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The subtitle of the book is Searching for the Real James Brown. And technically, this is a biography of the Godfather of Soul-James Brown. But in reality, it has a multiplicity of distinctions that encompass many genres. It reflects the storytelling of a novel, the journalistic integrity of a thoughtful and thorough biography, an exploration of blues and soul music in the 1950's, 60's and 70's that blossoms from McBride's deep passion for music (on top of everything else McBride is also a saxophonist and composer!), his admiration and understanding of James Brown and, most powerfully, his first-hand experience of the burden, detriment, and corrosive quality of advertent and inadvertent racism.
It is this last quality that seduced me from page one. McBride explores how the racial climate during these years shaped and formed James Brown. His abject poverty, his shame, and his rage in the racially charged South created a man of enormous contradiction. He was capable of astounding generosity alternating with indiscriminate meanness. He was a man of monumental talent who mentored many talented musicians and deserted others. He craved meaningful relationships but never truly let anyone inside. Maybe most heartbreaking, he died leaving a $100-million estate for the benefit of low income children's education in the southeastern United States. Even now, 10 years after his death, not a single dollar of his estate has reached these children. The whole fortune has been tied up in litigation by estranged family, greedy lawyers, and corrupt politicians.
As I became immersed in this riveting book, not only was I informed about the role of race in shaping James Brown and the music and musicians of the last 70 years, but was also reminded of the joy and exuberance that music in general and James Brown in particular can bring to us all. As James McBride said in a New York Times article the other day, "I just love music, and I love what music does for people..."
I agree and would also add I just love what brilliant writing like McBride's can do. I love what a book like this can do for us all. Happy Reading,
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