The stage act of the late "Godfather of Soul" is a perfect illustration of the central theme of Rogan Taylor's book "The Death and Resurrection Show: Shamanism in Performance".

It's Taylor's belief that almost every affecting stage performance, from Harry Houdini to the Indian Rope-Trick, re-enacts the descent of the shaman into the underworld and his re-emergence bearing pearls of wisdom for the tribe.

You'll hardly need reminding that James Brown would sing and dance himself into a frenzy before apparently collapsing to the stage floor, whereupon a stage hand would cover the writhing shaman with a cloak (the symbolic death-shroud) from beneath which he would eventually re-emerge- to much relieved applause- entirely re-funked and even more soulful than before.

But sad to relate, Mr Brown will resurrect no more- not in this life, at any rate.