Sam Cooke Night Beat 45RPM (2 LP)

"The Definitive Night Beat" - Hi-Fi+ Rated: 10/10 for Recording and Music!
TAS Super LP List! Special Merit: Informal
Clearly Sam Cooke's most intimate, most soulful and ultimately most real recording. This one has the feel of a private performance captured after hours when the audience had gone home and the singer was singing purely for the love of his songs. The performance put forth is simply straight from Cooke's soul. His selection of songs include spiritual, bluesy ballads and gospel classics. Cooke owns these songs, making each interpretation all his own. This is warm music that's easy to connect with. Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original three-track masters. Originally released in 1963.
Sam Cooke is often described as the inventor of soul and probably the best soul singer of the 20th century. He was the first black U.S. musician who managed to inspire the white middle class and who was not said to sell his soul. He also made history as the first black musician with his own recording studio and label. "Night Beat" became his ultimate breakthrough and the songs on this album can still be heard on the radio today.
After previously less convincing albums, "Night Beat" had a completely different atmosphere. Although officially a soul album, the mood is bluesy. The album focuses on the beauty of Cooke's voice and the musical accompaniment is comparatively restrained.
Whenever I think of Night Beat, I wonder how many records as perfect have been made since 1963. Listen anew to Sam Cooke's vocal honey on this Soul Blues album and I doubt you will come up with any worthy contenders...This 45 RPM issue was remastered at Sterling Sound and brings out the backing musicians including organist Billy Preston and guitarist Barney Kessel better than the ABKCO release, and makes it sound more like Sam was in the same room with the band. The definitive Night Beat. - Recording = 10/10; Music = 10/10 - Reuben Parry, Hi-Fi+, Issue 69
The consistency of the album's mood and tone is remarkable as is the unerring correctness of Cooke's phrasing and the way he shapes vocal colors and textures. Cooke had a wide range of unique vocal trademarks that others copied, including one particular 'woaha woaha woo' you'll recognize. Listen to Rod Stewart after playing this. Cooke's soul seems to reside in Stewart. - Michael Fremer, www.musicangle.com, Music 10, Sound 10

Features:

• 180g Vinyl
• Double LP
• 45rpm
• Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original three-track masters

Selections:

Side A
1. Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
2. Lost and Lookin'
3. Mean Old World
Side B
1. Please Don't Drive Me Away
2. I Lost Everything
3. Get Yourself a Another Fool
Side C
1. Little Red Rooster
2. Laughin' and Clownin'
3. Trouble Blues
Side D
1. You Gotta Move
2. Fool's Paradise
3. Shake Rattle and Roll