The Godfather of Soul

JJ_2
Originally uploaded by Spunkycynth.

"It's James Brown man! I have to see him before he dies..."

The 72 year old man who's more than famous to people of all ages, in all parts of the world, performed twice in the wonderful Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta last weekend.

He has his own MC, 3 back up singers, 2 dancers, and a 6-piece band. His venue is the largest in the whole festival and rightly so. The show opened with the whole shebangs and he came out wearing a glitzy green tux which screams BLING! BLING! You can't miss the man, even if you're far away from the stage.

Although it was an experience watching a legend like James Brown performing, the show itself wasn't fantastic. The man constantly wanting to do 'his thing', but hearing a 72 year old man singing Sex Machine and I Feel Good just didn't evoke me. He sang very little, hardly moved, and let his back up singers, dancers and fantastic musicians run the show for him. I think almost every song has got some sort of music solo in it.. After a while, you just go, "Oh, please... not again."

But I persisted. Because I was there for I Feel Good. I was there to see the Sex Machine, Living it in America!

I kept on thinking that he should retire, live according to his age, and just chill. That's what I called dignity. I thought I saw James Brown, but I didn't. I saw someone who tries too hard to live up to himself.

All that aside, I could say that I have seen The Godfather of Soul. And said it with pride, even if I didn't enjoy him that much. And I Feel Good.