James Brown - Double Dynamite

Two 80s live shows in contrasting circumstances

The Godfather Of Soul was in transition when he strutted onto the stage of New York’s Studio 54 in 1980 for the first of these two live shows. About to part company with Polydor, his street-tough funk somewhat overshadowed by the softer, more synthetic disco, it was ironic that he found himself at the epicentre of the scene that had sought to displace him. For the most part he seems untroubled, conjuring up the old ferocity on the likes of Cold Sweat. There is a sense of Brown reining in his full force, as if fearful of freaking out the well-to-do Manhattanites. The second concert, on relative home turf in Atlanta, Georgia in 1985, is the real deal. Brown is rejuvenated, with his profile at its highest for years, thanks mainly to a cameo in The Blues Brothers and Rocky IV catapulting Living In America into the Top 10. A more considered, mature Brown taps into fresh seams of gospel-friendly testifying on a truly stunning It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World, and slyly serenades the locals with a nuance-filled Georgia On My Mind. As explosive as ever on the usual crowd-pleasers, his face shows the delight of being back at the top of his game.

Charly | CHFF 1019 LF

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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