James Brown

James Brown on vinyl: the Godfather of Soul

In short: James Brown (1933–2006) was a singer, dancer, bandleader – and one of the inventors of funk. With pieces like “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” (1965) and “Cold Sweat” (1967) he put rhythm at the centre: the accent on the first beat, hard horns, tight guitars. The Vinyl Room currently has 14 James Brown records.

What makes James Brown special?

Until 1971 Brown recorded for King Records of Cincinnati; that’s where “Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud” came out in 1968, which became an anthem of the Black civil rights movement. From 1971 he was with Polydor: “Get On The Good Foot” (1972), “Hell” (1974) and the film scores “Black Caesar” and “Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off” (both 1973).

The Famous Flames backed him with vocals and dance; his instrumental bands, later the J.B.’s with Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, delivered grooves that hip hop sampled again and again. We also have “Showtime” (1964), “Take A Look At Those Cakes” (1978) and singles such as “Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn” and “Out Of Sight”.

From our stock

First pressings

All James Brown records

→ Polydor · King Records · Funk · Soul & funk on vinyl

FAQ

Why is James Brown called the “Godfather of Soul”? The nickname stands for his influence on soul and funk. He also called himself “The Hardest Working Man in Show Business”.

Which labels was James Brown on? Mainly King and its sublabel Federal (from 1956, “Please, Please, Please”) and from 1971 Polydor.

What are “Black Caesar” and “Slaughter’s Big Rip-Off”? James Brown’s scores for two 1973 blaxploitation films.

Which records do you have? Albums and singles from the sixties into the eighties – 14 records in all.