After he left the group the Soul Stirrers and before he became the proto-typical souls singer of the early 1960s, Sam Cooke took up a three year stint with the independent Los Angeles-based label KEEN records. This boxed set of 5 discs and informative booklet includes all five albums that he released for the label in their original form, gorgeously remastered. Also included are non album “B” sides and rare mixes of studio singles.
Before his “big” hits like “Twisting The Night Away”, “Shake” and the socially conscious “A Change Is A-Gonna Come”, Cooke was being groomed as a crooning vocalist with a dash of R&B, not unlike a new generation’s Nat Cole. His 1958 eponymous best seller included the gorgeous classic romantic “You Send Me” as well as jazz standards, although updated, such as “Monnlight In Vermont”, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and a gritty “Summertime”. His followup from the same year has him continuing the jazz standards, with a voice that is already unique on a driving “Running Wild” and bluesy “It’s The Talk Of The Town” as well as “I Cover The Waterfront”. You’re going to be surprised at this side of Cooke!
Even more eye opening is the 1959 tribute to Billie Holiday, with some rich, creative and riveting takes of “Good Morning, Heartache”, “God Bless The Child” and “Solitude”. Cooke interprets pieces such as “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” and “She’s Funny That Way” with a fresh perspective, making you wonder what would have happened if he continued in this route. He changes direction on the October 1959 followup with hits including “Only Sixteen”, the glowing “You Send Me” and trendy fun one “Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha” as well as a sensuous “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons”. The 1960 finale for KEEN continues his crossover into pop with the definitive “(What A) WOndeful World” and altar boy version of “Summertime” that is worlds apart from the version just a couple years ago.
This is a must-have for music fans, guaranteed to put Cooke in a different light, showing much more depth that usually associated.