Sam "Mr. Soul" Cooke

Album: Night Beat
Format: LP
Label/Info: RCA/Victor "Dynagroove" LPM-2709 (mono) or LSP-2709 (stereo), 1963.

This is one of those LPs made for those big sounding hi-fi consoles from the Mad Men era that put the singer smack-dab in your living room. A pleasant divergence for Cooke at the time, it's quiet, understated, and perhaps even a little risque in a couple of places ("Little Red Rooster," "Shake, Rattle and Roll"). There's a definite after-hours thing going on, with vocals so close you can practically hear each inhalation and just enough accompaniment -- piano, bass, brushes, guitar, and a little Hammond B3 -- to encourage the mood along. Good luck in finding an affordable copy in VG or better condition, and it's a shame it has not been reissued on vinyl.

Otis Redding

"The Posthumous Releases" - 1967 recordings completed just before his death.
Format: LP (Otis was made for vinyl.)















Album: The Dock of the Bay (1968) - Volt S-419; ATCO SD 33-288; Sundazed Reissue LP 5172 (2003)

Album: The Immortal Otis Redding (1968) - ATCO SD 33-252

Album: Love Man (1969) - ATCO SD 33-289

Album: Tell the Truth (1970) - ATCO SD 33-333

Bettye LaVette

Album: Do Your Duty
Format: LP
Label/Info: Reissue. Sundazed LP 5208

James Brown

Album: Live at the Apollo (Volume II - 1967)
Format: CD
Label/Info: Universal/Polydor Deluxe Edition. Originally released in 1968 as King LP 1022.

Wilson Pickett

Album: The Exciting Wilson Pickett
Format: LP
Label/Info: 4 Men With Beards - 180 Gram Reissue; originally released in 1966 as Atlantic 8129 (SD 8129, stereo).

Otis Redding

Album: The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads
Format: LP
Label/Info: 4 Men With Beards - 180 Gram Reissue


Favorite cut: "Nothing Can Change This Love"

Al Green

Album: Gets Next To You
Format: LP
Label/Info: Get Back Reissue

Al Green

Album: Call Me
Format: LP
Label/Info: Hi 1973 (original); also 2005 Get Back Vinyl Reissue