Joe Cocker: a powerful and visceral voice was extinguished – La Gaceta Tucumán

The album starts with “Feeling alright”, the classic Traffic composed of Dave Mason. Follow that “Bye bye Blackbird” overwhelming feeling that Nora Ephron rescued for delicious soundtrack of “Sleepless”. Closing each side of the vinyl with standards of Bob Dylan (“Just like a woman” and “I Shall Be Released”) and in the middle honors Nina Simone with the immortal “Do not let me be misunderstood “. Exquisite songs officiating luxurious cellophane to wrap the gift: “With a Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Cocker inappropriate from Woodstock. The Beatles song was the title of the first solo album of Cocker, published in 1969 . It was the first and the best.

When Cocker took the stage at Woodstock and was a veteran who had been singing since early 60 and had sneaked into the room efervesecente British rocker riding his Grease Band. The power of the voice of Cocker and his presence on stage synthesize one of the highest points in Woodstock, where he covered the Beatles and Dylan taking every note from the bowels. That delivery, immutable as the decades passed and the registration was hulling, distinguish Cocker as one of the crooners emblematic of rock and blues.

Lung cancer Cocker killed 70 years. Life was generous to him; forgave the same excesses that led to his contemporaries long before. Alcohol and heroin Cocker had much to tell. He ran forward doing what best out: singing. Vocalist long transcended the composer. Like Rod Stewart, and way, reinvented again and again putting a classic voice that sometimes sounded as or more seductive than the original.

Cocker was a lover of the route. His anthologies tours brought to Argentina in his youth and at full maturity. In the medium was spinning discs, some very good. In the 80 days of juicy pop and MTV two hits did so popular among a public that until then had only flirted. A pair of hits viralizados cinema (“Up Where We Belong” with Jennifer Warnes, and “You Can Leave Your Hat On” composed by Randy Newman and danced plan strip- tease of worship by Kim Basinger) Cocker allowed to feel definitely a star.

He was a friend and confidant of rock royalty. He recorded and performed with the best thanks to the incomparable certainty of being one of them. The ability to take himself with humor saved him from the cartoon. Also his humanity and, above all, the feeling that distilled facing the microphone. There, in that duel between the artist and his audience, Cocker showed that rock and blues are only understood when spring from the heart.

Four essential albums

1969
“With a Little Help From My Friends” was Disco de Oro on both sides of the Atlantic. Cocker recorded it with great musicians.

1974
“I can stand a little rain” includes the wonderful “You are so beatiful.” Jim Price produced the album, a great success in America.

1975
The songs of “Jamaica say you will” came out of the meetings of 74. Cocker him out shine the title theme, Jackson Browne.

1987
“Unchain my heart” Cocker returned to the major leagues. “Isolation” by John Lennon, is one of the precious jewels of the disc.

WOODSTOCK
A historic setlist
Joe Cocker and the Grease Band touched their act at 2 pm on Sunday August 17, 1969, while the Woodstock festival was cooked caramel point. They played 11 songs, from “Who knows what tomorrow bring May” Traffic, until closing Beatles classic “With a little help from very friends”. Just concluded a biblical storm took off.