James Brown - Star Time (CD)

Essential

By Jabruki  Jun 27, 2004

Pros: revolutionary music

Cons: too few instrumentals

IT'S SADDENING TO SEE ONLY 2 PREVIOUS REVIEWS WHEN I LOGGED ON TO FIND ANOTHER COPY TO BUY OF THIS BOXED SET OF ESSENTIAL MUSIC. SAD BECAUSE WITH THE RECENT PASSING OF RAY CHARLES, JAMES BROWN IS PROBABLY NOW THE MOST IMPORTANT AND INFLUENTIAL R...OCK AND ROLL MUSIC FIGURE THE WORLD HAS LEFT. THAT'S RIGHT, I SAID IT! NEXT TO CHARLES, JAMES BROWNS' MUSIC HAS DONE MORE TO INFLUENCE THE WORLD OF ROCK AND ROLL AND RHYTHM AND BLUES THAN ANY OTHER ARTIST OUT THERE. AND NO I DON'T WANT TO HEAR A DAMNED THING ABOUT ELVIS! ELVIS WAS NEEDED TO MAKE IT "OK" FOR WHITES TO OPENLY ENJOY THE SENSUAL NATURE OF BLACK MUSIC. HE HELPED VISUALIZE THE WHOLE MUSIC SCENE WITH TALENT AND GOOD LOOKS AND A DOWN HOME PERSONA. BUT CHARLES AND BROWN HAVE MADE MORE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC, ESPECIALLY THE GENRES OF ROCK AND R&B. CHARLES TOOK THE ROADS OF GOSPEL/POP/JAZZ ETC. AND MADE THEM ALL MERGE INTO PURE ENTERTAINMENT...BECAUSE TO HIM THAT'S ALL THEY WERE. THAT WAS HIS STYLE OF PRESENTING THEM TO THE PUBLIC. JAMES BROWN TAKES A DIFFERENT ROAD AFTER HUMBLE BEGINNINGS LIKE CHARLES WITH STRAIGHT FORWARD R&B AND GOSPEL DRENCED SONGS. PICTURE BROWN ON HIS KNEES SINGING "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE". FAST FORWARD AND SEE HIM STILL ON HIS KNEES TALKING HIS WAY TO THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD ON "KING HERION". IT IN MANY WAYS IS THE SAME. LOVE AND DESIRE....ONE A WOMAN THE OTHER BREAKING FREE OF OTHER CHAINS. THIS BOXED SET IS ESSTENTIAL BECAUSE IT TOO LIKE MANY OF CHARLES' ALBUMS SHOWS AN ARTIST BREAKING GROUND TIME AFTER TIME. A SIGNATURE SOUND, HIS VOICE, THEN THOSE DAMNED RHYTHM TIGHT FAMOUS FLAMES! LISTEN TO THOSE INVENTIVE BASS LINES, PUNCHY HORNS. AND THOSE GUITARS! ALWAYS THOSE GUITARS! WITH JAMES BROWNS MUSIC RHYTHM IS EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IS USED AS A PERCUSSION PIECE. GROUND BREAKING PIECES LIKE "OUT OF SIGHT" HAVE A R&B BASS LINE, JAZZ RIFF HORNS AND A BLUES STYLE AAB LYRIC STRUCTURE. ABOUT A YEAR LATER..."BRAND NEW BAG" APPEARS. LUCKILY FOR US IN TWO FORMS. THE LESS THAN TWO MINUTE SINGLE RELEASED IN '65 WHICH HAD BEEN SPEEDED UP ECHO EFFECTS. THEN THE ORIGINAL VERSION...SLOWER AND IN FULL GLORY. BANDS WANTING TO KNOW HOW REAL MUSIC IS MADE AND PLAYED SHOULD BUY THIS ALBUM. IT SHOWS HOW TIGHT A BAND CAN BE ONCE THEY 'KNOW' EACH OTHER. AND HOW WELL THEY CAN IMPROVISE AT THE DROP OF A HAT. MANY OF JAMES BROWNS RECORDS ARE FULL OF IMPROV MOMENTS BECAUSE YOU CAN HEAR HIM SHOUTING INSTRUCTIONS TO THE BAND AND HAVING FUN DOING SO. AND WHO ELSE COULD LEAVE MISTAKES IN AND GET AWAY WITH IT? THE GROOVE HAS TO BE RIGHT IN ABLE TO PULL OFF THAT FEAT. HERE ITS DONE TIME AFTER TIME. MY FAULT WITH THIS SET IS THAT THE PRODUCERS COMPROMISED. THEY INCLUDED TOO MANY TRACKS THAT WERE NOT IN THAT CLASSIC MODE OF THE EARLIER JAMES BROWN SOUND. THE FULL SCOPE OF THIS SET IS GREAT...IT COULD'VE BEEN EXCELLENT AND EVEN OVER THE TOP HAD THEY BROUGHT OUT MANY INSTRUMENTALS THAT JB PRODUCED EVEN IF SOME WERE ON THE OLD SMASH LABEL. THEN MORE LISTENERS WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY ROCK AND YES, JAZZ MUSICIANS WERE BEING KNOCKED OUT BY MUSIC PATTERNS THAT WERE CHANGING THE WORLD OF MUSIC. THE 'DO YOUR OWN THING' IN MUSIC MAY NOT HAVE BEEN STARTED BY BROWN, BUT HE TOOK THE DRUM AND BEAT IT THE LOUDEST. Read more Less