"Funky Good Time: The Anthology by THE J.B.'s featuring Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker and The Macks, The Last Word, The First Family, The James Brown Soul Train (1995 US Polydor/Chronicles 2CD of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Grunt..."

Blessed Blackness indeed. I suspect that if future geneticists somehow get a micro-droplet of James Brown's blood – splice in a little of Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker horn spittle – maybe a slither of Jabo Starks' broken drumstick and a shaved smidgen of Jimmy Nolen's plectrum – you'd create SUPER FUNK MAN – the funkiest cat who ever lived! Superman would crap his outside yellow underpants at the mere sight of him (eat your heart out Henry Cavill). 

There is so much brilliance on this 2CD Polydor-Chronicles 30-tracker beast for James Brown's backing band THE J.B.'s (and all points in-between) that a 'get up offa that thang' freak out on the part of my aged and flabby posterior would hardly do its monumental grooves the credit it so wildly deserves. Covering single and album releases made between June 1971 and April 1976 and even offering two Previously Unreleased - "Funky Good Time: The Anthology" is just so damn good and that goes for both chock-full CDs.  

Describe it? You gotta try, as the great man was fond of saying. Pass the peas and grunt if you please, 'cause here comes the blessed blackness in detail...

UK released March 1995 (23 February 1995 USA) - "Funky Good Time: The Anthology" by THE J.B.'s on Polydor/Chronicles 527 094-2 (Barcode 731452709424) is a 2CD Anthology featuring FRED WESLEY that covers 1970 to 1976 on People and Polydor Records and plays out as follows:

CD1 (76:41 minutes):

1. Introduction To The J.B.'s (0:25) / Doing It To Death (12:09) 

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Complete Version, Track Originally on "Doing It To Death" – July 1973 US LP on People PE 5603 (no UK issue)

2. The Grunt (Parts 1 & 2) (3:30)

Part 1 on the June 1972 US LP "Food For Thought (Pass The Peas I Mean Gimme Some More)" on People PE 5601 - Part 2 is the Non-LP B-side of "The Grunt (Part 1)", July 1971 UK-only 45-single on Mojo 2027 002

3. My Brother (Parts 1 & 2)

Part 1 is the A-side to a June 1971 US 45-single on People 45-2502 (re-titled as "To My Brother" when issued on the "Food For Thought" LP, June 1972 on People PE 5601). A six-second intro from the original master tape has been added to Part 1. Part 2 is Non-LP B-side only.

4. Pass The Peas (3:30)

May 1972 US 45-single on People PE 607, A-side. Also on the "Food For Thought" LP - for B-side see Track 8

5. Gimme Some More (3:05)

November 1971 US 45-single on People PE 602 - also on the "Food For Thought" LP 

6. J.B. Shout (2:47)

August 1972 US 45-single on People PE 614, Non-LP B-side of "Back Stabbers"

7. Blessed Blackness (3:43) - on the "Food For Thought" LP

8. Hot Pants Road (2:45) 

May 1972 US 45-single on People PE 607, B-side of "Pass The Peas" (see Track 4). Also on the "Food For Thought" LP

9. Givin' Up Food For Funk (Parts 1 & 2) (5:47)

June 1972 US 45-Single A&B-sides of People PE 610 - single-only released

10. Honky Tonk (Part 1) (3:04)

June 1972 US 45-single on Polydor PD 14129, A-side - also included on the October 1973 James Brown album "Soul Classics Vol. II" on Polydor SC 5402

11. Dirty Harri (3:10)

March 1973 US 45-single on People PE 619, Non-LP Version, B-side of "Sportin' Life"  

12. Watermelon Man (3:35)

November 1972 US 45-single on People PE 617, A-side, Non-LP single-only release - a Herbie Hancock cover version

13. Parrty (Parts 1 & 2) (5:51)

July 1973 US 45-single on People PE 624 (James Brown writer & producer) - also on the June 1974 Maceo LP "Us" on People PE 6601

14. You Can Have Watergate Just Gimme Some Bucks And I'll Be Straight (3:30)

September 1973 US 45-single on People PE 627, Non-LP Version, B-side of "If You Don't Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again, Party" (for A-side see Track 3, CD2) - an Alternate Take is used on the "Doing It To Death" LP

Track 1 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 1, 6, 11, 12, 14 and 15 by FRED WESLEY And THE J.B.'s

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 by THE J.B.'s

Track 10 by THE JAMES BROWN SOUL TRAIN 

Track 13 by MACEO And THE MACKS (Maceo Parker)

CD2 (77:50 minutes): 

1. Gimme Some More (3:56)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED Live Version (Recorded 14 September 1972 at the Apollo Theatre, NYC)

2. Same Beat (Parts 1, 2 & 3) (7:46)

January 1974 US 45-single on People PE-632, A-side (Part 1) - also on the "Damn Right I Am Somebody" – June 1974 US LP on People PE 6602 - Parts 2 & 3 are the NON-LP B-side 

3. If You Don't Get It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again, Party (3:32)

September 1973 US 45-single on People PE 627, A-side (for B-side, see Track 14 on CD1) - also on the "Damn Right I Am Somebody" LP 

4. Damn Right I Am Somebody (6:26)

May 1974 US 45-single on People PE 638 (both sides) - full album version from the "Damn Right I Am Somebody" LP 

5. I'm Payin' Taxes, What Am I Buyin' - from the "Damn Right I Am Somebody" LP 

6. Soul Power 74 (4:10)

October 1973 US 45-single on People PE 631, A-side - also on the Maceo LP "Us"

7. Keep On Bumpin' Before You Give Out Of Gas (3:32)

February 1974 US 45-single on Polydor PD 14226, A-side, Non-LP single-only release

8. Breakin' Bread (4:20)

December 1974 US 45-single on People PE 648, A-side - also on the January 1975 US LP "Breakin' Bread" on People PE 6604

9. Rockin' Funky Watergate (4:33)

August 1974 US PROMO-ONLY DJ-Edit in STEREO on People PE 643, B-side (A-side was Mono) - also on the "Breakin' Bread" LP

10. Control (People Go Where We Send You Part 1) (3:45)

 August 1974 US 45-single on Polydor PD 14250, A-side, Non-LP single-only release

11. Cross The Track (We Better Go Back) (3:19)

1975 US 45-single on People PE 647, A-side, Non-LP single-only release

12. All Aboard The Soul Funky Train (4:30)

1975 US 45-single on People PE 663, A-side - also on the September 1975 US LP "Hustle With Speed" on People PE 6606  

13. (It's Not The Express) It's The J.B.'s Monaurial (8:13)

June 1975 US 45-single on People PE 955, A&B Parts 1 & 2 - this is the full version from the September 1975 US LP "Hustle With Speed" on People PE 6606

14. Future Shock (Dance Your Pants Off) (4:02)

1975 US 45-single on People PE 661, A-side (Part 1), also included on the January 1976 US LP "Hot" by James Brown on Polydor PD 6059 

15. Everybody Wanna Get Funky One More Time (Part 1) (5:52)

April 1976 US 45-single on People PE 664, A-side - Non-LP single-only release

 

Track 1 is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

Tracks 1, 12 by THE J.B.'s

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, by FRED WESLEY And THE J.B.'s

Track 14 by MACEO 

Tracks 6 and 11 by MACEO And THE MACKS (Maceo Parker)

Track 7 by THE LAST WORD (Fred Wesley, James Brown, Maceo Parker etc)

Tracks 8, 9 and 13 by FRED & THE NEW J.B.'s (Fred Wesley etc)

Track 10 by THE FIRST FAMILY 

Track 15 by THE J.B.'s with JAMES BROWN 

The 24-page booklet is a crammed with black and whites of the 7-to-13 piece 'band' that was THE J.B.'s. With James Brown at the writing, co-writing and Production helm - we get introduced to legends that have travelled through their ranks like horn players Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, pianist and singer Bobby Byrd, Guitarists Jimmy Nolen and Hearlon "Cheese" Marlin, Bassist William "Bootsy" Collins, Tenor Saxophonist St. Clair Pinckney, Bassist Fred Thomas and Drummer John "Jabo" Starks. Guests include Randy Brecker on Trumpet, Hugh McCracken on Guitar and "Pee Wee" Ellis from The Famous Flames. 

The final 10-pages or so goes into a track-by-track credits but oddly leaves out catalogue numbers and dates (I've supplied them above). Long-time Tour Manager and keeper of the JB flame ALAN LEEDS (he did all 11 of the magnificent "Singles" Volumes for Hip-O Select) provides the insightful, honest and witty liner notes. You get small photos of all five period albums, some 45-label repros and a couple of typically attention-grabbing trade adverts - but the lack of colour kind of lets the side down a tad. 

What doesn't disappoint is the AUDIO care of a team of two - Transfers by GARY MAYO and Digital Remasters by JOSEPH M. PALMACCIO. Palmaccio did the gargantuan STAX Singles box sets (Volumes 1 to 3 as I recall) so he knows his way around a tape box or two. The Funk is strong with this one. To the chunes...  

"How can we do it? We do it to death!" As Fred and James Brown lead the band through the shout/response intro to the impossibly catchy "If You Don't Do It The First Time, Back Up And Try It Again, Party" - it takes less than a minute for that Funky neck-jerking rhythm to turn into Fred's trademark horn. It's just fantastic. You could argue I suppose that 30 slabs of this relentless Funk is too much, but even when they tackle something like Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" - the J.B.'s put their own stamp on it and somehow make it their own. 

You would also have to say that the shadow of The Meters and their impossibly sexy New Orleans strut-funk permeates organ-driven B-sides like "Dirty Harri" and talking-the-talk "Same Beat" where a groove is faded-in and just stays locked-in like a limpet that's found its mollusc home. There is even a touch of Fusion in the subtly angry "Damn Right I Am Somebody" – a song that Funks pertinent subjects like lack of food, drug-riddled neighbourhoods and racial inequality. In fact period Politics is always there beneath the surface, made available to the masses as JB chants "You Can Have Watergate Just Gimme Some Bucks And I'll Be Straight" – both Hearlon "Cheese" Martin and Jimmy Nolen flicking those guitar notes to stunning effect. And perhaps his greatest groove ever - "Doing It To Death" - weighs in at an almost side long 12-minutes on CD1 – a Previously Unreleased entry actually worthy of the moniker 'Bonus'. Astonishing. 

"We're gonna have a funky good time! Gotta take you higher!" – James Brown sings as he leads his ace band in "Doing It To Death" – Fred taking it to the bridge as ever. And it is will cost you less than seven quid brand new. 

Now I'll grunt for that plate of peas any day...

ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY for "Funky Good Time: The Anthology"

Credited as THE J.B.'s:

"Food For Thought (Pass The Peas I Mean Gimme Some More)" - June 1972 US LP on People PE 5601 - Issued as "Pass The Peas" in the UK on Mojo 2918 004 also in 1972

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 on CD1 and Track 1 on CD2

"Doing It To Death" – July 1973 US LP on People PE 5603 (no UK issue)

Tracks 1 and 14 on CD1

"Hustle With Speed" – September 1975 US LP on People PE 6606 

Tracks 12 and 13 on CD2

Credited as FRED WESLEY and THE J.B.'s:

"Damn Right I Am Somebody" – June 1974 US LP on People PE 6602 - Same title July 1974 UK on Polydor 2391 125 

Tracks 2, 3, 4 and 5 on CD2

Credited as FRED & THE NEW J.B.'s:

"Breakin' Bread" – January 1975 US LP on People PE 6604

Tracks 8 and 9 on CD2

Credited as MACEO (Maceo Parker):

"Us" - June 1974 US LP on People PE 6601

Track 13 on CD1 and Track 6 on CD2

With JAMES BROWN:

"Soul Classics Vol. II" - October 1973 US James Brown album on Polydor SC 5402 featuring The J.B.'s - Track 10 on CD1

"Hot" - January 1976 US LP by James Brown on Polydor PD 6059

Track 14 on CD2