Reviews (page 9 of 13)
I was introduced to Sam Cooke through animal house and I’ve enjoyed his music ever since. His music evokes memories as if I was in high school 40 years before I was born. This was a good live album too and twistin and bring it on home were the standouts obviously
Maybe one of the few albums that is likely better live than if it were studio recorded, you can definitely feel the energy. None of the big tracks that I know were on this, but it was a pleasant energetic listen.
Love Sam Cooke, this is a really good live album.
I don’t know why, but I don't enjoy live albums. Other than that this was great.
good
Great rock n roll It's a pity I heard the 2005 release which has the crowd cut back, lessening the live feel of the album but still rockin'
Definitely would have been killer to be there live. Great album.
Lovely. You can see everyone is having a good time
Really cool actually, very nice music.
Good fun.
you know I'm a sucker for old school soul. And a live album to boot
Très bon album live. Très bonne musique soul. Honnêtement divertissant et le genre d'album live qui vaut la peine. Il faut que je familiarise plus avec lui.
Amazingly clear vocals that really cut through the live mix. Excellent right band that really starts grove by the end of the opening tune. You can hear how good he would have been as a performer just from the vocals. Guitar is clearer than typical for this era, especially for a live recording.
First Sam Cooke album. I have heard the name before, and I have heard a few of his singles in passing, but this is the first occasion where I listened to an album. The first thing I noticed was the energy in the venue, followed by how raw the production quality is, contrasted by the clean instrumentals. Cooke certainly has a way with words as he carries the energy between songs. In the entire 38 minute run time, I don't think the energy slowed at all. In fact, I was hoping to hear a few more songs before it was all said and done. As mentioned in another review, this album was recorded in January 1963 (just two years before his death), but released in 1985. According to the wikipedia, the record label did not want to tarnish Cooke's pop-soul reputation by releasing the record. They deemed it too raw sounding.
I really enjoyed this album. Truly an album with some amazing Soul vibes mixed in with some African American gospel and topped off with some organic R&B. My only complaint is that there wasn’t a lot of songs. Ps: As a history major I enjoyed the little lesson I learned; “originally recorded in the 60s but not released until the 80s”
Awesome version of bring it on home to me, I absolutely love Cupid and thought this chain gang was cool too
Enjoyed, probably 5* if it was the studio version
Enjoyed it.
Love these old live rock and roll albums that pop up on this list now and again. Just a great time. Electric energy. Shirt and sweet.
favourite tracks - feel it - cupid - nothing can change this love - chain gang a good listen and didn't have issues listening to it from beginning to end. 4.2
what a vibe
My parents were Sam Cooke fans so very familiar with a lot of his music. Even have an old 45 hanging on the wall of our rock n roll/Elvis bathroom. Anyway, thought he sounded great live with awesome energy. How awesome would it have been to see this concert!! Solid 3.5 for me. Probably closer to 4 Really liked entire album, but my favorites, Bring it on home to me, Nothing can change this love and Somebody have Mercy If you're a fan, Do NOT listen to the podcast Disgraceland, about him.
4 So what I'm learning from this list is that live soul albums were something missing from my life. Both this and James Brown Live at the Apollo have been absolutely fantastic records with artist/crowd synergy unlike anything I've ever heard before on a live album. Sam Cooke sounds amazing here, and I can only imagine how much fun being at the show must have been - It almost made me nostalgic for a period that existed 35 years before my birth. Despite trying to review each album in a vacuum, I was originally gonna write about how the circumstances of Cooke's death tainted the album a bit for me, but after doing some further research, I've learned the matter is more open-ended than I originally believed. While originally on the fence about re-listening, I did again afterwards was able to enjoy in a much more objective manner... and I think I'll be listening again. All said and done, this album really just feels like a good time for good times' sake. Favorite songs: Feel It (Don't Fight It), Cupid, It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons, Bring it on Home to Me
It was fun to listen to, but did not have as much impact on me as Miles Davis' album. Twistin' the Night Away is still one of my favourite songs :)
Great soul!!
Solid performance - maybe too much crowd noise in the recording but it was from the sixties
I liked the music but not really a fan of live albums.
Oh yeah, here’s an album I can really twiddle my handkerchief to!
Great live recording, felt like I was there in the club
Usually I'm not a fan of live recordings at all - but this one has me convinced in some ways. I've always liked Sam Cooke as a great singer - but not overly much, as I always found his songs a bit too polished, a bit too controlled. Here he's really letting loose and some songs just sound so much better this way. For example Twisting The Night Away really benefits from the live rawness at the harlem square club and Cupid doesn't sound nearly as sappy as on studio recordings (although I think it's sped up a bit too much in this live version). Still, there are aspects of live recordings I just don't like. Sure, crowd interaction is great when you're part of the crowd at the concert. But I just don't care for hearing it in recorded when I want to listen to music - and there's way too much of it on this album. Still, a very good record.
Very upbeat and bounces along with vibrancy - even when singing ballads. Reminds me how much inspiration Otis Redding must have taken from Sam Cooke’s stage-craft and singing techniques. A proper crowd-pleasing set incorporating crowd noise and extremely tight, virtually gap-free transitions between songs. Excellent sweet soul music.
Nice and fun album. Sam Cooke seems like he would be really fun to see live and he interacted with the crowd in a really cool way. He’s obviously a great singer and this is the best way to listen to him in my opinion
Good Live album. Cupid and Twistin' the Night Away were featured on Inner space and Back to the Future soundtracks, so I remember them well. But all great jams. Classic 50s rock and roll.
Fun live performance... hard to feel down when Sam is clearly having such a good time.
i like it
Sam Cooke (and many other Soul musicians, for that matter) is an artist I've heard by name countless times, but haven't ever sat down to listen to in any substantial way. I really enjoyed this live album, particularly the contagious energy that Cooke and the rest of the musicians brought to their performance. You can really hear that energy reflected back in the audience's enthusiasm - I can't imagine how much fun this concert would have been to experience live in person. "Feel It", "It's All Right" and "Bring It on Home to Me" were standouts that I can definitely see revisiting frequently.
track 2 (feel it) was SO fun to listen to chain gang has a really nice hook so far one of the best live albums ive ever listened to each track so far has been super melodic and a whole experience ok so i just finished the full album really good for my first soul album and i can definitely see the influence in later music 8/10
24th June 2022 Listened across the weekend as I was still ill, finished first thing Monday morning. Sam Cooke is arguably the greatest male soul singer ever but it’s way more energetic and James brown-y here than I would have thought. Taking nothing away from the vocal performance though.
Great live album
pretty good blues and soul album, and the live part really adds to the atmosphere
wasn't super excited for it, but I loved the energy he brought to the crowd. Great music, great live energy, well captured live album.
Oh no live album. But oh yes Sam Cooke. I'd still rather listen to the songs themselves (live albums have no place here for me - maybe make a book called 1001 Live Shows you Probably Missed Out On But Can Listen To a Facsimile of on Tape to Tolerate Before You Die) but this is certainly a high paced, energetic run through some absolute classics - though putting Chain Gang and Cupid back to back was a daft move! But I'm just going to put Sam Cooke on properly later and really enjoy it.
Nice, very nice.
This set is really hot. Love his voice and the band really cooks (pardon the pun). The atmosphere sounds incredible and his interplay with the audience natural. It's a great performance. 4 🌟
Would've loved to be in the room - sounds like a hell of a night was had by the crowd! Sam Cooke makes it all seem effortless, and has a ball in the process. Weird that this is his only album in the list... Fave track - "Chain Gang", maybe, or "Somebody Have Mercy"
Great soul music and a fun early live album
I love Sam Cooke! And enjoyed this live recording. Wish I could have seen him perform live.
I absolutely love Sam Cooke. He's wonderful, and the energy of this album is wonderful. I was dancing in my seat.
Love Cooke's voice, backing band and the crowd's interaction from the opening track. Twisitin' the night away and Having a party were especially lively and exciting. I'd say it was unreal to be in attendance. 4.5 stars?
catchy feel good oldies. gospel-y Chuck Berry. Cooke really knows how to work a crowd
Good album. Made me wonder what I would have listened to if born in another era.
sam cooke died too many years before i was born, and this wonderful live album makes me feel closer to the experience of seeing him live! the audience's cheering, cooke's rapport with audience, his attention commanding presence. no one does soulful, romantic songs like sam cooke. what a legendary voice. how he combined certain songs was masterful--i literally felt like i was one of the screaming audience members when cooke sang a few words from "you send me" during "bring it on home to me". this album was certainly a treat!
This is another one where I think I would've benefited from listening to it when hanging out with friends instead of walking to my boring geography class and then while looking over my homework for the week. It's a lot of fun, but it is a lot of the same. I seriously wish that live albums weren't a part of this list, but whatever, this was pretty good, if very repetitive.
Beautiful voice and it was like being wrapped up in cozy songs that I already knew.
Excellent, must have been a great concert to be at
Live albums can be tough, but Sam Cooke has such an infectious energy live and it was captured well here. He's having fun and you can feel it. Fuck, Sam Cooke was so great. Wish he never got wrapped up in the chaos of his time period. Trouble souls can make the best artists, unfortunately.
Sam is a mighty fine musician and from what we can hear on this nine an excellent performer. We did lose him way too early.
I think some 60s soul is exactly what I need on a dragging Friday with a sore head. Cupid is fulfilling this. Sam's voice is delicious and I love the fact that it's a live recording - would LOVE to have been there dancing. It sounds like they're really having so much fun. Ah the medley with For Sentimental Reasons popping up, I love that song! Great performance it really made me smile.
This was a really great listen on a sunny Monday morning. Really joyful music and loved hearing it as a live performance - I think you could tell he was enjoying it too! I feel you could hear him smiling. Enjoyed hearing what I assume is the original of a song Amy Winehouse covered - Cupid. Will listen again!
Great fun! I wanted to be there jigging away. I liked the bit where he basically said 'if your wife is annoying you don't go hitting her, go home, wake her up and give her a kiss'
Great voice and classic soul songs
This is what a live album used to be and is supposed to be. Sadly Harlem Square was recorded in 1963, it wasn’t released until 1985. (7/10) FT: It's Alright, Bring it on Home to Me
What a voice, and what a set!
would give it a 5 if it was not "live". I feel the quality of the recording is not great
I'm not a big fan of live albums, but I might make an exception for this one. Where I know Sam Cooke normally from his smooth and somewhat boring studio work, this is something entirely different. There's a lot of soul, swing, power and music in this. It sweats, it cracks, and his voice is great. If I would now have to recommend someone to listen what Sam Cooke is, I'd refer them to this album, and not to any of his studio albums. It has changed my perspective.
This recording has all the attributes of a good solid live album. The recording is clear and upfront, the crowd is engaged, loud and present (not too screamy loud, like a Beatles concert), the vocals are raw and emotional, the songs don't sound exactly like the studio versions, a great setlist and it actually sounds like a live concert. This surprised me because I had only heard the studio versions of Cooke's songs and live they are transported to another level. The raw, raspiness of Cooke's vocals is reminiscent to Rod Stewart's vocal delivery and obviously Stewart was heavily influenced by Cooke. Stewart's cover of Twisting The Night Away is clearly a tribute to Sam Cooke. I love this record, one of the better live concert albums out there, it's crazy it took so long to get a proper release!
Cupid is going to be stuck in my head for the next couple of months. I am completely okay with that.
What a fantastic voice. Sounds like a fantastic performance.
Back to 1960' Harlem. Love it.
first listen sounds like an electric crowd
The energy and vocals really make this a great live album. Really enjoyable. Favorite Songs: Feel It (Don't Fight It), Twistin' The Night Away, Bring It on Home to Me, Somebody Have Mercy
Aww. This album was sunshine on this gray, snowy day. My favorite track was Medley: It’s All Right / For Sentimental Reasons. When the audience started singing along at the end, my heart melted. SO, my fun fact about this album is that even though it was recorded in 1963, the record label thought it would be damaging to Cooke's pop image because it was too "gritty and raw", so they archived the recordings. It wasn't actually released until 1985, when an exec found the tapes and made sure they be released asap. And now it's widely regarded as one of the best live albums of all time.
Such a fun listen. Even during the songs you can hear the crowd hooting and yelling. It makes it feel more authentic and not just a worse quality recording of the actual studio songs like many live albums sound like. 7/10
7'5/10
This was really great, was pleasantly surprised!!!
Joyful and soulful, made me want to dance. Incredible rapport with the audience.
So cute and merry
can only describe as "swinging"
A much more raucous album with some extended versions of familiar classics. Cooke is very lively and gets the crowd involved. A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable live set.
Good quality Soul loves it.
Quality stuff, engaging live too
I always forget just how good his voice was. Pure sex, pain, romance, lust all condensed into one voice. Great live album. Best Tracks: Cupid; Medley: It's All Right / For Sentimental Reasons; Twistin' The Night Away
Well, I feel similarly to this album that I feel about the majority of live albums, in that listening to the live recording doesn't simulate the live experience for me. This album has more character than a lot of the live rock albums that I've heard because of the amount of character that Sam brings to the show and the audience participating in the show. Given that the original songs weren't recorded in tremendous quality in the first place, it's hard to fault the live recording quality. Given that, this is a cool listening experience. The recording being done in a club rather than a stadium just feels more intimate. It adds a lot to this recording. Somehow I feel more like I'm there than a normal recording. With that being said, some of Cooke's banter would be best left in the 60s, like the casual reference to domestic violence (though in his defense, he said not to hit your wife), and his odd reference to leukemia in the middle of Somebody have mercy 4/5
👍
Yo, this dude and his band bring it on this one
Ég hefði viljað vera á þessum tónleikum.
I never knew there was a king of soul until now. And I did see why Sam Cooke was crowned the King of Soul. Whew! Right after the King of Pop I got to listen to the King of Soul! This album is exploding with energy. And it's not even rock. It's soul! Cooke's raspy vocals, the dynamic band, and the audience interaction all powered the album. I'm not a big fan of live albums, but this one is definitely one of best of them. It might get repetitive after a while. But it has a solid pace. It's a nice thirty plus minute party album.
Love Sam Cooke. Lots of little laughs
It does an incredible job of making you feel like your actually at the club. Usually, when I hear live albums, its more contemporary rock bands playing in stadiums. While the experience is different, it never really makes you feel like you're there like this album does.
High energy and Jazzy. Pretty simple themes but super fun listen while riding in Asilomar. Banger
Rätt kort och gott album, inte allt för långdraget och otroligt livlig energi som verkligen kommuniceras. Otrolig publikkontakt för tidigt 60tal. Bra 'geometrisk' balans i lurarna gällande instrumenten, Sams röst ligger liiiite till höger vilket är lite störande men ingenting man tänker på om man inte anstränger sig. Lite tråkig och statisk inspelning där visserligen sången plockas fram snyggt men instrumenten smälter ihop och fastnar lite i de lägre registerna. Definitivt den största nackdelen med albumet men är väl rimligt för en liveinspelning från 60-talet, lite synd bara när sången plockas upp så fint och har stundvis strålande ljudbild. Perfekt balans mellan publik och artist, strålande track list och ett medley i mitten gör det till ett toppen livealbum. Perfekta låtval, perfekt energi, perfekt längd. Undermålig kvalitet sabbar ett annars helt perfekt livealbum.
Det svänger katten! Blev förvånad över att det var så kort. Var rädd att det skulle vara för live-stämning men det körde på bra. Är det CA att vilja va med?
this is very fun
Soul at it's best here. Probably the best "Live" soul album. Real raw soul at it's live best. You can hear the influence of Sam here on Rod Stewart et al. Brilliant sax on "Somebody Have Mercy" but my Favourite here is definitely "Chain Gang" Top Notch Influential Soul Music.
Absolute class.
Enormt stemningsfuldt! Ikke nødvendigvis fordi det er god lyd, men stemningen når helt ud igennem højttalerne. Det er bare skide fedt.
Man he's on fire here. So good to hear some familiar tunes of his given a lightning bolt shock of energy. The band are cooking, he's throwing all he's got at it, and the audience are lapping it up. What a legend. Love it.
Not usually a fan of live albums, and don’t usually feel like I’ve missed out on anything, but this sounded like a hell of a night. You can almost smell the cigarette smoke. His voice is absolutely unbelievable.
Great stuff. Would have liked a bit more.
Great voice, and sounds like he was an excellent performer for the crowd
This is another one where I think I would've benefited from listening to it when hanging out with friends instead of walking to my boring geography class and then while looking over my homework for the week. It's a lot of fun, but it is a lot of the same. I seriously wish that live albums weren't a part of this list, but whatever, this was pretty good, if very repetitive.
Really great for a live album! Several hits, great vocals and energy, great ad-libs and crowd interaction. Would definitely listen again!
3.5 for sure but which way to go... I really like this style of "oldies" for lack of a better term. And the energy in the live performance make it a lot of fun.
I could listen to this every single day
Fuckin and fuckin and fuckin and fuckin
A tight, exciting live set full of energy
Great stuff! Really enjoyed the energetic performance and the music was a good time as well.
I would dance to this . Why not. Also Sam Cooke is a very amazing singer in the soul genre. I can imagine him singing this live when I am listening to this. I felt like I was transported to the 1950s
Nice live jazz album, traditional value, classic 50s sounding black album
Electrifying, urgent and insistent sweat dripping live show carried by great performances from the band and Cooke’s showmanship. His voice is smooth like butter, but also raw and guttural, simultaneously sacred and profane, whipping the audience into a frenzy. If I could fire up the old DeLorean, this is the live show I’d go all the way back to 1963 to see.
Amazing look into an icons best live recording. It really give you a sense of the time and what he was to perform. As most live records from the time it was too short
So much fun!! Some real bangers
Siento que cada que sale un disco en vivo prueba equivocados a los que insisten que no debiera haber en vivos en la lista (hasta ahora al menos). Crudo, fuerte, una fiesta completa y lleno de energía, es totalmente sorpresivo para lo que esperaba. A quien cree que no conoce a Sam Cooke, sí conoce a Sam Cooke, tiene una cantidad enorme de canciones clásicas de R&B y pop románticas y fue instrumental en el crecimiento del soul. Retaría a cualquiera a escuchar las versiones grabadas originales de estas canciones y compararlas con este disco. Es como si le hubieran quitado un bozal y la correa y ahora realmente se sintiera libre para ser él mismo. Pasa de canciones que suenan al muchacho de balada clásica de la época cantándole a la novia a un personaje activo, duro, que si bien sigue cantando esas canciones de letras romanticonas ahora lo hace con una voz mucho más real y rasposa, platicando con el público y sudando alegría pura. No, quizá no sean canciones que me hayan llamado mucho la atención en su gran parte desde antes, pero en estas versiones sin duda que es un disco que no solo vale la pena escuchar por su valor histórico sino por lo agradable del ambiente que puede crear. Por cierto Sam Cooke, una muerte extraña... quizá no era la mejor de las personas pero en este disco pasó de ser un músico que conocía y "respetaba por su importancia" a ser un proyecto que genuinamente disfruté.
En la presentación tuve una sensación de "qué pedo con este disco?" Y 6q cuando fue avanzando y entrando en ambiente la fiesta hasta me sentí en ese lugar. Esa agresividad en las canciones hasta en las baladas es brutal, el soul en general me gusta pero con este disco se voló la barda
Great album. A great voice with some top arrangements.
While I have mixed feelings about live recordings in general its clear when you listen to some that the musician we know from the studio is only a pale comparison to what they must have been in person. Beautiful stuff.
7.5/10
I'd heard Twisting the Night Away before, so it was a cool experience to hear the rest and get a fuller context. I liked the romantic jams.
So. Much. Soul. Loved it.
An amazing live album, crazy it wasn't released for ~20 yrs because RCA was scared of ruining Cooke's image.
Good songs. No need for the live album version
Proper music that
Fantastic singer, just not for playlist
I enjoyed it. I'm not really a big fan of live albums so that's the only real negative. High quality recording.
Nice upbeat soul/jazz music
Really catchy and so much energy, perfect for dancing to
A fantastic live album that highlights Cooke's magnificent charisma and vocal command. 8.2/10
Really fun album to listen to, full of messages about love, forgiveness, and trust. Though, I wouldn't do what Sam Cooke recommends and wake up your partner in the middle of the night to tell them you love them.
What a fun live album! Especially just after Frank Sinatra too! Sam Cooke is absolutely COOKIN'
☆Notatki//Przemyślenia☆ ~Chciałabym iśc na taki koncert do takiej kawiarnii jak w latach 50/60🥺 ~KLIMAAAAAT CUDOOO ~Szanuje lata 60, serio
What a voice this man has! Enjoyed the album, great vibe.
from what i hearrrd it was just grweat for a live! album 4.0
Enjoyed it, didn't expect to
Fun energy, good time, would have been a fun show to go to
Lotta nice shouts
Can’t go wrong with a bit of Sam
Love a live album. This was really good, will definitely relisten. 8 for me
wow he has some energy!
Another live album that is pretty darn fun, and doesn't overstay its welcome. Low 8.
this is such a jam. I can't imagine how good this would have been live. You can feel the energy.
Solid fun album with lots of great songs in a live setting. A touch of sexism from a bygone era, but overall a really enjoyable listen.
Man, this is so good. It's like you're there in the club listening to this amazing performance. Excellent.
One of those live albums where not only is the "room" present, but a huge part of the captured experience. Great performance, and infectious to listen to.
4.5 - wow such incredible energy. great tunes and electric atmosphere. amazing
Very enjoyable smooth blues.
Lots of fun. What a great voice!
Heerlijk live soul album, wat een stem heeft die man
If I had a time machine, I'd go back to be at shows like this. How fun that must've been. Ahh time machines.
7.5
yeeeess
This was awesome
King of soul… very good live album!
Quite fun. Sounds like a good time.
Meh, qualidade do som é ruim demais, basicamente um resumo dos maiores hits dele, escutar os remasters isoladamente dentro de seus respectivos álbums é melhor. Mas todas as músicas são lindas e o setlist merece mais reconhecimento.
Another great old live album. The energy this guy had performing sounds awesome. It gives you a great idea why Sam Cooke is such a legendary name in music
Not a bad album at all. Sound quality is obviously of its time, but the music stands the test of time and is worth a listen.
it was okay, not my favorite but it was jazz so i enjoy it
Really wearing out that I-VI chord progression. And, I feel like a parent of a Boomer complaining at all the references to babies, telephones, and twisting. But still, 3 stars to you Sam. Really brought the energy and was a fun listen to a more gritty version of the man. In 63 I would have been nearby hearing the awesome hard bop jazz instead, but if I stumbled into this place with the teeny boppers I would have had a good time. Also respect for teasing the crowd with You Send Me and then, not actually sending it.
Fun listen
Great singer, boring songs though. Not a fan of live albums fie the 1001 but the energy on this was excellent.
Great to listen to, smooth. Not so much my thing but easy to have on.
pretty good! i rarely listen to this genre. favourite song: twistin' the night away
Great voice and kind of looks like the comedian Josh Johnson to me. A nice soul record.
516/1089 - It's fine. Energetic. I listened ahead in the list so I know there's still good stuff to generate but it's been a ton of filler these past few weeks.
I love the live listening aspect, and Sam be laying it down on the mic
Pretty good album. Wouldn't listen to it religiously, though.
Fun album and they could certainly play their instruments and sing well. For me, the songs seemed to blend into each other and there were no quiet songs. They were all on the same level.
Absolute legend
Yet another iconic voice, but also yet another live best of selection. Ultimately, I think that for his voice alone, he deserves to be on the list but are there no albums of his that made the grade…?
mid, not my cup of tea lol
Pre Listen: Sam Cooke is unknown to me, but I'll let him cook. I see the saxophone on the album cover, and I know I love jazz, so I have slightly higher expectations than usual. Notable Tracks: Chain Gang - Oh, I know this one. I've heard better iterations of it, specifically from the studio versions. Classic song on every oldies radio station thought. Bring It on Home to Me - Not a big fan of this one, least favorite song on the album. I've never really liked sing-talking type songs, and this one goes on for too long. Post Listen: Ehhh, wasn't quite what I was expecting. This album has sort of solidified how I feel about "Live" albums. They aren't great. Live music is excellent to hear when you're actually there. You can record it on your phone, and listen back to it, but it'll never sound right. Recording devices just don't capture the atmosphere, the energy, the acoustics of the room, the visual spectacle, any of it. The audience's hoots and hollers are just annoying. Plus live-recording devices are almost always inferior to the level of sound quality a studio recording gives you. After listening I visited some of Sam Cooke's studio work, and man his voice is so different in this recording from his prior stuff. It sounds a lot worse, strained and drained. I'm not a fan of his little quips between lyrics. That being said, I enjoy the overall sound for most of the songs, there's nothing bad about his actual singing and his bands instrumentals. Just a very forgettable album, that would've been a lot better if it wasn't live. 3/5
Fine. Really great vocalist here and a charming live album but I’m just not that into it :/
Det är bra musik, men blir inte något man lyssnar på mer än en gång
Love Sam Cooke, not a huge live album fan
I liked this, but it’s a shame it’s a live album.
Fit the vibe of summer having the windows down in da car 🚘
Not for me
Pros: Full of character, soulful performances, great crowd work, tight band. Cons: repetitive, not enough unpredictability, free-form, experimentation for me.
it really is too bad it sounds like crap
Good peacefull car ride album. Not my every day music, nevertheless 3/5.
Great material here but the delivery is rushed and the production/fidelity is iffy. That said, there is no denying how great of a singer Sam was. Gone too soon.
Overall good, liked the first few songs the most
No era malo solo no es mi tipo de musica
To much the same
I like soul and all, but I didn't care for this much.
Lovely guy
Live albums aren't really my bag, but this sounds like a brilliant gig. Loads of energy. I probably won't revisit it but happy to have had the chance to listen to it. Hoping another Sam Cooke album comes up in this list.
my favorite song was “twistin’ the night away” it’s very fun! this is probably the best soul album i’ve listened to!
Ta algo asi, no tan emocionante.
Great energy and vibe! What a voice too.
Pleasant, but again is getting marked down because I'm not sure live albums belong.
Album #98, Sam Cooke, One Night Stand! Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963, ⭐⭐⭐ You get an absolute vocal masterclass from Sam Cooke on this album. He’s just got an incredible voice and unbelievable charisma as a performer. Even through the recording you can hear the showmanship and stage presence. He really keeps the audience engaged the whole way through. It’s a three-star album all day for me because while it’s very enjoyable, it’s not really the kind of record that leaves me with loads to ponder afterwards. It’s more of a party record, a good time album. But that’s not necessarily a criticism either. Sometimes you just need an album with a great vibe, and this absolutely has that. It’s energetic, loose and really fun to listen to. It just isn’t terribly interesting beyond that for me personally. Still though, really enjoyed it, and on to the next one.
The man asks people to have a party and he doesn't stop. The seamless transitions from tune to tune, old classics and originals, give the sense that this soul will keep going on its own momentum in perpetuity.
it’s very apparent how much influence this album and Sam Cooke in general, has had on music specifically, omitting his profound impact on black music for now. The song chain gang for example is clearly the inspiration or even blueprint for bb kings’ ‘Worry Worry Worry’. I’m just being quite self indulgent and enjoying those sorts of dots being joined in my head, my relationship to and understand of music as a facet of culture is beginning to materialise. We come a long way from J hus and Giggs
5/10 Fun listen. Very Groovy
Yeah
not my typical jam. But i get it
Se escucha mal el audio
High-octane and electrifying performance
that was lovely
Pretty decent.
classic album by one of the greats, but not personally my style
Love Sam Cooke. I feel like he has a firm grasp on this particular version of the genre. While this album had lots of fun and unique energy being recorder in Harlem, I actually didn't feel like the album as a whole fully showcased his talents and production skills.
Exciting performance of some upbeat and fun R&B songs, but honestly it was starting to sound like the same song over and over again by the end. I do appreciate the music and the performance, but I don't think I'll be seeking this one out again.
Live album of old school RnB and soul. Love Chain Gang already, live version is fun too, with audience getting into it too! Sam Cooke can really rock it, not the vision I had of him beforehand! And his voice is very strong live. It does become standard 12 bar blues after a point, first few tracks definitely hit hardest. Best track - Chain Gang, Cupid Going with Chain Gang - even though I know the song, the live version is electric with the crowd 3 stars in the end, despite some great tracks
I generally am a fan of live albums, and this one was fun and did a great job capturing the energy of a live show. That said, the tracks themselves were a bit too, I don’t know, “fifties” for me? Maybe I’m just not a big “do the twist” guy? Sam Cooke is awesome, but this album falls just short of that.
Another beautiful time capsule. Close your eyes and you are attending a live performance.
Härlig skiva! Glad och positiv som man blir pigg av. Passar bra till fredags matlagning
While I do somewhat struggle to connect with early soul recordings, I am willing to accept that as my problem, not Sam Cooke's. Although, this is definitely a good time. This has many of the draws of other live albums by similarly talented performers from this time. Sam Cooke pretty much has the whole venue eating out of the palm of his hand at all times, and the energy he gives off, and that the audience returns does create a sort of invisible, palpable bond that this recording captures. That being said, I don't have a particularly strong connection to the music here, although it is certainly powerful and joyful, *and* well performed. I appreciate this most as a document of an event, and it serves this purpose incredibly well.
It was fine.
Super fun album.
Soul, R&B.
Exuberant. Sounds like summer. I like it but I don't love it
Twist music often feels a bit same-y to me, and this album as well could not escape this. Sam Cooke has an undeniable charm, but it doesn't feel as unique to me. I don't think i will choose this album for repeat listerning, but i wouldn't mind if someone else played it.
Soul blues toujours un peu pareil, une ambiance qui doit être très cool quand t'es sur place mais sinon un peu long et redondant
J’aime pas trop les albums live mais on peut imaginer que ça bougeait bien dans le public C’est pas mal !
Chill blues
Behageligt live-album. God lyd. Stor 3'er.
What a voice. Second listen to this this year and it’s a very enjoyable listen
3 sterne
O soul do Sam Cooke é realmente um misto com o gospel e nesse disco ao vivo percebe-se que a festa e a experiência de igreja negra, apesar de polares, parecem pertencer à mesma linguagem.
Good album. The sound really felt like you were in the room from the grittiness from the mic to the audience noises. Great band especially good drummer who stayed super solid the whole time. Obviously Cooke is just an amazing singer with great energy. Only negative comments is maybe there wasn’t as much variation as I would have liked.
Mmm not my type
Good album, but didn't standout.
Big fan of the energy he brings.
It's fun and has palpable energy but the song style is pretty dated and doesn't seem to know if it really wants to be soul or pop
Muy Bueno, La historia de Sam es bastante interesante, el album, 3.56/5 picos altos como tambien, bajos.
씐나네요
Good music just not really my thing
Encuentro valiosa la recomendación pero definitivamente no es un género que disfrute mucho. Buen interprete.
Bonne découverte mais pas fan des albums live
Pa simpa album, ali mi ne radi ništa posebno, mislim da je to jedan od onih albuma koje treba čuti live u tom vremenu da stvarno možeš cijeniti. Smiješno mi je njegovo vrištanje, na trenutke zvuči kao atmosfera s neke aukcije 😅 3/5, 5/10
Well, why I don't think I personally am going to get into Jazz as a genre, I can see what about it draws people in. It's a very alive kind of music and that is something I can appreciate. Not really my vibe though, it's too much going on at once
Muy buena voz
Stämning!
Sam Cooke är fin. Riktigt svängigt, svettigt och mysigt. Genomgående gospel-pastor feeling. Tycker det var lite för mycket samma-låt-rock n roll och för lite dynamik. Det hade höjt helheten om han tog ner det och blev mer finstämd ibland. Men stark 3a.
Efter introt i åtminstone tre låtar trodde jag att det skulle komma ett: dont know much about historyyy. Blev prankad! Trots att allt låter nästintill likadant var det fan rätt skoj lyssning ändå. Otrolig röst, otrolig stämning och egentligen bara hits. Melodierna är ju nice ändå. Stark trea!
Vilken härlig kväll det måste varit. Trevligt! Blir ju inspirerad till att också börja interagera med publiken konstant. Bara man hade den rösten!
Not my vibe at all
It's fun, his voice is great as always. 7/10
6/10
good
Good quality live music but I’ve never been a fan of the music quality for live recordings. Helps set the atmosphere overall though!
An energetic and fun performance whose nature of having been recorded live provides the listener with some of the overflowing enthusiasm of the performer and their audience. Cooke is a masterful artist and this recording provides a high quality representation of his skill as a musician and performer.
Kris is right, every song kinda sounds the same
No me volvió loco, pero estuvo linda la escucha. No creo que vuelva a visitar este disco igual ya que no hubo nada que me enganche o entusiasme.
Some upbeat songs that get you moving. Recognizable moments that influenced future artists.
Not a Soul or R&B fan but this is so catchy and has pop and rock sensibility that transcends genre. Fun
Kind of easy to tune out like it was fine but not hugely for me. Lots of talent though and I liked the ambience.
we're in the weeds again (the 60s)
Solid gritty performance but dunno if it is essential listening
Sam Cooke deserves an MVP award for this performance and probably a cool drink of water, because his throat is gonna be raw. The quick edits between songs and the prominent crowd noise keep the energy high. But just like the band, the listener could use a breather every now and then. These factors also make things feel performative, like the band is racing against the clock: The faster-tempo version of “Cupid” feels hurried and loses some of its oomph, for example. In the end, this illustrates my problem with most live albums: I’m sure this was an incredible performance to see in person, but these aren’t my favorite versions of these songs.
I understand we gotta have live albums to get at this period of music history without resorting to singles/greatest hits collections, but this recording and the edits didnt really do this material justice.
Спасибо fylthy frank.
His voice is phantastic. But him hyping up the crowd was so annoying (maybe for European ears? I hate it when performers overdo it) that I couldn't enjoy.
3.4
I felt it and was not fighting it on this one. Almost felt sped up but was great energy throughout. Sam’s voice is crazy Fave song: Bring it Home to Me & Nothing can Change This Love 3/5
Sam is always a great listen. Didnt really love this album live, voice felt different altough it sounded good Just feels the recordings was not that great. Good album and energy on stage though
I'd be less sad if I could sing like this.
amazing live atmosphere and vocals, don’t usually like live albums very much but this is great
I had never heard of Sam Cooke or realised the importance of his music.I'm not generally a fan of love recordings but I enjoyed this. I could imagine being there, what a night!
Sam is totally killing it here. He's an amazing singer and his performance here is top-notch. The crowd loves him. And as loud as this set is, it feels intimate and personal - I feel like I'm there, in a tiny room, sweating through my button-down, dancing the night away. My issue with this record is one that I have with a number of live albums from the 60s and 70s. *Somebody is out of tune.* It could be the bass, or the guitar, but it's someone whose job is holding the chords together and when they are off from the other instruments and/or themselves, it drives me nuts, and I can't hear anything else. The other thing that gets me is that the set blends together after awhile. I like soul and r&B, but these songs all have a similar key, tempo, minimal dynamic range, and the same changes. The vocal performance, the showmanship, the energy, the raw quality of the recording is all excellent. But those two issues really hold it back for me. THREE STARS
Actually jazzy
⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was a good listen. I'd probably give it 5 stars if had heard it for the first time in '63, but to my 21st century ears, it just sounds like some darn good rhythm and blues. It was probably some sort of important milestone of the genre or something, but from a purely musical standpoint, it's really nothing to write home about. Cooke's voice was outstanding, but the instrumentation was just a standard blues rock twist arrangement. The songs didn't have a lot of direction or focus, which is what I value most in music. The album definitely accomplished it's purpose (being a loose and groovy live r&b record), so, if you're looking for exactly that type of record, this should be a 10/10 for you. I feel like I'm supposed to love this album and rant about how good it is because it's a classic release from a classic artist, but when it comes down to it, this is just genre music. It's not bad, but it's nothing new either (unless this album broke some sort of ground I wasn't aware of). Anyway, I'm sure I would have a blast if I were in the room on that night, but listening to the recording on my bed while dicking around on google maps was roughly a 5.8/10 (⭐️⭐️⭐️) experience. It was just just a perfectly passable live album with an unenergetic crowd from an artist who's put out far better material. 0.0 - 1.9 = ⭐️ 2.0 - 3.9 = ⭐️⭐️ 4.0 - 5.9 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6.0 - 7.9 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 8.0 - 10 = ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
a blast from the past. I'm not a huge fan of live albums and this one is no exception to that preference. Not something I'd choose to listen to.
Surely after this night, men wanted to be him, and women wanted to be with him.
So many reviews calling this the best live album that’s ever existed and man that is some high praise. It was solid, an overall fun time, but I just didn’t get the hype to that degree.
Sam cooked indeed! This is music that I can't quite imagine myself liking all that much in a studio release, but with the energy of a live setting it becomes a whole new thing. So soulful! Standouts: Medley: It's All Right / For Sentimental Reasons • Twistin' The Night Away
Ok.
6 / 10 - rau, ungeschminkt und authentisch - Kann mir gut vorstellen, dass dieses Album die "Blues Brothers" wohl sehr beeinflusst hat - fast-paced, durchgehend energiegeladen - Wenig Dynamik, aufgrund der durchgehend hohen Energie und pausenlosen Songwechseln eventuell etwas monoton
Não sou dos maiores entusiastas de albuns ao vivo, mas esse mereceu minha atenção, a atmosfera criada pelo Cooke e a sua banda dão a sensação de estar no show e isso minimiza as questões com a gravação ao vivo. O Sam tem uma voz ótima e a versão ao vivo de "Cupid" é realmente um acontecimento
Imagine shelving an album for 12 years because you had issues with it. RCA clearly shouldn't have done that. "Live at the Harlem Square Club" is a good album. It's not the best of Cooke's dis3 stacography, but it's fine. I'm just asking why there are so many live albums on this list? 3 stars for "Live at the Harlem Square Club".
bueno
Very great. New style
Gran álbum. Una leyenda el tipo. La onda que le pone. Album de un show 1963. No se puede creer. 6/10
Did not stand out to me even after two listens
Favorite songs: Chain Gang, Cupid, Twistin the Night Away, Bring It On Home to Me
test
muy griton
Wikipedia tells me Sam Cooke is the most important soul singer in history, but this is pretty much indistinguishable from early rock'n'roll with a lot of the same blues and doo-wop song structures and instrumentation. Feels like his intros are longer than the songs on a lot of these tracks, and it's a short album to start with! Great voice though, and you can hear the energy in the room.
A fun listening experience for sure, I think it was great, but I wouldn’t probably listen again. Personally, I’m not normally the biggest fan of live albums as something I would listen to regularly. I think as well, live albums are just a random selection of songs from a performance rather than a standard album where the songs have been more purposely chosen and curated. Standout songs however for me were ‘Chain gang’ and ‘Twistin the night away’, overall, a good listen, I do like some of Sam Cooke’s other songs.
Lively, vividly
It's great to hear his voice live, obviously Cooke is a genius and an absolute legend. But live many live albums, this one makes me feel like I missed a really fun evening. This recording is the faintest echo of what that experience must have been like.
Live gör det inte för mig. Man vill vara där.
Как-то не проникся, не расслушал.
This album is a lot grittier than most of the Sam Cooke I've heard. It's less polished, and that's not a bad thing. Favorite song: Chain Gang
Takes me back to 60s even though I was not alive Very energetic which I love The live crowd adds something to the vibe Sam still sounds good Very jazzy and love songs mainly The band playing along also sounds good Like how he involves the crowd Special energy Favorite song: Sentimental Reasons
I love a live album - feels like I’m a part of it. Also loved all the ad libs in there :) this album just made me smile. Is it my particular music taste? No, not at all. Will I listen to it again? No, probably not. Did I thoroughly enjoy listening to it today? Absolutely. And that’s why I’m doing this whole project! Favorite: medley: it’s all right/sentimental reasons
This captures the feeling of being at a concert, complete with the shouts of the crowd. Favourite track: Cupid
Prior to being assigned this album on this website, I had 4 of Sam Cooke's songs liked on Spotify. All of these were from the original albums or compilations, none of them were live. I am not a huge fan of "live" recordings in general - usually preferring the album versions of most songs. That being said, I am no stranger to live songs - having ~140 live songs "liked" on Spotify - but that's out of 5,600+ songs so it's still a small subset. It was interesting to hear this - because I definitely can hear his influence on artists I like - such as Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger - especially on stage. It was also cool to hear him totally letting loose in the live setting. For example, just listening to the song "Bring It On Home To Me" - the live version is much more raw and energetic, where the studio version is much more polished and smooth. Both are cool - but you can "feel it" more in the live version. After listening 3 times, I ended up liking 5 songs on this one ("Feel It", "Chain Gang", the Medley, "Bring It On Home To Me" and "Having a Party") - and will look forward to them popping up on my playlists. Liked songs on Spotify: 5/10 Rating: 3/5
No me gustan los Lps en directo, se pierde siempre sonido y a veces las voces son lamentables. Sam Cooke supera la prueba del vivo pero aún así lo prefiero en estudio.
2.7 1x
Good entertainer. Brilliant idea to get the crowd to sing for you!
All the songs kinda meld into one song but honestly a good listen- don’t usually vibe with 60s music
3.5
Very chaotic concert! Mr. Cooke was definitely on some sort of drug during this concert. I can see why they delayed releasing this material to the public.
The energy is great from the artist and the crowd, which gives a real insight into the time and place. So it’s a lovely slice of history. Do I love the music, well it’s OK for a while but then I get a bit bored. Also I question the song about coming home, waking up your wife and singing to her ‘it’s all OK’. Pretty sure most chaps would get short shrift and a couple of nights in the spare room. Come on Sam, you’re fooling no-one with your relationship advice there mate.
Definitely a party. The music and singing isn't a lot of variety, but Sam sure knows how to give a good time. 3.5/5
I liked this album more than I expected. I loved the guy’s energy with the crowd and I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much as a studio album. Glad it wasnt overly jazzy !
Tycker live-album är sådär generellt