This is a truly funky line-up, and perhaps my favorite era for James Brown. Everyone in the band was great.
We have Bobby Byrd, backing up James on vocals. We have the horn section that included Fred Wesley, Darryl Jamison, Chicken Gunnells. We have young Bootsy and Catfish Collins, Cheese Martin, and two drummers Jabo Starks and Tiger Martin.
This film isn’t great quality, but it has it all: funky suits, dances, and breaks, plus crazed Italian fans, and what seems to be Sophia Loren’s sister acting as a narrator in parts. My Italian isn’t so good, but she was talking about Sonny and Cher for a moment. If any of you can translate, please share/Cher…
About nine minutes in, Catfish and Bootsy lock into a serious groove of the type that makes my jaw drop.
Many of these folks bailed from James and took off with George Clinton on his Mothership not very long after this tour, making this a very unique moment in musical history.
Is Bruno to this level? : )
