On January 12, 1963, Sam Cooke performed in downtown Miami at the Harlem Square Club. The club was full of Cooke’s fans, and Cooke delivered one of the great live performances. The show also resulted in the album Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963.
In his detailed biography of Sam Cooke, Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke
Cooke used his live gospel background for his rousing performance, which contrasted with many of his pop hits played on radio. Guralnick writes, “There was nothing soft, measured, or polite about the Sam Cooke you saw at the Harlem Square Club.”
The performance, however, was too much for the record company. RCA believed that the album would not attract the mainstream audience it wanted for Cooke. So the record was shelved and not released until 1985, long after the young singer’s tragic death in December 1964.
The album is among my top few favorite albums, live or otherwise. Cooke’s performance of “Bring It On Home to Me” on the album jumps off the CD. His voice makes you feel like you were there on that January Miami night, as you ride through the slow 2-minute-plus build up to the release of the opening notes of the chorus.
NPR has an interesting interview with Greg Geller, the record executive who rediscovered the tapes of the show in 1985. But the best thing to do to mark the anniversary is to put on the album, close your eyes, and let Sam Cooke take you back to a time when you believed that music could not only change your life but could transform your soul.
What is your favorite track on “Live at the Harlem Square Club”? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)
I love this album. I discovered it via YouTube, actually — stumbled upon that fantastic version of “Bring It On Home to Me” (my favorite as well) and that made me want to hear the rest of it.
I had always assumed it was released in the ’60s, after it was recorded. I had no idea that it was shelved until the mid-1980s. So interesting.
Until recently, I also assumed it was released in the 1960s. Interesting to imagine holding it back for so long, even after he had passed away. Thanks for the comment.