Ultimate Collection [hip-o]

Personnel includes: Joe Cocker (vocals);Jimmy Page, Brenda Holloway, Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, Bonnie Bramlett, JimmyCliff, Adrian Belew, Sly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare, Clarence Clemons, Billy Preston, Bryan Adams, Randy Newman. Producers include: Denny Cordell, Leon Russell, Jim Price, Wilton Felder, Chris Brackwell. Compilation producer: Bill Levenson. Recorded between 1974 & 2000. Includes liner notes by JP Bean. Thisanthology does as fine a job of coveringthe peaks of Joe Cocker's career as any single disc possibly could. Things kick off with Cocker's studio version of the Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends, " which helped make him a star via his Woodstock performance. Thereafter, Cocker made his name as a gritty, soulfulinterpreter of material from the pop/rock world. With the guidance of then-bandleader Leon Russell, the Boxtops' "The Letter, " the Fab Four's "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window, " and others weretransformed into sweaty, soul-drenched wonders. In the 1980s, hard-living Cocker cleaned up his act both personally and musically, scoring a hit with the romantic pop ballad "Up Where We Belong, " aduet with Jennifer Warnes that was the theme for the film AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. He hadn't lost his tawdry touch, though, as proven by his popular '86 version of the randy Randy Newman tune "You Can Leave Your Hat On, " also featured inanother successful '80s film (9 1/2 WEEKS). ULTIMATE COLLECTION closes with a 2000 version of Leonard Cohen's "First We Take Manhattan, " proof that over 30 years down the road, Cocker hadn't lost his knack for picking great material. Reviews: Q (2/04, p. 112) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]racks like 'Your Are So Beautiful' and 'You Can Leave Your Hat On' are very statuesque indeed. "

Track Listing

• 1 with a little help from my friends
• 2 feelin' alright
• 3 delta lady
• 4 she came in through the bathroom window
• 5 the letter [live]
• 6 cry me a river [live]
• 7 you are so beautiful
• 8 i'm so glad i'm standing here today
• 9 sweet little woman
• 10 many rivers to cross
• 11 up where we belong
• 12 shelter me
• 13 you can leave your hat on
• 14 unchain my heart [90's version]
• 15 when the night comes
• 16 now that the magic has gone
• 17 summer in the city
• 18 have a little faith in me
• 19 sail away
• 20 first we take manhattan