Nina Simone: the soulful/spiritual/free days!

Nina Simone sadly passed on a couple of years ago but her legacy should never. This trio of reissues comes from the beginning of her career, 1959/60, when young Ms Simone was a rising star. She had already notched a hit with a version of George Grecian’s ‘I Loves you Porgy’, a tune she recorded for the small Bethlehem label. These albums were cut for Colpix - the music division of Columbia Pictures - and present her in a variety of styles, from orchestral, soul, folk, blues, gospel, jazz to the traditional American songbook‘s interpretations.

‘The Amazing Nina Simone’ was issued in 1959 and these studio recordings present the young artists fronting a big band. She delivers some of her torchiest songs - ‘Blue Prelude’, ‘That’s Him Over There’, ‘Solitaire’ - that have all become classics of her repertoire. Alongside a haunting rendition of ‘(Theme From) Middle Of the Night’, there are four bonus tracks headed by ‘I Loves You Porgy’. The beginning - what a statement!

8.9/10
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‘Nina Simone At The Town Hall’ finds the lady performing in New York [on 12 September 1959] with her trio. The album masterfully showcases her playing and vocal talents with highlights being her rendering of folk ballad ‘Black Is The Colour Of My True Love’s Hair’, Irvin Berlin penned ‘You can Have Him’ and two takes - instrumental segues into vocal cut - of Gershwin‘s ‘Summertime’. This song is closely associated with Billie Holiday, also writer of ‘Fine and Mellow’ that is included here.

Alongside a couple of authored pieces, Simone also handles ‘Wild Is The Wind’ which could just be our joint favourite version of them all; the other joyous version being by Mr David Bowie. ‘… At The Town Hall’ is considered as somewhat a masterpiece by many a fan.

9.3/10
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‘Nina Simone At Newport’ was recorded at the famed Jazz Festival on 30 June 1960 and it is another great live document. ‘Porgy’ - not her almost-signature tune but another song composed by the renown team of Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh - is joined by ‘Trouble In Mind’ [later cover by many, including Janis Joplin], six-minute workout of Cole Porter’s ‘You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To’ and her own instrumental ‘Nina’s Blues’. Another set of songs that appears to be light years beyond the contemporary performers.

On Monday, 07 March, we get four more albums by the High Priestess of soul: ‘Forbidden Fruit’, ‘Nina Simone At The Village Gate’, ‘Nina Simone Sings Ellington!’ and ‘Nina Simone At Carnegie Hall’.

9.1/10
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For basic info on Nina Simone click on the 'In Memoriam...' Link left. More information is available on the albums’ inlays; for detailed life story look out for her autobiography ‘I Put A Spell on You’ (De Capo Press, 1991) or a number of biographies.