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This set is near essential to fans of Sam Cooke, despite the fact that it contains none of his gospel recordings for Specialty Records or any of the work from the final year of his career (owned by ABKCO Records). Scattered every few minutes across this four-disc collection are reminders of just how far ahead of all existing musical forms Cooke was, creating sounds that stretched the definitions of song genres as they were understood and created completely new categories. Indeed, he was so successful that it's easy to underestimate the impact and importance of many of his early triumphs. "You Send Me," which opens this set, may seem today like the safest, tamest pop music, but in 1957 it was a genre-bending single, a new kind of R&B/pop music hybrid and one that quietly shook the foundations of the music business when it hit number one.
Disc one offers a fresh appreciation of the best of the early Keen Records sides, drawing on the best of nearly two years of singles and the strongest of Cooke's LP tracks in the best account to date of his early career in popular music. Disc two begins Cooke's RCA years, and the quality of his singles, which clearly and easily bridge the gap between genres, races, and generations, improves dramatically. The development of Cooke's writing and singing and his growing confidence and range culminate with disc four, which encompasses the Night Beat album and Cooke's live performance from the Harlem Square Club. The sound is extraordinary throughout, expansive, rich-textured, and vividly detailed; a choice earlier CD release, The Man and His Music, by comparison, sounds thin and tinny.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
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Hugo & Luigi, Producer - L.C. Cooke, Composer - L.C. Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist
Originally released 1957. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
George Gershwin, Composer - George Gershwin, Lyricist - Dubose Heyward, Composer - Dubose Heyward, Lyricist - Ira Gershwin, Composer - Ira Gershwin, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
William Best, Composer - William Best, Lyricist - Derek Watson, Composer - Derek Watson, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Performer - Bruce Culver, Composer - Bruce Culver, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Eden Ahbez, Composer - Eden Ahbez, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Performer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by Sony Music Entertainment
Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Bob Russell, Composer - Bob Russell, Lyricist - Carl Sigman, Composer - Carl Sigman, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Arlen, Composer - Arlen, Lyricist - Koehler, Composer - Koehler, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Brown, Composer - Brown, Lyricist - Tobias, Composer - Tobias, Lyricist - Stept, Composer - Stept, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Prince, Composer - Prince, Lyricist - Williams, Composer - Williams, Lyricist - Ralph Grainger, Composer - Ralph Grainger, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Performer - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Performer - Redd Evans, Composer - Redd Evans, Lyricist - Dave Mann, Composer - Dave Mann, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Victor Young, Composer - Victor Young, Lyricist - Edward Heyman, Lyricist - Edward Heyman, Composer - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Sam Cooke, Performer - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music.
Herb Alpert, Composer - Herb Alpert, Lyricist - Lou Adler, Composer - Lou Adler, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist
Originally released 1960. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
DISC 2
Charles Cooke, Composer - Charles Cooke, Lyricist - Glenn Osser, Conductor - Hugo Peretti, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - Luigi Creatore, Producer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Jacques Brel, Composer - Jacques Brel, Lyricist - Glenn Osser, Conductor - Carl Sigman, Composer - Carl Sigman, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Glenn Osser, Conductor - Jeff Barry, Composer - Jeff Barry, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Billy Mure, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Billy Mure, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Bob Simpson, Engineer - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist
Originally released 1960. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Bob Simpson, Engineer - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist
Originally released 1960. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Roy Alfred, Composer - Roy Alfred, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Del Serino, Composer - Del Serino, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
Originally released 1962. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
John Berry, Composer - John Berry, Lyricist - Don Covay, Composer - Don Covay, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Hugo Peretti, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - Rene Hall, Conductor - Luigi Creatore, Producer
Originally Recorded 1961. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist - Rene Hall, Conductor
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Russell, Composer - Russell, Lyricist - Ellington, Composer - Ellington, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer
Originally released 1961. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Jimmie Cox, Composer - Jimmie Cox, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Warfield, Composer - Warfield, Lyricist - Williams, Composer - Williams, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Richard M. Jones, Composer - Richard M. Jones, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Koehler, Composer - Koehler, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer - BLOOM, Composer - BLOOM, Lyricist
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
McHugh, Composer - McHugh, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Fields, Composer - Fields, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
Originally released 1961. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Ivory Joe Hunter, Composer - Ivory Joe Hunter, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Mack David, Lyricist - Mack David, Composer - Sam Cooke, Performer - Duke Ellington, Composer - Duke Ellington, Lyricist
Originally released 1961. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
George Gershwin, Composer - George Gershwin, Lyricist - Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Ira Gershwin, Composer - Ira Gershwin, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Sammy Lowe, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer - J.W. Alexander, Composer - J.W. Alexander, Lyricist
Originally released 1961. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Stan Applebaum, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Stan Applebaum, Arranger - Stan Applebaum, Conductor - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Performer
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Al Schmitt, Engineer - Sam Cooke, Performer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Rene Hall, Conductor
Originally released 1962. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Al Schmitt, Engineer - Sam Cooke, Performer - Sam Cooke, Composer - Sam Cooke, Lyricist - Rene Hall, Conductor
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Pat Kennedy, Composer - Pat Kennedy, Lyricist - Turk Prujan, Composer - Turk Prujan, Lyricist - Al Schmitt, Engineer - Sam Cooke, Performer - Rene Hall, Conductor
(P) Recorded prior to 1972. All rights reserved by BMG Music
DISC 3
Brown, Composer - Brown, Lyricist - Reeves, Composer - Reeves, Lyricist - Hugo & Luigi, Producer - Sam Cooke, Performer - Rene Hall, Conductor
Originally released 1962. All rights reserved by RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
This set is near essential to fans of Sam Cooke, despite the fact that it contains none of his gospel recordings for Specialty Records or any of the work from the final year of his career (owned by ABKCO Records). Scattered every few minutes across this four-disc collection are reminders of just how far ahead of all existing musical forms Cooke was, creating sounds that stretched the definitions of song genres as they were understood and created completely new categories. Indeed, he was so successful that it's easy to underestimate the impact and importance of many of his early triumphs. "You Send Me," which opens this set, may seem today like the safest, tamest pop music, but in 1957 it was a genre-bending single, a new kind of R&B/pop music hybrid and one that quietly shook the foundations of the music business when it hit number one.
Disc one offers a fresh appreciation of the best of the early Keen Records sides, drawing on the best of nearly two years of singles and the strongest of Cooke's LP tracks in the best account to date of his early career in popular music. Disc two begins Cooke's RCA years, and the quality of his singles, which clearly and easily bridge the gap between genres, races, and generations, improves dramatically. The development of Cooke's writing and singing and his growing confidence and range culminate with disc four, which encompasses the Night Beat album and Cooke's live performance from the Harlem Square Club. The sound is extraordinary throughout, expansive, rich-textured, and vividly detailed; a choice earlier CD release, The Man and His Music, by comparison, sounds thin and tinny.
© Bruce Eder /TiVo
About the album
- 4 disc(s) - 96 track(s)
- Total length: 04:30:26
- Main artists: Sam Cooke
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA Records Label
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Soul
(P) Compilation 2000 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
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