It was James Brown, exhorting him, “Maceo, I want you to blow!”, who turned saxophonist Maceo Parker from a sideman to a showstopper. But when Parker blew the doors off James Brown’s “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag,” it was only the beginning. His new memoir takes us from his Southern roots playing in soul bands with his brothers, through his long stint in Brown’s band, the Famous Flames and with George Clinton’s Parliament Funkadelic, Prince, De La Soul, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and others. Since the 1990’s Parker’s been leading his own band, and at the age of 70 is still jazzing, funking and blowing it up onstage, to the tune of 300 performances a year.
Guest:
Maceo Parker, saxophonist, bandleader and author of "98% Funky Stuff: My Life in Music" (Chicago Review Press)