Customer Reviews

Living In America

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Of all the books I have in regards to Mr. Brown, I couldn't find the groove of this one. For me, it was trying to be too philosophical about Mr. Brown's career. (example: just because Mr. Brown is African American does not mean his music was inspired by some mystic African "spirits" from the "motherland;" maybe Mr. Brown just developed a new groove and went with it! Just because I have Scottish blood in me, doesn't mean I hear bagpipes in my sleep). There are certainly other books available that better describe Mr. Brown's life and career.

This is a very serious and important book that receives endorsements on the back by some very well respected and well known music authorities. Among them are Dave Marsh (who has written many well received music biographies) and Gerri Hirshey (author of the authoritative very often cited book "Nowhere to Run" on African American music and its takeover of the charts beginning in the 50's and 60's). A third endorsement is by Nelson George who has written too many excellent books on African Americans to mention here. But I have to note that he collaborated with James Brown's tour manager, and James Brown authority and archivist Alan Leeds on "The James Brown Reader". George says of the book "Bright, incisive, entertaining and as much fun as 'Sex Machine" playing at a house party." That should tell you something for starters.

This is not a straightforward biography of James Brown's life. What it is is a biography of James Brown's music in the context of the evolution of African American music and its relation to both black and white America. Its a very dense 180 pages that will make you really think and understand just how important James Brown is in the scheme of things. Its also great for uninitiated at showing the divide between the role of music in the African American community versus white America.

I love this book. (And I've gone back to it many times over the years.) And I loved James Brown before I read it. But this book really explains why Brown was so important to the black community, the choices he made during the turbulent racial conflicts of the 60's and early 70's and why his music was revolutionary. It taught me more about James Brown's importance and stunning talent than any other. Geoff's Brown book "James Brown" is easily the best book to have if you want a more straightforward biography. And Fred Wesley's book is great to get the low down on what it was actually like to work for Brown. (Wesley explains how impossible and crazy Brown could be without being petty and still giving Brown his due as a genius artist). With so few books about Brown considering his stature, we are very lucky to have this book by Cynthia Rose. Thank you Cynthia.