The real surprise here is the inclusion of the long-lost stereo mix of "Tribute To The Lady." Back in 2003, when Abkco released several Sam Cooke SACDs, "Tribute To The Lady" was among the titles to get the high-res treatment ... but it was the mono mix. I believe this new boxed set marks the very first time this album has been issued in stereo, on disc, since the album's initial release on vinyl more than 50 years ago. (Although the concept of Sam Cooke covering Billie Holiday sounds enticing, the actual results are disappointing. Most of the arrangements on "Tribute" lean heavily toward the finger-snapping supper club model of "soul." Sam's "Night Beat" album is actually closer to Holiday's signature sound than this album of covers.) Also, it's good to see that some of those ultra-rare Keen stereo singles are added to "Hit Kit" as bonus tracks. I realize most (all?) of these tracks got a digital-only release several years ago, but this set looks like a much more coherent collection of these recordings. Now, when will RCA and Abkco finally give us a rarities collection that covers the years 1960-64? Stuff like "To Each His Own," released only the compilation LP "Try A Little Tendernes," and the unique mono mix of "Good Times," available only on a vinyl 45, have never been issued on CD, and other tracks like "She's So Wonderful" are extremely hard to find.
You might want to check out "The Great 1955 Shrine Concert," which is an audio document of an amazing all-star gospel concert at LA's Shrine Auditorium. Sam sings lead with The Sould Sirrers on three of the album's tracks and pretty much burns down the house with an incendiary, 9-minute version of "Nearer To Thee" that has audience members screaming, shouting, wailing and stomping their feet. The whole album is great, but Sam's set is unworldly.
I will add my voice to the chorus recommending the Soul Stirrers set on the Shrine Auditorium album (you'll also get great sets from Dorothy Love Coates and from the Caravans). I think its a lot better actually than the Harlem Square set, where I think Sam is in kind of rocky vocal form and spends a lot of time working the crowd instead of singing. The '55 Shrine show is Sam in all his power -- both singing, and storytelling (in song), and crowd wrecking. In fact, just buy the complete Cooke Soul Stirrers recordings, studio and live. IIRC it's just 3 CDs worth of stuff. The music and performances are as good or better than anything Cooke did in a secular context.
I wish Abkco and RCA would cooperate, and there be a good mono singles CD compilation, and also new reissue 45 RPM singles and an LP set for vinylphiles. I would buy new pressing RCA Gold Standard 45 singles if newly available again, and buy them all.
They have, notably for Portrait of a Legend. More remixes like on that set would be nice, preferably not narrowed. Maybe even the 45 version of Good Times.
Fine but I also want them remixed on period correct equipment, all tube. RCA without the Hassinger type sound if possible. No pro-tools, no DAW, no NR.
As Steve has noted, there's not much to do: the material is already "mixed" on 3-track. All that needs to be done is balance the vocal against the backing and reduce to stereo. Or just transfer the 3-tracks to digital.
To me even a good stereo mix only takes the attention and focus away from the singer. In this case, one of the greatest that ever lived
Could anyone explain why Sam's last two RCA albums do not appear on the 'Sam Cooke RCA Album Collection' boxset and are available instead via the ABKCO label. Is it to do with Sam's contract with RCA or his management or am I not even close? Thanks in advance!
Via @Clark Kauffman: Sept. 1, 1963 - With Allen Klein as his manager, Sam forms a new company, Tracey Limited. RCA agrees to assign its interest in its recording deal with Cooke to Tracey. Sam will record exclusively for Tracey, and that company will, in turn, contract with RCA for the distribution of those records on the RCA label. Tracey Limited is given the exclusive right to exploit Sam's name, image and likeness in connection with both his pre- and post-1963 recordings. With RCA now relegated to the lesser, but still very profitable, role of distributor, Sam assumes complete artistic control over his recorded output. These arrangements between Sam, Tracey Limited and RCA contractually extend Sam's affiliation with RCA through Aug. 31, 1967, with two one-year options that could carry the contract into August 1969 and beyond. Dec. 11, 1964 -- Sam is shot to death at the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles. His widow, Barbara, is the sole beneficiary of his estate, and she assumes all of Sam's rights and interests, including royalties, under the 1963 agreement with Tracey. Daughter Linda Cooke (later known as Zeriiya Zekkariyas) is 12 years old at the time. After Sam's death, Barbara sells her inherited interest in Tracey Limited to Allen Klein, which essentially turns Tracey into Abkco. Barbara retains her interest in Sam's catalogue as the recipient of all artist royalties. RCA and Abkco will later be involved in numerous disputes over the use of Sam's post-Sept. 1, 1963 recordings. Sam Cooke: Gone for 47 years, but the lawsuits roll on More at the link. That is to say, RCA never owned the later material, they only distributed it.
