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James Brown - Studio 54 1980
Performing right up to his sudden death in 2006 whilst he was in the midst of a major career revival, The Godfather of Soul’s profile around the world these days has never been higher. James Brown was a true legend in his time and a major figure in the development of both soul and funk music. In his final years Brown was staging a remarkable career comeback by anyone's standards. In the U.K. alone he performed to huge audiences in a series of high-profile televised concerts which were seen by millions. These included the 2002 Queen's Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace, a TV Special filmed at London's Union Chapel and his show-stopping appearances at the 2004 Glastonbury Festival and Edinburgh's 2005 Live 8 concert. Revered for years by generations of rappers, samplers and funksters, all that high profile media exposure served to introduce his work to a whole new generation of listeners. Remarkable as those final live performances were, James Brown was at the height of his considerable powers in 1980 when this dynamic show was filmed at Manhattan's ultra-fashionable Studio 54 - at that time a disco Mecca for nightlife preeners where you couldn't get in if your face didn't fit or you weren't on the right guest list. The event caught the Godfather and his revue on top form, their barnstorming performance placing less emphasis than usual on the famous JB's horn section and driven more by driving guitar and organ. Following the basic formula of a James Brown show, it features impassioned readings of his all-time stage favourites - such as 'Please, Please, Please', 'Papa's Got A Brand, New Bag' and 'It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World' - with a sprinkling of recent songs thrown in for good measure. This is a fitting testament to Brown's genius and a must-have for all fans of the Godfather, both old and new alike.
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Date Found: June 03, 2011
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