Sam Cooke

ABKCO's release of The Complete Keen Years (1957-1960) kicks off a year-long celebration of Sam Cooke, who would have turned 90 years old on January 22, 2021.  This 5-CD box showcases Cooke's early work as a pop craftsman at the end of the 1950s.  Cooke recorded three albums for Keen: a self-titled debut (also known as Songs By Sam Cooke), Encore, and Tribute To The Lady ("the lady" in this case being Billie Holiday, who died the same year). Those LPs were mostly built around standards from The Great American Songbook and beyond.  For the singles market, though, Cooke was a formidable force, writing much of his own repertoire and focusing on youthful crowd-pleasers on 45. In all, 10 sides followed "You Send Me" to the Top 40, including "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)," "Win Your Love For Me," "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha Cha," and the irresistible "Wonderful World." Shortly before Cooke switched labels yet again, joining the RCA Victor roster, two albums - 1959's Hit Kit and 1960's The Wonderful World Of Sam Cooke - collected these single sides. They're presented on The Complete Keen Years along with 15 bonus tracks in total - all uncompiled sides as well as several rare stereo mixes issued as limited edition 45s.  Michael Corcoran provides new liner notes, and everything on the set is reportedly sourced from the original, long-lost Keen master reels, recovered in, of all places, an airplane hangar! (This location makes more sense when one considers that Keen co-founder John Siamas was in the music business as more of a side gig, having made his fortune in the aerospace industry.)

The Complete Keen Years is available January 24; the same day, new vinyl pressings of Sam Cooke, Encore and Tribute To The Lady will also be available.