From the Archives: James Brown in Reseda

Los Angeles Times columnist Robert Hilburn attended the concert. He began his Feb. 2, 1982, review with:

The only thing James Brown has more of than hits is nicknames.

Among the tags he has been given by enthusiastic journalists and show emcees since his first records in the mid-’50: Soul Brother No. 1, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business, the Godfather of Soul, the Original Disco Man and the Minister of the New, New Super Heavy Funk.

But these titles only hint at the impact of a man whose brassy, funk ‘n’ roll sound and blur-of-energy stage manner have helped shape almost all of soul music and much of rock, from Mick Jagger’s dance steps to some of Bruce Springsteen’s playful show antics.…

This post originally was published on Sep. 2, 2010.

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