Simone Nina - ESSENTIAL - [CD]

Long-sought-after pop, blues and soul sides from Nina Simone, including To Be Young, Gifted and Black - the song that made her a Civil Rights leader. Also here are the hits Ain't Got No/I Got Life; To Love Somebody; I Shall Be Released , and more. Gutsy stuff. AMAZON.COM Like Etta James, Nina Simone has often been larger than her material, and that's the case on much of this CD, selected from her recordings for RCA Victor in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Powerful and deeply personal songs, such as "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black," "Sunday in Savannah," and the spirited, earthy "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl," are mixed in with ephemeral songs by the Bee Gees' Gibb brothers. At other times, however, Simone's gospel-strong voice and emotional reserves are well suited to the superior rock and pop material, such pieces as Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released" and Randy Newman's understated "I Think It's Going To Rain Today." While the Simone signature piano frequently gives way to folk guitar and studio orchestrations, the apparent conflict between singer and material may sometimes heighten these performances, emphasizing and isolating Simone's passionate, enduring vocals. In the case of songs like Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles," the singer has simply proven herself more durable than the songs. --Stuart Broomer