Gettin’ Down To It

The idea of Soul Brother #1 covering jazz standards may not have seemed intuitive in 1969 but Gettin’ Down To It is one of James Brown’s most memorable LPs partly for playing against type. Backed by the Dee Felice Trio, Brown’s impassioned vocals make for an engaging set of performances on such classics as “Willow Weep For Me” and “Misty” plus he sneaks in a couple of jazzy workups of his own hits like “Cold Sweat” and “There Was a Time.”