James Brown – In The Jungle Groove

Label: PolyGram

This is without question the single fiercest funk record I’ve ever heard. We all realize and acknowledge the importance of James Brown in the evolution of funk and soul through the decades, and more recently with rap. However, these tracks recorded from February 1970 through August 1971, and officially released in 1986, quite possibly could be his most important contribution.

In The Jungle Groove harnesses a raw and awe inspiring power that very rarely occurs. Perhaps it was the collective that backed the Godfather that helped these sessions become what thet were. The collective I’m referring to included but was not limited to Bootsy Collins on bass, Maceo Parker on sax, Fred Wesley on trombone, and Clyde Stubblefield on drums, all of whom are excellent musicans in their own right. Perhaps it was the cultural dynamic that reigned supreme at that time. Nothing like juxtaposing a love of life and reckless abandon to help inspire greatness. Perhaps it was just one of those transcendental moments for the ages. Thankfully we’ve got a record of the events which we can play over and over again.