Say It Live And Loud: Live In Dallas 08.26.68
James Brown had just recorded "Say It Loud--I'm Black and I'm Proud," the anthem that would become his last pop-chart top 10 entry for nearly two decades, when he visited Dallas on a summer 1968 leg of his then-ongoing tour. Mixing Soul Brother Number One's more traditional gospel- and jump-blues-influenced early hits with the funk he was still developing ("Cold Sweat," "Licking Stick--Licking Stick"),Say It Loud and Livecaptures that show in a time-capsule piece that's hardly just a historical document: it brings the full-force power of Brown, Maceo Parker, and the rest of the "James Brown Orchestra" front and center. And the memorabilia-laden CD booklet ("We know the Negro deejay won't play this record ... but every BLACK deejay will play this record!") is as essential as the music.--Rickey Wright