Sam Cooke is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most versatile vocalists of all time. You don’t get the nickname “The King of Soul” for nothing. His velvety tenor voice, remarkable pitch, and effortlessly soulful delivery that could soar to a high falsetto and then quickly pivot to a distinctive rasp in the mid-range was the stuff bummy alternative rock singers like me would kill for. But on stage is where Cooke truly cut his craft. He brought his already vivacious songs to life with a spontaneous improvisation that reimaginined melodies and lyrics in real time. One Night Stand: Live At The Harlem Square Club captures Cooke in all his frenetic live show glory just a year before he died, displaying all the traits of what made his such a renowned performer. This album was actually kept in the vault by RCA Records for about two decades because the record company felt it was too gritty and frenetic for audiences who had become accustomed to Cooke’s persona. Once it was finally released it was critically applauded and is now considered one of the best live albums in music history due to the raw power and soulfulness found in every second of Cooke’s stellar performance.
Standout Songs: “Chain Gang”, “Cupid”, “Twistin’ The Night Away”, “Bring It on Home to Me”
