was into it. May need a few more listens to full appreciate.

I imagine it was a big landmark at the time but I guess I like his later more famous work

In terms of a live album, its great, the crowd is engaged, and the energy is there. I just think its too short, and a bit repetitive

The audience for this album was losing their mind! I just don't think I loved it, but I can tell James Brown was killer to see in person Favorite Songs: Think, I Don't Mind, Night Train

James Brown is simply a legend, but I can't get overly excited about a live album, even a live album by one of the greatest showmen in history. Listening to this made me realize James Brown is probably a good example for having parts that are better than the whole. Any James Brown song is fantastic on its own, but when seen together something's lost. Maybe I should've been born a few decades early and go see him live to really appreciate it all.

Early James Brown already showing is great performance but not his peak.

Not my favourite James Brown album, but still a good one.

For such a famous and well regarded artist, this did very little for me

Не особо мне понравилось после одного прослушивания. Все песни в альбоме одинаковые абсолютно, я даже не замечала, когда заканчивалась одна и начиналась другая. И звучали они довольно скучно, ни одна не запомнилась, ни одного интересного мотива не услышала. Еще заметила, что длинные песни к середине затихали как будто подходили к концу, а потом продолжались точно так же как и первая половина, так же скучно. Хотя обычно чтоб песни мне понравились, их надо послушать пару раз, поэтому может дело именно в этом. Думаю, я попробую послушать ещё разок как-нибудь и уже потом окончательно для себя решу понравилось мне или нет. Я в музыке не разбираюсь, поэтому это просто впечатления, а не критика.

"This man will make your liver quiver! This man will make your bladder splatter! This man will make your knees freeze! If you will let’s all welcome the worlds Godfather of Soul, Soul Brother #1, JAMES BROWN!!!" c

64 years later, Live At The Apollo was probably one of the most legendary performances in all soul music. Despite the shorter length, listening to this album felt like being transported back in time and witnessing a piece of musical history. There's no denying the influence James Brown would have on future musicians. Above all, Brown's performance is a centerpiece of the Black culture of Harlem and the music of the time. Really a beautiful album that showcases just how deep the roots of soul music go.

This woulda been a delight to see in 1963 for sure, woulda been dancing and giggling and vibing. I can’t say the same for 2026.

There's really nothing wrong with this album, but compared to its contemporaries in the same soul and funk field, it doesn't age as well. Like, there is nothing incredible on this album. I also really don't like the live part of this album; the audience is too loud and annoying compared to a lot of the other live albums on this list. It's a 1963 soul and funk album; I shouldn't be asking more of it, but yet I am.

ow

For en showmann. Sikkert fett å være til stede.

Hardest working man in show business! I see why this is so iconic and I think this is without question a solid and necessary part of music history. I just don't know how often I'd actually listen to this. Part of me wants to hit this with 4 stars but I can't say I have a lot of relisten value here.

This album is good in the best James Brown traditions. Listening to it felt soulful and a little crazy in the best way. The energy never drops. You can hear how completely locked in he is with the band and the crowd, and that live atmosphere makes everything hit harder. The performance is raw and full of fire. James sounds completely in control while still sounding wild and unpredictable. The band is tight and responds to every move he makes. It captures that classic James Brown show energy where the music, the vocals and the audience all feed off each other. The recording is straightforward and live, which works in its favor. Nothing feels polished or cleaned up too much. You get the real sound of the room and the intensity of the performance as it happened. It is one of the strongest live soul and R&B documents from that era and still sounds exciting today.

Markante Stimme, aber irgendwie viel Geschrei und nicht so der Flow den ich toll finden würde :/

Kein Fan von Livealben, das hat sich auch nicht davon besonders abgehoben.

Legendär, aber live alben immer schwierig für mich

Now I know where a couple WTMD samples came from! I appreciate this hard working man, but this live record is just ok.

3.4/5

Great stuff

Maybe I should give live albums more of a chance, because some of them really can be fascinating little time capsules. With *Live at the Apollo*, you can imagine buying a ticket in 1962, during a turbulent moment in American history, walking into the theater, and completely losing yourself in the energy of James Brown and that wildly enthusiastic crowd. Meanwhile, nobody there could have fully known just how influential he was about to become in the years and decades ahead. Before listening, I had read that the album was especially known for its incredibly loud and excited audience, and yeah, they definitely make their presence known. The crowd feels like almost as much a part of the performance as James Brown himself. The album itself is pretty good. I wouldn’t say every song blew me away, but the performance is energetic, charismatic, and just plain fun. James Brown clearly knew how to command a room, and the crowd sounds ready to explode at practically any moment. The most interesting part for me was the ten-minute version of “Lost Someone.” On paper, a slower song stretched out that long might sound like a chore, but it actually becomes one of the most immersive moments on the album. It feels like you’re sitting inside the Apollo, with James Brown onstage and the audience becoming just as important to the recording. You can hear people completely losing themselves in the moment, escaping whatever was waiting for them outside, and I think there’s something beautiful about that. Sure, there aren’t a ton of songs here that I’d personally rank among James Brown’s most memorable, and the recording quality can be a little rough. But honestly, that almost adds to the experience. More than sixty years later, we still get to hear what it felt like to be in that room. Overall, it’s a decent album, but an even better time capsule.

A fun live album with great energy.

There’s a lot of energy in this one but it’s not something I would come back to. 6/10

My rating 3.3

3,5

The energy in the audience is great, but it's not that great for a live album, especially for James Brown.

Great voice

Review - A good live R&B/funk album. I know from this list though that many better live R&B albums exist so this loses points based on that. Still, James Brown had a phenomenal voice and the performances are great. Score - 7/10 Need to listen? YES

Can't complaint about these vibes but, and maybe it's the recording, came through very screechy, volume was all over the place.

This was super short. Got a sense of the energy but I like the later recordings I’ve heard better.

I just had to do this same type of review for MC5. And everytime I get alittle more annoyed than I was the last time. In fact the first few live albums I gave RAVING reviews for because, again, like albums and studio album are not the same and should NOT be on the same list. How is it fair to compare an album by an artist trying to create new and interesting music in a nice neat package, to this (an album that’s basically a greatest hits album performed by one of the all time greats not just for his genre but in music as a whole. It just feels so wildly unfair to bands like Primus who dont have a single album on this list? It isn’t bad album, I think it’s a pretty solid album with ALOT of energy and good vibes. But I just can’t get behind giving a good review to this album cause it legitimately feels unfair. I’m even considering going through all the live albums I’ve reviewed and giving them all a score of like 2 or three just to be fair. But again they are not all on that level of quality so I have to yet again give a mixed review to an album that …wait for it…. Yep… still shouldn’t be here…

I’m not hugely familiar with James Brown’s artistic trajectory, but I suspect that this was before the livelier songs that have remained in the public consciousness. The tracks here are good well performed, but feel much slower and from an older form of Soul/R&B than evolves later in the 60s. And as is the way with live albums, we get some versions far longer than original, and others only briefly referenced in a medley. And the audience’s incessant hooting and hollering is pretty annoying too (par for the course with American audiences I guess).

Hmm, nice, old school Blues but too old for me

Early JB, lots of passion and soul brother, decent album

James brown has a fun audience

Nice blues with lots of screaming women

This doesn’t feel like a very good representation of James Brown if I’m being honest. Obviously he’s a classic artist who should have multiple representations on this list (this is the first I’ve encountered so far), and this recording doesn’t seem to capture his magic. He doesn’t do a ton of his “hits,” and a lot of the first half of the album is his band noodling around and him doing slower ballads. By the time he starts in on some higher-energy songs, the album is over halfway through. It’s an extremely short album. Barely 30 minutes long. He plows through medleys of some of his songs, and then it ends, just as it all seems to be crescendoing. You’re left disappointed, but not because of Brown, just because this album isn’t really that good. It’s a weird entry for such a titanic figure for music.

220726 12:06 3

James Brown's Live at the Apollo is a fascinating, gritty paradox of brilliant showmanship and rough production. From the moment Fats Gonder delivers his hype introduction, the album establishes a vibrant dance vibe. While tracks like "I'll Go Crazy," "Think," and "Lost Someone" absolutely shine through stellar vocals, infectious energy, and fantastic crowd work, the listening experience is heavily weighed down by terrible recording quality, repetitive instrumental bridges, and distracting technical glitches—especially on "I Don't Mind," which suffers from a poor ending vocal performance and awkward audio issues. Ultimately, it delivers an authentic, sweat-soaked live atmosphere, but its glaring flaws keep it from being a smooth listen.

It was fun to listen to but didn't really stick with me. High energy and no regrets, but I'll probably move on just as quickly

C'était sympa mais ça va pas changer ma vie

Trop criard

I want to like this more than I actually do. But the album is more atmospherics than singing. There’s so much shouting—both from the audience and Brown (“Ow!”). Heh. In some ways, the backup singers are the best part.

Awesome background music, great positive vibe and high energy. loved it. It's a shame he was so preoccupied with domestic violence. On another matter - there should be more 20 minute albums on this list!

Short and sweet, doesn't overstay it's welcome, but I could skip all the screaming please and thank you.

Given that my main exposure to James Brown has been his late 80s novelty act appearance in the shambles of Rocky IV, it’s hard to quite get the level of adulation and female screaming that occur throughout this live album. Was he once a sex symbol? Were his dance moves so overpoweringly awesome that the women in the audience could not control themselves? From my perspective, it doesn’t seem to be the songs that make this happen. They’re solid, tightly delivered and they rattle along nicely, but there’s not much sense of the audience engaging with the music rather than the man. Nothing wrong with this as an album overall, but it’s hard to tell why it is presented as an essential listen.

mg la música en vivo y mg este jazz o capaz soul no se la dif!!! así que gran combinación palo hater

savo haat gwn op live albums.. het gejuich is alleen op begin en einde van de track. i mean t is gwn soul. als ik dit live zou horen zou ik t echt leuk vinden maar ik zou dit niet voor mezelf aanzetten

A nice chill soul album. There was a song but not on this album that plays in the GTA SA casino and that made me smile.

me gustoooo

Pretty much what I thought it was. I liked it but didn't find anything new about it.

Pre Listen: The name sounds insanely familiar, but I can't quite remember if I know James Brown for sure. Based on the album cover saying "#1 R&B Star of 1962" it's made me realize I don't think I've heard any R&B pre 1980's. Going in to this with my interest piqued. Notable Tracks: Think - My favorite track, it's got a nice groove and awesome energy. The saxophone player really shines here. Lost Somone - Least favorite track, the "Someone" James lost here was me. Just drags on, the audience is annoying as hell, and James starts making noises similar to the ones my elderly cat makes near the end. Post Listen: Yet another album that likely would've been higher if it wasn't a shitty live recording. This definitely wasn't the R&B I've grown accustomed to, and it made me curious how what we consider R&B as a genre has evolved and changed over time. I'd consider this more Club Jazz than anything else, and it was ok for the most part. Instrumentation was well done, varied enough in sound from song to song. The issue I have with it is the same as almost every other live album: the sound quality is worse because of it, and the audience noises actively subtract from the experience. This audience in particular was incredibly annoying, with individuals screaming seemingly at random at various points. I said it before and I'll say it again with live recordings, I'm sure the vibes were immaculate when it was happening, but they don't translate well at all upon playback. I don't know where this project's obession with Live Albums comes from. 3/5

Actually not that bad !!! Very 60s background movie

I was pretty excited to see James Brown come up on the feed this morning, as I'd heard a lot of his hits but never sat down with a full album. Unfortunately, I don't think this was the best option to do that with. It's got some good material, and he'd definitely developed his signature swagger by this point, but as live albums go I felt the production was not up to the task, giving it a muffled and faraway sound that broke the illusion almost immediately. At only 30 minutes (after the 1:48 introcuction), nearly a third of the runtime was devoted to the crowd pandering ad libs of Lost Someone (fun, sure, but not really conducive to repeated listing). It's still a 3/5 that prompted me to have a look at his expansive discography and dive a little deeper into this legendary artist.

141. James Brown Live At The Apollo - James Brown (1963) 7.13.26 Variety: 2 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 3 Uniqueness: 2 Emotionality: 4 = 3.2 rounded down to a 3 "My rhymes are so potent/ That in this small segment/ I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant" James Brown was a generational talent, with scores of amazing songs, and one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was a trailblazer as a writer, singer, arranger, and bandleader most would argue the progenitor of THE FUNK. I love a lot of his music, but I honestly could not name a favorite album. If pressed I might say his soundtrack for The Payback, but his best stuff was spread very thinly amongst the insane umber of albums he produced ( upwards of 70+!!!) making not a one of them I've heard ( and I have barely scratched the surface really) feel that essential. This is one I heard a LONG time ago, based on it being lauded as the "greatest live album ever" by a lot of reputable sources. I recall liking it fine enough, but I don't like most live albums to begin with, and the material on this one was not his best stuff. Still, it was a live James Brown album, so it was still worth listening to for the experience alone. I'm not sure my opinion will have changed too much, but let's find out. THE TRACKS "I'll Go Crazy" - After a great introduction from our master of ceremonies, we get some nasty ( in a good way) swinging 60s guitar work and a blaring horn section that leads us into the song proper, with Brown and company immediately filling the room with the boundless energy and professionalism he was known for. Aside from the crowd noise throughout, this sounds like it could have worked just fine as an album cut. That said, whenever possible I like to compare and contrast the single/ album cut to the live version. A bit slower than the live version, and cleanly produced, it loses a bit of the energy, but sounds bluesier. And we end in a bit of a draw. "Try Me" - What a hot fucking crowd. Brown is getting Beatles reactions form this group. I can imagine his security guys must have earned their keep at this show. The album cut is much slower, richer, and fuller and benefits from the echoey production and the strings, and is the clear winner here. But then who ( besides the ladies in this crowd) want to hear a slow ass doo wop from the Godfather? "Think" - This one really moves, chugging along at a clip that makes this nearly half the length of the album cut! Brown must have had a very important appointment after this show that he just could not miss. The horn section are the stars here. And the hand claps... love those hand claps. This is a case where the energy and drive of the live version actually improves on the album cut. So much so that the album cut feels almost lifeless in comparison. Also - no hand claps. Boo! "I Don't Mind" - We get a low and slow, much more soulful one here. Brown teases the crowd with his delivery and we get the exact proper response in all the right places. The funky guitar and the backing vocals provide just enough scaffolding, with an assist by an organ. This one is very comparable to the album cut in tempo, which is fine, but lacks some of the stank Brown throws onto the live version. While it's impossible for his stuff to feel antiseptic, this does feel a bit boring when put side by side. "Lost Someone" - I listened to the album cut of this one first, and did not care for it. I want Brown in down and dirty mode, and this was the sort of thing best left to the Percy Sledges of the world. The live version here is an improvement in every possible way, with his iconic audience tease at the beginning, and a slower, more emotional delivery. The 10:44 run time vs the 3:22 of the original does not feel overdone or exhausting either. All the corers of this are opened up and explored, and with about 1000x more soulfulness. I didn't even mind the rollercoaster screams form all the ladies in the audience. This was obviously meant as the centerpiece, and is a prime example of Brown's audience control and sex appeal. By the time it ends, and leads right into the medley, they are eating out of the palm of his hand and the rest is gravy. I need to go cool off now. *whew* "Medley: Please, Please, Please/You've Got the Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You, Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen/Bewildered/Please, Please, Please" - A fine medley as these things go, with Brown and company pretty seamlessly weaving things together, but the overall affect is that all the pieces seem less impressive. And one can't shake the feeling that maybe Brown called an audible here to make use of the remaining time. Dude was known for having absolute control of the stage and the players using physical cues to change things up on the spot. "Night Train" - This was ok, but felt like a pretty weak finale considering what we know of his highly theatrical encores. The jazzy ending felt like the band playing off a talk show host and was kind of a wet fart of an ending. The single wins out here by far with it's much more swinging feel, and the much easier to hear horns. Also it's way more recognizable as the instrumental that Marvin Berry and the Starlighters plays the instrumental song "Night Train" at the 1955 Enchantment Under the Sea dance, so... HIGHLIGHTS - "I'll Go Crazy" - "Think" - "I Don't Mind" - "Lost Someone" MIDLIGHTS - "Try Me" - Medley LOWLIGHTS - "Night Train" FINAL THOUGHTS A great historical document that I didn't connect to very strongly as pure musical experience. There were great moments to be sure ( "Lost Someone" was a revelation compared to the weak and sappy original) but overall, none of these songs would make it onto a best of compilation, even if I limited it to 100 tracks. When I think of all the stuff I love from him, almost all of it exists in his funk period, and so much of this is draws from his '58-'62 period. The ultimate appeal here is Brown himself, let loose onto an unsuspecting crowd of who are ready to swoon and melt at his electric charisma. Definitely worth hearing, and maybe essential to understanding his appeal, but not essential to enjoying his music. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - "Lost Someone" can stick around, but otherwise I'm fine with a greatest hits comp from Mr. Brown FURTHER LISTENING - Live at the Apollo, Volume II by James Brown - Etta James Rocks the House by Etta James - In Person at the Whisky a Go Go by Otis Redding - Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 by Sam Cooke

As is often the case with live albums, if you weren't there, it's hard to really enjoy them. James Brown is great, and his music is fantastic. He and the audience had a blast. I even enjoyed the intro. But as the album went on, that feeling got lost on me a bit—precisely because I wasn't there. I prefer listening to Brown's studio albums. 3/5

217. nice

James Brown was electric and insanely charismatic. I love a live album, but this just doesn't capture the energy he and his band had. Unfortunately not up there with the best, it left me feeling fairly empty.

Good

that was pretty fun

I cant imagine how hard this hit in 1962. You can tell James Brown was a true front man and could command a crowd. Listening as someone disconnected from the album though, the music left a bit to be desired. Nothing even negative, more "yep sounded nice, moving on"

I love his energy and enthusiasm. Truly o w of the greatest entertainers of all time. It’s just not something I would ever choose to listen to.

Everybody say Ow! Ok, now that I’ve got that out of the way, time for my thoughts on the album. Going in, I thought that James Brown was a big funk performer, but after listening to the album, I know now that he is more of an R&B guy. Listening to the album, I noticed a couple things, some of which made it so the album didn’t really click with me. First and foremost, Brown’s performance here is second to none. He really was one of the great performers, and he has a stage presence on this album that is all his own. The way he’s able to play off the crowd is very impressive, and it there’s any reason to listen to this album, it’s to see James Brown in his natural habitat. Second, and my main problem with the album, the amount of slow ballads on the album. Most of the songs besides I’ll Go Crazy, Think, and Night Train, my three standout tracks, were all these R&B ballads, which would have been fine if there weren’t so many of them. Lost Someone, which was 10 minutes, was a bit of a chore to get through, as the song continues without any jam or anything to break up the monotony. The ballads also felt like they could blend together sometimes, and they would end up sounding the same to each other. Overall, not really my style of album, so giving it a three is more of a personal take, but definitely a high three, since it could have been a lot worse, and there are definitely redeeming elements to this album that would make it a good listen to someone who enjoys this style of music. Now I’m gonna hop on the night train and head off to the next one!

this was a fun album and even though James Brown is a terrible person, I did enjoy it a lot.

The hardest working man in show business Great soul album before bootsy delivered the funk Suffers like most live albums but still great

James Brown needs a Best Of featured on this list. This isn't it and the live element doesn't work. You can back picture him wandering off into the crowd at one point, which doesn't work when you're just listening. Crowd doesn't add much to the album.

Like the songs, don't usually like live performances

I like one song

Звучит старовато, но энергия просто бьёт ключом, понимаешь из-за чего сходили с ума на его концертах

The band is great, but this one has always felt weirdly flat to me, compared to its reputation. Partly the recording seems inconsistent—parts sink and emerge, in an irritating not a good way. The audience are too quiet, contrary to the idea that hearing JB play at a Black theatre was a spiritual experience. I’m sure it was, but this recording doesn’t capture it for me (to the point where I’m slightly wondering if something is wrong with my earbuds?!).

Tracks to go back to: • Lost Somebody • Night Train • Please Please Please • I’ll Go Crazy • Try Me 7/2/26

I'd be livid if someone was screaming like that next to me at a concert.

It's fine and probably deserves its place on the list, but I'm not really into this album. The sound is kind of muddy and the audience reactions didn't make me appreciate the live recording. This is an album I may have enjoyed more if it weren't for the technical aspects. Favorite track: "I'll Go Crazy"

Otrolig sångare, ok låtar

Ett album där live-faktorn faktiskt tillför något, men fortfarande inte något som höjer det över bara bra för mig.

Livealbum är ju alltid ett minus, men i detta fall är det ändå hanterbart. Bra artist iaf.

Expected: Funk Got: Blues Whatever 🤷

Tässä oli jotain kivaa, mut livelevy ni emmätiiä

Ihajees.

Grooovayyyyy

P good

I have to say that I was a little disappointed in this album. When I think of James Brown, I think of super high energy performances. This particular live album had a couple of high energy songs, but most of it was slower. I felt like I just didn't get the vibe of the performance from the album. Having said that, his band was amazing. It was ok, but didn't live up to my expectations.

groovy

Groovy

I find the screaming of the audience disturbing. Not a fan, the highs are hurting my brain

Bluesy soulful live rock that influenced the future of music.

Are you ready for star time? I might've gone through a short James Brown phase in high school thanks to a friend of mine who was even more fired up by old school funky jams. I spent most of my time with greatest hits and anthology compilations, never did pick up James Brown Live At The Apollo. The man could write a bop and knew how to pick other songs to perform as his own. This is pre-godfather era Brown earning his hardest working moniker. The pace is a brisk 31:31 to move through 11 tracks — it's almost fast enough to forget about how he conducted himself off stage, but not quite.

fun album

Early James Brown. Would've liked later, crazy James Brown more.

So people actually paid for and went to a 30-minute concert? We complain that ticket prices for live events have inflated, but this makes me think that the runtimes have, too. Nice. More to the point, this was a chill listen, but there's something about listening to live concert recordings that I don't quite enjoy.

Pretty good - james brown sounds great on this but the songs are fairly generic and slow. Enjoyed the medley near the end

Not the usual stuff I’d listen to, but this was an amazing live album. Great performance, great energy, and a lot of fun to listen to.

I just have one thing to say, THAT voice.

Good stuff

eh pretty good but the people in the audience were overreacting

An interesting historical document but not the energy I was expecting and I don’t think I would listen again.

Could have skipped this album easily Iconic voice, some great moments and parts but ultimately, it was a hard listen. Maybe it’s a night time listen. Middle Of the Road

James Brown, the magnificent. Alas - again, not exactly my music.

I feel that live albums are always very hit and miss. There is no studio setting, so no controlled measure for perfection. You can take this point either way... This can make the music either sound really disconnected, or really push forward that human aspect of one take and no do-overs. This was a good live album. I enjoyed listening to it, however, it just isn't something I would listen to again. As much as I love the human aspect, and explained that this was great for a live album, I just think that if I wanted to listen to the music, I would probably just listen to the studio album with cleaner vocals and mixing. I think the beautiful thing about live music isn't listening to it after it has been recorded, but actually BEING there and experiencing the connection of the people. A live show is somewhere where you can be exactly who you want to be, and every single other person in that room, stadium, or arena is there for the same reason as you. Everybody can come together to appreciate, love, and connect to the same thing. I think live music is one of the most beautiful things in the world if done right. It is one of the few times that strangers can all collectively agree on their love for something. I think this is why I will never truly love live albums... because you know there is an element to this you're missing, and that is the most important element of all: the atmosphere.

Very tight band

-you can instantly tell how alive this performance is. It’s amazing what Brown did and his effect on the people he played for. - just a perfect live recording album, I rly wanted to hear I feel good tho…

James Brown isn’t a favorite of mine, but I did like this live album. It was fun