The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/31966
WRITERS The Scene is hiring. The Scene is looking for people who are interested in the arts, have experience writ- ing journalistically and care about reporting accurately — accuracy is very important. We’re looking for people who can spin an interesting sentence and are thoughtful in their reporting and reviewing of events. Those who are interested in contributing but have no journalism experience may also be considered for writer positions if they possess an enthusiasm and love for the area, curiosity, openness to talk to people and a talent for writing. Assignments include feature stories, musi- cian and bartender interviews and event, concert, film, music and theater reviews. If interested, send a resume and relevant writing samples or clips to Scene Editor Cassandra Miller at editor@otownscene.com. Materials may also be submitted to The Daily Star/O-Town Scene offices at 102 Chestnut St. in Oneonta. 14 O-Town Scene May 19, 2011 Vinyl Vault James Brown ‘Live At The Apollo’ King Records, 1962 When one thinks of the late James Brown, it is impossible to separate the music from the live perfor- mances. Brown, “The Hardest Working Man In Show Business,” wasn’t just the record- ing artist, he was the songwriter, arranger, bandleader, singer and dancer. His mara- thon live performances are as important to his legacy as his massive body of recorded music. Throughout the 1950s and early ’60s, Brown was a successful rhythm and blues singer, raking up hit after hit on the charts, and constantly touring, in the process creating one of the tightest, most exciting live bands in the country. Despite considerable success in the R&B circuit, Brown knew he needed to reach a larger audience, and felt the best way to do this was to record one of his live performances. On Oct. 24, 1962, his performance at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, released as “Live At The Apollo,” merged Brown the singer and Brown the performer, forever altering his career and R&B music in the process. The idea of a live record seemed prepos- terous in late 1962. When Brown pitched the idea to King Records owner Syd Nathan, he refused to fund the recordings, thinking it would be a major disaster to the small Cincinnati-based label. Undeterred, and knowing the power his live performances, Brown paid for the recording out of pocket, something unheard of at the time. As critic Hal Neely explains on the album’s back liner notes: “The technical problems of recording a live performance in a packed house were almost insurmountable but the effort and time was justified by the result.” The Hardest Working Man in Show Business captured the magic of his live show with just eight mi- crophones, and what was captured on tape became a massive success for King Records. The performances on “Live At The Apollo” could never have been created in a record- ing studio, neither then or now. Brown’s performance in 1962 was much different than the famous funk recordings of a decade later. These songs are played at a breakneck pace, with almost no pauses in between. There are no long instrumental breaks or so- los, instead Brown and his band are playing a medley of songs with barely enough room for the audience to scream for more. Despite how raucous the record is, there is certainly a pre-British Invasion feeling of formality to it. It begins with a proper emcee introducing James Brown and his Band, with Brown coming out to thunderous applause and music. In the slower songs, you can hear the girls swoon as Brown sings his early ballads. There are still hints of Brown’s revolutionary funk, especially in the poly- rhythmic interplay between his guitar player and his drummer, the first rumblings of a new genre being created. James Brown’s “Live At The Apollo” is an essential album, a must own. It is a record so concise and streamlined that there is no room for a weak song. It is the document of a road-tested band in top form, and a cap- tured magic that couldn’t be manufactured. This is James Brown at his best, and this is the record where the rest of the world took notice. _ James Derek Sapienza James Derek Sapienza is a 25-year-old musician and artist. His record collection contains more than 1,000 LPs and singles, which he has been collecting since he was 8 years old. These songs are played at a breakneck pace, with almost no pauses in between. There are no long instrumental breaks or solos, instead Brown and his band are playing a medley of songs with barely enough room for the audience to scream for more.