James Brown | In The Jungle Groove

The best showman and one of the most influential singers of the 20th century, who transformed R&B into funk with his tight, driving style. 
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AllMusic Review by Stephen Cook  [-]

In the Jungle Groove was one of the first (and still one of the best) collections of James Brown's transitional and hard-hitting soul/funk workouts from 1969-1971. While the first few numbers here feature Brown sidemen who were in on his mid-'60s hits, the majority feature the original J.B.'s outfit that helped the singer forge several extended and funk-defining sides during 1970. Faced with a walkout by his old band, Brown partially formed the J.B.'s out of the New Dapps from Cincinnati, taking aboard brothers Phelps "Catfish" Collins on guitar and William "Bootsy" Collins on bass; many of those ex-band members, namely drummer Clyde Stubblefield, guitarist Clair St. Pinckney, and trombonist Fred Wesley, would eventually return to flesh out the J.B.'s lineup. The one constant was vocalist and organist Bobby Byrd, who had been with Brown since the singer's start in 1956. The incredible grooves Bootsy Collins and Stubblefield laid down here would become manna for hip-hop DJs over 15 years later, with the album's "Funky Drummer (Bonus Beat Reprise)" becoming one of the supreme breakbeats of all time. Filling out the collection are the very soulful pre-J.B.'s tracks "It's a Brand New Day" (tenor saxophonist Maceo Parker's only appearance on the disc) and the original "Funky Drummer," as well as the post-Bootsy cut "Hot Pants (She's Got to Use What She's Got to Get What She Wants)." All the numbers here are as in the pocket as you will ever hear in soul and funk. And while many of these tracks are found on various packages like Polydor's Funk Power and Foundations of Funk, In the Jungle Groove has the upper hand with its unequaled coverage of Brown's transformation from soul brother number one to funk originator.

James Brown
In The Jungle Groove
1986


James Brown – Organ, Vocals, Producer
Bobby Byrd – Organ, Vocals
Robert Coleman – Guitar
Bootsy Collins – Bass
Phelps "Catfish" Collins – Guitar
J.C. Convertino – Engineer
Russell Crimes – Trumpet
Joseph Davis – Trumpet
Dennis M. Drake – Engineer, Digital Mastering
Jeff Faville – Design
Richard "Kush" Griffith – Trumpet
Johnny Griggs – Conga
Clayton "Chicken" Gunnells – Trumpet
Darryl "Hasaan" Jamison – Trumpet
Alphonso "Country" Kellum – Guitar
Danny Krivit – Editing
Art Lopez – Conga
Hearlon "Cheese" Martin – Guitar
Robert McCollough – Tenor saxophone
Jerone "Jasaan Sanford" Melson – Trumpet
Jimmy Nolen – Guitar
Jimmy Parker – Alto saxophone
Maceo Parker – Tenor saxophone
Melvin Parker – Drums
St. Clair Pinckney – Baritone saxophone
Tim Rogers – Producer, Mixing
"Sweet" Charles Sherrell – Bass
John "Jabo" Starks – Drums
Clyde Stubblefield – Drums
Fred Thomas – Bass
Louis Tilford – Baritone saxophone
Howie Weinberg – Mastering
Fred Wesley – Trombone
Clifford White – Producer, Liner Notes
Eldee Williams – Tenor saxophone



01 – It’s A New Day 00:00
02 – Funky Drummer 06:25
03 – Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose [remix] 15:40
04 – I Got To Move 21:53
05 – Funky Drummer [bonus beat reprise] 29:11
06 – Talkin’ Loud & Sayin’ Nothing [remix] 32:10
07 – Get Up, Get Into It And Get Involved 39:55
08 – Soul Power [re-edit] 47:04
09 – Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants) 55:06
10 – Blind Man Can See It [extended version] 01:03:50