Like a Hollywood epic he would hopefully eschew in favor of some gritty juke joint reverie, James Brown's life has the tidal ups and downs, victories and losses, man-beats-The Man pathos of most cinematica. In Brown's case, however, it's all true, and it's all good too. From his poor beginnings and armed robbery conviction in the South in the late 40s, Brown would eventually rise like an afrikaan sun to wear such titled crowns as "Soul Brother Number One," "Mr. Dynamite," and "the Godfather of Soul." Along the way, he'd pick up huge scores of fans on both side of the color fence, develop one of the most incendiary stage shows of all time, and become arguably the major player in creating the Funk movement of the late 60s and early 70s. Brown's use of jazz elements, his rhythmic experimentation, his chants and screams within his song constructions, his eventual association with the Collins brothers--Bootsy and Catfish (later of Parliament and Funkadelic) in his band...these facts and more explain Brown's monumental status in the worlds of Soul and Funk, as well as offer good reason to attend Reel Deal's upcoming film event on James Brown, an exclusive presented at Cleveland's cool Spy Bar.

"James Brown is an icon," declares Neal Hodges, co-founder of Reel Deal, the independent film series presenting work by minority filmmakers in alternative settings. "Ignore the press on him regarding his stint in jail several years ago; the man has done a lot for the Black community and the Musical community. He's the most sampled artist in musical history. He assisted in bringing calm to the D.C area after Dr. King was assassinated in 1968. He was honored by BET earlier this year and he's a current member of the 2004 Kennedy Center Honors. The timing is just right."

The timing should be sweet on December 16th, a Tuesday before the major shopping rush commences for Christmas. James Brown: the Man, the Music & the Message, will play at 7:30 pm. A new documentary celebrating Brown's musical legacy, the film features some stellar cameos and performances of classic JB tracks such as "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag," "Sex Machine," and "Night Train." Cleveland will be the second city in the USA to screen the film, following only the mighty New York. Preceding the 75-minute film will be "Beat The Devil," a BMW film short starring Brown as a rock legend who has sold his soul to the Devil, but now wants to negotiate. Gary Oldham and Marilyn Manson will also star. Prior to each film and after the screenings, cocktails, Brown's recordings, and chances to network and engage in conversation with attendees will be all the rage.

Admission to the event is a meager $5, with RSVP action strongly encouraged at filmsinblack@hotmail.com, everything kicks off 6 pm at Spy Bar, 1261 W. 6th Street, Tuesday, December 16th. Be there, cats and kittens. by Cool Cleveland music correspondent Daiv Whaley

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