Reviews (page 10 of 14)
A fantastic live album that highlights Cooke's magnificent charisma and vocal command. 8.2/10
Really fun album to listen to, full of messages about love, forgiveness, and trust. Though, I wouldn't do what Sam Cooke recommends and wake up your partner in the middle of the night to tell them you love them.
What a fun live album! Especially just after Frank Sinatra too! Sam Cooke is absolutely COOKIN'
☆Notatki//Przemyślenia☆ ~Chciałabym iśc na taki koncert do takiej kawiarnii jak w latach 50/60🥺 ~KLIMAAAAAT CUDOOO ~Szanuje lata 60, serio
What a voice this man has! Enjoyed the album, great vibe.
from what i hearrrd it was just grweat for a live! album 4.0
Enjoyed it, didn't expect to
Fun energy, good time, would have been a fun show to go to
Lotta nice shouts
Can’t go wrong with a bit of Sam
Love a live album. This was really good, will definitely relisten. 8 for me
wow he has some energy!
Another live album that is pretty darn fun, and doesn't overstay its welcome. Low 8.
this is such a jam. I can't imagine how good this would have been live. You can feel the energy.
Solid fun album with lots of great songs in a live setting. A touch of sexism from a bygone era, but overall a really enjoyable listen.
Man, this is so good. It's like you're there in the club listening to this amazing performance. Excellent.
One of those live albums where not only is the "room" present, but a huge part of the captured experience. Great performance, and infectious to listen to.
4.5 - wow such incredible energy. great tunes and electric atmosphere. amazing
Very enjoyable smooth blues.
Lots of fun. What a great voice!
Heerlijk live soul album, wat een stem heeft die man
If I had a time machine, I'd go back to be at shows like this. How fun that must've been. Ahh time machines.
7.5
yeeeess
This was awesome
King of soul… very good live album!
Perrier good show
A revelation for me from this project is that I don’t really like live albums. At best, they are a futile attempt to bottle lightning. At worst, they just sound kinda shit. I’m a basic little boy who likes music that sounds the way it was intended to sound. That being said, there are elements of Sam Cook’s band leader confidence and style that shine through and add a spark to the record. Not quite the lightning, but a spark was captured nevertheless.
This was a really entertaining listen, although quite repetitive at some points. Not the biggest fan of live albums, but this one was enjoyable.
Love sam cooke, don't love live albums
Some nice stuff here, a style I havent listened to extensively. I'm not sure I'd say this is must listen, but it's a solid live performance with lots of soul. Favourite track: Twisting The Night Away
관객소통이너무많아
3,4 Highlights: Chain Gang, Twistin' The Night Away
Sam and the band went hard. One of the better live albums I’ve heard. Some of the songs sounded the same, but overall it was a pretty easy listen. 3.5 stars
Not a bad album, but more of a greatest hits played live. Didn't really do it for me.
Great performances by an astonishing talent make for a wonderful listen. I’m that sense this is a great album. But a great “album” for me implies intention to make a record as a whole unified thing, which as a concept didn’t really exist in the early sixties. 3 stars.
Not a huge fan of live albums but this offers a great view into the club scene of that time.
Fun album. Not my normal style, but I enjoyed the listen.
Sam's personal life was riddled with fatalities, a number fit for only a jazz musician
solid ig
Phrasing, timbre, twinkle in the eye. A class act all the way.
Based Sam telling the audience not to beat their wives. I was dancing along and my dog kept trying to grab my arms, it was like she was dancing along too. All in all, it's a good time. None of the songs individually are all too memorable, but Sam is clearly having fun with the audience and keeps a snappy pace start to finish. It's a good live album. 2.5/5
Good album
These early dinner theater, supper club type recordings are a trip. It's rough hewn and charming.
Love the energy to this, would've been a fun show to go to
Great energy and amazing crowd mastery by Sam Cooke. It's a wonder to realize that this album was shelved by the label for 20 years out of fear that Sam's public view would deteriorate. How far we've come.... Chain Gang is my personal favorite, but all of the songs carry the same joy, passion, and energy as the last one. Great live listen.
Usually not a big fan of the live album. There have been a few surprises on the 1089 list. But unfortunately, this really isn’t one. The sound quality isn’t great. I don’t think it gives me a better feeling for Sam Cook as a performer, honestly. I think I would have appreciated a studio album more. This began to be truly tedious, actually. 3 Boolean: true? True for Sam Cook, false for this particular album
arranca bien, primera vez que escucho a Sam Cooke saquen los panuelos muchachos vamos a bailar twist Bring it on home to me!!!!! muy bueno
This would have been a great show in person but it just didn’t come across that well on the recording. Fun listen and I usually love live albums, but I think a studio album would have been a better choice to showcase his talent.
Sam Cooke is GOATED, but this album is just too old for me
Thought it was fine.
Great album. Just not my style.
Enjoyed it
Previously known.
It was pretty good, I like how quickly he goes into new songs, even though i've never heard the studio versions of any of them it was still enjoyable, guy has a good voice.
Sam Cooke is so cute I love him
Mal vieillit
Definitely not my kind of music but I can't help but tap my feet and bop my head. His voice is absolutely amazing, maybe one of the most magnetic voices I've ever heard, and the energy is just pure perfection. 3.7
This is good but live albums don't belong here. Top track: "Nothing Can Change this Love"
Yet another seminal live project that was released years after the concert of a Soul icon is Sam Cooke's Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963. I am a fan of Sam Cooke's music but also will be honest in saying I am not super familiar with his discography. This live project acts as something of a short, but impactful greatest hits for Cooke as he blasts through some of his most iconic songs with a new found and flexible instrumentation. Besides the greater emphasis on the singing and the occasional cool change Sam does with his songs, I don't have a lot to say here. It is a really solid live project for its' time and while I can totally understand why some people would look on it so fondly, I personally don't think it is anything to write home about in the year of 2026. Still definitely worth a listen as it showcases everything for why Sam is such a great artist, and showcases some great songs in his very short but rich discography. Nuff said!
Sounds like a cracking night out in Harlem to be fair. 6/10
Liked it more than I thought. Classic soul
I'm sure this would have been 10/10 in-person but recorded it got a little old for me. Maybe I just don't like live albums much
I like a lot of sam cooke, but not really a fan of this live album
I liked it
album gostosinho e leve, me da vontade de assistir um filme classico americano. as transiçoes sao legais vendo q é filmado de um show e ele toca uma musica atras da outra sem pausar
Reconheço a qualidade, foi uma experiência agradável, gostei de ouvir durante o dia de hoje (03/08/26), mas acho que não será um álbum que eu vou revisitar muitas vezes apenas por não ser muito meu estilo de música
Correcto
Fine voice
It's good, obviously. Loads of energy and the songs whip by. It's a little chintzy for my taste though.
Vocals are great, but the recording leaves the instruments very muddy. I like the studio recordings so much more.
Day 8: pretty good
Enjoyable, about as much as I can say about this.
The problem with a live album is you have to judge it differently than a studio album. Especially, if you know the studio versions. How do the artist work the crowd? How is the crowd? Dead? Crazy? How does their sound translate live? That's the big question? For Sam Cooke, he excelled on every level. It was a treat to hear live versions of Cupid, Chain Gang & Twisting the Night Away. 4
Listenable but not my thing.
It’s ok
The songs are undoubtedly great as are cooke's voice. The sound is terrible though and is ripe for remastering. Shame really
It was fine
that live album feels as it was a really good time
1001 albums to hear by a rapist before you die 166# https://allthatsinteresting.com/sam-cooke-death If you wanna know who the guy behind this live album is read this article, but in short he was about to rape a girl and got shot for it. Nice job. Knowing that, i'd like to separate the art from the artist. Actually this live performance is pretty good. Full of energy, nice interaction with the public. Groovy as hell
Råbe soul. Live. Fint nok, ret kort album. Fed stemme.
Sounds like it was a fun night
It's okay
Nothing special. Heard it all before and live recordings rarely capture the music
was alright
Pretty good for a live album
Its good
This could have had a much higher rating if it wasn’t a live album. I don’t like live albums. I do like Sam Cooke and I knew a lot of songs on this album. I will always prefer Otis Redding to Sam Cooke, but I do really like Sam Cooke. I knew Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin’ the Night Away, and Bring It On Home to Me, which is my favorite Sam Cooke song.
Incredible voice, I just am not moved.
I do not know this album, but need to investigate.
Don’t really care for the live version
Normally I am against live albums, but this sounds like a party. Release delayed because the record label was afraid the world would find out what a freak Sam really was. "Lady, you shot me!"
7/10 Best songs: Chain Gang, Cupid Generally speaking, I am very against live albums on this list. However, I'm finding that some exceptions do exist; older albums (1950s/1960s) tend to be fairly strong, for example, probably due to their lack of computer-related production. Similarly, albums where the musician is clearly very talented at crowd work and engages the audience with aplomb tend to be strong. This album fulfills both of those criterion, which makes it rather successful in my book. That being said... this album wasn't released for 20+ years after it was recorded, which means that it wasn't deemed good enough to be released at the time (or even when Sam Cooke was alive). That gives me the ick. Why on earth was this album selected and not another one? It makes no sense.
355/1089 a nice, joyful sould record. i enjoyed listening to this one 61/100
En lo personal nunca me ha fascinado tanto escuchar albums en vivo, sea cual sea el género. Fuera de eso, si, las pistas son una joya
it's fine but live albums are never going to be my thing.
This feels like you are in the middle of the audience dancing and sweating away
Quite fun. Sounds like a good time.
Meh, qualidade do som é ruim demais, basicamente um resumo dos maiores hits dele, escutar os remasters isoladamente dentro de seus respectivos álbums é melhor. Mas todas as músicas são lindas e o setlist merece mais reconhecimento.
Another great old live album. The energy this guy had performing sounds awesome. It gives you a great idea why Sam Cooke is such a legendary name in music
Not a bad album at all. Sound quality is obviously of its time, but the music stands the test of time and is worth a listen.
Bueno el soul y muy prendida la banda
it was okay, not my favorite but it was jazz so i enjoy it
Really wearing out that I-VI chord progression. And, I feel like a parent of a Boomer complaining at all the references to babies, telephones, and twisting. But still, 3 stars to you Sam. Really brought the energy and was a fun listen to a more gritty version of the man. In 63 I would have been nearby hearing the awesome hard bop jazz instead, but if I stumbled into this place with the teeny boppers I would have had a good time. Also respect for teasing the crowd with You Send Me and then, not actually sending it.
Fun listen
Great singer, boring songs though. Not a fan of live albums fie the 1001 but the energy on this was excellent.
Great to listen to, smooth. Not so much my thing but easy to have on.
pretty good! i rarely listen to this genre. favourite song: twistin' the night away
Great voice and kind of looks like the comedian Josh Johnson to me. A nice soul record.
516/1089 - It's fine. Energetic. I listened ahead in the list so I know there's still good stuff to generate but it's been a ton of filler these past few weeks.
I love the live listening aspect, and Sam be laying it down on the mic
Pretty good album. Wouldn't listen to it religiously, though.
Wow. Sam Cooke knows how to work a crowd and have a good time. It sounded like one hell of a night.
Fun album and they could certainly play their instruments and sing well. For me, the songs seemed to blend into each other and there were no quiet songs. They were all on the same level.
Absolute legend
Yet another iconic voice, but also yet another live best of selection. Ultimately, I think that for his voice alone, he deserves to be on the list but are there no albums of his that made the grade…?
mid, not my cup of tea lol
Pre Listen: Sam Cooke is unknown to me, but I'll let him cook. I see the saxophone on the album cover, and I know I love jazz, so I have slightly higher expectations than usual. Notable Tracks: Chain Gang - Oh, I know this one. I've heard better iterations of it, specifically from the studio versions. Classic song on every oldies radio station thought. Bring It on Home to Me - Not a big fan of this one, least favorite song on the album. I've never really liked sing-talking type songs, and this one goes on for too long. Post Listen: Ehhh, wasn't quite what I was expecting. This album has sort of solidified how I feel about "Live" albums. They aren't great. Live music is excellent to hear when you're actually there. You can record it on your phone, and listen back to it, but it'll never sound right. Recording devices just don't capture the atmosphere, the energy, the acoustics of the room, the visual spectacle, any of it. The audience's hoots and hollers are just annoying. Plus live-recording devices are almost always inferior to the level of sound quality a studio recording gives you. After listening I visited some of Sam Cooke's studio work, and man his voice is so different in this recording from his prior stuff. It sounds a lot worse, strained and drained. I'm not a fan of his little quips between lyrics. That being said, I enjoy the overall sound for most of the songs, there's nothing bad about his actual singing and his bands instrumentals. Just a very forgettable album, that would've been a lot better if it wasn't live. 3/5
Fine. Really great vocalist here and a charming live album but I’m just not that into it :/
Det är bra musik, men blir inte något man lyssnar på mer än en gång
Love Sam Cooke, not a huge live album fan
I liked this, but it’s a shame it’s a live album.
Fit the vibe of summer having the windows down in da car 🚘
Not for me
Pros: Full of character, soulful performances, great crowd work, tight band. Cons: repetitive, not enough unpredictability, free-form, experimentation for me.
it really is too bad it sounds like crap
Good peacefull car ride album. Not my every day music, nevertheless 3/5.
Great material here but the delivery is rushed and the production/fidelity is iffy. That said, there is no denying how great of a singer Sam was. Gone too soon.
Overall good, liked the first few songs the most
No era malo solo no es mi tipo de musica
To much the same
I like soul and all, but I didn't care for this much.
Lovely guy
Live albums aren't really my bag, but this sounds like a brilliant gig. Loads of energy. I probably won't revisit it but happy to have had the chance to listen to it. Hoping another Sam Cooke album comes up in this list.
my favorite song was “twistin’ the night away” it’s very fun! this is probably the best soul album i’ve listened to!
Ta algo asi, no tan emocionante.
Great energy and vibe! What a voice too.
Pleasant, but again is getting marked down because I'm not sure live albums belong.
Album #98, Sam Cooke, One Night Stand! Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963, ⭐⭐⭐ You get an absolute vocal masterclass from Sam Cooke on this album. He’s just got an incredible voice and unbelievable charisma as a performer. Even through the recording you can hear the showmanship and stage presence. He really keeps the audience engaged the whole way through. It’s a three-star album all day for me because while it’s very enjoyable, it’s not really the kind of record that leaves me with loads to ponder afterwards. It’s more of a party record, a good time album. But that’s not necessarily a criticism either. Sometimes you just need an album with a great vibe, and this absolutely has that. It’s energetic, loose and really fun to listen to. It just isn’t terribly interesting beyond that for me personally. Still though, really enjoyed it, and on to the next one.
The man asks people to have a party and he doesn't stop. The seamless transitions from tune to tune, old classics and originals, give the sense that this soul will keep going on its own momentum in perpetuity.
it’s very apparent how much influence this album and Sam Cooke in general, has had on music specifically, omitting his profound impact on black music for now. The song chain gang for example is clearly the inspiration or even blueprint for bb kings’ ‘Worry Worry Worry’. I’m just being quite self indulgent and enjoying those sorts of dots being joined in my head, my relationship to and understand of music as a facet of culture is beginning to materialise. We come a long way from J hus and Giggs
5/10 Fun listen. Very Groovy
Yeah
not my typical jam. But i get it
Se escucha mal el audio
High-octane and electrifying performance
that was lovely
Pretty decent.
classic album by one of the greats, but not personally my style
Love Sam Cooke. I feel like he has a firm grasp on this particular version of the genre. While this album had lots of fun and unique energy being recorder in Harlem, I actually didn't feel like the album as a whole fully showcased his talents and production skills.
Exciting performance of some upbeat and fun R&B songs, but honestly it was starting to sound like the same song over and over again by the end. I do appreciate the music and the performance, but I don't think I'll be seeking this one out again.
Live album of old school RnB and soul. Love Chain Gang already, live version is fun too, with audience getting into it too! Sam Cooke can really rock it, not the vision I had of him beforehand! And his voice is very strong live. It does become standard 12 bar blues after a point, first few tracks definitely hit hardest. Best track - Chain Gang, Cupid Going with Chain Gang - even though I know the song, the live version is electric with the crowd 3 stars in the end, despite some great tracks
I generally am a fan of live albums, and this one was fun and did a great job capturing the energy of a live show. That said, the tracks themselves were a bit too, I don’t know, “fifties” for me? Maybe I’m just not a big “do the twist” guy? Sam Cooke is awesome, but this album falls just short of that.
Another beautiful time capsule. Close your eyes and you are attending a live performance.
Härlig skiva! Glad och positiv som man blir pigg av. Passar bra till fredags matlagning
While I do somewhat struggle to connect with early soul recordings, I am willing to accept that as my problem, not Sam Cooke's. Although, this is definitely a good time. This has many of the draws of other live albums by similarly talented performers from this time. Sam Cooke pretty much has the whole venue eating out of the palm of his hand at all times, and the energy he gives off, and that the audience returns does create a sort of invisible, palpable bond that this recording captures. That being said, I don't have a particularly strong connection to the music here, although it is certainly powerful and joyful, *and* well performed. I appreciate this most as a document of an event, and it serves this purpose incredibly well.
It was fine.
Super fun album.
Soul, R&B.
Exuberant. Sounds like summer. I like it but I don't love it
Twist music often feels a bit same-y to me, and this album as well could not escape this. Sam Cooke has an undeniable charm, but it doesn't feel as unique to me. I don't think i will choose this album for repeat listerning, but i wouldn't mind if someone else played it.
Soul blues toujours un peu pareil, une ambiance qui doit être très cool quand t'es sur place mais sinon un peu long et redondant
J’aime pas trop les albums live mais on peut imaginer que ça bougeait bien dans le public C’est pas mal !
Chill blues
Behageligt live-album. God lyd. Stor 3'er.
One thing I've learned from this challenge, I just really really really don't care for live albums. This is fine
What a voice. Second listen to this this year and it’s a very enjoyable listen
3 sterne
O soul do Sam Cooke é realmente um misto com o gospel e nesse disco ao vivo percebe-se que a festa e a experiência de igreja negra, apesar de polares, parecem pertencer à mesma linguagem.
Good album. The sound really felt like you were in the room from the grittiness from the mic to the audience noises. Great band especially good drummer who stayed super solid the whole time. Obviously Cooke is just an amazing singer with great energy. Only negative comments is maybe there wasn’t as much variation as I would have liked.
Mmm not my type
Good album, but didn't standout.
Big fan of the energy he brings.
It's fun and has palpable energy but the song style is pretty dated and doesn't seem to know if it really wants to be soul or pop
Muy Bueno, La historia de Sam es bastante interesante, el album, 3.56/5 picos altos como tambien, bajos.
씐나네요
Good music just not really my thing
Encuentro valiosa la recomendación pero definitivamente no es un género que disfrute mucho. Buen interprete.
Bonne découverte mais pas fan des albums live
Pa simpa album, ali mi ne radi ništa posebno, mislim da je to jedan od onih albuma koje treba čuti live u tom vremenu da stvarno možeš cijeniti. Smiješno mi je njegovo vrištanje, na trenutke zvuči kao atmosfera s neke aukcije 😅 3/5, 5/10
3.5 Really cool hearing the crowdwork between the songs
Well, why I don't think I personally am going to get into Jazz as a genre, I can see what about it draws people in. It's a very alive kind of music and that is something I can appreciate. Not really my vibe though, it's too much going on at once
Muy buena voz
Stämning!
Sam Cooke är fin. Riktigt svängigt, svettigt och mysigt. Genomgående gospel-pastor feeling. Tycker det var lite för mycket samma-låt-rock n roll och för lite dynamik. Det hade höjt helheten om han tog ner det och blev mer finstämd ibland. Men stark 3a.
Efter introt i åtminstone tre låtar trodde jag att det skulle komma ett: dont know much about historyyy. Blev prankad! Trots att allt låter nästintill likadant var det fan rätt skoj lyssning ändå. Otrolig röst, otrolig stämning och egentligen bara hits. Melodierna är ju nice ändå. Stark trea!
Vilken härlig kväll det måste varit. Trevligt! Blir ju inspirerad till att också börja interagera med publiken konstant. Bara man hade den rösten!
Not my vibe at all
It's fun, his voice is great as always. 7/10
6/10
good
Good quality live music but I’ve never been a fan of the music quality for live recordings. Helps set the atmosphere overall though!
An energetic and fun performance whose nature of having been recorded live provides the listener with some of the overflowing enthusiasm of the performer and their audience. Cooke is a masterful artist and this recording provides a high quality representation of his skill as a musician and performer.
Kris is right, every song kinda sounds the same
No me volvió loco, pero estuvo linda la escucha. No creo que vuelva a visitar este disco igual ya que no hubo nada que me enganche o entusiasme.
Some upbeat songs that get you moving. Recognizable moments that influenced future artists.
Not a Soul or R&B fan but this is so catchy and has pop and rock sensibility that transcends genre. Fun
Kind of easy to tune out like it was fine but not hugely for me. Lots of talent though and I liked the ambience.
we're in the weeds again (the 60s)
Solid gritty performance but dunno if it is essential listening
Sam Cooke deserves an MVP award for this performance and probably a cool drink of water, because his throat is gonna be raw. The quick edits between songs and the prominent crowd noise keep the energy high. But just like the band, the listener could use a breather every now and then. These factors also make things feel performative, like the band is racing against the clock: The faster-tempo version of “Cupid” feels hurried and loses some of its oomph, for example. In the end, this illustrates my problem with most live albums: I’m sure this was an incredible performance to see in person, but these aren’t my favorite versions of these songs.
I understand we gotta have live albums to get at this period of music history without resorting to singles/greatest hits collections, but this recording and the edits didnt really do this material justice.
Спасибо fylthy frank.
His voice is phantastic. But him hyping up the crowd was so annoying (maybe for European ears? I hate it when performers overdo it) that I couldn't enjoy.
3.4
I felt it and was not fighting it on this one. Almost felt sped up but was great energy throughout. Sam’s voice is crazy Fave song: Bring it Home to Me & Nothing can Change This Love 3/5
Sam is always a great listen. Didnt really love this album live, voice felt different altough it sounded good Just feels the recordings was not that great. Good album and energy on stage though
I'd be less sad if I could sing like this.
amazing live atmosphere and vocals, don’t usually like live albums very much but this is great
I had never heard of Sam Cooke or realised the importance of his music.I'm not generally a fan of love recordings but I enjoyed this. I could imagine being there, what a night!
Sam is totally killing it here. He's an amazing singer and his performance here is top-notch. The crowd loves him. And as loud as this set is, it feels intimate and personal - I feel like I'm there, in a tiny room, sweating through my button-down, dancing the night away. My issue with this record is one that I have with a number of live albums from the 60s and 70s. *Somebody is out of tune.* It could be the bass, or the guitar, but it's someone whose job is holding the chords together and when they are off from the other instruments and/or themselves, it drives me nuts, and I can't hear anything else. The other thing that gets me is that the set blends together after awhile. I like soul and r&B, but these songs all have a similar key, tempo, minimal dynamic range, and the same changes. The vocal performance, the showmanship, the energy, the raw quality of the recording is all excellent. But those two issues really hold it back for me. THREE STARS
Actually jazzy
⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was a good listen. I'd probably give it 5 stars if had heard it for the first time in '63, but to my 21st century ears, it just sounds like some darn good rhythm and blues. It was probably some sort of important milestone of the genre or something, but from a purely musical standpoint, it's really nothing to write home about. Cooke's voice was outstanding, but the instrumentation was just a standard blues rock twist arrangement. The songs didn't have a lot of direction or focus, which is what I value most in music. The album definitely accomplished it's purpose (being a loose and groovy live r&b record), so, if you're looking for exactly that type of record, this should be a 10/10 for you. I feel like I'm supposed to love this album and rant about how good it is because it's a classic release from a classic artist, but when it comes down to it, this is just genre music. It's not bad, but it's nothing new either (unless this album broke some sort of ground I wasn't aware of). Anyway, I'm sure I would have a blast if I were in the room on that night, but listening to the recording on my bed while dicking around on google maps was roughly a 5.8/10 (⭐️⭐️⭐️) experience. It was just just a perfectly passable live album with an unenergetic crowd from an artist who's put out far better material. 0.0 - 1.9 = ⭐️ 2.0 - 3.9 = ⭐️⭐️ 4.0 - 5.9 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6.0 - 7.9 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 8.0 - 10 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
a blast from the past. I'm not a huge fan of live albums and this one is no exception to that preference. Not something I'd choose to listen to.
Surely after this night, men wanted to be him, and women wanted to be with him.
So many reviews calling this the best live album that’s ever existed and man that is some high praise. It was solid, an overall fun time, but I just didn’t get the hype to that degree.
Sam cooked indeed! This is music that I can't quite imagine myself liking all that much in a studio release, but with the energy of a live setting it becomes a whole new thing. So soulful! Standouts: Medley: It's All Right / For Sentimental Reasons • Twistin' The Night Away
Ok.
6 / 10 - rau, ungeschminkt und authentisch - Kann mir gut vorstellen, dass dieses Album die "Blues Brothers" wohl sehr beeinflusst hat - fast-paced, durchgehend energiegeladen - Wenig Dynamik, aufgrund der durchgehend hohen Energie und pausenlosen Songwechseln eventuell etwas monoton
Não sou dos maiores entusiastas de albuns ao vivo, mas esse mereceu minha atenção, a atmosfera criada pelo Cooke e a sua banda dão a sensação de estar no show e isso minimiza as questões com a gravação ao vivo. O Sam tem uma voz ótima e a versão ao vivo de "Cupid" é realmente um acontecimento
Imagine shelving an album for 12 years because you had issues with it. RCA clearly shouldn't have done that. "Live at the Harlem Square Club" is a good album. It's not the best of Cooke's dis3 stacography, but it's fine. I'm just asking why there are so many live albums on this list? 3 stars for "Live at the Harlem Square Club".
bueno
Very great. New style
Gran álbum. Una leyenda el tipo. La onda que le pone. Album de un show 1963. No se puede creer. 6/10
Did not stand out to me even after two listens
Favorite songs: Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin the Night Away, Bring It On Home to Me
test
muy griton
Wikipedia tells me Sam Cooke is the most important soul singer in history, but this is pretty much indistinguishable from early rock'n'roll with a lot of the same blues and doo-wop song structures and instrumentation. Feels like his intros are longer than the songs on a lot of these tracks, and it's a short album to start with! Great voice though, and you can hear the energy in the room.
A fun listening experience for sure, I think it was great, but I wouldn’t probably listen again. Personally, I’m not normally the biggest fan of live albums as something I would listen to regularly. I think as well, live albums are just a random selection of songs from a performance rather than a standard album where the songs have been more purposely chosen and curated. Standout songs however for me were ‘Chain gang’ and ‘Twistin the night away’, overall, a good listen, I do like some of Sam Cooke’s other songs.
Lively, vividly
It's great to hear his voice live, obviously Cooke is a genius and an absolute legend. But live many live albums, this one makes me feel like I missed a really fun evening. This recording is the faintest echo of what that experience must have been like.
Live gör det inte för mig. Man vill vara där.
Как-то не проникся, не расслушал.
This album is a lot grittier than most of the Sam Cooke I've heard. It's less polished, and that's not a bad thing. Favorite song: Chain Gang
Meh, 2.8
Takes me back to 60s even though I was not alive Very energetic which I love The live crowd adds something to the vibe Sam still sounds good Very jazzy and love songs mainly The band playing along also sounds good Like how he involves the crowd Special energy Favorite song: Sentimental Reasons
I love a live album - feels like I’m a part of it. Also loved all the ad libs in there :) this album just made me smile. Is it my particular music taste? No, not at all. Will I listen to it again? No, probably not. Did I thoroughly enjoy listening to it today? Absolutely. And that’s why I’m doing this whole project! Favorite: medley: it’s all right/sentimental reasons
This captures the feeling of being at a concert, complete with the shouts of the crowd. Favourite track: Cupid
Prior to being assigned this album on this website, I had 4 of Sam Cooke's songs liked on Spotify. All of these were from the original albums or compilations, none of them were live. I am not a huge fan of "live" recordings in general - usually preferring the album versions of most songs. That being said, I am no stranger to live songs - having ~140 live songs "liked" on Spotify - but that's out of 5,600+ songs so it's still a small subset. It was interesting to hear this - because I definitely can hear his influence on artists I like - such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger - especially on stage. It was also cool to hear him totally letting loose in the live setting. For example, just listening to the song "Bring It On Home To Me" - the live version is much more raw and energetic, where the studio version is much more polished and smooth. Both are cool - but you can "feel it" more in the live version. After listening 3 times, I ended up liking 5 songs on this one ("Feel It", "Chain Gang", the Medley, "Bring It On Home To Me" and "Having a Party") - and will look forward to them popping up on my playlists. Liked songs on Spotify: 5/10 Rating: 3/5
No me gustan los Lps en directo, se pierde siempre sonido y a veces las voces son lamentables. Sam Cooke supera la prueba del vivo pero aún así lo prefiero en estudio.
2.7 1x
Good entertainer. Brilliant idea to get the crowd to sing for you!
All the songs kinda meld into one song but honestly a good listen- don’t usually vibe with 60s music
3.5
Very chaotic concert! Mr. Cooke was definitely on some sort of drug during this concert. I can see why they delayed releasing this material to the public.
The energy is great from the artist and the crowd, which gives a real insight into the time and place. So it’s a lovely slice of history. Do I love the music, well it’s OK for a while but then I get a bit bored. Also I question the song about coming home, waking up your wife and singing to her ‘it’s all OK’. Pretty sure most chaps would get short shrift and a couple of nights in the spare room. Come on Sam, you’re fooling no-one with your relationship advice there mate.
Definitely a party. The music and singing isn't a lot of variety, but Sam sure knows how to give a good time. 3.5/5
I liked this album more than I expected. I loved the guy’s energy with the crowd and I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much as a studio album. Glad it wasnt overly jazzy !
Tycker live-album är sådär generellt
I like it for what it is! I wouldn’t seek if out, but I appreciate how fun it is and how Sam Cooke paved the way for music
Groovy
He sings well enough, but i don't like live albums
Sam singing all the hits and sounding like he has the audience eating from his hands. Gives a good overall impression of what it may have been like to be present. But, some clumsy editing and less than sparkling quality makes me think it could have sounded better. 3.5 rounded down.
good
So much energy and a wonderful warm, soulful, energetic and smooth performance. It's super cohesive adn I like how you can hear the audience noise, this is clearly super meaningful for them. Songs are delivered with love and passion and instrumentation is tight. I agains truggle with live albums but this is a ripping performance
Great raw sound
Good blues
Okay. Nice
Good energy. Would be better for actually seeing live.
This record documents well the ecstatic vibe that Sam Cooke and his great band are able to create in the live situation. Feelgood soul, from start to finish.
Great soul records are always welcome! This one was was recorded just under few years before his untimely death. Lots of classic tracks, but I did expect to hear lots more soul tunes and not rock 'n roll. However, enjoyable listen, his voice was amazing.
Джазовый альбом Не очень сильно понравился но все равно круто
Joar.
Ziemlich cool, aber kein WOW
Another live album that isn’t impacted negatively by it! Great voice I would have loved to be there it sounded like such a fun time. Chain Gang was a great song I hadn’t heard before and obviously Bring it On Home to Me was fantastic as well. Really liked this one Sam Cooke is amazing.
I will definitely need to revisit this someday.
Easy listening, good.
wuaaaa moc hezke uplifting album, jak kdybych tam byla
great soul music, but not a particularly great album, neither structurally, nor production-wise
Music was fine, just really boring.
not something I would add to my personal collection, however, for this being shelved for 20 years before it came out is a crime. I understand Cooke wasn't trying to be a huge pop star, but this certainly would have put him in another level given the raw vocals he brings.
Some pretty decent soul. The album flows really well, without the usual bad cuts that hurt live albums.
I love Sam Cooke. And these songs are great. But live albums from this era are just not my favorite. The banter with the audience almost feels unreal and the audience almost sounds like they’re not listening to him. Then the songs are mostly played very quickly and it’s just a list of them. Musically I enjoyed this and I would have loved to have been there, but from the perspective of listening as an album, it’s not my favorite.
Gritty, raw, & lively
The jazzy vibes are impeccable, and the raspy voice really adds to the effect. Despite this, it’s not really my style of music, but it is overall enjoyable and pleasant on the ears :>.
“darling i’m never lonely” groovy crowd interaction lovely a sincerity and straightforwardness i find hard sometimes would listen again
Not my thing. Like with many live albums if I was familiar with the original recordings I would behave have gotten more from the live album. Full of energy
Nice songs, good singing. Disrupted by live audience participation
Him telling the audience the words to his song just before he sings them is not cool.
As far as live albums go, this was a fun one. Nothing memorable but enjoyable.
Enjoyed that one.
January 1, 2026
Fun to intentionally listen to some music I wouldn't intentionally seek out a lot of the time. I'd heard quite a bit of Sam Cooke before, but I really should make a point of seeking out live recordings, especially of older music. Really brings a new dimension to the recordings.
Good and groovy but similar sounds for each, cool to hear live version. Sam Cooke rocks but I probably wouldn’t just throw this on
Interesting. Not really my genre but I'm Always open to something new
Another quick and easy classic live album. Still don't really have a strong opinion or know if these should be on here but I understand the concept of the album was a bit different back then. 6/10
Pretty good; didn't know or listen to Sam Cooke before this, but I liked what I listened to. I found myself responding to "Chain Gang", so the live album engaged me.
it’s pretty cool. the energy is great, but I’m not picking these over studio versions probably ever. Live albums are tricky, but at the end of the day, it’s still Sam Cooke and I still love him
Back in the olden days, when I obtained all my music via YouTube ——> MP3 conversion, I had this album on my iPod. Because I had downloaded all the individual tracks from YouTube, the transitions between the songs were not correct and were rather jarring. I spent many many many precious irreplaceable minutes of my life tinkering in iTunes, trying to get the tracks to start / stop at the exact right moment to be seamless, like the true album experience. It took forever. On this listen, I still caught myself wincing when I knew the songs were about to end, expecting a split second pause in the middle of the transition. That’s lasting psychological damage. And then when I did get it absolutely perfect, I got this album which is just kinda meh to me for the first 50%. I really like Sam Cooke quite a bit and think he’s probably a top 10 vocalist; I was trying to download this album for a reason, but it does not get all the way there for me. I have no doubt that the show would have been a great time and the electricity from Cooke and the crowd are undeniable, but pretty much every song in the first half sounds the same to me, before we slow down in the second half and everything has more character. I love that saxophone on Somebody Have Mercy. The saxophone, famously, is the sexiest instrument. So, mixed bag, but rounding up to a 3.
بداية موفقة حبيت بس كأنه زار شوي
Fascinating. I love Sam Cooke. I never listened to more than a track or two live though, so this was a real eye opener. His vocal style feels more like a screaming little Richard than the smooth, soulful Sam Cooke I'm used to. His mc work also feels surprisingly amped up - like James Brown or something. The studio records are some of my absolute favourite sounds in recorded music, so I'm struggling a bit with this rough rowdy live band sound. I'm conscious that I've digested Sam Cooke in a way that was sanitised for a mixed audience before and this is him in his element. It's great, but it's a surprise for me
I love Sam but this is not my favourite
really good, I would actually listen to again which surprised me!
Great album, added two songs to my playlist I'd say a 6/10, It had so many good songs but they were not my type
Good. Not great.
ehhh
Not really my taste but did enjoy the energy of the live show.
fun!
This isn't really my style of music overall, but this is great. So full of life and passion and it's impossible not to get into it.