James Brown - Live At The Garden Expanded Edition

You have probably already noticed the difference in the artwork posted here.  Like so many "live" albums from back in the day, Live At The Garden was edited to include arena crowd noise and a different tracklist. Why??  Because it wasn't recorded at Madison Square Garden!  Most deceptive was the inclusion of a brand new track, recorded with no audience at all.  The effort was for little reward as shortly after this release, Live At The Apollo was released - overshadowing this album.  

Unlike so many expanded/deluxe reissues, Hip-O-Select have really outdone themselves to create something of real value for Brown fans.  The album was infact recorded at a supper club;  The Latin Casino.  With this album we get two discs.  The original LP on disc one, and the original show in its entirety on disc two, with no trickery.  Also included is the proper recording session of the "Let Yourself Go" single, as it was recorded after hours at the Latin Casino.

All in all this album is a superb treat.  Everything has been remastered and has excellent fidelity, giving this performance a real edge towards the Apollo shows.  I have ripped everything in FLAC with full scans making this a pretty large DL.  So please enjoy and remember to keep it on the one... HHHHaaaaaaaayyyyuh!!!

There’s no shortage of live albums from the Godfather of Soul available, but James Brown’s 1967 release Live at the Garden is a comparative curio that’s only now received the treatment it deserves.
The original album is included here, compressing performances from two nights at New Jersey’s The Latin Casino into a 12-track souvenir. But the record’s cut-and-pasting of numbers between overdubs of excited audience appreciation (and its bizarre omitting of the full version of Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag and It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World entirely) rather lessened its longevity. A poorer cousin of the Live at the Apollo albums, …Garden rather paled into insignificance.
Until now, as modern technology has seen it restored to greatness, even if the scratchy sound contrasts unfavourably to contemporary collections. But that’s part of the appeal – with the mix cleaned up, relatively speaking, the audience’s hollering reduced and Brown’s every interjection present, there’s appealing warmth exuded despite the patchy fidelity. Brown’s thank you mid-set seems sincere; when he tells the crowd that without them there wouldn’t be a James Brown, catching his breath as he does so, there’s an honesty that few several-nights-a-week performers today can match. Truly, the man conveyed a rare charm.
“I’ll always be the same ol’ fella,” Brown remarks, before the evergreen It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World – and such is the boundless reach of the track that you have to pinch yourself that said ol’ fella isn’t with us anymore. Then again, as this performance is

proof positive of, such is Brown’s vocal power, so emotions-stirring are his from-the-heart hymns to love, that the passing of time is determinedly defied. In life he could stop you in your tracks, leave you hanging on his next word; after death, his recordings continue to do so.
Buoyed by a superb band that, just occasionally, found space for Miles Davis’ bassist Ron Carter, …Garden not only catches Brown in typically fine voice, but also marks the moment where Alfred ‘Pee Wee’ Ellis stepped into his musical director role (Nat Jones was apparently displeased with The Latin Casino’s modest backstage facilities). Thrown in at the deep end though he was, Ellis keeps his reins tight – he’d go on to work with Van Morrison.
Wonderfully rollicking from the off, …Garden is a set to cherish in its rebuilt form. Do, please, bring it up and let yourself go.   - Mike Diver/BBC

 Original Album:
King Records 1018
1967

A1 Out Of Sight
A2 Bring It Up
A3 Try Me
A4 Let Yourself Go
A5 Hip Bag 67'
B1 Prisoner Of Love
B2 It May Be The Last Time
B3 I Got You (I Feel Good)
B4 Ain't That A Groove
B5 Please, Please, Please

 Expanded Edition:

Hip-O-Select

2009

Disc one

1. "Out of Sight" James Brown 1:14
2. "Bring It Up" James Brown 4:01
3. "Try Me" James Brown 2:19
4. "Let Yourself Go" James Brown 3:47
5. "Hip Bag '67" James Brown 5:41
6. "Prisoner of Love" Russ Columbo, Clarence Gaskill, Leo Robin 4:59
7. "It May Be the Last Time" James Brown 4:50
8. "I Got You (I Feel Good)" James Brown 2:27
9. "Ain't That a Groove - Part 1" James Brown, Nat Jones 6:03
10. "Ain't That a Groove - Part 2" James Brown, Nat Jones 1:10
11. "Please, Please, Please" James Brown, Johnny Terry 2:45
12. "Bring It Up (Finale)" James Brown 1:25
13. "Introduction - Vonsheliah" James Brown, Nat Jones 0:35
14. "The King" James Brown 1:55
15. "Wade in the Water" Ramsey Lewis 5:42
16. "Devil's Den" James Brown 3:07
17. "Medley: Headache/Get Loose/Jabo" James Brown, Nat Jones 5:45
18. "Night Train" Jimmy Forrest, Oscar Washington 11:15


Disc two

1. "Introduction/Out of Sight" James Brown 1:18
2. "Bring It Up" James Brown 4:35
3. "Try Me" James Brown 2:37
4. "Come Rain or Come Shine" Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer 3:02
5. "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" James Brown 9:27
6. "Prisoner of Love" Russ Columbo, Clarence Gaskill, Leo Robin 5:15
7. "Maybe the Last Time" James Brown 4:44
8. "I Got You (I Feel Good)" James Brown 2:23
9. "James Brown Thank You" 3:09
10. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" James Brown, Betty Jean Newsome 7:16
11. "Ain't That a Groove" James Brown, Nat Jones 8:34
12. "Please, Please, Please" James Brown, Johnny Terry 2:46
13. "Bring It Up (Finale)" James Brown 1:39
14. "Let Yourself Go (Instrumental Jam)" James Brown 4:11
15. "Let Yourself Go (False Start)" James Brown 1:24
16. "Let Yourself Go (Extended Released Version)" James Brown 4:00