James Brown: Musical Pioneer of Soul and Funk

Introduction: An American Icon

James Brown is as much a part of American history as hot dogs at the ballpark. Brown illustrates how one can make something from nothing, American style. He was a musical pioneer, and the timelessness of his work demonstrates that he will remain an icon forever. It is Brown's unique style of music, singing, and dancing that earned him a popularity that still endures today. Brown personified soul and then introduced it to funk. His screams, his moves onstage, and his electrifying presence display musical genius at work.

Brown's Roots and Rise to Fame

Brown was born in 1933 and grew up in poverty. He rose above his circumstances and pursued music while still a teenager. Brown's first group was called the Flames, and the band's first big hit came in 1956 — a song called "Please, Please, Please." David Brackett describes the type of music that Brown and his band performed as establishing:

"What was to become a stylistic trademark: insistent repetition of a single phrase (in this case, the song's title) resulting in a kind of ecstatic trance. This approach and Brown's characteristic raspy vocal timbre and impassioned melismas display his debt to the black American gospel tradition. His stage shows, dancing and inspired call-and-response interactions with the audience also convey the fervour of a sanctified preacher." (Brackett)

This is an accurate description of what Brown sang onstage as well as how he appeared while singing it.

Soul Music and Cultural Identity

Brown was part of a movement in 1960s rock music called "soul" (Kamien 614), a genre that is a combination of "gospel roots and its relationship to the black community" (614). Soul music expresses African-American pride and culture, and its foundation comes from melodic riffs derived from folk blues, which evolved into soul jazz by the late 1950s. Singers and musicians experimented with soul jazz, incorporated their own techniques and flavors, and by the 1960s, soul fell under the broader umbrella of soul jazz. Soul music is not rhythm and blues, but the two are connected through heritage, and their influences are both present in James Brown's music.

Marc Elliot states that while Brown's legacy can be traced back to the sounds of Louis Jordan and Nat "King" Cole, Brown is undoubtedly a "true American cultural icon, America's goodwill ambassador whose smile is as instantly recognizable around the world as that of his predecessor, the late, great Louis Armstrong" (Elliot iv). There is no doubt that Brown borrowed from those who came before him, but like any true innovator, he took what he knew and made it his own — the mark of a genuine genius.

In 1963, Brown recorded and released the "first live recording from the Apollo Theater, a project he funded himself" (Danielson 6). The album became the second best-selling album in the United States. In 1965, Brown released "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," which became a major hit. In the following years, Brown and his "orchestra" (6) began developing a new style that "surfaced for the public with 'Cold Sweat' in 1967" (6). For years after that, Brown was considered the "best within the rhythm and blues/soul/funk branch of black American music" (6).

Danielson argues that Brown's music from 1965 to 1974 is significant because the work from this period "was important to the struggle for a black cultural identity as history as a means of demonstrating an African influence on African-American music and culture" (41). The music was important to the "process of identifying a specifically black culture, and Brown's undeniable success as a black entrepreneur in the powerful American music industry made him almost an icon of progress and self-consciousness, of consolidation, hope, and pride. Brown had succeeded in spite of a terrible start in life and seemingly without making musical compromises" (95). Indeed, he had.

Conclusion: A Lasting Legacy

James Brown is without question a musical legend and genius. From his struggle out of poverty to his fame late in life, Brown never compromised what he believed in. These are qualities that few musicians experience, but when they do, they shine far brighter than any other stars. Brown overcame profound personal difficulties and will be remembered as an influential musician who helped shape the funky sound of soul and left an indelible mark on American music.

Works Cited

Brackett, David. "James Brown." Grove Music Online. Accessed May 19, 2008.

Danielson, Anne. Presence and Pleasure: The Funk Grooves of James Brown. Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 2006.

Elliot, Marc. I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul. New York: Penguin Books, 2005.

Kamien, Roger. Music: An Appreciation. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2000.