Customer Reviews

Nina Simone: The Soul of Nina Simone

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have to admit to being a Nina fan of nearly 40 years. I have virtually everything she has released on disc, yet this collection is worthy, really worthy of purchasing. The Audio CD consists of a good selection of her 60's material in top quality sound. In addition, there are a couple of new songs never before released previously - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood from the 1968 Westbury Music Fair - highly charged and very intense. The second new take is a killer titled Pory & Bess Medley from the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival - all I can say is it is just stunningly haunting.

The real bonus in this collection is the DVD side with three dates from 1960, 1968 and 1969. For those fortunate enough to have seen her communication skills live this is the prize. Living in UK I was privileged to see her twice in the 1970s. These concerts from the 60s see her in her prime. The three concerts last for just over 30 minutes but they are diamonds. Just trust the executors of Miss Simone's estate will release more DVD recordings of her in concert since it is here you see the true majesty of her art.

As a fan who is "growing" my Nina Simone collection, this disc was and absolute must buy for me. Not only does the audio side contain a few of my favorite songs like: FEELING GOOD, THE LOOK OF LOVE, I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL, DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD & I THINK IT'S GOING TO RAIN TODAY. But it also includes songs that I had never heard before like SINCE I FELL FOR YOU & THE PORGY & BESS MEDLEY.

But the real reason I bought this disc is for the DVD side of performances by this amazing woman. I was never fortunate enough to see her perform live but this all-too-brief collection of performances gives me a chance to see what those who did see her perform have been raving about for years. Her performance of I LOVES YOU PORGY is especially mesmerizing - the piano playing is breathtaking!!!

If you are a fan, I'd highly recommend adding this disc to your collection.

Nina Simone (1933-2003) was one of the greatest female jazz vocalists of the 1960s, a politically enlightened singer with a richness of voice which remains unsurpassed even today. This 2-sided disc offers a nice sampling of some of Nina's best work, the DVD side being of a remarkably high quality. The DVD sets contain two songs for the "Ed Sullivan Show" from 1960, "Live from the Bitter End" from 1968, and the "Harlem Festival" (a.k.a. "The Black Woodstock") from 1969.

The regular CD side showcases exactly what the album title suggests, a reflective, soulful and bluesy Simone sampled on 15 different tracks. My personal favorite on here would have to be the "Porgy and Bess Medley" from a 1963 recording done live somewhere in Rhode Island. Also on here is a cover of a Bee Gee's song, "To Love Somebody", which is probably better than the original. Or even her Bob Dylan cover, "Just like Tom Thumb's Blues, which indeed is the most delicious version of the song you can ever hear.

From the DVD performances I especially enjoyed the last set, which was filmed at the "Harlem Festival" during the summer of 1969 in Central Park. Nina sings "Four Women" with a small backup crew before a fairly large audience, and by the looks of things you know it must be the 60s. Nina ends the performance with "To Be Young, Gifted and Black", which is a song of inspiration and thanksgiving.

This Dual-Disc CD/DVD is an excellent value, and deserves 5 stars for being a well-produced product. For a more extensive compilation of Nina Simone's recordings, please see "Four Women: Nina Simone Phillips Recording" 4CD box set. A more costly CD but also musically more complete. This disc is worth it for the DVD film footage of live performances alone. A nice disc to own.

First, I am sorry to hear of the one reader here who said she could not play this CD/DVD on her player. I have three different DVD players in my house and this disc played with no problems......Now on to the review.

I admit I got this item just to see Nina perform live. The performances are taken from three very different live performances in the 1960's. Maybe the one that really blew my mind was the 1960 Ed Sullivan Show where a very demure-looking Nina makes her appearance on national TV for the first time. WOW ! She really looks different, nothing like the politically-charged, "mad as hell" Afro-haired passionate woman we are used to seeing as the Sixties wore on. The Ed Sullivan footage shows her in a very serene setting, very much like the classical pianist she was trained to be. The footage is in black and white, but video quality is Excellent.

The other two live performances (in Color) are taken from her New York City appearances in 1968 and 1969. Here Nina's demeanor is more familiar to her fans. The 1968 footage was taped at a Greenwich Village jazz club while the 1969 appearance is from the "Black Woodstock" concert. All these performances are worth every penny. Still, I think her fans will get the most JOLT from her Ed Sullivan Show appearance. It's a Nina we are not used to, but her artistry is all the same. Her rich, deep voice and classical piano style are already well defined at this early stage in her career.

Yes, most of her fans already have these songs on the CD portion here, but I consider the songs icing on the cake for this CD/DVD. It's the video portion that worth getting, so having the songs here makes a wonderful BONUS ! I would still rate 4 stars. I wish record companies would get a clue and release more CD/DVD's like this one where we are treated to rare live performances along with well-known hits on the CD side. Surely there must still be tons of unreleased footage of live performances by great artists lying in the vaults somewhere, so I plead for the major record companies to do what "Soul of Nina Simone" has done here.

I would highly recommend this one -- Go Get It !!

The best.I'm 38 years old and I had never heard of a nina simone untill the movie "point of no return"This is an intoxicating cd.

I must start off by telling you how I discovered Nina...I remembr back in '92 when Whitney Houston sang a medley of I Loves You Porgy/And I'm Telling You/I Have Nothing on the American Music Awards(I'm am a die hard Whitney fan, by the way)..I've always wanted to hear Nina's version...I discovered it 3 months ago...I was utterly speechless..I was expecting her voice to be similiar to how Whitney sounded when she sang it...Her voice was soo deep and rich and gorgeous, it was unbelieveable...I pressed replay soo many times it was ridicoulous...LOL

This particular CD/DVD is wonderful...for the first time I'm able to see the legenary diva perform live...she plays the hell out of the piano...My favs are Feeling Good,The Look of Love, Porgy/Bess Medley, Love Me or Leave Me Four Women

I'm totally unhappy with this CD for the simple reason that I can't play it. There was no mention that I saw that the CD might not work on my CD player. VERY displeased.