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Nina Simone: Four Women box


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I had been holding out for the past few years for a boxed set of Nina Simone's Philips recordings, so was of course happy to see the recent FOUR WOMEN box finally hit the streets. I have not delved into her music previously, was waiting for the type of perspective collections like this can sometimes give an artist whose influence and place in history is somewhat hard to "place."

I have only listened so far to the first disc, which contains IN CONCERT, but have listened real carefully. I'm struck by her individuality - instantly identifiable vocal style, probably closest to someone like Betty Carter if you need a comparison but really that's not satisfactory. Simone is much "simpler" in her approach, less tendency for showing off (I love Carter, but she did go that way sometimes), more direct tapping into the at once more direct and yet also in many ways more avant garde country blues approach. The liners also talk of a link with Billie Holiday, which is there in the emotional vulnerability and directness although the sound of these vocalists is ultimately quite different.

In short, it sounds like Simone was basically willing and ready to do whatever worked in service of getting across the emotional content of a song. Whether or not it's "jazz" or not, a long debate apparently about her work, is irrelevant. It represents to me, a kind of culmination and coalescence of decades of the African-American musical tradition at that time.

Musically, this is first rate stuff, with a talented band that plays in service of a group sound and getting the song across, not a wasted note anywhere. Coupled with her vocal style, this sparing, reigned in approach really builds an amazing tension in the music. It's ready to explode, but never quite does, except for some really brief sections where Simone and crew let off just enough steam to keep the explosion from happening.

Those who are not into jazz with political overtones could possibly be put off by some of the music, but I find Simone walked that tightrope really successfully most of the time. There is clearly a political viewpoint but it's brought across through telling personal, detailed, and vivid stories about people - in other words, it's not the type of sloganeering in the abstract that I absolutely hate as "political statement music."

Remastering is good, although the original live recording was certainly not the best that could have been achieved at that time (it's more than adequate, though, intimate and honest, so don't hesitate on that account).

In short, I dig it already, but I suspect with time this material will grow on me even more. Can't wait to explore the rest of the box. Anyone else want to comment on Ms. Simone, from this period or others?

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Pastel Blues, the album, is what got me turnedon to Nina Simone.. I heard her romp through Sinnerman, and went seeking the album. Powerful stuff, as you say often with political overtones, and often it seems, touches of bitterness.. but also she can turn out believable pleas for and statements of love and affection.

Never really knew where to " file " her.. but she sits in my Jazz section.

I won't buy the box as six of her phillips albums were put out on three CDs fairly recently and I immediately bought them as they hit the stores

If you want more after exhausting the Phillips set look for her first two RCA albums

Silk and Soul

and especially.. Sings the Blues... ( this one was complete plus some other RCA's on the Novus issue 3101.. which is often seen in the used bins

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Your comments encourage me to check out the Philips box.

"Sings The Blues" is my favourite Nina Simone album, just put on the LP today... The first track sends chills down my spine every time! Is this really complete on that Novus CD?

BTW, does anyone know who the guitar player is on that LP? The Bruyninckx disco gives Simone piano & vocals, Buddy Lucas harmonica, Bob Bushnell fender bass, Bernard Purdie drums, Ernie Hayes organ but no guitarist.

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Your comments encourage me to check out the Philips box.

"Sings The Blues" is my favourite Nina Simone album, just put on the LP today... The first track sends chills down my spine every time! Is this really complete on that Novus CD?

BTW, does anyone know who the guitar player is on that LP? The Bruyninckx disco gives Simone piano & vocals, Buddy Lucas harmonica, Bob Bushnell fender bass, Bernard Purdie drums, Ernie Hayes organ but no guitarist.

I used to have the Blues RCA Lp but lost it

I searched for Blues on CD but could only find expensive imports

The Novus put moe off because of the cover.. they looked like cheap comps.. but I finally gave in

Tracks are

Do I Move You

Day and Night

In the Dark

Real real

My Man's Gone Now

Backlash Blues

I Want a little Sugar

Buck

Since I fwll for you

House of the Rising sun

Blues for Mama

The Pusher

Turn Me On

Nobody's fault but Mine

Go to Hell

I Shall be released

Gin House Blues

I think the first 10 or 11 were the blues album

They ( the 11) have the same band

Eric Gayle and Rudy Stevenson are listed as being the Guitar players

I suspect the solo's and fills are by Gayle.

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Actually it's one and a half album she did for Bethlehem. Some instrumentals among it, e.g. a take on Tadd Dameron's Good Bait with some neo-baroque contrapuntal touches - these show up quite often in her piano playing, she was proud of her Juillard studies, and rightly so. If you can take some classical influences in her piano playing, go for it; of course there is earthy bluesy jazz piano as well. Her singing already is her unique style. It's a pity there never was a CD with the complete session. Great accompaniment from Tootie Heath and Jimmy Bond's fat bass sound. In short: I like an' recommend 'em! :tup

Edited by mikeweil
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  • 2 years later...

Hi Mike,

have that box since a few days as you know and the sound is good and compared to the Simone Colpix recordings I would rate it as even extremely good.

The sound is very "analog", very few distortions and instruments are well defined.

Hope that helps, Oliver

P.S. there is one on Andorra Gambit of the first two sessions that I'm as well looking into but have not yet decided to buy it ;)

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Hi Oliver, I received the box this morning, and do not regret it, just my bank account will do so .....

There were several completed reissues of the Bethlehem, I just researched, on Bethlehem, Varese Sarabande, Snapper (just distributing?), and Gambit - wonder how the latter sounds.

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Those who are not into jazz with political overtones could possibly be put off by some of the music, but I find Simone walked that tightrope really successfully most of the time. There is clearly a political viewpoint but it's brought across through telling personal, detailed, and vivid stories about people - in other words, it's not the type of sloganeering in the abstract that I absolutely hate as "political statement music."

Well, you and I are on opposite sides about political statements and music. I've never been a big Nina Simone fan per se. But I've always been more curious and attracted to her because of the brazen social/political statements made via her music. Simply put, her political musical statements is what initially drew me to her music.

Throughout the 1960s, Simone was actively involved in the civil rights movement and recorded a number of political songs, including "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" (later sung by Aretha Franklin and Donny Hathaway), "Backlash Blues," "Mississippi Goddam" (a response to the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama killing four black children), and "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free". Nina Simone made much needed political statements about the harsh realities of racism in America. She was also joined by Max Roach, Charles Mingus, Archie Shepp and Randy Weston for challenging the immorality of segregation and racial discrimination.

I'm sure you know because of her life long frustration and anger towards racism, Nina renounced her homeland in 1969 and became a world traveler. She lived in Liberia, in Barbados, Switzerland, France, Trinidad, the Netherlands, Belgium and England for various periods.

Because of her disagreements music agents, record labels, American racism and the tax authorities, Nina became a very bitter woman. When she returned to the US in 1978, she was promptly arrested for tax evasion (she had withheld several years of income tax as a protest against the war in Vietnam ).

As a result of her commitment to social justice and her stand against racism, I became interested in her music. I never considered her a gifted vocalist (e.g. Sarah Vaughn, Aretha Franklin or Nancy Wilson) but her uncompromising style and originality made her a commanding force that deserved recognition and respect. :rolleyes:

NS_LP_PHM_200135_F_L.jpg

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