Reviews (page 9 of 14)
Im going to go against the grain and feel slightly underwhelmed by this. His voice is excellent, but the band are nothing to write home about and the audience interaction I find a bit irritating. Sorry. Hey it’s short and that’s good.
This is a great live album. The intimacy of the recording almost makes you feel like you were there.
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.
This is quite a good album overall. I wish often, as in basically all live album situations, that I "could have been there" as Sam Cooke and company seem to be great entertainers. Not being there certainly takes away from the experience you sense from the audience and his interactions with it. Nevertheless it is well recorded and pleasant to listen to. I do wonder if maybe listening on your own home system, it might be better to hear studio recordings? I don't know....
Sam Cooke. Period.
One of the few live albums I own and play frequently. He was an incredible talent and it is showcased on this recording. Everyone sounds like they are having a blast on stage and in the crowd.
Quite good for what it is. Lots of really good songs, but the live versions aren’t the best, in my opinion. Still, solid 3.5 stars.
Recording quality not great
Great album, really enjoyed it!
5 stars for Sam the Man; -1 for live album
0003 / 23.12.2024 I listened to the One Night Stand version because it's the only one available on Spotify. Anyways, this is absolute joy and magic. I never heard a single Sam Cooke song before, and now he's my favorite soul singer, even better than Marvin Gaye. The introduction itself is already very energetic. Feel It is going straight to my favorite songs list, with currently 165 songs out of the almost 4000 I have on my main playlist. This album is just banger after banger, every single song is so great Also I need to know the exact location of the place where the people are so gay. Just for research purposes, of course. No queer intentions on my mind Choruses - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Mixing - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Lyrics - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Vocals - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Instrumentation - ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Rating - 100 Highlights: Feel It; Cupid; Twistin' the Night Away; Somebody Have Mercy; Bring It On Home to Me; Having a Party Lowlights: N/A
I just recently really got into Sam Cookes music, so that's a nice coincidence. I've avoided this album so far because I usually don't like live albums at all. This one however is outstanding. The crowd interaction is part of the performance as much as the music, rather than getting in the way, and everything works together flawlessly to create an incredible experience that really captures what a great time it must've been to be at the venue back then. I expect to come back to this album many times, and I'll give more live albums in general a chance as well.
Love Sam Cooke, dislike live albums. Classic tunes though so 4/5 Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin’, Having A Party. Gold!
I liked it, incredible talent.
Favourite song - Cupid
fun!
Was surprised to find out I really liked this. Added a lot to the playlist & will definitely revisit songs
rockin live album full of hits
Great album
I quite liked it
Needs remastered
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.
It's alright but all the songs are the live versions
Pretty good live show I'd bet - can see why this album was well received. I dug it.
Sam Cooke is a voice that no one could ever imitate. This live record shows off the incredible range and energy of his voice.
Pretty
Love it. Love how he interacts with the crowd. Classic songs from him too.
..
That's not my taste in music. But wow - interesting music. Great musician
not my style but not bad 2.6
Infectious energy and joy. Sweaty, soulful and sweet.
I would have liked this more if it were remastered and maybe not live
I think I could see myself getting behind a Sam Cooke studio album, but this was too muddy and muffled to rate higher than 2 stars.
Very cool
Dy no mite
I love listening to live albums because you get to feel the energy of the crowd. It transports you to the venue and it’s like you’re taking in the live show with them. You get the artists personality and get a tiny glimpse into how they perform live. For older artists like Same Cooke, you get a sense of how they were received in that era. The music sounds incredible, his voice, command of the crowd and showmanship show through the records. I thoroughly enjoyed this record!
The wife beating comment was crazy
I enjoyed this a lot. Light, fun! I will likely put him in my rotation!
Loved the album. Had heard of Sam Cooke before but not this album and never really listened to him much. Thought it was really well done. Lot of the songs I found myself moving and grooving as it was playing. I also saw it was recorded in 1963 but not released until 1985 and the record company just sat on it for 20+ years! So it is wild that this album with teh 20 year delay in being released influenced others. I can certainly see how Sam Cooke influenced some, but this delayed album is wild. Anyway, more proof record companies are scum of the earth along with healthcare CEOs.
One of the few live recordings that really captures how magical the performance is.
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.
Great energy throughout and fantastic vocal performance. The audience noise really helped with the whole feel good party vibe. My only criticism is that it’s a bit samey.
Its better in places than I expected. Really enjoyed 'Nothing Can Change This Love'. I felt the vibe he was obviously trying to create at the venue, generating a lot of energy and fun. Worth a high 2
I bet this would have been a cracking night. Enjoyable listen, a snapshot back in time. But the audio quality isn't good enough to keep coming back to, or save anything down to a playlist which is a shame. Hard to justify this reaching 4* due to this.
Enjoyed every song. Chain gang had a great sing along Cupid was really good
Some live albums are legendary. This is one of them.
I don't love most of the live albums, they tend to rely on energy and atmosphere I just don't quite feel. It's a decent set of songs and you can appreciate the charisma
Live albums never work for me and I have yet to find the exception to the rule
Another live album. Still not a fan. The songs are decent, but again, being a live album just drags it. Best song: Chain Gang
Awesome
Perfect uptown live modes
Live At The Harlem Square Club was an album that i quite enjoyed. At first the album did sound a bit messy and noisy at the beginning but either that was just in the intro song (which is exclusive to the 2005 edition by the way) or i just got used to it but either way i started enjoying the album from the second song onward. Whether it was the fun and jazzy songs or it was Cooke's energetic stage presence, this album was always a fun time through nearly all of it's runtime whether the songs were fast and fun or slow and romantic. This is one live album i thought was pretty good. Best Song: Nothing Can Change This Love Worst Song: Soul Twist / Introduction
lady you shot me!
I love live-recorded albums, so long as they sound this good. Sam Cooke had such a great voice - so strong with the perfect amount of rasp. Sounds like he's playing with a quartet (drums, bass, guitar, sax). Love the melodic interplay between his vocals and the sax. It's very cool that he's able to ask the crowd to sing along with him. He must be performing standards because everyone there knows the words. Would've been so cool to be there.
Enjoyed!
Not so much.2
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 do not understand why it has to be live. It's annoying that we have to laid some sort of authenticity instead of any sort of sound quality. That being said I didn't realize he sang all these songs. I'm definitely looking into him more.
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
It was fine.
This is the best live album of all time.
The album was fun but made me remember how I like studio albums better than live albums.
Το πρωτο live album που ακουω ολοκληρο. Πραγματικα απιστευτο performance και vocals. Παρ'ολ'αυτα ποκυ παρομοια κομματια και γενικα τι να πω ειναι ενα live album. Ρισπεκτ αλλα δεν μπορω να βαλω πανω απο 3 Rating: C
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.
This flooded me with memories of my aunt, uncles, and my pets. I adore Sam Cooke and thank my family for turning me onto this era of music. I cherish it so much that Cupid and Bring It On Home To Me are songs I dedicate to my bird and kitty who have since passed. I also think about how amazing it must've been to witness such an incredible singer perform live. I loved this, and I'll be certain to revisit.
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.
This isn’t what I like!
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.
I liked it
High energy party classic!
Undeniably seminal for many important artists today, but I don't often listen to this music for fun. The sax elevates this beyond "music that Elvis stole."
38 minutes of good songs played in a row. When they are over … it‘ s done. Technically under par.
I expected smooth crooning and got taken to a party.
wham bam
Side 2 takes it from a 3 to a 4 star rating
Such incredible, stirring performances of great songs. Cooke elevates them to another level, and you can feel the excitement and joy in the room. Probably the best recording from one of the greatest soul singers to ever do it. Cannot say enough good things about this album.
Pretty easy 5/5 for me, the level of energy is infectious thanks to Sam's performance and the live crowd
ganz ok, aber nicht mein Favorit
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
Barely three stars just for Sam Cooke's energy, though I was not crazy about the songs themselves. More importantly, live albums are just an awkward middle ground that I find hard to appreciate since the thing that makes live performances special is actually being there (says the man who has never gone to a concert!).
Y'know, I'm just taken by the fact that this album was apparently held in the vault for 20 years after it was recorded because Cooke's label thought this show was too raw and would damage his pop image. And I just gotta wonder: are they stupid? Like, maybe I'm missing something about how Cooke was publicly perceived at the time. Before now, I'd only heard one Sam Cooke song, on the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, VOL. 2 soundtrack, and it honestly took me a second to remember that. And I especially don't know anything about the landscape in 1963, over 60 years ago, so, yeah, for all I know, maybe it would have hurt his pop image. But at the same time: who C-A-R-E-S about his "pop image?" This is the single most exciting and electrifying live performance I've heard in a hot second. Cooke is **amazing**, the band behind him doesn't miss a beat, and the audience... Oh, goodness, I kinda wish I coulda listened to the version where the crowd sounds were louder? I can only imagine how this thing woulda felt if it had crowd mixing like James Brown's LIVE AT THE APOLLO. OK, maybe not **that** extreme, but still. I can't even really think of any specifics to gush about. It was just an incredibly entertaining 30 minutes, and I feel like it was such a crime to keep this from the world until **1985**. And if you couldn't tell, this is a huge 5 from me. Another notch in my "live albums deserve to be here as much as any other" argument. Seriously, I can't imagine how anyone could listen to this and not get into it, goodness. Expect me to spin it more than a few times more after today.
So much energy on this live album, it's almost magical. Solid 5 Stars.
Well, that’s obviously a 5. Just an electric setlist, really – those 36 minutes flew by. I’ve heard of Sam Cooke, but I’ve never actually heard Sam Cooke until now, and that motherfucker can sing his heart out, my goodness. Combine his gritty soulful voice with a red hot band and a red hot crowd, and that’s a recipe for an awesome live album. How this went unreleased for 22 years, I simply don’t understand. How could you listen to that album, with that much crowd energy, and such an honest and soulful performance, and think it’s too edgy? I guess 1963 is still deep in the Civil Rights Movement, and it was more palatable to present him as a gospel star rather than an Elvis Presley-esque pop star, but come on, this would’ve sent Sam Cooke into absolute superstardom. I’ll go so far as to say he wouldn’t have been murdered if this had come out. Truthfully, I got so swept up into the energy and charisma of the whole thing that I barely have any individual notes on tracks – my ears were attentive, but my brain was on autopilot. There’s a lot of love songs here, which makes some sense, but the energy with which both Sam and the band perform them with is so damn high, you could easily confuse it for a dance album. He’s got the crowd in the palm of his hands too – the amount of call/response parts on this album is kind of unbelievable. It’s really hard to explain how good this album is without listening to it; it is just 36 minutes of pure energy and a spectacular live set. I deeply enjoyed this, and it’s an extremely easy 5.
Least amount of fluff in any live album I've listened to. Great energy all around
I'm a bit unsure how to rate it. I don't dislike anything on the album, but there is nothing that stands out. A high 2?
Chefs kiss
Not only is this the best quality live album I've ever heard, this is one of the best albums this website has ever given me. Cooke's voice is infectious and silky smooth and it's a shame that he left us so soon.
Good energy
A surprise today. Really enjoyed it though
Nice recording featuring Sam Cooke's best known songs. Hearing it 60 years later and knowing the songs well, it does sound a little on the bland/safe side. But an enjoyable listen nevertheless
Surprised at how much I liked it despite being live. Very upbeat
This was great, considering running it back
I enjoyed this but realistically it won’t be something I repeat.
Fun upbeat album. Not always the biggest fan of a live album but I had a good time
Enjoyable enough since he has a lot of good songs. The live album was an interesting one time listen. But the combo of the two makes me skeptical that I would ever seek it out again.
Livealbum
This was cool. Energy and urgency.
I don't normally like live albums, but the energy here is great.
I liked this album very much
Really enjoyed this and I think I'll give his other live album a listen too. This one captures a fun little window into a different time. REVISION: I'm editing my rating on this one to change it from a 4 to a 5. Live At The Harlem Square Club is so good. I think it ended up being my favorite "new to me" album of all of 2024. It's infectious; two months later I still find myself randomly singing parts of it.
It really touched my heart. This is really great...
This live album has great energy. What a great front man Sam Cooke is. The band is rock solid. Sounds like a smaller crowd but they are completely immersed in the music.
Chad. Probably the best live album we’ve had here and probably the best there is.
3.5
A superb singer, writer, and all around performer.
Sam sounds so much more raw and real live as opposed to his cleaned-up album sound.
Sounds like it would've been a fun show in person
live zoals live moet zijn
The best kind of early rock/soul. All the good vibes. Can't be in a bad mood, while listening to this. Added this album to my collection.
Loved it. Plus the crowd involvement was quite nice. Solid 4/5.
Fantastic voice and just a very cool vibe
Another live R&B live album, and I'm still loving them. I'd never heard of Sam Cooke, but what a performance. Similar to the live albums of B.B. King and Sarah Vaughan, this oozes with charisma. It's also surprisingly well produced for a live album and the sounds are all so crisp. For the tunes themselves, Feel It (Don't Fight It) is awesome, but It's All Right / (I Love You) steals the show. One of the best live albums here so far.
I'm not sure I've ever heard anybody work a crowd like this guy does. Electric performance, really good stuff.
bdb. Considered one of the most influential soul artists of all time
Not the biggest Sam Cooke fan, but nice atmosphere in the club.
Not really my taste.
this shit banged
It’s not very often that I listen to a live album and wish that I was in the room for the recording. This is one of those albums. Cooke is firing on all cylinders and we’re better for it.
A perfect live album with the voice of an angel.
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
I love this one! It’s a real mood booster and he has a great live energy on this album.
Sam’s reputation precedes him, as despite having never actively listened to him, I knew I’d know his voice and songs. This was surprisingly good for a live album (which I normally largely avoid). His presence seems to come through effortlessly. Good pick for a Friday!
A really great live album from one of the greats. I’m glad this was recorded before his death.
Sam adding the line about how he will always be a slave until he's buried in his grave in 1963 on Bring It On Home To Me gives me chills every time.
Not a bad second let alone a bad track.
legend. this shit ROCKS. i love a live album, the kinetic energy of it, the sound of the band and the audience reacting in real time. the crowd singing along! the sounds of girls literally SHRIEKING in the audience! and that VOICE! the only complaint i have is that im not in the room with them.
It's okay, I guess? Not something I expected to say about a live album by one of the most exciting soul singers at the height of his powers. He does the hits and it all sounds very tight and professional but he races through his set almost as if on autopilot. Not entirely sure what the added value of this being a live album is over a regular best of album.
Now, I *like* Sam Cooke, but this was just kind of...there? Like, he's great, but the lack of production does him no favours, and overall this just left me a bit cold.
I’m sure this was a great gig to be at, but it kinda leaves me a bit cold. All the audience participation bits don’t really do it for me. I love Sam’s music, but I’d much rather have the studio versions.
The energy he's bringing is great, the songs are good, but it just gives me a real sense of FOMO because it's clearly a gig you want to be at, not just listening to - not sure I'd give it another listen, as I tend to prefer studio versions of most albums (just personal opinion)
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...
3.5/5
I mean its Sam Cooke, dude has a great voice, Chain gang is a great song that really hits different.
Only listened to 1/2 but pretty funky
Great for Sunday afternoon listening. Great as a live album, tight musicians. Lot's of energy in the vocal performance. Highlights are Cupid and Twisting the night Away. Can start to repeat itself after the first 6 songs and sound a bit samey though.
Overall not my cup of tea, and quite repetitive in sound throughout. However it sounded like an absolute whale of a time!!
This is #day72 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... here we are with a live soul/jazz album from the '60s... All I wanted to do while listening to it was turn the volume down... I couldn't stand the singing. This outpouring of emotions (or soul if you will) makes me feel absolutely nothing. Not the kind of record I'd want to revisit, if ever. Just like soul music in general, I guess. This is some 36 minutes long, but it felt like forever... This is a 2 out of 5 this time. Again. Looking forward to #day73.
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.
Monumentaalinen artisti, mutta levynä tämä uhkaa aliarvostaa hänen uraansa: eikö Cookelta (tai Watersilta tai Brownilta jne.) muka voida kaivaa studioäänityksiä listalle?
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?
This is just very good. It's hard to imagine anyone not liking this.
Ja men det här var mycket bättre än jag väntat mig. Rösten är väldigt bra. Musiken medryckande. Glad att jag fått lyssna på det här albumet.
Amen får erkänna att jag dras med. Det funkar ändå rätt bra med live-album. Får nog ändra inställning där en smula. Iaf för denna skiva funkade det. Skön energi, satt å gungade/stampade i takt.
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.
Superb
I was taken out a little when he asked the men in the audience to think of the things “their women” do for them and to not “go home and hit them.”
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
At first I didn’t like the live sound, but when I came back and listened a second time I was feeling it more.
It’s safe to state that this record got me into live albums. I’ve avoided them until now for some reason.
4.5
I loved this album! I knew of Sam Cooke. I know of some of his music. But he sounds sou good live. I so wish I could have seen him live in his prime. His songs and his voice are amazing and I will listen to this again.
So good and even better because it is live
I don't believe live albums should be on this list, but at least it was a collection of his biggest hits.
I've said before that I think live albums aren't great picks for "must listen" albums of all time, and this one is no exception. The audio quality isn't particularly good. It's a good show because Sam Cook is incredible and his songs are great. But, as someone who loves a good Sam Cook record, just listen to those instead.
This was a bit…. Rougher around the edges than the studio performances I’ve heard. But the audience is into it. It’s fun.
Ich muss mir echt mehr Live-Alben anhören, besonders von kitschig-romantischer Musik
Girlllllll I could feel this concert through my screen
Average songs/arrangements but exciting performances and energy
Electric performance with impeccable vocals
Not for me.
great jazz piece
The songs are still delightfully infectious after al these years, and Cooke sounds like he's having a blast in this live performance. A great choice if you're ever feeling the least bit down!
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
A rasp to outlast all rasps. The world has not produced many vocalists like Cooke.
So crazy how raw it is, yet how good his vocals sound the entire time. Electric! Not my fav genre
Cooke is a great performer. The songs he performs range from mediocre to good.
pure fun and joy, was dancing and singing a long the whole times. His live performance aura shines through
Oh man, this was great. I'd never heard it before, but I sort of felt like I had - I'm pretty sure that this version of 'Bring It On Home to Me' is covered on the soundtrack to the movie Ali, which I had when it was new. You can't help wishing you had been in the audience while listening to this one.
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?
So good. So many hits, love his voice, great vibe
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!
Great tunes, awesome energy. Not a fan of live disks though; sound is not the best, lots of talking. 7/10
What the heck was that
Fun energetic live soul/R&B pop performance, really fun
Seems fun to dance to but not my style
I've definitely heard some of the songs from this album before but not the live versions. I really enjoyed hearing this version of Cupid (I was previously only familiar with the Amy Winehouse one) and the whole album just left me feeling GOOD. Great album!
Good stuff!
It's All Right. But this whole thing seems a little rushed. No space between songs, trying really hard to get a sing-along going. Usually I hear a live recording like this, and wish I was there, but not this time. I also check out the artist for other recordings, and I found that the next year, 1964, he has another live album .... Sam Cooke At The Copa. Now THAT is one I wish I was in the audience. This one, not so much, Sorry Sam.
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.
This really isn't the stye of album I like to listen to
Solid performance. Not my style though. I can appreciate the energy.
What an incredible gig!
Great live R&B set of some classic Cooke tunes
fun live album
This is not really my favourite genre or decade. But. It does put me in a good mood. And sort of makes me sway and tap my feet. Some of the recording/editing artefacts still audible are a bit odd, though. Like this was a bit of a rushed job that nobody bothered to clean up in the last 60+ years.
Classic Sam Cooke
very dated an 'showbiz', but a fantastic voice and some top songs.
Jo men gött sväng. Det känns lite för 50-tal för min del för att det ska bli en fyra. Men skit i det
3.4
I'm not a big fan of live albums because I think the audience engagement detracts from the music and the performance. That being said, Sam Cooke gave a great performance on this album with classics like Chain Gang, Twistin', Cupid, and Having a Party. His voice was a bit more gravely in this one than usual but it also might be sound quality. Still, an excellent and commanding performance.
3/5, przyjemne jak na live
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!
It's fine - a live record from a talented artist - but doesn't change my feelings about live albums in general.
Super fun old school, really love hearing the audience from this era.
I like it OK. I do like Sam Cooke but I don't know this concert just got boring for me after awhile. Not that it is bad or anything it just didn't blow my mind
6/10 Not bad! First one of the 1001. Made me smile. Made me dance. Medley: It's all right was best.
Sam Cooke was a wildly inspirational singer who reshaped the music scene in his image. I just don't really care for live albums.
Came into not really knowing what my expectations should be but not going to lie, this was an incredible experience. I think what really got me was his showmanship! Listening to him perform with his energy, the live music, and his crowd work made this a really incredible experience. Let's chat a little about the live aspect of this album though. I think I always admire when artists release music that has been performed live. Yes there's a lot of ambience noise but i feel it compliments the overall vibe. Does this make audiophiles super happy? Nope! Does this add a different dimension to the music? Hell yea. I love it when singers specifically own their music and also learn to really perform their music for people and not just sing it as if its a record. Again, this is one of those albums I would never really do a double take to listen to but boy am I pleasantly surprised. Highlights for me: Feel it (Don't Fight it) Cupid Having a Party
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.
The energy that Sam Cooke brings and maintains pretty much throughout the whole performance is intoxicating. You can hear how much enjoyment he's getting from performing in front of the crowd in this live album. I think this is the first live album where I was really happy to have listened to. I honestly can't believe Sam's voice and how he's able to maintain that cadence and passion. I find it kind of funny that there are imperfections of the recordings, even digitally. At the beginning of Feel It (Don't Fight It), you can hear it repeat or skip. Does it give it charm? Is it annoying? Maybe a bit of both? This album is so much fun. I loved every single second of it. The pacing is great and the vibe throughout is consistent and my foot never stopped tapping. I've been having a debate in my head all morning whether to give this album a 4 or a 5. On one hand, I don't know how much I'd be returning to this album, on the other hand, I really did LOVE listening to this album. Even if I don't return to it, I feel like I'll be thinking about it a lot. I had to give the album a second listen with headphones to settle my internal dispute. Maybe I just gave it a second listen because I didn't want the party to end. Highlights: Feel It (Don't Fight It) Cupid Twistin' The Night Away Ultimately, I think I'd regret not giving it what it deserves.
one of my Dad's favorites
Just like James Brown Live at the Apollo this album is infectiously happy. You can feel how excited the audience is and how much everyone is enjoying themselves. Really great album!
Great vocals from Sam Cooke, as always
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
You like soul? You want to dance? Then this has it all, only shame was it was over in 35 minutes. I had to listen twice instead!
A perfect live recording! I really enjoyed this.
Sounds like a party I'll always be sad to have missed.
Feel It -3.5/5, enjoyable, a little repetitive. I might put it on a playlist if it fit the vibe Chain Gang -4/5, really love the vibrancy of the crowd and the way Cooke interacts with the crowd. Beautiful song too, gospel-inspired, which I have such a soft spot, even if it's absolutely a terrifying song, lyrically Cupid -2.5-3/5; I mean, it's a classic and I've heard it before. Not really my song, but it is pretty Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons -"Is everybody in favor of getting romantic" like how he cheerfully introduces it, and then the la la las. -You ever hear something so beautiful and sweet and it's clear he's having a lot of fun? 4.5/5 but I'm tempted to bump it up to a 5 Twistin' the Night Away -BANGER OF A FUCKING SONG! SAVED IN MY SPOTIFY LIKES SINCE 2019!! 5/5 partially because I love it, partially because I know it already, partially because I just like it Somebody Have Mercy -5/5 Sax solo, the joy and the raspiness of that voice Bring It On Home To Me -5/5 again with one I know before and love dearly Nothing Can Change This Love -5/5 another classic!! Today's been a good day. Having a Party -5/5 "'Having a Party' became the closing song of Cooke's live performances from the time it was recorded to his death. These concerts would typically end with all other acts joining Cooke and company onstage, throwing confetti while Cooke worked the audience to "keep on having that party" after the show is over. A version can be heard on Cooke's posthumous live recording, Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963." - Wikipedia. What a beautiful thing. "When you go home, keep on having a party," he finishes with. Overall Rating: 4.72 according my averaging. I guess it's close to a five. What a hell of a song.
Every song is a hit. Even the deep cuts sound like hits.
Maybe someone with a better knowledge of audio could explain to me, why this live album from 1963 sounded so damn clean and sweet to listen to compared to so much later recording studio stuff??? There's probably an explanation and better words to describe it, but this blew me away with sound quality. Also with the music.
A scorching live soul set.
Sam Cooke makes ya move. More of this yes please
Brilliant! So rowdy
Sam Cooke’s a reputation I’d associate with greatness, but no particular songs. He’s got a special sizzle to his voice, I thought as this started. Hey, I know this song. This one too. And this one. Is this a set of covers? I look it up. Ah. He’s one of those progenitor types. This record gives a good impression of what it must have been like to hear classics as they’re minted.
Great sounding record, as good as a greatest hits just missing What A Wonderful World
Good jazzy blues album
Rubbish
Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.
I’ll say it once, I’ll say it a hundred times- I love live albums. I think they make you feel what it was like to be at the concert and experience the music like it was meant to be experienced. Although I might’ve cut out all the American twaddle at the start of each song. Call it British ignorance, or call it ignorance in general, but I’ve never heard of Sam Cooke before and he really is quite impressive. Really enjoyed this.
YA! 4/5
Real and raw. So good.
Wel oke, niet top
Not usually a big fan of live albums, but this one is great. It has a tremendous amount of energy and some great songs. Eager to check out more of Sam Cooke's stuff now.
Oh, Sam, das ist so cool. Freude an der Musik mit einer tollen Stimme. Ich kann es nicht fassen, wie unfassbar fantastisch dieses Live-Album ist. Ich habe es mir zweimal hintereinander angehört und war unglaublich glücklich.
All music can make us feel, but some music is transcendent and can transport us to another time or place. This album does just that….close your eyes and you’re in a small venue, packed tight, hot as hell, and the smell of stale beer and cigarettes fills your nostrils. Sam’s on a small stage, it’s an intimate venue and you almost feel like he’s singing and talking to you. Singing some of the best music ever made. Hands down one of the best live albums EVER!!
A really good live version of some classic tracks
Awesome
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
Good album but not necessarily what I’d choose to listen to most of the time. The fact it’s a live recording means that it flows really nicely, no breaks in songs, commentary running over a couple of tracks etc. Overall a good listen but not my favourite genre so might not listen to it again for a while.
More interesting as a historical document more than enjoyable, I think you had to be there.
Pure fire! This album had me wanting to get up and groove right along with it. Infectious energy from Sam Cooke here, and I love how the crowd would get involved and sing along. This album deserves its spot on the 1001 Albums list!
- 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. -
Rating: 6/10 Pretty enjoyable but did not care for most of it. Choice cuts: Feel It (Don't Fight It), Chain Gang
Sounds like a good gig to be at tbf! Just didn't love all the songs :( 3.5/5
really fun ! sounds like a blast and just makes me want to go see some fun live music !!!! :)
It almost rocked? Sounded like a good time, just not quite my style
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 Track: "Cupid".
bão ta
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.
Pretty good
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.
Never listened to a live album before, this was good
I can feel the energy.
It gets a bit much. I guess you had to be there. Twisting the Night Away was good though.
one problem that some live albums have is that many of them sound like studio albums. either the crowd sounds fake or you can only hear the crowd between songs or the songs sound a little too “perfect”. in short, they can sound too polished. not with this one. this live album is astonishingly good. it does what i feel live albums should do, and that is to make you feel as if you are actually there. as i listened to this album through my headphones, i could actually hear the crowd DURING the song. it is considered by many to be one of the best live albums of all time, and honestly it’s hard to argue with that. highlights: “cupid” “twisting’ the night away” “bring it on home to me”
Love Sam Cooke but he was definitely on something on this one. Still stellar, though.
Soul, live 1963 -> 3
fun, not totally my thing but i liked it
Good enough music But quite samey
Classic Jazz
First thing I notice is the fluid change between Sam’s speaking voice and his singing voice. He really is one of the greatest singers who ever lived, and you can hear it right in that transition upfront. His tone is just awesome. Also, this show, his stage presence, the song list, is all so excellent. He covers most of his hits. I can imagine everyone dancing and doing the twist, not just sitting back and watching this performance. It would have been great to attend, I’m sure. I find the aside interesting when he asks guys to consider not hitting their girlfriends. He leads in like that would be the most common thing to do in the world for a man who suspected infidelity. Times have improved in some regards, it seems!
Amazing live album the vocals are so good.Really liked all the tracks especially nothing can change this love
This was good. I wonder if this exact live show was the type of shows I've seen referenced in movies where the crowd is dancing all wild and sexually because that's what I wanted to do!
Very good
Liked it more than I thought I would
Me ha gustado
I love it, will revisit when I'm feeling rowdy. I miss the New Orleans midnight jazz bars, this brings me a piece of it. 5/5
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.
Bloody hell! This is good! What a singer and what an artist! And what an entertainer! It's not a 2+ hours arena gig like people expect today. I mean, imagine being only 10 minutes late to the show and missing so much good stuff!!! Wow! Just...wow!
You know how they only filmed Elvis from the waist up the first time he was on TV, because they thought his swiveling hips would scandalize the youth into fits of unbridled horniness? RCA worried that Sam Cooke's *voice* would do that.
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.
Pretty good!! I don’t know anything about the background of this album but I enjoyed it. It was odd hearing people in the background laughing and not paying attention, though. I found that part a little distracting, but the songs were catchy.
4☆/5 08.17.2024
I love Sam Cooke's voice - I don't know that there's anyone in my mind that will ever sound as good as him in this genre. You never know how well an album voice translates to a live performance, though, but this album proves he's good in any format. 5/5
Ok. Take a deep breath and consider. This is the first time you’ve encountered Sam Cooke. Will you go back for more Y/N? Thought so.
Strong voice from the start era.
It’s rough. Ready and swings and rocks with a whole dollop of soul.
Soul. Great voice. The father of soul, inventor of soul,Mr Soul etc Sam Cooke. An auditory outing, dinner and show with some rowdy guests in the background, set list builds to a peak then we head home. Interesting as a reminder music is best as live event; organic. Like a naturalistic eavesdropping recording; captures what an evening in a club in Harlem really sounded like, audience interaction, chaos, wailing ... A beautiful tragic important entry. I get why it's here and fell compelled to explore his music and soul further. Defining music of a time. And I barely grasp its full significance I think....
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.
I was chatting once to my mate Dave, who is musician and published critic, about how I don't really like live records, except for... at which point I started listing off a string of really great live albums that I would happily choose to put on the turntable. I had, at that point, just recently acquired a copy of this Sam Cooke record, which really was the proof point that I do, in fact, like live recordings. Same Cooke released a string of absolutely, drop dead classic soul singles in the late 50s and early 60s, although his albums of the time are often a little under-baked (as was the fashion at the time). Artists of the period, especially black artists, are often criminally underserved by Dimery's 1001 list, with its obsession with the album format. They were singles artists, and there often is no single (non-compilation) album that really represents their strengths of influence. And really, you must listen to a good best of compilation of Sam Cooke's singles, which is a five star listen if only for "You Send Me" and "A Change is Gonna Come". But it is also true that Sam Cooke aimed most of his recordings at a cross-over (read: white) audience. Those records tend to be a bit sweeter, a bit smoother, a few more string arrangements. This live record, however, is atypical of most of his output. It is rough and raucous, recorded at a 1am show in a predominantly black club with a gritty and soulful band (featuring King Curtis). There is quite a rasp in Sam's voice (a result of this being the third show of the night) and he is working the highly responsive crowd. I am not surprised that his record company shelved the tapes; this was not consistent with his usual sound. But I am so glad we have this artefact, released 20 years later. This is one of the great, great soul recordings, and one of the best live soul recordings ever. I would argue that it is an even more masterful performance than James Brown At The Apollo, which was recorded two months earlier but not yet released. Sam Cooke Live at The Harlem Square Club is raw, it's sweaty, it's sexy, it's a masterclass in secular gospel. Preach, Sam, preach! Five stars, every home should have a copy.
One of the most accomplished Soul musicians. Great stuff.