Released - June 1985
Genre - Soul
Producer - Unknown
Selected Personnel - Sam Cooke (Vocals); King Curtis (Saxophone); Clifton White (Guitar); Cornell Dupree (Guitar); Jimmy Lewis (Bass); Albert "June" Gardner (Drums); George Stubbs (Piano)
Standout Track - Cupid
The fact that I'm skewing chronology here is irrelevant - this recording of Sam Cooke's performance at the Harlem Square Club in Miami in 1963 wasn't released until 1985, by which time Cooke had been killed at the tragically young age of 33, becoming a legend to which all future soul singers would always be compared. Nonetheless, I feel this recording acts as such a fitting tribute and perfect distillation of everything that made Sam Cooke special and exciting that I think of it as a 60s album - this record is the essence of one of the most promising soul singers in history, and one of its most tragic losses.
By the time of this concert, Cooke was at the peak of his popularity, having already made his two most lasting contributions to music in 1957's "You Send Me" and 1960's immortal and simply beautiful "Wonderful World." Neither of those songs appear on this setlist and, by and large and with a couple of exceptions, it captures another side to Sam Cooke than the sweet romantic familiar to those who might only know him for those two songs. Here, Cooke is in his element as an impassioned, raw purveyor of R&B, swaggering and storming his way through these songs with an urgency and a fire that we might not associate with him in his more familiar work. In places he comes close to James Brown levels of raw sexuality and energy, in others he is able to reign himself in and deliver the mellow softness of the romantic figure of "You Send Me," for instance on "Cupid" and "For Sentimental Reasons." The audience loves every second of it, and you're left with a euphoria at the upbeat potency of what you've just heard, and at the same time a profound sadness that this prodigious talent never really got any further than this.
In the year that followed the recording of this set, Cooke's life was beset by tragedy - his marriage fell apart and his son drowned in the family pool. Cooke's final days are shrouded in mystery still, with the manager of a motel claiming he shot him in the chest in self-defence when the singer attempted to attack him, but the full details of this tragedy have yet to be fully declared. Remember him as he was here.
Track Listing:
All songs written by Sam Cooke except where noted.
1. Feel It
2. Chain Gang
3. Cupid
4. It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons (Sam Cooke/Ivory Watson & William Best)
5. Twistin' The Night Away
6. Somebody Have Mercy
7. Bring It On Home To Me
8. Nothing Can Change This Love
9. Having a Party
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