Sam Cooke

When Sam Cooke signed with RCA Records in 1960, he had already had several hits ("You Send Me," "What A Wonderful World," and "Only Sixteen" among them) on the small independent label Keen Records. He had paid attention to the business sides of things, too, and he signed with RCA because he was allowed to keep control of his song publishing…

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…

The Complete Keen Years: 1957–1960, collects Sam Cooke’s body of work as he began releasing secular albums, stepping away from the Soul Stirrers where he found great success as a gospel singer. Cooke had been releasing and dominating the gospel sales market over the six years previous to “You Send Me” and “Summertime” being released. Within this newly remastered collection are his unique versions of standards alongside performances that showcase his songwriting skills. Sam Cooke defined himself as a voice ahead of his time elevating the sound of soul at the turn of the decade.

Various Artists - Bring It On Home: Black America Sings Sam Cooke (2014) {Ace Records CDCHD1420 rec 1959-1976}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 319 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 148 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 31 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1959-76, 2014 Ace Records | CDCHD 1420
R&B / Soul / Black Gospel / Early R&B

Previous entries in Ace's Black America Sings series have focused on Bob Dylan and the Beatles, but also Otis Redding – a singer/songwriter who shows up on Bring It on Home: Black America Sings Sam Cooke singing "Shake," a song that became more identified with Otis than Sam. This alone suggests how great Cooke's legacy is: he wove his way into the very fabric of pop culture, quite clearly influencing generations of soul and rock singers, but also shaping how R&B could cross over into pop, along with the parameters of how black musicians could set up their own independent enterprises in the music business.

Sam Cooke’s SAR Records Story is a double-disc set presenting material recorded for the legendary soul singer’s own SAR label from 1959-1965, much of it produced by Cooke himself and including a few of his rough, unreleased demos. The first disc covers the label’s religious side, with a multitude of cuts from Cooke’s former group the Soul Stirrers (now with Jimmie Outler on lead vocals), plus a generous helping of songs by R.H. Harris & His Gospel Paraders and the Womack Brothers. The second disc covers essentially the same gospel-derived soul territory but with a secular bent, featuring future stars Bobby Womack (with the Valentinos), Billy Preston, and Johnnie Taylor, plus L.C. Cooke, Johnnie Morisette, the Simms Twins, and Mel Carter. All in all, it’s an excellent look at a lesser-known portion of Cooke’s career, and there’s some great, underappreciated music to boot.

Sam Cooke - 8 Classic Albums plus Bonus Singles (2013) {4CD Box Set, Real Gone Music RGRNBCD01 rec 1957-1960}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.27 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 612 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 27 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1957-60, 2013 Real Gone Music | RGRNBCD001
Jazz / Soul / Rhythm & Blues / Gospel / Funk / Blues

Collecting the albums the soul singer made as he transitioned from gospel to the world of secular music, Eight Classic Albums gathers up a massive collection of both albums and singles of the great Sam Cooke. Featuring his work between 1957 and 1960, this four-disc set contains Sam Cooke, Encore, Tribute to the Lady, Hit Kit, I Thank God, Cooke's Tour, Hits of the Fifties, and Swing Low. The compilation doesn't contain much in the way of liner notes or supplemental material, so while it makes for a great Sam Cooke starter kit, it doesn't provide much in the way of extra information.