[14][15][16] Staying away from the Copa—and from many "white" clubs—for years, Cooke was inspired to return after watching Nat King Cole go over well there.

[17] Cooke chose to perform a set heavier on standards and show tunes.

"[7] The Chicago Tribune wrote that Cooke's "fluttering yodel and charming demeanor make evident that he knew he had crashed through the invisible ceiling, hurdling the only barrier he hadn't yet cleared and solidifying his status as the ultimate crossover artist.

"[1] The Times wrote that the album "captures the more decorous version of the singer’s live act.

"[21] Praising the sound of the 2003 reissue, The Baltimore Sun wrote that Cooke "still manages to imbue such stuffy standards as 'Frankie and Johnny', 'If I Had a Hammer' and 'Tennessee Waltz' with gospel-dipped exuberance.