 "Photo: AP")
When students asked Clifford Antone about the greatest concert he ever attended, he would reply without hesitation. His eyes would light up, and he would recount with detail the night in the late 1950s that he snuck into a Port Arthur dive to see James Brown. According to Antonian legend, the frenzy that ensued inspired the audience to break all of the windows of the club.
James Brown last played Austin in the spring of 2006. People scalped tickets outside, and those who made it inside witnessed the legend lead his red tuxedo-clad band through an inspired set. Mr. Brown remained an excellent showman and consummate professional until the very end.
The list below is meant not as an exhaustive list of greatest hits, but rather as a guide for navigating Brown's overwhelmingly large catalogue. Do you see the light?
"There Must Be a Reason" (Try Me!, 1959)
James Brown and the Famous Flames were a traditional soul outfit, relying on complex rhythms and harmony vocals. Yes, Brown is famous for his exquisite grunts and squeals, but this midtempo number proves that he could write great lyrics, too.
"Bewildered" (Think, 1960)
It isn't as instantly memorable as "Try Me," but "Bewildered" is the type of slow-burner that Brown built his career upon. The vocals are drenched in reverb, and the organ is soaked in chicken grease.
"Lost Someone" (Live at the Apollo, 1963)
Live at the Apollo is the greatest live album of all time, and this song alone proves it. No one will ever drive an audience wild like Brown did. He holds the listeners captive for a divine 11 minutes, as the unsuspecting Apollo patrons can't help but shout and scream in response to his every plea and moan.
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" (Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, 1965)
Arguably the most influential song of the last half-century, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" features an arrangement and rhythm that set the standard for countless funk, disco and rap outfits to follow. Check Jimmy Nolen's inimitable guitar riff against Prince's "Kiss" for proof.
"Cold Sweat" (Gettin' Down to It, 1969)
The J.B.'s, Maceo Parker, Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley, set the standard for every horn section you've ever heard, collectively proving to be the only worthy counterpart to their remarkable bandleader. Maceo!
"There It Is" (There It Is, 1972)
Picking a favorite song by James Brown is like Sophie's Choice for music fans. Here is Brown at his most commanding and the J.B.'s at their very tightest. The breaks are perfect, but the horns are better.
"Down and Out in New York City" (Black Caesar, 1973)
In the 1970s, it seems like everyone was scoring blaxploitation films. Already an elder statesman of the music business, Brown proved that he could hang with the Isaacs and Curtises of the world with an inspired soundtrack to the otherwise forgettable "Black Caesar."
"Coldblooded" (Hell, 1974)
Here we have Brown, the Minister of the Super New New Heavy Funk. Maceo Parker switches to alto sax, as conga drums augment the J.B.'s second incarnation. "Coldblooded" is Duke Ellington in polyester.
"Doing It to Death" (The J.B.'s, Doing It to Death, 1973)
This song hit number one on the R&B charts for the J.B.'s in 1973. Brown is the uncredited but unmistakable front man, leading Parker, Ellis and Wesley through solos that would never be heard in the Godfather's radio-ready material.
"Shake Everything You've Got" (Maceo Parker, Life on Planet Groove, 1992)
Originally appearing under the title "Southwick" on his All the King's Men LP, this track was cut live in Germany in 1992. Maceo is the most soulful soloist on any instrument that I have ever heard, and this song encapsulates his brilliance into a neat 17-minute package.
"Black Man's Cry" (Fela Kuti, With Ginger Baker - Live!)
The influence of James Brown on Fela's music and politics is instantly recognizable. An explosive band leader and talented saxophonist in his own right, Fela's hypnotic blend of African rhythms and American funk sensibilities inspired a musical revolution in Nigeria.
"I Don't Know" (Slum Village, Fantastic, Vol. 2)
Everyone knows that Brown has been sampled countless times. It takes someone like Dilla to take "Make it Funky" and "Sex Machine" and craft a truly great track out of their spoken intros alone.
"What Have You Done For Me Lately?" (Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Dap Dippin' With...)
This soul revivalist outfit from New York gives a Janet Jackson staple the Brown treatment. The Dap-Kings are probably the only live act around today that could hang with the J.B.'s at their peak.
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