Papa’s got a brand-new reissue! James Brown certainly lived up his rep as The Hardest Working Man in Show Business when it came to live albums. The soul and funk legend released more than a dozen of them during his lifetime — including his legendary Live at the Apollo disc in 1962. By contrast, this energized, excellent electrified set from 1968 — which sat in the vaults for decades before being unleashed in 1998 — might not be as renowned. But pound for pound, you best believe just as much of a keeper. The band features mainstays like sax kings Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis, trombonist Fred Wesley, chicken-scratching guitarist Jimmy Nolen and kinetic drummer Clyde Stubblefield. The set list includes all the expected nostalgic hits, along with then-current and topical fare like the just-released Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud) and Soul Pride, plus covers of Tighten Up, Kansas City and If I Ruled the World. Best of all, Brown is firmly and fully at the top of his game, working the crowd like a master showman — and driving the band like the taskmaster he was. As billed, this version ups the ante with two previously unreleased cuts: The instrumental band spotlight number The Popcorn and a turbocharged romp through (believe it or not) the crooner classic That’s Life. Good God!
