For over forty years now the world of soul and funk has been treated to the music of Soul Brother # 1 Mr James Brown. Two new titles from Universal Music catapult the listener into the period when Brown was at his most potent - the 1970's. After enjoying a decade as being a major soul and R'n'B' artist he decided it was time to change groove at the end of 1969 and from then on as they say the rest is history. Whilst his 1971 world-wide smash 'Sex Machine' remains his most famous funk track and most commercial offering to date, it is his other work during the seventies that keep his army of fans happy across the globe and has proved an endless inspiration to rappers and DJ's who have over the years sampled his music to death.

James Brown is a master at his trade - he really did invent funk and set the standards for everyone else to follow. His clever manipulation and invention of dance grooves is like no other and it is no wonder his music has set the worlds dance floors alight over the years. He is the only artist I have ever witnessed come on stage to the microphone and make one grunt or scream and sent the audience wild. His dance routines during the sixties stood him in good stead for what was to come a decade later.

'Jungle Groove' is a perfect introduction to Brown's funk output. It contains remixes of some of his classic tunes with the most notable being an eight minute workout of 'Give It Or Turnit Loose' an uptempo affair with a sharp stabbing brass section and nagging hammond organ groove that really does move your body. Many of Brown's records result in him chanting the titles of his other hit songs with Sex Machine and Ain't It Funky Now being two examples here.

'Funky Drummer' is alleged to be the most sampled record of all time and this CD provides two versions with the nine minute jazzy version and the much sampled 'Beat' version which is where everyone has been sampling from (mainly hip hop). Raw, funky and irresistible to dance to is 'Soul Power' with it's hypnotic guitar riff and interspersing stabbing brass making this the strongest title on the CD (issued as a 45 on Polydor in 1972)

Jungle Groove as a CD goes straight for the jugular vein in terms of funk, dance, and there's no one ever been able to match the master himself. The previously unreleased 'Blind Man Can See It' is very reminiscent of the beats in Funky Drummer and would have made a killing as a blaxploitation sound track and this seven minute workout shows a gentler side to Brown's repertoire. With am amazing brass section of Fred Wesley and Co, the bass playing of future Parliament member Bootsy Collins the band are as tight as you can get.

Jungle Groove may be a somewhat specialised CD but it does indeed has some commercial appeal and with so many music fans/artists now looking back (instead of forward) for musical inspiration they won't go far wrong with this collection.

Rating 8/10
Out now!