James Brown

In spite of his legal woes, James Brown is without a doubt one of the most influential musical geniuses of all time. Released in 1970, Sex Machine captures J.B. and his crack-shot band (including Bootsy Collins, Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley) in their element -- live. Sizzling gems from The Hardest Working Man In Show Business.

Some doubt the claim that this was recorded in concert in Augusta, Georgia, but everyone believes in the music. On "Get Up I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine" he creates a dance track even more compelling than the single out of the same five elements: light funk-four on the traps, syncopated bass figure, guitar scratched six beats to the bar, and two voices for call and response. When he modulates to the bridge it's like the Spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters. After that he could describe his cars for three sides and get away with it (hope this doesn't give him any bright ideas), but in fact all of what remains is prime JB except for the organ version of "Spinning Wheel" (horn bands will out) and the cover of "If I Ruled the World" (thought he already did). Side four, with its powerful "Man's World," is especially fine, closing with a soul-wrenching scream that says it all. (Grade - A)