Soul Pride: The Instrumentals (1960-1969)

James Brown

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 23, 1993)
• Original Release Date: March 23, 1993
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001E0K
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #108,345 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording
In the '60s, James's instrumental recordings--both as bandleader and occasional organist, pianist and drummer--all but constituted a second disc career for the Hardest Working Man in Show Business. It was a career that gave him the odd hit single--"The Popcorn," "Ain't It Funky Now"- -but mainly allowed him to fill out LPs with tight band workouts and ultra-hip mood music. Soul Pride brings the word, as it were, from a succession of great lineups, bearing witness as the music evolves from early-'60s remembrances of jump blues through soul jazz and the full-on funk. The usual fascinating liner notes by compilation producers Harry Weinger and Alan Leeds complement the music. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Give the others some, July 24, 2000

By	Michael Sean (Seattle, WA - US) - See all my reviews

While James Brown is no doubt most recognized for such familiar hits as "Sex Machine," "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," and "I Got You (I Feel Good)," his remarkable skills as a musician, composer, and bandleader are often overshadowed by his flamboyant stage presence. In addition to his role as vocalist, he also spent time on the organ and the drums. This magnificent 2-disc set concentrates on his instrumental work with his various lineups during the decade of the 1960's, showcasing their airtight performances of soul, blues, jazz and funk. Brown's demanding material resulted in a succession of top-shelf players such as keyboardist Bobby Byrd, tenor sax legends "Pee Wee" Ellis and Maceo Parker, trombonist Fred Wesley, and funky drummer Clyde Stubblefield, whose infectious breaks were one of the cornerstones of beat sampling in hip-hop. A pair of live cuts display a couple of the lineups in action, with the 1966 group, the New Breed, doing their signature tune, "Devil's Den," and the 1968 band captured in the spotlight on a fabulous version of Archie Bell & The Drells' "Tighten Up," led by Maceo. Not all of the tracks lack vocals, however. Brown's voice can be heard from behind the drums on "Hold It," as well as on "Devil's Den," "Ain't It Funky Now, Pts. 1 & 2," and "Funky Drummer." This collection represents the other side of the hardest working man in show business, and acts as a nice companion to the "40th Anniversary Collection" or the "Star Time" box set. Pick it up, get into it, and get involved.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Awsome, August 21, 2000

By	mike lewandowski (Lakewood, CO United States) - See all my reviews

Soul Pride is one of those collections that anyone interested in jazz simply must have. There is a big difference between disk one and two. You can hear how much improved the band became. The first disk has a rough edge but loaded with power. Fat Bag and Devil's Den are standouts. From disk two songs like The Chicken, Soul Pride, The Chase,& Sudsy, is group jazz at it's finest. The band is tight and the sound is powerful. And Tighten-up is pure fun with Maceo at the helm,. there is so much good music here it will take months to absorb it all. There is a jazz radio station in Denver and why they never play anything of this set is a mystery. James Brown had a jazz Band that is up there with anyone at the time these CD's are proof of that.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great on the road, great for a party, August 3, 2002

By	Louis Jaffe (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My guitar teacher loaned me tapes of these two CDs. On a 3600-mile road trip they earned pride of place in the car player. Guitar-wise you won't hear anything rock-ish, no fuzz tones, and nothing particularly jazzy. You will hear bare-bones, squeeky-clean R&B, a textbook of the style. JB and the whole band-- horns, drums, bass-- wrote the book on this style, and man does it wear well.