Fred Wesley and the J.B.s – Damn Right I Am Somebody Pts 1&2
An early incarnation of the mighty JBs
Listen/Download – The JBs – Damn Right I Am Somebody Pt1
Listen/Download – The JBs – Damn Right I Am Somebody Pt2
Greetings all.
Having just returned from a little end-of-summer/beginning-of-fall sojourn to our nation’s capital, I am exhaust-o-mified.
I remember back in the day where I wouldn’t think twice about packing 10 hours travel time into a long weekend. What better time to jam on some mix tapes and chill behind the wheel?
In two decades I’ve gone from that to becoming a mirror image of my (and anyone else’s) father, fielding inquiries from the back seat, struggling to keep my eyes on the road, my hands on the wheel and my brain in one piece. It’s a whole different proposition when you assume leadership of the family caravan.
That said, a good time was had by all, with the sightseeing, and the museums and the wealth of groovy ethnic cuisine available in and around DC.
The tune I bring you today is a prime bit of mid-period (1974) J.B.s.
I don’t know about you guys, but I have a tendency to pick up J.B.s 45s wherever I find them, which explains why I have doubles of several of them.
I mean, why on earth, when given the opportunity to take home a solid serving of funky grooves by one of the tightest bands that ever was, would you refrain from doing so?
This is not to say that I prefer the work of the J.B.s minus the vocalizations of the mighty man for whom they were named, but rather that sometimes an instrumental will hit the spot where a vocal might just get in the way (aside from the fact that Mr Brown is all over these records anyhoo).
Today’s selection, ‘Damn Right I Am Somebody Pts 1&2’ was the title track on the album of the same name, billed as Fred Wesley and the J.B.s, since every once in a while you have to give props to the man burning up the trombone.
Not only is ‘Damn Right…’ one of the tightest grooves ever laid down by this storied ensemble, but it carries in it just a taste of jazz, as well as one of the finest horn charts to grace a JBs record, as well as a tasty percussion breakdown in part 2.
We’ve discussed the clockwork wonders of the James Brown style in this space before, but it bears mentioning yet again. Take yourself a minute and slap on the headphones and listen to the way the warp and weft of the JBs intersect without ever colliding. The lead guitar shoots around the bass, which itself winds around the horns and the rhythm guitar and the drums, providing a deceptively simple base for the soloists (mainly Fred and Maceo) to do their thing.
It is indeed a wonder to behold.
God bless the JBs and all who sailed with them.
See you on Wednesday.
Peace
Larry
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Themocracy
Quality selection Larry.
The JBs really are the acme of tight, groovy funk.
Was lucky enough to see Fred Wesley, Jabo Starks, Clyde Stubblefield and Bernie Worrell (appearing as the ‘The Funk Allstars’) in a wee venue (a boat called the Ferry) in Glasgow a few years back. What a night! Every classic JBs tune, a few instrumental covers of James Brown tracks and being just a few feet from some of the funkiest mo-fos ever… I didn’t stop smiling for about a week!
Never saw Mr Brown himself, but prefer to remember him in his late 60s pomp anyway.
Thanks for bringing back those memories 🙂
Wow, Stu! That was some line up. I’m jealous!
[…] Fred Wesley and the J.B.s – Damn Right I Am Somebody Pts 1&2 […]
Fred Wesley and Maceo just played Town Hall In NYC Oct 6th with Local Jazz great Bill Stewart
on drums and Christine McBride on Electric Bass. The show was outstanding!