Maceo Parker was one of the most revered and loved members of James Browns famed J.B.s band from the late 60s to the mid-1970s. Alongside his instantly-recognizable alto saxophone solos, he occasionally performed as comedian before James Brown shows, in addition to playing MC. He was a true renaissance man. And while other members of The Godfather of Souls inner circle - most notably trombonist Fred Wesley - had solo albums at the advent of Browns People Records, Maceo had to wait his turn for a couple years. By the time 1974 rolled around, this talented musician and personality could not be denied, and he burst onto the scene as a group leader with one of the most impressive albums in the People catalog: the simply titled, but deeply felt, Us.