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R.I.P. Chuck Brown.

69.140.210.135

Posted on May 16, 2012 at 19:25:03
Alan G.


 
Chuck Brown, the father of Go Go Music based in DC and mentor to the late Eva Cassidy, died today at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was 75 years old. This is very big news in the Washington, DC area. He has had a few recordings with Eva Cassidy. They played together live quite often. Ms. Cassidy gained fame internationally posthumously for several of her singles and albums. Chuck Brown's biggest national hit was "I Feel Like Busting Loose". His popularity was pretty constant in DC where folk of all ages would GO GO dance though out his sets and/or recordings. I last saw him live on the National Mall about ten years ago and I, too, danced hard through out his set. I did enjoy his co-opting jazz classics and putting them to the go go beat. Thanks for everything Mr. Chuck Brown

 

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Gimme the bridge now..., posted on May 16, 2012 at 20:27:49
musetap
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Posts: 31819
Location: San Francisco
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  Since:
January 28, 2004
I have always dug this tune:

Funny how Go Go music never really caught on much outside of DC (minor notice of Trouble Funk and Mr. Brown now and again) and basically has remained a regional thing in these days where so much goes...global.

R.I.P Mr. Brown and thanks for those funky grooves.

"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure




 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 16, 2012 at 21:14:07
Green Lantern
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Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
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yeah I was stationed in the DC area in the late 80's; early 90's when he was hitting the National scene and introducing go-go music to the Nation. Too bad it never really caught on like I would have love to seen; It ultimately get over shadowed and couldn't really compete with the emerging gangsta rap maddness that was hittin' the scene around that time.
Even still, it was a refreshing alternative. Go-Go: wasn't really hip-hop, wasn't really soul, but man could it move! I just utube'd 'Bustin' loose' and I didn't realize it came out in '78; wow that was a long time ago; I was all of age 18..

R.I.P.









 

HOT VIDEO!!! Thanks for that!! (nt), posted on May 16, 2012 at 22:00:31
Alan G.
-

 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 17, 2012 at 03:44:12
nairb
Yes. He'll be missed. Eva Cassidy was a natural singer and her shyness could be thought of i hindsight as endearing especially contrasted to performers like the Kardashian's and Paris Hilton with natural talent you could put in a thimble and have room left for an elephant.

 

How the hell have I overlooked this guy!!!/nt, posted on May 17, 2012 at 05:52:44
MaxwellP
Audiophile

Posts: 1618
Location: New York
Joined: September 19, 2007
nt

 

RE: Gimme the bridge now..., posted on May 17, 2012 at 09:04:18
just stop it
He was truly a badass- we danced all day and night to this back when. Go- Go is gone gone now but he'll be remembered!

 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 17, 2012 at 18:43:21
DaveT
Audiophile

Posts: 1126
Location: Mid Atlantic (Wash, DC Area)
Joined: September 25, 2000
I last saw Chuck Brown two years ago at set under the stars at The Reston Town Center. Reston is a well heeled suburb of Washington, D.C. The yuppies were their in the lawn chairs, sipping wine, waiting for the music to begin. Well Chuck came out with his signature Wind it up Chuck. The crowd rushed the stage and the more bourgeois patrons were flummoxed by the revelers of the GO-GO Beat. The crowd go-go'ed from the first note until the last. Much to the chagrin of those that were there to be entertained rather than participants.

Go-Go is unique to the DC area and the key is the beat. It just continues from one song to the next without stop. The party just never stops. Gravel voiced Chuck just laid it on the crowd, and they loved it.

Today, in Washington, there were tributes galore to the areas favorite son on sports radio, television, pop and jazz radio stations. Unlike Marvin Gaye, Billy Cobb, and Duke Ellington - Chuck Brown made his fame right here at home and not far off in some other city. Roberta Flack is another accomplished entertainer who has stayed close to the capital city. The articles in today's Washington Post provided the glimpse into the soul of a man who etched the soul of this city in his music.

The children you see drumming on paint pails along the mall in the city play the go-go beat. Its entertaining, and these young people will carry the beat into the future. Thanks Chuck! You will be missed.
DaveT

 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 18, 2012 at 08:23:18
I was first made aware of Chuck Brown when I heard him do a guest vocal with "Al a Carte Brass & Percussion" from Mapleshade Records. Killer vocals.

 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 19, 2012 at 12:34:04
J Harris
Hello GL,

I live in Silver Spring. Just curious where in the DC area you hung your hat?

Take care

 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 20, 2012 at 03:27:16
Green Lantern
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Posts: 16952
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June 17, 2003
I was at a technical training school at the Bethesda Naval Hospital (about 10 min from the White House) for a year in '89. One of my classmates was from Baltimore...also two of my closet childhood friends I grew up with were living in Arlington.. I briefly dated a girl who I met while partying at Georgetown University; she lived in Manassas...needless to say I had a great time...I said good-bye to my 20's that Summer;...wow what a wonderful time and area that was ;)









 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 20, 2012 at 06:24:56
J Harris
OK. I know Bethesda well. I've been to the Naval Hopsital a couple of times. (They kept misplacing my blood samples...another story for another day.)

Chuck will be missed for sure. Living here when you did, you must have been aware of another DC legend, Petey Greene.

If you make it back to DC, here is an open invite to listen to some Gunned Maggies. Not sure if I have any Steve Arrington...perhaps some Lakeside will do ya?!

 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 20, 2012 at 07:40:19
Green Lantern
Audiophile

Posts: 16952
Location: San Diego, Ca
Joined: November 12, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
June 17, 2003
wow; we may have more in common than you think, I grew up in Dayton, Oh, my eldest brother went to school with Steve Arrington, I went to high school with two of the founding members of the funk group 'Slave' (Mark Hicks, Mark Adams may they both RIP); used to watch em' practice in their dad's garage..Stephen Shockley (one of the founding memeber of Lakeside-also from Dayton) is on my FB friends list; ditto for Marshall Jones, one of the founding member and bass player for the Ohio players...among many others from that land of funk city ;).

Not sure when or if I'll ever be in the DC area again, I retired from the Navy in 2001; closet I'll get will probably Ohio where my family resides...I've been living in San Diego for the last 31 yrs...the open invite is also extended to you if you ever find yourself on the Left Coast:)









 

RE: R.I.P. Chuck Brown. , posted on May 21, 2012 at 08:08:43
J Harris
Thanks for the inivte as well. Have been to Diego once and loved it. Torrey Pines North course made the trip all come together! Doubt I'll ever get back, but if I do...

We spoke once before sometime back and you had made mention of your friendship with Slave but I did not know about Ohio Players and my metioning Lake Side was a shot in the dark. Who kenw Ohio was such a hotbed for talent then??

Good luck with your Gunned MMGs as I'm sure you will enjoy yours as much as I did. Mine have been pushed to the rear now as part of a 5.1 setup. 2.7s up front. You should hear H Hancock's Head Hunters..pure joy.

 

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