I also often think that James felt like almost being delivered stillborn (and I guess he was also born prematurely), coming from a parentless home (though his father took care of him, he was often absent and his mother more so because she just straight left him and told him "take care of the boy"), coming from the ghettos of Augusta, Georgia (Broad Street), dropping out of school, having an illness in his early life (he had diabetes as early as his late teens probably), he probably said, "fuck it, I'm gonna make something out of myself" and well, did he?!
I love Tina Turner. In fact, I really prefer the earliest stuff she was doing with Ike (think "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" etc). For some reason, I have never been into the Mother Popcorn/Payback/Sex Machine sound. Even when Prince does it, it's just boring to me.
And of course, Prince can pull a mean Ike Turner when he has a Boni Boyer-type vocalist at his side. Ike was a better musician/bandleader than James, IMO....
James' preacher-style puts me off. I did not grow up going to church so beyond being able to do a really good James Brown impression (for a white boy), I don't really connect with the flavor.
Huh, really? Clearly Ike was a much better musician than James, I don't think anyone would dispute that. James' piano/organ playing does have some charm to it but it is extremely basic. As a pianist/guitarist Ike was in a completely different league than anything that James was capable of. However, as a bandleader I think James buries Ike. I guess it depends on what exactly you mean by "bandleader" but to my ears the musicians that played behind James were on a different level than the ones that played with Ike. I have two problems with a lot of Ike's material:
1) he often picked fairly mediocre material to record.
2) musically, the performances were not good enough to elevate that mediocre material beyond being merely average.
Granted, I am much more familiar with James' music than I am with Ike's. Is there a particular era of Ike's where you find the quality of the musicans to be especially high? Are there any great live recordings of Ike that you would recommend? I'm probably not giving Ike the credit that he deserves because leading his band was probably his biggest strength but I think if you put any of James bands from the sixties to the mid seventies up against any of Ike's bands that James would come out on top.
I love that period, he threw everything but the kitchen sink on the wall just to see what it will look like.
Yup. I had a fairly basic collection of James' music before The Singles double disc collections and through them I have discovered some very cool performances. James doing "I Loves You Porgy" and "If I Ruled the World" being two examples.
I love Tina Turner. In fact, I really prefer the earliest stuff she was doing with Ike (think "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" etc). For some reason, I have never been into the Mother Popcorn/Payback/Sex Machine sound. Even when Prince does it, it's just boring to me.
And of course, Prince can pull a mean Ike Turner when he has a Boni Boyer-type vocalist at his side. Ike was a better musician/bandleader than James, IMO....
James' preacher-style puts me off. I did not grow up going to church so beyond being able to do a really good James Brown impression (for a white boy), I don't really connect with the flavor.
Huh, really? Clearly Ike was a much better musician than James, I don't think anyone would dispute that. James' piano/organ playing does have some charm to it but it is extremely basic. As a pianist/guitarist Ike was in a completely different league than anything that James was capable of. However, as a bandleader I think James buries Ike. I guess it depends on what exactly you mean by "bandleader" but to my ears the musicians that played behind James were on a different level than the ones that played with Ike. I have two problems with a lot of Ike's material:
1) he often picked fairly mediocre material to record.
2) musically, the performances were not good enough to elevate that mediocre material beyond being merely average.
Granted, I am much more familiar with James' music than I am with Ike's. Is there a particular era of Ike's where you find the quality of the musicans to be especially high? Are there any great live recordings of Ike that you would recommend? I'm probably not giving Ike the credit that he deserves because leading his band was probably his biggest strength but I think if you put any of James bands from the sixties to the mid seventies up against any of Ike's bands that James would come out on top.
Theres no argument IMO.
James is prob the best leader of all time.
Under his guidance was a complete change in musical soundscape. He may not have had the capability of playing the lines that his band did, but he certainly guided the band, in the studio and on the stage to a sound that was in his heart, you can see it in the way he moves. There was nothing like it before him.
Music, sweet music, I wish I could caress and...kiss, kiss...
Huh, really? Clearly Ike was a much better musician than James, I don't think anyone would dispute that. James' piano/organ playing does have some charm to it but it is extremely basic. As a pianist/guitarist Ike was in a completely different league than anything that James was capable of. However, as a bandleader I think James buries Ike. I guess it depends on what exactly you mean by "bandleader" but to my ears the musicians that played behind James were on a different level than the ones that played with Ike. I have two problems with a lot of Ike's material:
1) he often picked fairly mediocre material to record.
2) musically, the performances were not good enough to elevate that mediocre material beyond being merely average.
Granted, I am much more familiar with James' music than I am with Ike's. Is there a particular era of Ike's where you find the quality of the musicans to be especially high? Are there any great live recordings of Ike that you would recommend? I'm probably not giving Ike the credit that he deserves because leading his band was probably his biggest strength but I think if you put any of James bands from the sixties to the mid seventies up against any of Ike's bands that James would come out on top.
Theres no argument IMO.
James is prob the best leader of all time.
Under his guidance was a complete change in musical soundscape. He may not have had the capability of playing the lines that his band did, but he certainly guided the band, in the studio and on the stage to a sound that was in his heart, you can see it in the way he moves. There was nothing like it before him.
Huh, really? Clearly Ike was a much better musician than James, I don't think anyone would dispute that. James' piano/organ playing does have some charm to it but it is extremely basic. As a pianist/guitarist Ike was in a completely different league than anything that James was capable of. However, as a bandleader I think James buries Ike. I guess it depends on what exactly you mean by "bandleader" but to my ears the musicians that played behind James were on a different level than the ones that played with Ike. I have two problems with a lot of Ike's material:
1) he often picked fairly mediocre material to record.
2) musically, the performances were not good enough to elevate that mediocre material beyond being merely average.
Granted, I am much more familiar with James' music than I am with Ike's. Is there a particular era of Ike's where you find the quality of the musicans to be especially high? Are there any great live recordings of Ike that you would recommend? I'm probably not giving Ike the credit that he deserves because leading his band was probably his biggest strength but I think if you put any of James bands from the sixties to the mid seventies up against any of Ike's bands that James would come out on top.
Theres no argument IMO.
James is prob the best leader of all time.
Under his guidance was a complete change in musical soundscape. He may not have had the capability of playing the lines that his band did, but he certainly guided the band, in the studio and on the stage to a sound that was in his heart, you can see it in the way he moves. There was nothing like it before him.
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