Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Black Caesar (album)

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Released
  
February 1973

Label
  
Polydor

Release date
  
February 1973

Producer
  
James Brown

Length
  
36:17

Artist
  
James Brown

Movie
  
Black Caesar

Genres
  
Funk, Soul music

Black Caesar (album) httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenthumb4

Similar
  
Bring It On!, Sex Machine Today, Gettin' Down to It, There It Is, It's a Mother

Black Caesar is a soundtrack album recorded by James Brown for the film of the same name and released in 1973. The album also features The J.B.'s and Lyn Collins.

Contents

Critical reception

In a 1980 consumer guide to James Brown's albums following the dissolution of King Records, Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave Black Caesar a "D+" and stated, "You listen to Brown for music, not songs, but that's no reason to expect good soundtrack albums from him. He should never be allowed near a vibraphone again."

In a retrospective review, Mark Deming of Allmusic gives the album three-and-a-half out of five stars and feels that, "like most soundtrack albums of the period, Black Caesar sounds rather scattershot, especially when the music is divorced from the film's narrative," but observed "several top-notch tracks", including "The Boss", "Make It Good to Yourself", and "Mama's Dead". Deming adds that "Fred Wesley's superb horn charts, Jimmy Nolen's percussive guitar, and Jabo Starks' dead-on-the-one drumming make even the weaker instrumental cuts worth a quick listen". Dave Thompson calls it a "kick-ass soundtrack" and "nothing short of a full frontal funk assault."

Personnel

Credits for Black Caesar adapted from Allmusic.

  • Charles Bobbit – Composer
  • Bob Both – Mixing, Production Supervisor
  • James Brown – Arranger, Composer, Conductor, Primary Artist, Producer, Vocals
  • Bodie Chandler – Composer
  • Lyn Collins – Composer, Primary Artist
  • Barry De Vorzon – Composer
  • Jeff Faville – Redesign
  • Jan Hammer – Composer
  • Joseph M. Palmaccio – Digital Remastering
  • Harry Weinger – Liner Notes
  • Fred Wesley – Arranger, Composer
  • Songs

    1Down and Out in New York City4:46
    2Blind Man Can See It2:21
    3Sportin' Life3:52

    References

    Black Caesar (album) Wikipedia