Solomon Burke - Soul Alive! [2 CD Remastered] (2002)

For pure soul testifying, no one compares to Solomon Burke. He earned his title -- "King of Soul" -- by bringing the gospel fervor of the Southern preacher to his performances, and no recording proves his command over an audience quite like Soul Alive! Recorded in 1983 in Washington, D.C., the set proves Burke had lost little from his '60s heyday; he works through nearly all of his hits, spurring on the concert-goers as though they were the ones performing instead of him in fact, some of the women are heard screaming so often they should've been credited. Burke shines most when leading the faithful through "I Can't Stop Loving You," pausing for a lengthy monologue before reprising the song and leading into a devastating finish. Elsewhere he works through deeply felt country-blues-gospel fusions like "I Almost Lost My Mind," "Take Me (Just as I Am)," "He'll Have to Go," and "Down in the Valley."
"I know there's something going on in this place that doing good for somebody!" shouts Solomon Burke early on in "Soul Alive," and he may have even understated the case. As with the best live albums (Sinatra, James Brown, the Stones, KISS), this set, recorded mostly in Washington, DC, captures a live soul experience as few others have(especially in the 80s, when it was released).
Many remember Burke from "Cry to Me," featured on the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack. That hit is here, along with songs he ("The Price," "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love," "Tonight's The Night") or others ("I Can't Stop Loving You," "Hold What You Got," "He'll Have To Go.") recorded during soul's peak years. What makes this album special is that Burke, a preacher and gospel singer since childhood, weaves useful, emotional sermons around these medleys (his monologue about "the women of today" is hilarious and useful) giving the crowd and listener the best of the gospel and secular worlds. In doing so, Burke reversed - 40 years later - Ray Charles' use of gospel style in blues songs which angered, then inspired, fans of those genres. Every shout, every Burke one-liner ("All we need is a water bed now" ), every note of this set is to cherish.

Disc: 1
01. Introduction: Everybody Needs Somebody To Love - 4:36 
02. Medley: If You Need Me/Tonight's The Night/You're Good For Me/I
      Almost Lost My Mind/What Am I Living For/Just Out Of Reach -
      12:20 
03. Medley: Monologue/Take Me (Just As I Am)/I Can't Stop Loving
      You/Monologue/I Can't Stop Loving  You (Reprise)/Down In The
      Valley/Proud Mary - 15:22 
04. Down In The Valley - 3:46 
05. Proud Mary - 3:46 

Disc: 2
01. Medley: Tonight's The Night (Reprise)/Beautiful Brown Eyes/Just
      A Matter Of Time/Monologue/Hold What You've Got/He'll Have To
      Go/Cry To Me - 18:55 
02. Introduction To Encore: Gotta Get You Off My Mind (Instrumental)
      Medley: Meet Me In Church/The Price/Words/Monologue - 10:29 
03. Medley: You're Good For Me (Reprise)/Send Me Some Lovin'/Gotta
      Get You Off My Mind - 6:49 
04. Medley: Having A Party/Amen - 6:42

Label - Rounder Records