Two-part documentary exploring the career of music legend James Brown, a key figure in both the transformation of R 'n' B into soul, and soul into funk. In the first part Courtney Pine looks at Brown's early years - born into poverty in the South, he ran foul of the law before gaining parole and starting his music career in a gospel group with his long-serving sideman Bobby Byrd. With comments from Brown himself, and his musical associates.