Reviews (page 7 of 13)
very energetic! fav track is cupid
Harlam 1963, great soul/RnB live record, like being in the club
You can't have a bad time listening to this. Simply impossible
Live albums are always fun, and Sam Cooke was possibly one of the greatest singer showmen in history before his untimely death. "Bring it on home to me" is the highlight for me, gorgeous song. Enjoyed this one!
Sam cooked with this album. The best part for me was imagining Boyd banging his head and playing an imaginary sax while declining asylum seekers.
Great artist with great music, but the live format didn't really ring with me
Very nostalgic
Great live album.
Normally I'm not that interested in live recordings, but the way he interacted with the audience throughout the entire performance was really fun. And that huge buildup and tease before Bring It in Home was incredible.
Live albums aren't my go to albums for any artist, but the appeal of a live album feels very apparent on this album. Fast, loose, charismatic and soulful throughout the whole album. A great listen overall
Incredibly Fun and vibrant album. Felt Like I was there. Really enjoyed listening to this and would happily play this again and listen to it again. Might even buy it
The energy on this live album is something to admire. There's a beautiful list of tracks that flow so well. You can feel Sam Cooke's impactful state presence throughout the album. A wonderful listen all around. Best - Feel It, Chain Gang, Cupid, Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, and Bring It On Home To Me No bad songs 4.00-4.50/5
Overall pretty good. Sam goes through his set with hardly taking a breath. Some really classic soul songs. 3.5/5 Would listen to again
me gusta porque parece re intimo pero la están viviendo mal
Great album. What a surprise! Something I wouldn't have picked up by myself to give a listen. Powerful voice and performance. Feeling it throughout!
Greatest male vocalist of all time?
The singing was incredible, and the songs had a great atmosphere. The energy from the crowd made it even better. Very enjoyable.
Not a fan of live albums but this one was a blast. I can only imagine how it would have been in person. Obviously Sam Cooke is a legend for a reason and this is a small sample of why. Favorites: Chain Gang, Feel It
'Unrelenting. Remorseless. Unremitting.' These are the three words that come to mind to describe Live At The Harlem Square Club. Maybe not remorseless, but they come as a trio and two out of three ain't bad! Even when he threatens to slow things down, Cooke and his band go full throttle and it's a delight to hear the audience respond to it so enthusiastically. No wonder it's only 36 minutes, you could never keep up the pace - it's like the Attractions shows in '79, when they were so full of amphetamines that they did everything in double-time. That's probably one reason that live albums are such a chore - they're the length of actual concerts, but without the mitigating factors. This has the decency to be album length and not even a Best Of album, just a regular album that contains many of his best cuts. Some live albums benefit from being Best Ofs, others suffer, but some, like this and Show, which I mentioned yesterday, reveal the best. While this undoubtedly soul music - Sam Cooke was the King of Soul - Cupid, You Send Me, Twistin' the Night Away are very much pop songs and it a thrill to hear pop sound as gritty, phlegmy, and coked up as the Beatles in Hamburg or the Ramones anywhere. A great recording. 4 Well I have already done a bit on puzzling over how to rate a live album vs rating a studio album and although it all applies here as well I’ll skip it. I loved this. ‘Portrait of a Legend’ is played regularly in our house and I have often said that Sam Cooke is my favourite singer but I’m obviously a bad fan because I’ve never listened to this before. It knocked my socks off. The singing is incredible but I loved the crowd noise as well - they are having a great time and they are all in fine voice themselves. Cooke is feeding off their enthusiasm and his energy just grows and grows through these tracks. This rendition of Bring it on Home to Me is magic. And the ad-libs… “Everybody get them out for me. Get them handkerchiefs out.” That’s a level of civilisation that will never been seen again at a gig this exciting. So I am going high with my rating, but taking a mark off because Greatest Hits shouldn’t count as an album and because this is too short. 4/5
What us this? Who is Sam Cooke? A live album? What is going on? All thoughts I had when this popped up. We'll after a little teeny tiny listen i got it. It rules. I was skeptical with a live performance, how do you really distill a concert into just an audio stream? Well I think it was done here. The way he talks with he crowd and you can hear the crowd, he plays off them and it's so cool to hear on a record. And what a crop of songs? They rock. All of them but the cupid on and twisting the night away? What that song has an original author? What? It's not like some folk tune from olden days? So crazy. All the songs though are great. What a sick pick. Thank you 75 years ago and that fun night out.
Gotta be honest, if I got to the Harlem Square Club in 1963 to see Sam Cooke perform and he only did 39 minutes I’d be like “Wish there was more, but I’ll take what I can get, he’s insanely good”. As an album, though, it does work. Full of energy and excitement. I’m opposed to live albums as a concept on a ‘best of’ list, but this is great. 4/5
I enjoyed this album a lot! I was familiar with a couple songs going in, and found myself enjoying Sam Cooke and the band. I think the live aspect was overall a success- sometimes the crowd noise was distracting and it felt like Sam wasnt giving people enough time to breathe, but hearing the people sing along was fun. Overall- very good album
Cool funky soul music!
Roligt album, samma här stärks albumet av att det ör live. Svårt att inte blir glad när man lyssnar
It's wild that this was held back at release for being "too gritty". From a modern perspective it's so tame. You can definitely hear his passion in his voice though so calling it "raw" I get.
A true artist, this generation of soul singers it’s better to listen to the live album to truly understand greatness
Usually don't like live albums, but this one really had me wishing I was there watching it live.
Live hype, nummers onbekend maar kwaliteit, jazz/soul, voor nu 7/10.
Guter live Mitschnitt vom "King of Soul". Easy durchgehört und nicht langweilig geworden.
I know there is a bit of editing in this album but long gone are the days of quick smooth transitions...
As someone who doesn't ever listen to live albums, this was surprisingly good. Favorites include Chain Gang and Twistin' the Night Away
Beautiful vocals, fun set list and energy
What a voice. Great energy. 62 years ago!
Sam's great. A little too much banter in the performance but I relistened to this one immediately because it's a dandy pick-me-up on a gloomy Monday morning while I'm having an existential crisis.
This was fantastic. Sam Cooke has an incredible voice - so much soul and feeling going into every song. Well worth multiple listens. 4⭐️
He has a fantastic voice and the setlist is great, not overly long and just giving the audience a good time. Probably not 5* because as with a lot of live albums I'm not sure this adds a huge amount. I do like the energy of the crowd and enjoyed it though
That was fun. Well performed too.
Phenomenal
Some really great songs on this one!
I forgot how good Sam Cooke is. There's nothing bad on this album. I can't even imagine what it would have been like to be there that night but I like to try. Easy four stars.
Perfect!
I really liked this
Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 is raw, electric, and full of soul. Sam Cooke didn’t just perform—he commanded the room. The energy in this set is miles away from his polished studio recordings, and that’s what makes it so good. The crowd is into it, Sam is giving it everything, and it’s clear he knew how to work a room. RIP to one of the greatest voices in music history. This live album is a reminder of how powerful and dynamic he really was. Favorite song: Nothing Can Change This Love
Party time!!! Beautiful sax solos amazing vocals. I really love live performances where you can hear the audience getting involved. This was great! Will absolutely be revisiting
Hot
generally dislike live albums but Sam Cooke is a legend
What a party of an album. THIS is how a live album should be.
I was not looking forward to this because I don’t tend to enjoy a lot of live live records, but this is great. It sounds great and I feel like I’m at the show. I’m very nostalgic for live music like this. This is a great album!!
I know a handful of Sam Cooke songs, but I’ve never really sought out any of his music before. I haven’t really enjoyed many of the live albums on this list, but I’m hoping Sam Cooke can be the first person to blow me away. Let’s go down to the Harlem Square Club! I wasn’t blown away by this album, but I thought it was really good. I enjoyed how raw and unpolished it sounded, because it’s not the type of sound that I associate with Sam Cooke. In my opinion, a lot of black artists in the early sixties had to maintain a clean-cut image in order to attract white listeners, but the energy of this album really defies that image, and it gave this album an air of authenticity that worked really well. I never thought of Sam Cooke as having an easily recognizable voice, but as I went through this album, it gave me a new appreciation for his singing. The deeper I went into this album, the more I was able to recall songs that I’ve heard before, and correctly identify them as Sam Cooke songs. As far as individual songs go, I really liked “Chain Gang,” “Cupid,” and “Twistin’ The Night Away.” I had no idea that “Chain Gang” was a Sam Cooke song. As a kid, we had an album by The Nylons on vinyl that had their version of “Chain Gang” on it, and I’ve known for quite a while that it was a cover, but I don’t recall ever having heard the original artist. “Cupid” showcases Sam Cooke’s voice really well, and just how soulful his singing is. “Twistin’ The Night Away” was just a lot of fun and easy to groove along to. This album isn’t completely my cup of tea, but I loved the energy and Sam Cooke’s singing was fantastic. As far as live albums go, this was definitely in the upper echelon.
Excellent album, I didn't realize how many great songs he had until I heard this. I'm a fan now and I plan to listen to more of his work. It also has a kind of nostalgic vibe to it for me.
Honestly, a really great live album. Sam Cooke is such a great singer/performer and you can just tell from listening to these recordings that his show would be such a blast.
Really enjoyed this!
Can really hear how good his voice was here
Love it. Favourite track is Havin A Party 4/5
Nice!
Incredible energy and cheerfulness to this powerful singing performance
This has a beautiful live sound. Chain Gang is awesome. Twisting The Night Away is a classic. Somebody Have Mercy is soulfull.
Before this project I would never listen to live albums. Live songs being different from the album version would throw me off… This was a very good live record again 4/5
This album was incredibly enjoyable, funny, and lighthearted. Loved that it was live. For sure will listen again.
An album most musicians should listen to, if only to learn how to interact with an audience. Also an amazing energy!
Really enjoy Sam Cooke
Goddamn this is a good time. I wanna be at that party.
I never feel equipped to talk about souls music and other black culture stuff but the power of Sam Cooke's voice is undeniable. That it's a live album is even more incredible - the energy is off the charts.
A fun album; hard to believe it's 62 years old. Was his microphone working between songs? The crowd was much more into the music than his banter.
All around great performance, that show must have been electric.
This was such fun! What a great gig with an amazing singer.
Oei, ik hou niet zo van live albums, dus ben zeer benieuwd of dit dan het album gaat zijn die me gaat overtuigen dat ik gewoon een zeikerd ben. Sommige nummers zijn heel ruig, niet heel vreemd; is uit 1963!!! Maar nummers als Cupid klinken eigenlijk echt heel erg goed zeg! Echt hele lekkere, bijna vuige Jazz en soul is dit zeg. Sam heeft echt de tijd van zn leven, dat kun je gewoon horen. Ik geloof meteen dat Sam hier gewoon een feest aan het geven was. Zn stem klinkt top, de muziek helaas niet altijd even goed, maar dat word goed gemaakt door het publiek dat duidelijk de tijd van hun leven heeft. Eerlijk; ik ben best een beetje om, dit was top en pure soul en laat zien hoe fucking vet een soul show kan zijn. FAVO: Feel it, Cupid, Medley, Twistin', Having a party
Really interesting in how raw the songs sound compared to the originals. I wish the sound were better that would have made the album even better.
A live recording that makes you wish you could have been in that room. So many great songs delivered with sweaty energy. Fun fact: my introduction to Sam Cooke was via the Animal House soundtrack in high school.
This was a good time. I knew a lot more of the songs then i was expecting.
Had a real good time listening to this one. Lots of energy, good stuff.
Amazing energy
I enjoyed this album. It's nice to listen to some old-fashioned soul.
I didn't know we were doing live albums here! I'm a fan of Ain't That Good News, but don't know any of his other stuff. This was nice. I've never been a huge soul person, just because I feel like it is too soft and smooth and I'm a little taken aback by such straightforward earnestness. But if you want smooth soulful earnest love songs, Sam Cooke does it about as well as anyone.
There are few live albums I actually enjoy. In my experience, they generally have poor audio quality and a bunch of audience clapping. But this album avoids that problem and captures the performer's energy - not the audience's. And in that way, it is a good example of what live albums should be.
I think I’m most impressed by the quality of this live album from the ‘60s. This was a lot of fun to listen to.
If I was in the room that night I'm sure it'd be a 5. What an amazing performance.
He's having a great time and it's one of those performances that could make you a fan of a new artist. But it's still mostly the same songs that everybody else sang at the same time. 3.5/5, but rounded up for the party
My first proper introduction to Sam Cooke. Pretty solid album that genuinely felt like part of a time capsule. It really transported me to a different time and made me feel like i was there watching this performance live
Absolutely love this classis. Sam cooke is such an entertainer and just an excellent vocalist. He manages to bring in so soft and sentimental songs with a mix of energetic material, which has been blended so tremendously well. I love him involving with the audience and their respective reactions. Just overall a near perfect live record, this is just an experience to me. The only reason I won't give this a super high score is because I love Sam's "live at the copa" even more, which has a lot to say about Sam as a performer. Favorite track: Twistin the Night Away(HM to For sentimental reasons and cupid, I love the live version of the latter so much). Overall score 8.8/10
So sollten live Alben sein 😃😁
Classic. Love it. So much live energy.
****a good fun album
soul twist- 7 dont fight it- 8 chain gang- 8 cupid- 8 its all right- 8 twistin the night away- 7 somebody have mercy- 8 bring it on home to me- the intro is funny. 7 or 8 nothing can change this love- 7 having a party- 7
he changed music rules. This live not so good
This was a fun listen. What a snap shot of a place and time.
Really good.
Great album. 4.3/5
was en entertainer, het vollgas harlem nightclub vibes i mis zimmer im schwedische winter portiert ^^ haha mehrmals die gliiche 2 chords bim intro (chain gang & cupid) die art vo musig wo's mir ned uffallt dass d songs vlt harmonisch simpel sind, sust gaht defür soviel ab. d band isch richtig locked in, freakin epic. sini stimm isch ned so clean wie uf andere recordings woni kenn (vlt scho es paar konzert täg vorher gha), aber stört ned gross findi. und sini "diktion", wo er silbe ufem beat platziert oder wasauimmer findi freakin elegant, gfallt mer. s publikum gaht au ab daamn, ich wünscht es gäbt oder ich kennt clubs wome zu so livemusig chent tanze o.O (finde das review sehr passend: "captures one of the most beguiling figures of 20th-century music as close to the peak of his powers as he was ever recorded, sounding grittier and more seductive than you'll hear on those good-times oldies blocks but still every bit in command")
ohh theyre having so much fun!!
Has a voice that commands to be heard, which is refreshing to a live recording. I feel like vocals get muffled a lot. Anyway, enjoyable upbeat (even the romantic song). Sounded like a fun place to be. Can't picture anyone walking out the club upset
A little more raucous and sweet with the likably rough edges of his voice matching the spotty production and recording. It's not hard to hear what made him a legend, even if this isn't exactly in one's sweet spot (a bit much James Brown-y showmanship for one's liking) and one admits to preferring Otis Redding and maybe Al Green, too. One wonders, had one been present, if the audience's enthusiasm would have merited a shushing. Still, one gets what made him legendary, albeit somewhat briefly, albeit in what seems a rather hopelessly more innocent time.
I enjoyed it. I could close my eyes and just imagine what the room and the crowd looked like based on the sounds.
Great record. Sam Cooke must have been awesome to see live.
fye
This was dope. Biggest vibes album, felt very old school cool. I've heard Sam Cookes voice was amazing, and it definitely was. Almost deserves a record spin to vibe around the house.
Old R&B feel. Great album
Overall: 8/10 My approach to listening to live albums is to try to put myself into the audience because realistically it's the only way I can truly enjoy a live performance. That helped a lot with this one and even though I'm sick today I found myself having a lot of fun with this one. The only Sam Cooke song I actually know wasn't a part of this performance but I actually preferred that because I wasn't waiting around hoping for the one song I knew! Cooke's energy is infectious and it's easy to see why he was such a big star at the time. The best part about his demeanor is that it seems so effortless and cool. The songs are pretty good too, much more energetic than I expected. (Also I get that it was recorded in 1963 but the album itself wasn't actually released until 1985. If Dylan's 1966 Royal Albert Live counts as a 1998 release then this should get the same treatment from the list and the website.) Fav Song: Chain Gang Least Fav Song: Twistin' the Night Away
Terrific live soul album with bags of atmosphere.
Very talented. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half especially.
вайбовенький, лёгкий, меланхоличный
;)
I'm new to this list but this is the first disc I've listened to that I'd never heard of and need to own.
What a fun concert this would be. It’s simple but it works. I wish we heard more banter. Bring it on Home to Me was my fave.
Sam Cooke as they didn’t want you to hear him! It would have been great if video were recorded as well. His voice is great and the energy is phenomenal. The medley style of the performance is cool too and kept me on my toes throughout.
I don't know any of these songs but you are going to have a really hard time convincing me that anybody was having more fun on the night of January 12, 1963 than Mr. Sam Cooke. Wow. What a great idea to make sure you recorded this man live. His voice sounds great, you can tell he's playing to the crowd and he even coaches them through a sing-along section without missing a beat himself and he made it sound like natural ad-libbing instead of the obnoxious way I've heard other singers basically break up their set to make the crowd play along with their egos. This guy's just having the time of his life and wants everybody else to have a fraction of the good time he's having. Wow. This is one of the best live albums I've ever heard, and certainly the best I've heard where I didn't already know any of the songs. I can't believe they shelved it for over two decades.
I effing LOVE Sam Cooke!! His is one of my favorite voices of all time and I was so happy when this album popped up as my next listen. It has so many good songs on it. One of my favorites by him is Nothing Can Change This Love. Just lovely 🙂 The only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars is that it was live 😩 It had great energy, but I don’t like all the screaming and the audience sing-a-long nonsense.
I've tended to harp on the live albums that are featured in this list, but the jazz ones seem to deliver above the rest. This one is no exception. No time is wasted here, each song leads directly into the next on the setlist but it doesn't feel rushed or sloppy (after listening, it sounds like some of the interludes are edited out, but regardless). Mr. Cooke sounds authentic and lively here with his signature tenor voice, getting the crowd involved all throughout too. It's just pure fun and makes one wish they could be briefly teleported to that night in Miami in 1963.
Absolute legend.. Live is always better as well. Solid album, good vibes
Groovy music and live aspect was made you feel more involved. Absolutely here for Bring it on home to me
The biggest mistake they made on this live album was not letting King Curtis shine on the sax more. Good lord that guy can fucking play. Not usually a fan of live albums, but this goes pretty hard. Super enjoyable, super fresh. Not perfect, but that's probably why it was buried for 20 years.
Having the guy who got shot and killed in self-defense during a kidnapping singing about 'Girl don't fight it' right at the beginning is the kind of foreshadowing that people would mock
A very energetic and vibrant album, shame to the record label for delaying its release 22 years after the fact. Having said that, I cannot help but look at the more romantic 'I need you' type of songs without thinking about how Sam Cooke got plugged by a hotel receptionist while he was wearing only a sports coat and one shoe in search of some groupie he *totally* was gonna be friendly with. Overall, a thoroughly good album with no misses but on repeat listens I found it hard to distinguish one part of the album from another and it became a little repetitivey. 8 out of 9mm Highlights: Chain Gang Medley: Yadda Yadda Nothing Can Change This Love
First listen. Pretty good.
I have been a fan of Sam Cooke since I was young, so i obviously liked this album. All of his songs raise feelings of nostalgia in me, but not one that would make me very sentimental, but rather a kind of nostalgia that warms me inside out by reminding me of all the adventurous car rides with my family. As for this album, it's insane how masterfully Cooke can sing and what he can do with his voice.
Aangenaam verrast. Lekkere vibes gecombineerd met live energie
Sometimes you just need to listen to a feel good album.
Forgot to write. Another solid jazz performance. Great listen. Standouts: Feel It (Don’t Fight It), Chain Gang, Twistin’ The Night Away, Somebody Have Mercy, and Having A Party.
5 stars for Sam the Man; -1 for live album
Love Sam Cooke, dislike live albums. Classic tunes though so 4/5 Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin’, Having A Party. Gold!
Favourite song - Cupid
Was surprised to find out I really liked this. Added a lot to the playlist & will definitely revisit songs
I quite liked it
Sam Cooke is the King of Soul and his voice is almost instantly recognizable. All of the songs flowed together and this album was great to listen to. Almost 40 minutes of music that felt like about 5. The man had a great voice and was a gifted performer. Twistin' the Night Away is just a great song. According to my extensive research of reading Wikipedia, although this is an album for a live show done in Miami in 1963, the label did not like how it sounded and put it on a shelf for 22 years. So not released until 1985. On Spotify this appears to be the reissue released in 2005 after adjustments to the mix of audience and Cooke's singing.
Absolutely incredible. Never really listened to this type of music but it blew me away. The heart that it shows is immaculate. RIP Sam.
Really great album. You can really feel the passion in Sam's voice and even the instruments.
That's not my taste in music. But wow - interesting music. Great musician
Infectious energy and joy. Sweaty, soulful and sweet.
Very cool
I enjoyed this a lot. Light, fun! I will likely put him in my rotation!
8/10
Actually really enjoyed this, a lot more than I thought I would. He was obviously putting on a good performance. The atmosphere came over well, yes if I see it on a music stall yes I probably will buy it. Definitely a 4.
Enjoyed every song. Chain gang had a great sing along Cupid was really good
Awesome
Perfect uptown live modes
Enjoyed!
Driving and lively.
Live At The Harlem Square is considered one of the best live albums for a reason. Cooke’s energy and vocals are fantastic. The production is a little airy but good enough 8.3/10
Top entertainer, great live album
I would enjoy this live
I usually don't like live albums but this was just seamless and fun
Lively, gritty, warm album. Great sound quality and crowd interaction. Big fan. Best song: (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting here, more live soul, funk, or jazz perhaps? But this ain’t that. This is proper rock n roll in its purest form. Really incredible live album, it’s hard to believe they waited 20 years to actually release this recording. Sam Cooke is clearly charismatic and extremely talented. I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected to. Musically it’s tight, soulful, and very fun to listen to. 4*
This endeavor is convincing me that my prejudice against live albums is misguided, as we have another fantastic one in this 1963 recording of the peerless Sam Cooke. His vocal talent is every bit as strong live as it was on recordings, and the musical quality of this performance is very good. More valuable than that, though, is that this recording gives the listener a sense of Sam Cooke as a performer and personality, which is particularly valuable considering that his life was tragically cut far too short. It’s a delightful listen and you can’t help but smile as Cooke charms and captivates his audience. 8/10
Great energy. Great songs.
I tried to "Feel It (Don't Fight It)". But maybe not hard enough at first. Or maybe I don't love soul music enough to fully appreciate this very early album in the genre--at least right away. Don't get me wrong, I quickly understood that the grittier sound of this live recording sounds so authentic that it can provide great emotions to all Sam Cooke fans. The thing is, I would rather get acquainted with the studio output of the legendary soul singer first. Live versions are rarely good entry points, are they? And apart from pretty "(What A) Wonderful World", or moving a "A Change Is Gonna Come" (not in this album, but that most people have heard in film or TV soundtracks)", I'm afraid l don't know much about Cooke. If the man is the legend that soul fans say he is, isn't it a better idea to first discover what he sounded like on the radio? Those cuts on this live album, admittedly groovier that "Wonderful World" and "Change", document awesome performances. The songs on the first side seemed are all interchangeable in my ears. And yet this record received a 3.78 global score on this app, which is rather high as far as its usual 3/5 grade goes. I started to wonder: "What is wrong with me?" As I finished writing the words up there, "Somebody Have Mercy" began playing. And that's how it goes : "Somebody have mercy, baby, and tell me what is wrong with me". I swear that I had never heard that song before (or didn't consciously remember it). It was a nice serendipitous moment, and I guess that song is gonna stay with me because of it. Then "Bring It On Home To Me" followed, and unless I'm mistaken, the intense, mesmerizing introduction to this version of the live ballad is absent in the studio rendition, that I discovered on the list of Cooke's most played tracks on Spotify. Another cut that's gonna stay with me, I guess. And so will "Having A Party". It's tribute to good songs "on the radio" bring me back to the start of my review. Something's going on with this album. Its last leg sound incredible, which is, I guess, quite logical if you follow the template of a live show. Leaving the door open to this one, then. Leaving it wide open... 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) Number of albums left to review: around a hundred, as I've went over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 431 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 256 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 316 l
Not bad at all.
So much fun to listen to this. Sam Cooke was a phenomenal talent taken way too soon.
There's a good sized contingent that just don't like live albums then. Who knew? Feels like your missing out on that feeling of eavesdropping on a unique moment in time when a piece of magic is worked between performer(s) and crowd. This is a very good example.
This was really good. The music is a bit dated, but being love just adds so much.
I love Sam Cooke and have never listened to any of his live albums. This was a fun listen--the gritty soulfulness of his voice comes through in a way that studio albums don't capture. The medley with "For Sentimental Reasons" and "Bring it On Home" were special delights. I listened to this album twice and would definitely revisit it; it's not my favorite of Sam Cooke's (and not in my top live soul albums), but a great album nonetheless. I dock it one star because it makes me jealous that I wasn't there.
Side 2 takes it from a 3 to a 4 star rating
2 Sterne für die Musik. 2 Sterne für sein Entertainment und die Art das Publikum mitzunehmen und zu begeistern, da wünscht man sich einfach im Publikum zu sein. Songs der Playlist hinzugefügt: Keine
Least amount of fluff in any live album I've listened to. Great energy all around
Good energy
A surprise today. Really enjoyed it though
Surprised at how much I liked it despite being live. Very upbeat
I don't normally like live albums, but the energy here is great.
Chad. Probably the best live album we’ve had here and probably the best there is.
A superb singer, writer, and all around performer.
live zoals live moet zijn
Loved it. Plus the crowd involvement was quite nice. Solid 4/5.
I'm not sure I've ever heard anybody work a crowd like this guy does. Electric performance, really good stuff.
Raw and urgent. Some of these songs actually feel somewhat rushed and peaked. Very charming crowd work and electric room sound but I might prefer a studio "chill" version of all these song. Of course I feel like I'm missing context but I find myself preferring something like Live at the Apollo for a document of a live performance.
Love this album. Only reason it’s not a 10 is because there aren’t many standout tracks. But it still has really good energy and is one of my favorite live albums. 9/10
A really great live album from one of the greats. I’m glad this was recorded before his death.
Pretty good. Delightful vibes. Amazing voice.
A great document of a really solid performance. Everyone is firing on all cylinders here and the crowd loves it.
Pretty good, and it would’ve been amazing to be there in person. Sam’s voice seems a little more rough than studio recordings, which I guess I prefer. But still a solid 4!
Я был настроен на самые легкие 2 звезды в моей жизни, но очень удивлен по итогу. Это звучит в меру стандартно по меркам жанра, но с какой страстью это всё исполнено! Лучшая песня - Bring It on Home to Me.
Imagine being horny and heartbroken in the 60s and then Sam Cooke comes to town with this thing...
I mean its Sam Cooke, dude has a great voice, Chain gang is a great song that really hits different.
Fun!
Juhlat! Hienon tasaista laulua läpi keikan, ei katoa vire vaikka sopiva raspi pysyy. Bändi soittaa hyvin, mutta Cooken karisma yltää kaiken yli koko ajan. Nautittavaa! Hyvät biisit, joista tosin parhaiten jää mieleen ja toimii hitti Having a party.
So. Much. Energy. What would this guy have done if he had lived long enough to listen to 70s Stevie, Funkadelic, Sly Stone, the Beach Boys, Hendrix?
Vilken röst och vilken entertainer. Det är precis så här ett livealbum ska vara. Omöjligt att inte ryckas med och bli glad av denna. Som vanligt önskar man att man hade varit där.
sensible fun
Despite (or perhaps because of?) the simplicity and similarity of these tunes there’s something I find so pure and joyous about this type of music. It kinda makes me wish I was growing up in the 50s and early 60s, twistin’ every night away. The live setting and crowd noise gives the songs a huge boost of energy, and there’s an almost religious euphoria (without being too cultish) to the soul-iest bits, like Bring It on Home to Me. I was also pleased to learn that Cooke wrote everything himself, rather than filling his set with covers of standards, as often seemed to be the case in gigs of this era. 3.5 / 4
4.5
This was a bit…. Rougher around the edges than the studio performances I’ve heard. But the audience is into it. It’s fun.
Girlllllll I could feel this concert through my screen
great jazz piece
Very fun and some infectious energy. Cooke's presence could be felt on every track, and I couldn't help but smile, dance, and sing along as he encouraged the crowd in the performance. I did feel a lot of the songs felt too similar at times, but this is a great listen and dance album that doesn't overstay it's welcome. Top tracks: Chain Gang, Medley: It's All Right, Bring It on Home to Me
The crowds enthusiasm really gives this album a leg up - it's a really fun snapshot into how a live venue must have sounded at the time. Some songs have become a bit dated, but generally a fun album. 4/5
Yeah great songs obviously! Wish it wasn't a live album, what's the point?
A legend, gone way too soon. Imagine what could have come in his later years. This recording sounds urgent, soulful (of course), and tight. What a talent.
Sam Cooke’s talent is absolutely undeniable. The only downside to the album is that it was recorded when live recordings (live in front of an audience) didn’t have the best quality. Other than that, Sam controls every bit of the show and leaves you wanting more.
Another great live album!
What the heck was that
Fun energetic live soul/R&B pop performance, really fun
Good stuff!
Highlights: Feel it (Don't Fight It) Twistin' The Night Away As soon as I put this on I could picture the crowd, the energy was palpable and infectious. Listening to this gave me a sense of what Sam Cooke was like as an entertainer, and made me a little sad I would never get to experience it myself.
What an incredible gig!
Classic Sam Cooke
very dated an 'showbiz', but a fantastic voice and some top songs.
I was already familiar with this album and really enjoy it. It's great, high energy. It's hard to believe this album was in the vault for over 20 years before it was release. It's excellent!
6/10 Not bad! First one of the 1001. Made me smile. Made me dance. Medley: It's all right was best.
I was expecting Jazz for sure, based on the cover, but it's definitely more a blues album. I enjoyed the hell out of it. Found myself tapping along most of the album, and it kept pulling my focus, regardless of what else I was trying to do. My dad was big into the blues, so it felt a little bit like riding around in the car with him, which was a nice bit of nostalgia for a Thursday morning. Not the type of music I'd normally listen to, but definitely felt like if it was 1963, I'd be having a great time in that club. Quite the backstory to Sam as well, who knows what else we may have got if he hadn't died so young. I would definitely listen to it again, but I don't think it'll be an album I come back to often, as it's really not the usual genre I listen to.
Sound quality is a bit of a miss but what a party this would have been to go to live. Still enjoyed it
C’è un gran bel carisma qui ma sto considerando se essere severo o meno
che festa gigantesca, un concentrato di gioia infinita da ascoltare nelle giornate buie per tirarsi su di morale. anche solo per questo, sarebbero cinque stelle, se poi si aggiunge il carisma e la voce si raggiungono vette altissime. una chicca.
fun! but why so many live albums?
The man had energy. Halfway through I felt a bit bored, but it picked up again. I can see why they didn't want to release this to not alienate the white pop audience
Sam Cooke makes ya move. More of this yes please
Good jazzy blues album
YA! 4/5
Unbelievable performance. Sam's voice is top-notch. I wish there were a few more true standout songs, but very little to complain about. 4.5/5
- Another artist I wish I would have had the chance to hear live. It would have been amazing. The recording is not great so I can only give it a 4 but, man what a show this must have been. -
really fun ! sounds like a blast and just makes me want to go see some fun live music !!!! :)
I can picture myself partying my ass off in some sleazy bar, listening to Sam Cooke spew out some bangers. I'm normally not a fan of live albums, but I enjoyed this fun party anthem album. Favorite Song: "Cupid".
Sam Cooke the GOAT. Live albums are interesting, and his speaking voice was unexpectedly scratchier than his singing voice. I like his recorded sound better but the fact that he's still great live is impressive.
One of the greatest voices in music history!
Man alive. What a singer. What a gig.
Loved it, reminded me of my childhood and the music my parents would listen to.
Love Sam Cooke but he was definitely on something on this one. Still stellar, though.
Amazing live album the vocals are so good.Really liked all the tracks especially nothing can change this love
Very good
Me ha gustado
I love live albums from this era. There's a level of showmanship that's absent today for the most part that makes these performances vibrant.
We've listened to a lot of live albums in this project so far, and when I've enjoyed them it's often been more so because it's enjoyable to listen to a lot of good songs maybe played with a bit more energy. But this is the first we've done where the liveness feels central to the album - the performance isn't perfect, but it only enhances the feeling. The sweat practically drips from the walls on this album, and does maybe what only the best live albums can do: make me wish I got a chance to see this guy live.
4☆/5 08.17.2024
In the early 80’s I read a book called Nowhere To Run : The Story of Soul Music by Gerri Hershey. It included 2 stories about Sam Cooke that I’ve often retold over the years. The first recounted how Cooke’s beautiful voice & good looks changed the way gospel music was received in the southern church circuit traversed by gospel groups. Cooke was 19 when he took over as lead singer of the Famous Soul Stirrers, and in Hirshey’s book, both Wilson Pickett & Aretha Franklin recall the effect Cooke had on the young females in church. As Pickett said : “Them sisters fell like dominoes when Sam took the lead. Bang. Flat out. Piled three deep in the aisles”. And Aretha recalled how there was a strange seating shift in the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father led the congregation. Whenever Cooke & The Soul Stirrers turned up, suddenly the young people, who always left the first rows for the elders, began crowding up front to see him. The other story from that book is extremely disturbing. Solomon Burke recounts how he & Cooke were dragged from their motel room in Shreveport, Louisiana by the local police in the middle of the night, taken to the fire station, made to undress and sing for the assembled cops. As Burke says in the book : “He never did get over it”. In my opinion, Sam Cooke had one of the finest voices in popular music. He was one of those who provided a bridge from gospel & r&b to the hugely successful soul music explosion of the 60’s. The pity was that his death in 1964 meant that he never got to see it. This 1963 concert was recorded but never released at the time, because RCA considered it too raw for his pop audience, who were used to his silky smooth vocals.(Remember RCA? They didn’t know what to do with Elvis half the time, either). It wasn’t released on vinyl until the mid-80’s, which is when I first heard it. The original 1985 mix contains a louder audience response, creating a "claustrophobic, frenzied power". A new mix created for the 2000 box set, The Man Who Invented Soul, turns the audience elements down, cleaning up Cooke's vocals as well as the music. I can understand why they did that, because the audience noise on my vinyl copy is constant. But it’s also very exciting.I don’t play this album a lot. I prefer the Soul Stirrers stuff & the smooth pop hits Cooke had later in his shortened career. But let’s face it, like Aretha, he could sing the phonebook. And it’s worth listening to just for the excitement of it all. What a voice.
My room is buzzing with energy, it's a full revival in here right now! He captivates the audience with the charisma of a Southern preacher, drawing them into his world at every moment. It's absolutely electrifying!
Another great live album from the 60s. I have realized that where BB King Live at the Regal pulled a more traditional blues artist into R&B - Sam Cooke - better known for pop/R&B - let's his blues shine through. And shine it does. Bring it on Home is an absolute master class - teasing You Send Me to remind you where he came from but not where he is...or was - but moving the audience inab different direction. And wrapping things up with Having a Party - not sure if that bringing church to the party or bringing the party to church. Either way - the energy in the room is palpable. 4.5/5.
I like swing.
What a vibe, front to back. Feel like I'm taken back in time while listening to it.
What a showman, what a voice, what a crowd. There might be tighter performances on record, but the energy from the venue is overflowing. A live album that makes me wish I could've been there, as good live albums should. Highlights: Chain Gang, Medley, Somebody Have Mercy, Nothing Can Change This Love
Enjoyable. Most songs sound the same but good. 3.5 rounding up.
Not typically my taste, but the rhythm was killer
I’m really enjoying it, it probably sounds great on vinyl too
The best live albums makes you wish that you were there, that it was a unique, magical moment. This is on of those albums.
Passionate RnB with a strong delivery, Sam Cooke knows how to put a crowd on fire!
Sam Cooke is a name I’ve heard and I know he’s well respected as a musician, but I hadn’t heard any of his music until now. So, let me start by saying that the music the band played as the album opened and led into Sam Cooke’s introduction caught me off guard—but I loved it. Talk about funky, odd, strange, and playful. If anything, I wish that music had gone on longer. As for the rest of the album, it was raw and full of energy. You can tell it was recorded in an intimate setting with a smaller crowd, and both the audience and the band were engaging and feeding off one another. I was pretty far out of my element with this artist, but I’m definitely going to check out more of his discography.
Smooth mellows
Another live album, but I enjoyed this one and it captures a live feel more so than albums that just happened to be recorded at a performance but were otherwise indistinguishable from a studio recording aside from worse quality. I’d never heard of Sam Cooke before this (at least by name) but he has a powerful voice that kept going til the end of the album. He’s a great singer and I like how he engages the crowd. From the start I thought of the band from Animal House and then “Twistin the Night Away” came on, which justified it completely. A great rendition too. This album was fun. Not a bad track on it and the “live” part of it is finally a plus rather than a detriment.
Smooth
It’s too bad this album sat on a shelf for 22 years. Cooke shows that he knows how to party, changing up each song just enough to make it a unique experience and keeping the crowd involved. Slightly higher rating for the spirit captured in the album.
What fun, live Sam Cooke!
Now this is soul.
A superior performance. Sam Cooke is a legend. Live horns, classic songs and energy.
Lovely live happy vibe
The vocals, the instrumentals, the ENERGY!! What isn’t there to say about this album? It’s super enjoyable from start to finish and keeps the energy up the whole time, a feat I wasn’t sure possible. Alas, I must save a 5 for the best of the best, but this was still very enjoyable.
Excellent live album. 4.5/5
I didn’t recognise the name Sam Cooke, but I definitely recognised Twistin’ The Night Away. This is one of the rare live albums that come up in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Usually, I’m not the biggest fan of live albums, but the ones in this project have generally impressed me. Gladly, Sam Cooke is not an exception to this rule. He has such a nice voice - possibly lacking in training but brimming with soul. This made for a very nice drive.
What a performer Sam Cooke is. He's got the audience in the palm of his hand over this entire record. Incredible. His voice is great and the performance is full of energy. Not a 5 star record for me though, objectively amazing but personally only 75% amazing, some songs didn't move me much
Banger
Non male, ma non indimenticabile. Bella 'Twistin' the night away'
Sam Cooke is fantastic. Not my favorite of his, but he's still great.
8/10. Enjoyed it
July 6, 2024 HL: "Chain Gang", "Cupid", "Twistin' the Night Away", "Bring It On Home To Me" Great listen; even with the 2005 "remaster" it still sounds like a bootleg tho
Wish I could’ve seen him live. Great voice and energy
I had forgotten that my mom used to play Sam Cooke on the living room record player when I was a kid. He's got such a great voice, and these are classic tunes.
Lots of fun, all the hits and more! A great singer and entertainer in his prime, with a solid band and the audience eating out of his hand. It feels more like a historical record than a ground breaking album, but still fun nonetheless.
Love this! I have never heard Sam Cooke live before, only ever the typical songs played on the radio. It feels like a cool atmosphere to have experienced.
Brilliant album. I really enjoyed this. these songs sounded great live. I will be listening to this again. Favourite song: Cupid and twisting the night away live were excellent Least favourite: all good. Album artwork: Good cover
Sam Cooke is a name I’ve heard and I know he’s well respected as a musician, but I hadn’t heard any of his music until now. So, let me start by saying that the music the band played as the album opened and led into Sam Cooke’s introduction caught me off guard—but I loved it. Talk about funky, odd, strange, and playful. If anything, I wish that music had gone on longer. As for the rest of the album, it was raw and full of energy. You can tell it was recorded in an intimate setting with a smaller crowd, and both the audience and the band were engaging and feeding off one another. I was pretty far out of my element with this artist, but I’m definitely going to check out more of his discography.
Funky
Always thought of Cooke as more of a crooner, but this set bangs at times. Great backing band, unmistakable charisma and a virtuoso performance. I’m a convert!
That smooth voice. I hear lots of joy in it. Lots of classic tracks here including Chain Gang and Twisting The Night Away.
Classic oldies style.
Love the music, love the voice but there is something about live albums that doesn’t translate to listening for me and I always end up imagining how good it would be to have been there
Irgendwie mag diese Musik
Love the energy.
Like, not life changing but vibey as hell
Really enjoyed this! Listened while Darlo and I were taking a walk on Friday morning and found myself bopping along consistently.
Enjoyed this one.
Easy to listen to; hard to not start moving to the beat. His singing comes so naturally. Must have been an experience to be there when it was recorded.
Neat live intro Sam Cooke sang I don't know much about history Distinct album sound, noticed immediately when it was over
this was great
god i love sam cooke live performances hitting as hard as the studio recordings is hard to do right but he does it
A really good album. Loved Chain gang, It's Alright/For Sentimental Reasons and Nothing Can Change This Love.
normally i hate live music albums but im actually a fan of this one
The best crowd reaction and sing along I've ever heard on record. Sam Cooke had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. An incredible performance of 1950s and 60s rock-'n'-roll. The energy in the room is palpable. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Medley: It's Alright / For Sentimental Reasons Date listened: 22/05/24
Pretty good.
Feel good listen 8.5/10
Soul album, very nice performance, Sam Cooke's voice gets u moving, the lyrics are inspiring ngl
very enjoyable, 4/5
Such a powerful and charismatic voice. Engaging performance sound quality issues aside. Though I don’t prefer live albums, you can tell that the crowds energy really heightens the experience. 4.1 stars
Great live album, what a voice
One of my favorite soul albums of all time! It is not a perfect record, but Sam Cooke's voice never sounded as great as in this one. Also, the way the band plays with the songs is just great.
Listened to this during a light leg day. I liked the album length. Probably my favorite live album on this list because of the audience and live band and his energy. Not my thing but enjoyable.
Really fun listen! Love the energy. The Wiki story about it being too raw and gritty shaped the way I listened to it, and I think it made me enjoy it more. Bad boy energy ya know? 8.5/10
7/10 - The random "I ain't got leukemia was crazy" in somebody have mercy. Every song was so groovy. He sounds so into the music which is just amazing to hear. Some of the songs it was annoying to hear him talk to the crowd or the crowd talking back since it takes away from the music.
Sam Cooke is great too, and Live at the Harlem Club is a fun listen, great tunes, great energy, timeless and soulful and memorable and all of that. I think we've had better live albums that capture a more iconic moment and with greater showmanship, but an easy 4.
This is great fun, he's having a whale of a time and so are the audience. A lovely infectious energy, but it's missing something that stops it getting a 5, think the songs are a bit too samey maybe? 4/5.
A lot of great live performances, really took me back
That's some mighty fine crowd work, boss.
The man has some pipes and is very talented. I can appreciate this soul music for what it is.
Like heavy metal for the 60s
Love his voice. Sounds great live. Liked being able to hear the crowd singing along 4 ⭐️
Ég væri svo til í að hafa verið uppi á þessum tíma og að búa þá í New York og geta farið á svona skemmtanir. Kannski er ég bara að rómantísera hvernig lífið var á þeim tíma en þetta er bara svo skemmtileg tónlist til að fara og hlusta á, helst á pínulitlum skemmtistað í kjallarholu, hópurinn sitjandi í kringum lítið borð og bara að njóta. Ég set þetta aftur á þegar andinn kemst yfir mig. Ég þarf bara að kaupa mér harða stóla og lítið kringlótt borð.
Loved the energy. Sam Cooke has an incredible voice
Enjoyed the liveliness of the album. The entire thing felt alive, but without a factor of nostalgia it did feel dated and blended together.
Great Album! Very well recorded to a live album from 1963. Sam was a great show man!
Great voice
I'm still not sure live albums belong on the list, but this is a good one if they do. It shows the close links between soul and rock & roll, especially when artists chose to play faster louder versions of their famous songs. Also shows how great Mr Cooke was at interacting with an audience, and making them part of the show. The sound quality is a bit patchy at points, but not so bad it spoiled my enjoyment - if anything it added to the "live and loud" feeling of the show!
pretty fun
all a bit samey samey but good vibes
that was pretty fun.
I actually loved this one. Short but sweet. I think I preferred this a lot to something like lady soul bc it was live and you could really feel the energy and the songs were also just great.