"Just a Closer Walk with Thee" - Patsy Cline (Live)

For a Jewish kid I sure love gospel. There is nothing like careening down the road; or up one for that matter; on a blind curve singing about Jesus and just feeling good. Like I said, for a Jewish kid this is probably not quite kosher; or normal.

My love for the music comes from 2 places; the transistor radio I constantly had at my side; especially at night; and the history I read about slavery and the Negro Spirituals. Those 2 things are the most to blame for my passion for gospel music. Plus it just makes you feel really good.

Hank Williams took gospel to a whole different level; as did James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis. It morphed into rhythm and blues and then rock and roll. But it all began with the gospel music. And gospel music came from the African-American Diaspora; which began in Africa when the first slave was either abducted or sold into slavery.

The ancient rhythms and chants of the slaves became the field hollers and spirituals of the Caribbean plantations, and later the pre-Civil War Era. During Reconstruction the music spread up the Mississippi River; with each port adding its own flavor.

But all that has little to do with this song and Patsy Cline. Not sure what year this is from, but it is obviously the audio from a radio show in the late 1950’S. Patsy Cline performed this song a score of times on the radio; and even on television. There was just one hitch; she did it differently each time. Sometimes slow; sometimes fast. Blues; or up tempo. This was her true artistry as an interpreter of songs. And this version is one of my favorite gospel songs.

Just a Closer Walk with Thee

I am weak but Thou art strong

Jesus keep me from all wrong

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee

Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it Jesus, is my plea

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be dear Lord, let it be

When my feeble life is over

Time for me will be no more

Guide me gently, safely over

To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore

Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it Jesus, is my plea

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be dear Lord, let it be

Everybody Loves Music - Jazz for Cows

If you need any further proof that music crosses all boundaries of life, you need look no further than this footage of cows in Southern France, which is from 2011. At first, the cows react to a lone tuba player. Then, as more musicians join in, more cows appear. Who says that animals have no soul?

Johnny Bristol - NC Music Hall of Fame

This is the first of a new series of postings I will be doing about the artists who are in the NC Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis, N.C.  The music which has emanated out of North Carolina over the tears is much varied and covers every musical genre you can possibly think of; from Opera to Funk and everything in between. I plan on doing posts about these artists to commemorate their birthdays. Mr. Bristol’s big day was Monday February 3^rd.

Johnny Bristol is a perfect example of the diversity of the music which has originated in North Carolina over the past 100 years. Born February 3, 1939 Mr. Bristol spent his early years living in Morganton, the county seat of Burke County, in the mountains near Hickory. The town boasts quite a few famous people. In addition to Johnny Bristol there is Etta Baker, known for her version of the Piedmont Blues, a separate genre unto itself. In addition to the likes of Senator Sam Ervin, the town also lays claim to Frankie Silver who was the first woman ever hanged in North Carolina. On the other end of the spectrum, the town is also the home of Paige Summers, the Penthouse Pet of the Year for 1998. Now, that's what I call diversity!

Mr. Bristol is mostly remembered as a musician-songwriter as well as having been a producer for Motown during its most active period, from the late 1960s to the 1970’s. His own hits include the one above, which is kind of an Al Green thing from 1974, to the song he wrote about his home town of Morganton, which can be viewed here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8mMB5vZK2w

His first real musical success came in Detroit, where he had landed after serving in the Air Force in the late 1950’s. As part of the duo Johnny and Jackey; aka Jackey Beavers; they recorded about half a dozen songs on two different independent labels, both owned by members of Berry Gordy’s family. While these records were only successful in the Mid-west, they were instrumental in opening the doors for him at Motown. By 1965 he was working at Motown as a songwriter and producer. He was the guy behind the mixing board for such hits as “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Your Precious Love”.

This was probably the most creative period of Mr. Bristol’s career. Everything he touched seemed to turn to gold; as in gold records. Wikipedia lists the following records among his accomplishments;

The Velvelettes "These Things Keep Me Loving You" (1966); Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Don't Want To Do Wrong" (1971) and "Daddy Could Swear, I Declare" (1972); and Jr. Walker & the All Stars, who charted with a number of Bristol-written singles and albums, including "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" (1969), "Gotta Hold On To This Feeling" (1970), "Way Back Home" (1971) and "Walk in the Night" (1971). Mr. Bristol even recorded Jermaine Jackson's first solo record, "That's How Love Goes" in 1972.

In addition to all the above, he was the last producer to work with The Supremes and The Miracles, before they both lost their lead singers. “Someday We’ll Be Together” is actually a cover version of Mr. Bristol’s single with Jackey in 1961.His voice is even the male response on the final released version by the Supremes.

In 1973 he was briefly associated with CBS Records as a producer, but the label seemed to be unenthusiastic about his artists, which included Boz Scaggs and also Johnny Mathis. By 1974 he was with MGM, where he seemed to get his “second wind”. He was now ready to emerge as an artist on his own.

With MGM he recorded 2 albums and placed several singles in the charts. "Hang on in There Baby"  was released in 1974 and hit #8 in the US on the Pop charts; #2 on the  R&B charts;  and even enjoyed success overseas, placing #3 in the UK. "You and I",  "Leave My World" and "Do It To My Mind" followed one after the other in 1974, 75 and 1976. In 1975 he was nominated for a Grammy as Best New Artist.

After leaving MGM he went on to record with Atlantic Records, a relationship which saw him working with some of the artists he had worked with at CBS. In particular he was instrumental in creating Boz Scaggs “breakout” album “Slow Dancer” in 1974. He also produced the Tom Jones album “Memories Don’t Leave Like People Do” which contained 5 cover versions of Mr. Bristol’s songs.

By the 1980’s he was firmly embedded in the European market with such artists as Ami Stewart. He continued recording through the early 1990’s, making music with Earth Wind and Fire, as well as a recording with his daughter Shannon Bristol. He even enjoyed some degree of success in the Japanese market at the time. Good music knows no borders.

Mr. Bristol passed away at his home in Michigan on March 21, 2004. He died of natural causes at the age of 65. Although some would not consider him to be a major artist; or superstar; he was, and continues to be well regarded in musical circles. NC Music Hall of Fame is pleased to include this artist among its inductees.

For more on the NC Music Hall of Fame use this link;

http://northcarolinamusichalloffame.org/

This post is also available at

http://ncmusichalloffamebios.blogspot.com/

"The One" by R.J. Smith (2012)

Author R.J. Smith has done a superb job in this stunning biography of the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. As a matter of fact, he almost eclipses James Brown's "I Feel Good" in this painstakingly researched analysis of one of the most remarkable show business careers.

The author begins the book with a brief, but compelling, introduction, which he uses to explain the historical background of slavery in the Charlestown area of South Carolina. He further extends this introduction as a means of explaining the origins of Rhythm and Blues, as well as Soul Music. It's all in the Upbeat, not the downbeat. James Brown called it "The One", from which the title of this book is taken.

Born in Barnwell, South Carolina; a cotton growing area that was pretty much played out when James Brown was born; the roots of oppression were still palpable in the Jim Crow South of his youth. These roots would have a profound effect on his life, and later, his career. This background is where he got his toughness from, and that quality would serve him well for his entire life.

Born on May 3rd, 1933, Mr. Brown described his birth as "stillborn". His mother wept, while the midwife blew the breath of life into him, taking precious minutes to bring life to the motionless body that had emerged from his mother's womb. Technically, the term "stillborn" describes a baby that is already dead in its mother’s uterus, but the implications to Mr. Brown were the same; he was born dead; and perhaps that is why he worked so hard to live his life to the fullest.

Variously, Brown claimed to be Cherokee, Japanese, and even believed himself to be descended from Geronimo. By the time he passed away, he was undoubtedly related, in some way, to everyman. His music cut across boundaries and created new sounds, with his inimitable style fostering the Soul music of the 70's, along with ushering in Funk, the precursor of today's Rap/Hip Hop music.

James Brown was undoubtedly one of the most complex of individuals. His thoughts, and beliefs, are all given great scrutiny by the author, while not falling prey to the over examination which can turn a good book into a boring one. But, then again, how can James Brown ever be described as boring. This man was on the road for months at a time, working about 300 days a year for decades. His travels took him from the Chitlin' Circuit of his native America, to the jungles of Vietnam; and later to the jungles of Africa with Muhammad Ali; and near the end of his life to the great opera house in Milan, where he sang with Luciano Pavarotti in a stirring combination of musical styles.

His politics, like the man himself, were a puzzle in many ways. He was patriotic, during a time when that emotion could cost a star some of his fan base. He supported the War in Vietnam, even as he realized that the draft affected the black community in a disproportionate way.

This is the man who took a young Harlem preacher named Al Sharpton under his wing, teaching the younger man how to talk, walk, and even how to wear his hair.

When Martin Luther King was killed in April 1968, it was James Brown who kept the peace in Boston. In a scheduled concert, which was also aired on local TV as a way to keep the younger people off the streets, his fans took to the stage, causing the Police to make an attempt to protect him. He waved them off, while at the same time scolding the audience not to embarrass him, or their own race. There was no trouble in Boston that night.

During the 1968 Presidential primaries; after the assassination of Robert Kennedy; he gave his endorsement to Hubert Humphrey, a man who had been spearheading Civil Rights in Congress, and the Senate, for almost 20 years before attaining the office of Vice President. But even as Brown endorsed the man, he challenged him to deliver on his promises.

Creatively, James Brown opened the doors for much of the music we hear today. His landmark live recording, "James Brown Live at the Apollo", recorded in 1962 with the singer's own money, is still one of the best live recordings ever made. The story of how it almost didn't get recorded is a tribute to the guts that defined the life of this musical giant.

Long known for his excesses with women and drugs, this book is a more accurate look at the man beneath the hype. Carefully researched, and filled with the words of those who knew him best; as well as his own; the author has drawn the most complete portrait of James Brown written to date. Future biographers will undoubtedly be quoting from Mr. Smith's extraordinarily researched work in order to tell the story of James Brown's life in a fair and balanced way.

"I Feel Good" by James Brown

To put it quite simply, James Brown was to music as Muhammad Ali was to boxing; that is to say that they both changed all the rules, resulting in a more equitable share of the profits generated by their efforts. Prior to these two men of color, African-American artists, and boxers, were routinely "ripped off" by their managers, as well as the media who exploited them.

His early life consisted of virtually no formal education, yet he had a vision of the sound he wanted to achieve. Teaming up with Bobby Byrd, he altered the course of R&B forever, while at the same time giving birth to "Soul" Music. He is, of course, known as the "Godfather of Soul", as well as the "Hardest Working Man in Show Business". Just You Tube "Please, Please, Please" sometime and watch this man work his incredible talent. Few people realize that James Brown could play several instruments, arrange and even conduct his own music when necessary. The result was always staggering.

After only a brief stint as a member of the Flames, Mr. Brown took over the group, in the same way that Chuck Berry took over Johnnie Johnson's band. It wasn't sinister, they simply were the best front men for those bands.

When Boston was about to erupt into violence, on the evening of Martin Luther King's assassination, it was James Brown who quelled the riot. Using only words, he was able to turn an angry mob at his show, who were being harassed by the police for climbing on the stage to touch him, back into an audience. This video shows part of that concert, with the action described here taking place between 1:58 and 3:40 into the video. This man commanded "respect", and got it, too!



In May of 2002 he teamed up with Luciano Pavarotti and performed "It's a Man's World" at the Opera House in Modena, Italy. Pavarotti sang, using his famous voice, in a stunning counterpoint to Mr. Brown's. He even sang a completely different melody, though I do not know the name of the song which he used. The effect is amazing. You can watch it here with the translation;



Although his later years were shadowed by drug use, including the infamous 2 state, crack fueled police chase, James Brown was the man. This book takes the reader on a lifes journey in the author's own words, including his views on race and politics. In the book, just as in life, James Brown gives it his all, holding nothing back.

James Brown - "Live at the Apollo"

The one album which every music fan should hear is James Brown's recording "Live at The Apollo." It was recorded on October 24th, 1962 at New York's famed Apollo Theater in the midst of the Cuban Missle Crisis, which had been ongoing since October 18th, and would not come to a conclusion until October 29th.

There are several reasons why this album is an essential part of any music collection. The first is that it almost didn't happen. James Brown funded the recording independently, years before other artists would do so in a routine fashion, when Syd Nathan of King Records refused the money needed to record the show. He thought the idea was foolish. The album went on to become one of the top 100 records of all time.

Secondly, the quality of the recording is superb! The vocals are exceptionally crisp and clear, as are each and every instrument and backup vocal. The gospel like rendition of some of the songs gives the entire album a feel of spirituality and excitement. It's like being in a Southern Baptist Church. The audience reactions are a definite part of the proceedings.

Culturally the album reflects the Northern migration taking place at the time as African-Americans continued, as they had since the years before World War Two, to arrive from the South to the industrial cities of the North, bringing with them their own brand of music.



Having been recorded in the midst of the Cuban Missle Crisis lends an almost religous double entendre to songs such as "I Lost Someone", as well as the medley which begins with "Please, Please, Please." When they reach the part of the medley containing "I Lost Someone", which is the song posted here, Mr. Brown is clearly singing to God. The song is a love song to a lover, but also a prayer for salvation. The plaintive way in which Mr. Brown delivers the song draws your attention to the dark events of the Cuban Missle Crisis,which was taking place just outside the doors of the Apollo, engulfing the entire world. The fact that New York City was a target, and could even have been hit during the show, lends a high drama to the performance.

And finally there is the cover art. It is pure Harlem Impressionist at it's best. This album, with it's R and B songs, as well as early Funk and Soul, would lay the groundwork for the sounds of the 1970's and 1980's , with Parliment and the Funkadelics, not to mention the ground breaking sounds of Bootsie Collins. And let's not forget Michael Jackson's "Moon Walk", which was nothing more than James Brown doing his famous shuffle.

No matter how you view this album, or how you hear it, there can be no denying that this was a seminal album, sown from the roots of Gospel Music and Rhythm and Blues. The sound that was created became known as Soul Music, which eventually gave way to Funk and Hip Hop, and today's Rap Music. The future of those genres was born the day James Brown took hold of a microphone for the first time. The same applies to Chuck Berry, Ike Turner and Little Richard in relation to Rock and Roll. Everything that followed in that genre came from those artists.

This album is not for everyone, but it is an important one in the sense that it was a stepping stone to a new sound. I highly recommend it. If you have never heard this live recording before, you need to give it a try. It's some of the most visceral, and real, music which you will ever hear.