James Brown

3 things to do for free in Denver this week, December 24-27

If holiday presents and apocalypse preparation left you broke, don't worry. Denver is giving back this week, with lots of free events. From an Improv-a-Thon to a tribute to the godfather of soul to a pop-up shop and dance party, here are three of the best ways to celebrate the season while avoiding ... More >>

The weekend's best live bets: The eighteenth annual Westword Music Showcase 2012

Welcome to the weekend! You made it. And of course, this is not just any weekend. It's the Westword Music Showcase weekend! Whoo freaking hoo! So with that in mind, here's a rundown of what you have in store tomorrow afternoon/evening on the main stage. Be sure to check out this page for a full rund ... More >>

Party down with these headliners at the Westword Music Showcase

See also: Twelve types of Denver musicians

Weekend's best live bets: Lucero, Flipper, the Ting Tings, Say Anything, Jewel and more

Ah, yes, welcome to the weekend! Don't you just love living in the Mile High City? Besides the glorious weather we're enjoying right now, we have yet another weekend filled with a ridiculous number of enticing options: Lucero kicks off its two-night stand at the Bluebird, in addition to an in-store ... More >>

As Black History Month comes to a close, we reflect on the influential Sounds of Blackness

Black History Month 2012 has been a doozy. Beginning with the tragic and shocking death of Don Cornelius to dealing with equally troubling news of Whitney Houston's passing as the month wore on. Most interesting about this time is the ways in which the music healed us. When Whitney died, DJs played ... More >>

Super Bowl commercials: Elton John, Flavor Flav, Echo and the Bunnymen and more

See also: Top 5 Greatest Super Bowl halftime shows and Video: M.I.A. flips off Super Bowl audience during halftime show So we all know that half the fun of watching the Super Bowl is seeing all the commercials. If you missed them for whatever reason -- your loud mouth buddy was yapping about this ... More >>

Naeem Juwan of Spank Rock on "#1 Hit," Bowie, Prince, James Brown, and the perils of nostalgia

Jorge MorenoSpank Rock​Spank Rock (due tonight at Summit Music Hall for the Check Yo Ponytail 2 tour) emerged in Philadelphia around the middle of the last decade making music that brought together threads of hip-hop, rock, R&B and electronic pop. With the release of 2006's YoYoYoYoYo, the gro ... More >>

Five infamous monuments named after musicians of questionable moral character

Kurt Cobain​How do you honor a musician when awards and certifications aren't enough? By naming something in his honor, of course -- be it a bridge, a street, an asteroid or even a whole day after the guy. But in naming something after a musician, it's easy to forget that while in some cases t ... More >>

Bootsy Collins on his unique persona and getting his start in funk playing with James Brown

David Carlo​Bootsy Collins (due tonight at The Boulder Theater), a bass player with a larger than life persona, first came to promience in the James Brown band. After leaving Brown's outfit, Collins was convinced by a friend to go to Detroit, where he hooked up with George Clinton, with whom C ... More >>

Ladies’ Night

Jared Mees on Tender Loving Empire and Only Good Thoughts Can Stay

Tender Loving Empire - FlickrJared Mees & The Grown Children​ Even though Jared Mees & The Grown Children don't write strictly confessional music, even a cursory listen to the band's songs reveal that Mees and company are certainly heart on sleeve types. To describe the music as merely Americ ... More >>

People Under The Stairs on music and big ass mansions

Catch People Under the Stairs on Saturday night at the Marquis with Prime Element and Input​ As the first hip-hop duo signed to electronic dance label Om Records, People Under The Stairs have been spitting out quality underground material since 1998. Thes One and Double K have a true apprecia ... More >>

Glee has more chart hits than anyone besides Elvis - and even the King better watch his back

The King?​Buried in blurbs about this week's chart, Billboard.biz had this somewhat alarming stat: The cast of Glee debuted three new songs in the Hot 100 this week, bringing the total number of songs they've had on the chart to 93. To put this figure in perspective, that's two more than Jam ... More >>

Denver's emerging hip-hop producers speak out

Bettye LaVette

Thursday, August 26, Soiled Dove Underground, 303-366-0007.

Elvis's autopsy tools and five more of the grisliest celebrity death souvenirs

​Today is the anniversary of Elvis's death in 1977, and last week, an auction of possibly the most gruesome memorabilia of all time was planned to capitalize on the King's untimely demise. The very same autopsy/embalming tools used to prep the King's final appearance, plus the toe tag identify ... More >>

Not the Same Old Song

Andy Caldwell at Beta

Shy Child

Tuesday, July 29, Ogden Theatre, 303-832-1874.

Q&A With Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley

Last Night...Maceo Parker @ Boulder Theatre

Various Artists

Local Anesthetic
Smooch

Top Music Turkeys and Other Assorted Goodies

A Cut Above

Taking a whack at circumcision.

Everlasting Sounds

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators

Keep Reachin' Up (Pony Canyon)

Elliot Holden Group

Monday, February 20, Sancho's Broken Arrow, 1-866-464-2626.

Death Pool for Cutie

Check the Vegas odds: It's time to predict this year's rock-star deaths.

Natural Soul

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings keep the funk alive and real.

Black Eyed Peas

Monkey Business (A&M Records)

Best Jam Band

Harmonious Junk

Various Artists

Original Soundtrack, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Interscope)
Best of Video Game Music: Hits Vol. 1 (Artemis)

El Vez

Wednesday, October 6, Bluebird Theater, 303-322-2308.

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Thursday, September 23, Fox Theatre, 303-443-3399; Friday, September 24, Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom, 303-297-1772.

Reverend Horton Heat

Revival (Yep Roc)

Al Green

Friday, June 25, Paramount Theatre, 303-830-8497.

Junk Brothers

James Brown guitarist Damon Wood has got a brand-new bag.

Hit Pick

Risk

Chronophonic

chronophonic (Self-released)

Nas

God's Son (Columbia)

Critic's Choice

El Vez

Hit Pick

The Motet

Critic's Choice

James Brown

Best impromptu karaoke in a Mexican dive bar

Satire Restaurant & Lounge

Night & Day

February 4 - 10, 1999

JUST SAY NOEL

THIS YEAR'S CHRISTMAS DISCS PROVIDE SOME ROUGH SLEDDING.

THRILLS

STILL HORNY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

SAX LEGEND MACEO PARKER ON MUSIC, JAMES BROWN AND THE KEYS TO FUNK.

SAY IT LOUD

HE'S JAMES BROWN AND HE'S PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN.

BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL