James Brown

The Boss

The Original Soundtrack to Black Caesar was composed by James Brown and Fred Wesley who was the band leader of The JB's, James's touring band. The film wasn't a hit at the time (1973) and is now out on DVD I really can see why - it's crap!

All that said and done the soundtrack though is good. The ditty I'm spinning today is The Boss, other 2-step tracks on the album are all instrumentals; Blind Man Can't See, Sportin' Life and White Lightning (I mean Moonshine). When the album came out my fave track was Down And Out in New York City and I must admit it still rocks.

The sleeve was a 'barn door' type that soon becomes damaged when you slide it alongside another on the shelf, that's why I'm showing you the rear! Brown had released 16 singles on himself alone in 1972 and many other by his acts, but the next year only 7 and Down And Out In New York City/Mama's Dead was his only single from Black Caesar in March of that year.

The Boss was issued later on a single but billed as the JB's. His did two film soundtracks that year, Slaughters Big Rip Off was the other. JB say's Jimmy Nolan helped originate that distinctive scratch guitar style you hear on funk. This picture of Jimmy was taken in 1983 when he had re-joined the Band, but he died of a heart attack soon after. (image: Mark Sarfati)