648 Sam Cooke - Live At The Harlem Square Club 1963 (1985)

 648 Sam Cooke - Live At The Harlem Square Club 1963 (1985)

Live Album - Soul



About the Act:

Sam Cooke was a pioneer of Soul music. He came to the pop/soul foreground in about 1957, he had a lot of well-selling singles, and was unusually active in his own business affairs and management. His career was brought to an abrupt end in 1964 when he was shot. The circumstances of his death are curious (and there are contradictory accounts) but other than enigmatically saying that, I want to focus on his music.

About the Album:

The album was recorded in Miami at a night club. After it was recorded, it took over 20 years for it to be released. Speculation seems to be that at the time it was too "raw" and clashed with a smoother image that his record label were cultivating. It is very well thought of as a live album.

My History with this Album:

None

Review:

The main way in which this album sounds raw is Sam's voice, which sounds like he is at the end of a punishing tour, and that his vocal chords have taken a pummelling. In that sense he sounds more like Rod Stewart than anybody, with a gritty croak in his voice. He can still sing, though, well in tune, and with good performance.

The music is what you would expect if you know anything about Sam Cooke or that era of soul, and in fact most of the songs are classics, Twisting the Night Away, Chain Gang, Bring it On Home To Me, and so on. I kept expecting the "Don't Know Much About History" song (Wonderful World) but it doesn't appear. For a 1963 live recording this is pretty good quality, and the band are giving it some wellie. It's a good band and I'm sure the place was "jumping". 

The thing I really liked was the feel of being at a time and place, and that this really is quite different to a studio album. The challenge for a live album is how to take what works as an experience at a venue, and bring that experience into the living room (or for me, the kitchen, where I listened to it). This album does that well, you get the interaction between Sam and the crowd. At times you can feel him trying to get them revved up. At the start you can even feel him just trying to get their attention. The set is tightly packed, and once a song is over the band start the next one straight away - sometimes going straight through, and there is some medleying going on as well. The talky stuff often has music behind it, which is reminiscent of the Gospel background for Sam, where sometimes sermons, even prayers in church have a musical backing.

It's live, and lively, and personable. You can feel Sam being a showman, and although it feels rehearsed, it's still quite interactive. This is definitely a small venue and not a stadium, and better for it. So I had fun listening to it as I washed up, even dancing a little. And singing. It's short and to the point, but a great window into what a Sam Cooke gig could be like.

7.6/10

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3nTXqOEHr6AfTb1WSaB4Pm

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowQCq3Ss89hKg2tvG-M8Caunk0uQSJTT

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_Harlem_Square_Club,_1963



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