Essential Sam Cooke = ESSENTIAL music
Andre Heeger | Germany | 04/16/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"... I would prefer to shut up and just have you listen to this (but then you wouldn't have a review, so here we go).
There never was and probably never will be another singer like Sam Cooke. His terrific voice, his unsurpassed ability to bring feelings across, even in those pre-video days, pre surround and what not days, just through old radios and vinyl, is pure genius.
This album has "just" 12 songs, a few musicians and then of course The Voice, Sam Cooke. As the title suggests, mostly slow tunes, somewhere between blues and gospel, with a piano (or organ) as main support. Sam never needed more. A very personal recording, as if sung just for you.
Sam Cooke knew exactly what he wanted and as far as I can judge he was his own best critic.
Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Johnson piano, Billy Preston organ, Clifford Hill bass, Hal Blaine drums.
This blew Ray Charles away - you need better advice? Get it!!!
(one small note on the different editions: as long as you buy one that has 12 songs and Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen as a first and Shake Rattle And Roll as the last you're on the safe side. I have both the 01 and the 05 edition. One has a little more tape hiss and the other one a slightly less prominent instrumentation. Personally I prefer the 05 one mastered by Bob Ludwig)"
Got it in SACD
Carl E | N.J. | 01/02/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sound better than the CD version, this guy is a terrific singer, has the emotiuon and soul like Marvin Gaye. But only 37 minutes is a bit short on material especially in teh $30 SACD version CD lots cheaper but DSD/SACD is the best format around. Maybe Amazon will get teh SACD version so you ain't gotta spend $30 from the otehr online Acoustic .... place. But their studio redid teh stuff Analouge Productions, they do a terrific job, and they host terrific Blues stuff, so support them, . They do more than just sell other peoples stuff, they actually record, redo reissue. And do a superb job. Acoustic Soun......"
YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT....
acquavinyl | Monterey, CA. | 06/25/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"there is just no way to explain the sound of this 45RPM 2 LP set.
The money doesn't even matter.
This thing sounds GREAT!!!!
The Cab Calloway RCA one is killer sounding too.
Living Stereo means now what is says...L-I-V-I-N-G STEREO.
Acoustic Sounds & Labs~my baby fell in love with me after I played this puppy.
Go SAM COOKE~~~
No Question, his best album release ever, but don't buy the CD.
Get an effing decent TURNTABLE...NOW!!!!!
Cheers"