Brown lifts the funk on latest concert tour

Spencer Patterson

Friday, May 21, 2004 | 8:38 a.m.

At age 71, the Hardest Working Man in Show Business is showing no signs of slowing down.

More than a year after kicking off his "Seven Decades of Funk" tour, James Brown brings his legendary live show to the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay tonight.

Brown's days as a dominant recording force -- he sent 98 songs into the top 40 of Billboard's R&B Singles chart in a 39-year span -- might be behind him.

The vocalist's latest album of new material, 2002's "The Next Step," peaked at No. 72 on the R&B/hip-hop album chart, and he is currently without a recording label.

But Brown remains a popular live draw, mixing elements from his career of soul, R&B and funk.

An excerpt from a review of Brown's November return to New York City's Apollo Theater from Web site www.popmatters.com:

"If you looked out the corner of your eye throughout the night, the way he clenched the mic on its stand, head cocked to the side, legs, piston-like, driving up and down up and down, it was possible to trick yourself into seeing the James Brown of yesteryear."

Of course, tonight's show offers some train-wreck potential as well. At a Blue Note Las Vegas gig on New Year's Eve 2000, Brown reportedly engaged in some rather bizarre behavior, arriving onstage in a bathrobe, tossing a chair and announcing that he could attract larger audiences than the Pope.

Brown has also been plagued by legal difficulties in recent years. In January he was arrested and charged with domestic abuse after allegedly shoving fourth wife Tomi Rae Brown. He has also been convicted of two drug-related offenses, serving more than two years in prison before being released in 1991.

Who: James Brown.

Where: House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

When: 7:30 tonight.

Tickets: $47.50, $60, $85.

Call: 632-7600.

Opening act: None.

Additional Musicians: Brown will be joined by his longtime band, the Soul Generals, and backing vocalists, the Bittersweets.

Essential releases: "Live at the Apollo" (1963), "The Payback" (1973), "Foundations of Funk: A Brand New Bag 1964-1969" (1996); "Make it Funky: The Big Payback 1971-1975" (1996).

What to expect: As its name suggests, Brown's "Seven Decades of Funk" tour emphasizes the funky side of his career, so look for his band to tear up such stone-cold JB classics as "Hot Pants," "Cold Sweat" and "Make it Funky."

Recent set list: Apollo Theater, New York City, Nov. 22: "Shake Your Groove Thing," "Make it Funky," "Get Up Offa That Thing," "Hot Pants," "Try Me," "Get on the Good Foot," "Kansas City," "Every Beat of My Heart," "It's a Man's World," "Living in America," "God Bless America," "Sex Machine." (from www.popmatters.com).

Says Brown: "I think rap music can be a great tool if used the right way. If used in a negative way, it can be damaging." (E-online interview, 1998).

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