James Brown - Soul On Top
James Brown – vocal [click here to see more vinyl featuring James Brown]
Tenor Saxophone – Maceo Parker
Louie Bellson Orchestra conducted by Oliver Nelson
- Alto Saxophone – Ernie Watts, Joe Romano
- Baritone Saxophone – Jim Mulidore
- Bass – Ray Brown
- Drums – Louie Bellson
- Percussion – Jack Arnold
- Piano – Frank Vincent
- Guitar – Bill Pitman, Louis Shelton
- Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Collette, Pete Christlieb
- Trombone – Bill Tole, Jimmy Cleveland, Kenny Shroyer, Nick DiMaio
- Trumpet – Al Aarons, Chuck Finley, John Audino, Tom Porello
Arranged by Oliver Nelson
Written by James Brown (A4, B6), Carroll Loveday (A1), Helmy Kresa (A1), Hank Williams (A2), Anthony Newley (A3), Leslie Bricusse (A3), Betty Newsome (A4), Bud Hobgood (A5), Jule Styne (B1), Sammy Cahn (B1), Kurt Weill (B2), Maxwell Anderson (B2), Orlando Murden (B3), Ronald Miller (B3), Peter Chatman (B4), Louie Bellson (B5)
1 LP, gatefold jacket
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : Black
Speed : 33RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Third Man Pressing (Detroit)
Label : Verve (Verve by Request)
Original Label : King
Recorded November 10–11, 1969 at United Recorders, Hollywood
Engineered by Eddie Brackett
Produced [Original] by James Brown
Remixed and remastered by Bob Irwin
Reissue produced by Bryan Koniarz
Lacquer cut by Ryan Smith
Liner Notes by Stephanie Stein Crease
Photography by Chuck Stewart
Originally released in April 1970
Reissued in January 2023
Tracks:
Side A:
- That's My Desire
- Your Cheating Heart
- What Kind Of Fool Am I
- It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World
- The Man In The Glass
Side B:
- It's Magic
- September Song
- For Once In My Life
- Every Day I Have The Blues
- I Need Your Key (To Turn Me On)
- Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
Reviews :
“If Count Basie had hired James Brown to replace Joe Williams as his featured male vocalist, what would the results have sounded like? Brown offers some suggestions on Soul on Top, which finds the Godfather of Soul making an intriguing detour into jazz-minded big-band territory. Recorded in 1969, Soul on Top unites Brown with the Basie-influenced orchestra of jazz drummer Louie Bellson, and stylistically, the results are somewhere between soul-funk and the funkier side of big-band jazz. This Brown/Bellson collaboration isn't straight-ahead jazz, nor is it typical of Brown's late-'60s output. But if recording a big-band project with Bellson was a surprising and unexpected thing for the Godfather of Soul to do in 1969, it was hardly illogical or bizarre -- Brown, after all, grew up listening to jazz (as well as blues and gospel) and was well aware of the legacies of Basie, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington, and others. While some jazz snobs would have listeners believe that jazz and R&B have little, if anything, in common, the fact is that they're close relatives that get much of their energy and feeling from the blues. So it makes perfect sense for Brown to combine soul, funk, and jazz on this album, which finds him revisiting some major hits (including "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World") in addition to embracing "September Song," "That's My Desire," and other standards typically associated with jazz and traditional pop. Although not among the Godfather's better-known efforts, this fine album is happily recommended to anyone who holds R&B and jazz in equally high regard.” AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4 / 5 , Discogs : 4.76 / 5