RIP:Alice Coltrane
January 16, 2007
Alice Coltrane Love Supreme
In September Mrs. Coltrane and her son Ravi gave an inspired performance at the University of Michigan’s Hill Auditorium to mark John’s 80th birthday. Her Baptist church meets celestial organ-playing accompanied by Ravi’s torrent of notes, Charlie Haden’s fluent bass and Roy Hayne’s urbane drumming completed a stately jubilee for the man who took modal jazz as far as it could go. A spiritual force in her own right she maintained John’s legacy and continued her growth as a musician.
Alan Leeds On James Brown
January 5, 2007
James Brown, 1933-2006: A godson remembers the Godfather
We Called Him Mr. Brown
Image: Wireimage Kevin Mazur
January 3, 2007
by Alan Leeds as told to Steve Perry
James Brown was about a lot of things to a lot of different people. But to those of us who passed through his inner circle, he was about family. It wasn’t always a warm, fuzzy, or even functional family. But it was family. He was that crabby patriarch who’d seldom give you what you wanted but usually give you what you needed. He’d mock your performance and curse your efforts but if you ever needed to “come home,” the door was always open.
Greg Tate On James Brown
January 4, 2007
Eulogy for Black Caesar
James Brown, 1933–2006
by Greg Tate
January 2nd, 2007
Eeeeeeyow. Gud gaad. Aintit fonkeenah? James Brown knew how to freak the tribal speak and the tribal feet alike—the tribal neckbone and irrepressible tribal hambone too. Being a poet, a boxer, and a onetime Pentecostal supplicant, the Godfather knew a thing or two about being hit with the spirit and hit with the quickness; he also knew how to hit back, how to respond in kind in a New York minute. Bold, Black, and Beautiful things just happened faster in the world according to Brown. Tempos, terpsichore, tantrums, tangents, even jail time. They didn’t call him Mr. Dynamite for nothing. Word is that when the Hardest Working Man in Showbiz did his three-year bid, he stayed industrious, organized a choir, ran the kitchen and laundry detail. Sit-down time for Black Caesar? Fuhgeddaboudit. And unlike so many of our fallen fighters whom dust and base cocaine dropped to the mat in the ’80s and ’90s, JB came back up as superbaaad as ever. Lest we forget, he transitioned to another world tour by straight stealing Jesus’ thunder on Xmas Day. He wasn’t ever a puny human to begin with anyway, so don’t act surprised.
Davey D On James Brown
January 4, 2007
Hip Hop Loses It’s Godfather James Brown
by Davey D
For those who don’t know James Brown the hardest working man in show business aka The Godfather of Soul passed away in Atlanta from pneumonia. A lot of newscasts have been bombarded with Christmas Day fanfare so news of his death has been a bit downplayed… This story was written a couple of years ago when we celebrated James Brown’s Birthday which is May 3rd… Hopefully people get to reflect upon the true essence of who this man was and what he meant to Hip Hop…Hopefully as you read this you recall the recent story we ran about the plight of Hip Hop pioneers…As you read this article..peep the Live Performance he did at Live 8 at Edinburgh
James Brown’s Last Performance
December 30, 2006
James Brown
This is James Brown’s performance at the UK Music Hall of Fame in November.
James Brown Popcorn
December 30, 2006
James Brown Popcorn
Before James Brown music focused on the 2nd and 4th beat. After James Brown the world rocked to the 1st and 3rd beat. From him we all know that everything is on the one. This Christmas was a Black (cultural) Christmas and here is a clip of him in his majesty. RIP Godfather.
