REVIEW
James Brown's Soul on Top Swings with Soul
"... Listening to Soul on Top, one is reminded of Charlie Parker’s sides recorded with strings in the early 50s—the setting is different, but Bird’s approach and style are exactly the same. Like Bird, James Brown doesn’t compromise his identity in new surroundings, but uses those surroundings to accentuate the considerable talents he possesses.
The recent reissue of this lost artifact is welcome, providing fans and new listeners with a side of James Brown not often seen. Spin this one at your next party and see what happens."(for full review click...) Ken Kase - Nighttimes.com (Jan 17, 2005)
Louie Bellson & James Brown SOUL ON TOP - CD Reviews
JAMES BROWN sings with the LOUIE BELLSON Orchestra
This 1969 LP turned 2004 CD has been reissued again (April 2008). "Hey!!!"
To buy CD, click CD cover -->
INTERVIEW
"Soul-Sides" interviews Bellson
Louie Bellson speaks on the actual recording sessions that took place in Nov. of 1969:"It couldn’t of been any better, because sometimes you do a CD, it can be a great band and the singer is not up to it or the singer is not gelling right. That can happen with the best of them, but this is a case of right from the first note that the band played to the first arrangement, we were in, we all knew this was going to be something great. Oliver played a big part of it. He had a chance to work with James before the recording so a lot of the background was something things that James Brown dictated to Oliver and Oliver knew exactly what he wanted. I think that kind of pre-recording is important, because you have to sit with the artists, especially the arranger to know what kind of background to use or write. That really was 90 per cent of the battle right there."
(for full interview click...) written by "O.W." - Soul-Sides.com (Sep 5, 2006)
To purchase, click: Amazon
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