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MUSIC
MUSIC
Sam Cooke
Portrait of a Legend: 1951-1964
ABKCO, 180g 2LP
M
ore than a decade ago,
during the brief window when
it appeared SACD stood a chance to gain a
foothold in the mainstream, ABKCO released
two of the finest-sounding and musically seminal
reissue series the format has seen to date. The
Rolling Stones’ early-career work came first,
followed by five titles documenting the similarly
crucial output of soul great Sam Cooke. Both are
long out of print. But, to quote one of Cooke’s
snappy hits, “(Ain’t That) Good News,” the label
is now restoring the crooner’s albums on vinyl.
Presumably taken from
the same masters as the
corresponding SACD, and
making its debut in analog, the
180g 2LP version of Portrait of
a Legend: 1951-1964 sounds
just as divine in analog.
Pressed at QRP, the gatefold
edition contains a small essay
by Cooke biographer Peter
Guralnick as well as the latter’s
track-by-track histories. While
solid, the outer jacket isn’t up to
par with, say, Mobile Fidelity’s
supreme standards, yet the
dead-quiet and ultra-clean
LP surfaces more than meet
audiophile demands. Spanning
31 of the Chicago native’s bestknown
sides—ranging from
the full-on gospel “Touch the
Hem of His Garment” to the
soaring equality anthem “A
Change Is Gonna Come”—the
collection possesses incredible
transparency and tonal
balances.
As heard via these grooves,
the purity, clarity, richness, and
deceiving complexity of Cooke’s
voice will strike even fanatics.
His phrasing, control, smoothness,
range, and verve are
front and center, unimpeded by
artificial ceilings or interference
from instrumentalists. And yet,
the placement and imaging of
the musicians is equally notable.
Much of it is owed to the direct
simplicity of the original production.
Whether the swaying snap
of a snare drum, rhythmic calland-response
of backing vocalists
(check out Lou Rawls during
“Bring It On Home”), silkiness
of tasteful orchestral strings, or
jazzy counterpoint of horns, the
passages are all impeccably
shaped and located. Soundstage
width, too, surpasses
that of the excellent SACD.
Yes, Portrait of a Legend:
1951-1964 skews towards
Cooke’s tamer side that helped
him attract white audiences
during a period when most
of his now-legendary soul
contemporaries failed to do
so. Yet that’s a small quibble.
The emotional impact of being
brought closer to the majesty
of Cooke’s singing, and his
seamless blend of secular and
spiritual, isn’t something that
happens everyday. Revisiting
these classics on this pressing
strengthens the case for
fans that believe Cooke, who
died a truly tragic and largely
unresolved death at 33, was
the best soul singer not only
of his era, but of all-time.
—Bob Gendron
94 TONE AUDIO NO.64
July 2014 95