NINA SIMONE - Little Girl Blue (1959-2015) RM | SACD, Hybrid | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Little Girl Blue, released in 1957, was Nina Simone's first recording, originally issued on the Bethlehem label. Backed by bassist Jimmy Bond and Albert "Tootie" Heath, it showcases her ballad voice as one of mystery and sensuality and showcases her uptempo jazz style with authority and an enigmatic down-home feel that is nonetheless elegant. The album also introduced a fine jazz pianist. Simone was a solid improviser who never strayed far from the blues. Check the opener, her reading of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo," which finger-pops and swings while keeping the phrasing deep-blue. It is contrasted immediately with one of the -- if not the -- definitive reads of Willard Robison's steamy leave-your-lover ballad "Don't Smoke in Bed." The title track, written by Rodgers & Hart, features "Good King Wenceslas" as a classical prelude to one of the most beautiful pop ballads ever written. It is followed immediately by the funky swing in "Love Me or Leave Me" with a smoking little piano solo in the bridge where Bach meets Horace Silver and Bobby Timmons. It's also interesting to note that while this was her first recording, the record's grooves evidence an artist who arrives fully formed; many of the traits Simone displayed throughout her career as not only a vocalist and pianist but as an arranger are put on first notice here. "My Baby Just Cares for Me" has a stride shuffle that is extrapolated on in the piano break. Her instrumental and improvising skills are put to good use on Tadd Dameron's "Good Bait," which is transformed into something classical from its original bebop intent. "You'll Never Walk Alone" feels more like some regal gospel song than the Rodgers & Hammerstein show tune it was. Of course, one of Simone's signature tunes was her version of "I Loves You, Porgy," which appears here for the first time and was released as a single. Her own "Central Park Blues" is one of the finest jazz tunes here, and it is followed with yet another side of Simone's diversity in her beautiful take on the folk-gospel tune "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," with quiet and determined dignity and drama. Another of her instrumentals compositions, "African Mailman," struts proud with deep Afro-Caribbean roots and rhythms. Thom Jurek  
Tracklist :
1     Mood Indigo 4:02
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
2     Don't Smoke in Bed 3:11
Willard Robison
3     He Needs Me 2:30
Arthur Hamilton
4     Little Girl Blue 4:18
Richard Rodgers
5     Love Me or Leave Me 3:22
Walter Donaldson
6     My Baby Just Cares for Me 3:38
Walter Donaldson
7     Good Bait 5:27
Count Basie / Tadd Dameron
8     Plain Gold Ring 3:50
Earl Burroughs
9     You'll Never Walk Alone 3:47
Richard Rodgers
10     I Loves You, Porgy 4:10
George Gershwin
11     Central Park Blues 3:06
Nina Simone
12     He's Got the Whole World in His Hands 3:10
Traditional
13     For All We Know 4:00
J. Fred Coots
14     African Mailman 3:09
Nina Simone
15     My Baby Just Cares for Me 5:17
Walter Donaldson
Credits :
Bass – Jimmy Bond
Drums – Albert "Tootie" Heath
Piano, Vocals – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - My Baby Just Cares For Me (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1        My Baby Just Cares For Me 3:43
Written-By – Kahn, Donaldson
2    Don't Smoke In Bed 3:13
Written-By – Willard Robison
3    Mood Indigo 4:05
Written-By – Bigard, Ellington, Mills
4    He Needs Me 2:32
Written-By – Hamilton
5    Love Me Or Leave Me 3:25
Written-By – Kahn, Donaldson
6    I Loves You Porgy 4:13
Written-By – Gershwin/Gershwin
7    Good Bait 5:29
Written-By – Basie, Dameron
8    Central Park Blues 3:08
Written-By – Nina Simone
9    You'll Never Walk Alone 3:48
Written-By – Rodges/ Hammerstein
10    Plain Gold Ring 3:56
Written-By – Stone
11    Little Girl Blue 4:21
Written-By – Rodgers/Hart
12    My Baby Just Cares For Me (Special Extended Version) 5:17
Written-By – Kahn, Donaldson

NINA SIMONE - Nina Simone for Lovers (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This second of two Nina Simone compilations issued in 2005 (and third in two years), For Lovers focuses on Simone's crucial tenure on the Verve imprint. It's not a thorough examination of her career by any stretch, but it does feature what many consider to be ideal performances of two of her most well-known songs: "I Loves You, Porgy" and "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair." Fans of Simone's work will already have many of these recordings courtesy of other records, but casual listeners wanting to hear the softer side of this revolutionary jazz chanteuse will find this an excellent place to start, and will want to dig deeper into her rich back catalog. Rob Theakston
Tracklist :
1     I Loves You, Porgy 2:32     
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
2     Wild Is the Wind 6:59
Dimitri Tiomkin / Ned Washington    
3     What More Can I Say 2:51
Wade Jr. Brown / Horace Ott
4     The Last Rose of Summer 3:07
Nina Simone / Thomas Moore
5     Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 2:47
Bennie Benjamin / Gloria Caldwell / Sol Marcus
6    Fodder on Her Wings 6:03
Nina Simone
7     Little Girl Blue 2:34
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
8     If I Should Lose You 3:58
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin    
9     I Love My Baby 4:03
Andy Stroud
10     If You Knew/Let It Be Me 7:18
Gilbert Bécaud / Manny Curtis / Nina Simone
11     Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair 3:24
Traditional
Credits :
Bass – Lisle Atkinson (pistas: 1 to 3, 7, 11)
Drums – Bobby Hamilton (pistas: 1 to 3, 7)
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson (pistas: 1 to 3)
Vocals – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - The Diva Serie (2003) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Nina Simone spent time recording with Verve or the associated Philips during the mid-'60s, so her entry in the label's 2003 The Diva Series focuses on that period, when she had an R&B hit with "I Put a Spell on You" and recorded many live albums. Though it is much longer than Verve's previous attempts, it certainly doesn't qualify as a solid compilation of Simone's career. A few career-defining songs like "I Loves You, Porgy" are presented in live versions which, fine as they are, don't rate with the studio recordings. For what it is, The Diva Series is a solid label wrap-up, including rarer material like "Wild Is the Wind" as well as a few classics like "Mississippi Goddam" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." John Bush
Tracklist :
1    I Put A Spell On You 2:31
Arranged By – Hal Mooney
Conductor – Hal Mooney
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Jalacy Hawkins
2    He Ain't Comin' Home No More 3:06
Arranged By – Hal Mooney
Conductor – Hal Mooney
Written By – Angelo Badalamenti, John Clifford
3    I Loves You, Porgy 2:30
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – DuBose Heyward, George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
4    Mississippi Goddam 4:52
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Nina Simone
5    Tell Me More And More And Then Some 3:08
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Harmonica – Al Schackman
Written By – Billie Holiday
6    Love Me Or Leave Me 4:05
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson
7    See-Line Woman 2:35
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Flute – Rudy Stevenson
Percussion – Lisle Atkinson
Written By – George Bass
8    Wild Is The Wind 6:57
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington
9    Four Women 4:21
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Flute – Rudy Stevenson
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Nina Simone
10    Don't You Pay Them No Mind 3:03
Arranged By – Hal Mooney
Conductor – Hal Mooney
Written By – Angelo Badalamenti, John Clifford
11    Lilac Wine 4:15
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Written By – James Shelton
12    Either Way I Lose 2:42
Arranged By – Horace Ott
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Conductor – Horace Ott
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Flute – Rudy Stevenson
Guitar – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Van McCoy
13    The Gal From Joe's 2:43
Arranged By – Hal Mooney
Conductor – Hal Mooney
Written By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
14    Don't Explain 4:19
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – Lisle Atkinson
Drums – Bobby Hamilton
Flute – Rudy Stevenson
Written By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Bille Holiday
15    I Love My Baby 4:00
Written By – Andy Stroud
16    Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 2:16
Arranged By – Horace Ott
Conductor – Horace Ott
Written By – Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell, Sol Marcus

NINA SIMONE - Seven Classic Albums Plus Bonus Tracks (2013) RM | 4CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jazz As Played In An Exclusive Side Street Cafe (1959)    
1-1    Mood Indigo    4:04
1-2    Don't Smoke In Bed    3:12
1-3    He Needs Me    2:30
1-4    Little Girl Blue    4:19
1-5    Love Me Or Leave Me    3:23
1-6    My Baby Just Cares For Me    3:38
1-7    Good Bait    5:29
1-8    Plain Gold Ring    3:54
1-9    You'll Never Walk Alone    3:47
1-10    I Loves You Porgy    4:10
1-11    Central Park Blues    6:50
1-12    My Baby Just Cares For Me (Extended)    5:18
Nina Simone & Friends (1959)    
1-13    He's Got The Whole World In His Hands    3:10
1-14    For All We Know    4:02
1-15    African Mailman    3:10
The Amazing Nina Simone (1959)    
2-1    Blue Prelude    3:22
2-2    Children Go Where I Send You    2:52
2-3    Tomorrow (We Will Meet Once More)    3:02
2-4    Stompin' At The Savoy    2:11
2-5    It Might As Well Be Spring    3:56
2-6    You've Been Gone Too Long    2:13
2-7    That's Him Over There    2:31
2-8    Chilly Winds Don't Blow    2:43
2-9    Theme From 'Middle Of The Night'    2:30
2-10    Can't Get You Out Of This Mood    2:33
2-11    Willow Weep For Me    3:14
2-12    Solitaire    3:28
Nina Simone At Town Hall (1959)    
2-13    Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair    3:32
2-14    Exactly Like You    3:14
2-15    The Other Women    3:01
2-16    Under The Lowest    5:32
2-17    I Don't Want Him Anymore    5:49
2-18    Summertime (Instrumental)    2:54
2-19    Summertime (Vocal)    2:43
2-20    Cotton Eyed Joe    2:53
2-21    Return Home    5:28
2-22    Wild Is The Wind    3:29
2-23    Fine And Mellow    3:31
Forbidden Fruit (1960)    
3-1    Rags And Old Iron    4:06
3-2    No Good Man    3:38
3-3    Gin House Blues    3:02
3-4    I'll Look Around    5:04
3-5    I Love To Love    3:25
3-6    Work Song    2:34
3-7    Where Can I Go Without Him    2:49
3-8    Just Say I Love Him    6:36
3-9    Memphis In June    2:37
3-10    Forbidden Fruit    3:48
Nina At Newport (1960)    
3-11    Trouble In Mind    5:39
3-12    Blues For Porgy    5:08
3-13    Li'l Liza Jane (Version 1)    4:30
3-14    You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To    5:22
3-15    Flo Me La    7:19
3-16    Nina's Blues    6:08
3-17    In The Evening By The Moonlight    6:07
Nina At The Village Gate (1962)    
4-1    Just In Time    6:36
4-2    He Was Too Good To Me    5:02
4-3    House Of The Rising Sun    4:29
4-4    Bye Bye Blackbird    8:16
4-5    Brown Baby    5:48
4-6    Zungo    3:00
4-7    If He Changed My Name    3:59
4-8    Children Go Where I Send You    7:47
Nina Simone Sings Ellington (1962)    
4-9    Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me    2:49
4-10    I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)    4:05
4-11    Hey Buddy Bolden    2:25
4-12    Merry Mending    2:33
4-13    Something To Live For    2:54
4-14    You Better Know It    2:22
4-15    I Like The Sunrise    2:59
4-16    Solitude    3:44
4-17    The Gal From Joe's    2:05
4-18    Satin Doll    3:36
4-19    It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)    2:30

NINA SIMONE - Verve Jazz Masters 58 : Nina Sings Nina (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The sequel to Nina Simone's Verve Jazz Masters, Vol. 17, Verve Jazz Masters, Vol. 58: Nina Simone Sings Nina features a selection of Simone's original songs, as well as her adaptations of jazz standards. Though jazz purists will find the sampler nature of this compilation a big maddening, the compilation nevertheless is useful for casual fans and neophytes, hitting many of her best-known songs, inlcuding "Sugar in My Bowl" and "The Last Rose of Summer." Thom Owens
Tracklist :
1     Sugar in My Bowl 3'19
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon
2     Old Jim Crow 2'40
Jackie Alper / Ron Vander Groef / Nina Simone
3     Go Limp 7'02
Alex Comfort / Nina Simone
4     Four Women 5'54
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon
5     Images 2'53
Dave Brock / Waring Cuney / Alan Davey / Nina Simone / Peter Wishart
6     Come Ye 3'37
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon
7     Be My Husband 3'22
Nina Simone / Andy Stroud
8     Take Me to the Water 2'48
Traditional
9     I'm Going Back Home 2'50
Rudy Stevenson
10     If You Pray Right (Heaven Belongs to You) 2'55
Nina Simone / Traditional
11     Fodder on Her Wings 6'02
Nina Simone
12     If You Knew/Let It Be Me 5'24
Gilbert Bécaud / Manny Curtis / Nina Simone
13     The Last Rose of Summer 3'06
Nina Simone / Thomas Moore
14    Mississippi Goddam 4'58
Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - Verve Jazz Masters 17 (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Nina Simone's inclusion in Verve's Jazz Masters series is a bit suspect; there was a lot of jazz in Simone, true, but wasn't there quite a bit of pop and soul as well, not to mention some blues? Anyway, this is an excellent survey of her mid-'60s work, with 16 tracks spanning 1964 to 1966 that find Simone at her most versatile and assured. Quite a range is encompassed here: traditional folk ("Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair"), R&B (her jazzy rendition of "I Put a Spell on You"), Jacques Brel ("Ne Me Quitte Pas"), Billie Holiday ("Strange Fruit"), the Gershwins ("I Loves You, Porgy"), Rodgers & Hart ("Little Girl Blue"), and modern jazz (Nat Adderley's "Work Song"). Other highlights are the mesmerizing "See Line Woman" and the original version of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," which was a hit for the Animals shortly afterwards. On the two original compositions, "Four Women" and "Mississippi Goddam," Simone confronts racism in a head-on fashion rare for the time. Discographical details: the version of "Little Girl Blue" is a mono alternate take, and the recording of "My Baby Just Cares for Me" is not from the mid-'60s, but a 1987 live album. Richie Unterberger  
Tracklist :
1     Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair 3'29
Traditional
2     I Put a Spell on You 2'36
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
3     Love Me or Leave Me 4'07
Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn
4     Little Girl Blue 4'20
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
5     My Baby Just Cares for Me 3'04
Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn
6     I Loves You, Porgy 2'33
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
7     Work Song 3'08
Nat Adderley / Oscar Brown, Jr.
8     Ne Me Quitte Pas 3'38
Jacques Brel
9     Wild Is the Wind 7'00
Dimitri Tiomkin / Ned Washington
10    See Line Women 2'38
George Bass / Nina Simone
11     Strange Fruit 3'11
Lewis Allan
12     Pirate Jenny 6'41
Marc Blitzstein / Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill
13     Four Women 4'26
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon
14     Mississippi Goddam 4'55
Nina Simone
15     Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 2'46
Bennie Benjamin / Gloria Caldwell / Sol Marcus
16     I Hold No Grudge 2'19
Andy Badale / John Clifford

NINA SIMONE - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is a compilation assembling songs from a fruitful period in Simone's career (the mid-'60s, when she recorded for Mercury and Phillips). The exceptional track selection helps Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood stand out from the many repackages of material from this era and amply demonstrates the range of Simone's artistry. The title track and "I Put a Spell on You" were pop hits; "The Last Rose of Summer" is a traditional Irish ballad adapted by Simone; "Ne Me Quitte Pas" finds her tackling French pop; and on "Strange Fruit" and "Don't Explain," Simone reaches back to the Billie Holiday songbook, offering distinctive and moving interpretations of these well-worn standards. "I Loves You Porgy" and "Mississippi Goddam" are heard in spirited live versions from 1964's Nina Simone in Concert, and lesser-heard cuts like the stunning "Come Ye" (sounding remarkably contemporary, with instrumentation consisting only of hand percussion) and "Little Girl Blue" add further depth. A fine single-disc introduction to the work of one of pop's true visionaries. Mark Richardson
Tracklist :
1     Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 2'46
Bennie Benjamin / Gloria Caldwell / Sol Marcus
2     The Last Rose of Summer 3'05
Thomas Moore / Nina Simone
3     Ne Me Quitte Pas 3'35
Jacques Brel
4     Work Song 3'06
Nat Adderley / Oscar Brown, Jr.
5     Little Girl Blue 2'32
T. B. Harms / Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6     Trouble in Mind 2'41
Richard M. Jones
7     Strange Fruit 3'30
Lewis Allan
8     Love Me or Leave Me 4'05
Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn
9     Come Ye 3'37
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon
10     I Put a Spell on You 2'34
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
11     Don't Explain 4'19
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
12     Wild Is the Wind 6'57
Dimitri Tiomkin / Ned Washington
13     What More Can I Say? 2'49
Wade Jr. Brown / Horace Ott
14     Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out 2'39
James Cox / Jimmie Cox
15     I Loves You, Porgy 2'29
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
16     Mississippi Goddam 4'52
Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - Sings Billie Holiday & the Gospel (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ostensibly, Nina Simone's Sings Billie Holiday & the Gospel (put together by Charly Records) would be half Billie Holiday covers and half traditional religious songs; while that's mostly true, the compilation feels more like a cobbled-together effort that stretches to fit the restrictions, sometimes failing all together. Only a couple of the tracks are even moderately known Holiday pieces ("Strange Fruit," of course, along with "Fine and Mellow" and "Don't Explain"), the others made famous by another singer and then covered later on by Holiday. For instance, Simone was almost certainly thinking of Bessie Smith's version of "Gimme a Pigfoot (And a Bottle of Beer)," not Billie Holiday's, when she covered it, and though Holiday did indeed sing "Love Me or Leave Me" back in 1940, it was hardly a huge part of her repertoire; Simone, in fact, had far greater success with it. The gospel numbers fair a little better, and though the sound quality here is not particularly fantastic, songs like "You Can't Hide" and "Sinnerman" show off her voice and extraordinary phrasing well. The inclusion of "Young, Gifted and Black" and "Just in Time" -- which are both songs Simone sang (the former, in particular, is quite well known, while the latter was made famous by Tony Bennett) but not gospel -- is a little perplexing, however, and adds to the very budget-label feel of this collection. Marisa Brown  
Nina Simone Sings Billie Holiday (1972)
1    Tell Me More & More & Then Some 5'01
2    This Year's Kisses 3'03
3    Strange Fruit 3'28
4    Fine & Mellow 8'41
5    Don't Explain 4'18
6    Give Me A Pigfoot & A Bottle Of Beer
7    Just In Time 4'47
8    Love Me Or Leave Me 4'06
Gospel According to Nina Simone (1973
9    Anytime, Anywhere 3'08
10    Sunday In Savannah 2'26
11    You Can't Hide 3'12
12    Nobody's Fault But Mine 4'14
13    To Be Young, Gifted And Black 3'43
14    Brown Baby 4'58
15    Sinnerman 12'23

NINA SIMONE - Nina Sings Ellington + Nina Simone At Carnegie Hall (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Collectables package pairs Nina Simone's 1962 Colpix release Sings Duke Ellington and At Carnegie Hall from the following year. Eighteen tracks in all with over 68 minutes of music make this an attractive package for fans of the talented vocalist and pianist. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
Nina Simone Sings Duke Ellington (1962)   
1    Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me 2:48
Written By – Ellington, Russell
2    I Got It Bad 4:04
Written By – Ellington, Webster
3    Hey, Buddy Bolden 2:25
Written By – Strayhorn, Ellington
4    Merry Mending 2:31
Written By – Ellington
5    Something To Live For 2:52
Written By – Strayhorn, Ellington
6    You Better Know It 2:22
Written By – Ellington
7    I Like The Sunrise 2:58
Written By – Ellington
8    Solitude 3:43
Written By – Ellington, Delange, Mills
9    The Gal From Joe's 2:05
Written By – Ellington, Mills
10    Satin Doll 3:35
Written By – Strayhorn, Ellington, Mercer
11    It Don't Mean A Thing 2:29
Written By – Ellington, Mills
Nina Simone At Carnegie Hall (1963)
12    Black Swan (From "The Medium") 6:02
Written By – Menotti
13    Theme From Samson And Delilah 5:46
Written By – Young
14    If You Knew 3:26
Written By – Simone
15    Theme From Sayonara 3:15
Written By – Berlin
16    The Twelfth Of Never 3:23
Written By – Livingston, Webster
17    Will I Find My Love Today 6:41
Written By – Fogarty, Shaw
18    The Other Woman / Cotton Eyed Joe 7:21
Written By – Robinson, Traditional
Credits :
Arranged By – Nina Simone (pistas: 1 to 18)
Backing Vocals – Malcolm Dodds Singers (pistas: 1 to 11)
Bass – Lisle Atkinson (pistas: 12 to 18)
Drums – Montego Joe (pistas: 12 to 18)
Guitar – Al Schackman (pistas: 12 to 18), Phil Orlando (pistas: 12 to 18)
Performer – Nina Simone (pistas: 1 to 11)
Piano, Vocals – Nina Simone (pistas: 12 to 18)

NINA SIMONE - The Philips Years (2016) 7xCD | BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Nina Simone In Concert (1964)
1-1    I Loves You Porgy 2'18
1-2    Plain Gold Ring 5'30
1-3    Pirate Jenny 6'42
1-4    Old Jim Crow 2'10
1-5    Don't Smoke In Bed 5'30
1-6    Go Limp 6'55
1-7    Mississippi Goddam 4'45

Broadway • Blues • Ballads (1964)  
2-1    Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood 2'42
2-2    Night Song 3'00
2-3    The Laziest Gal In Town 2'15
2-4    Something Wonderful 2'37
2-5    Don't Take All Night 2'45
2-6    Nobody 4'10
2-7    I Am Blessed 2'52
2-8    Of This I'm Sure 2'30
2-9    See-Line Woman 2'20
2-10    Our Love 2'55
2-11    How Can I? 2'00
2-12    The Last Rose Of Summer 3'00

I Put A Spell On You (1965)   
3-1    I Put A Spell On You 2'33
3-2    Tomorrow Is My Turn 2'43
3-3    Ne Me Quitte Pas 3'27
3-4    Marriage Is For Old Folks 3'22
3-5    July Tree 2'40
3-6    Gimme Some 2'58
3-7    Feeling Good 2'52
3-8    One September Day 2'47
3-9    Blues On Purpose 3'18
3-10    Beautiful Land 1'55
3-11    You've Got To Learn 2'40
3-12    Take Care Of Business 2'04

Pastel Blues (1966)   
4-1    Be My Husband 3'19
4-2    Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out 2'35
4-3    End Of The Line 2'51
4-4    Trouble In Mind 2'37
4-5    Tell Me More And More And Then Some 3'05
4-6    Chilly Winds Don't Blow 3'59
4-7    Ain't No Use 2'35
4-8    Strange Fruit 3'26
4-9    Sinnerman 10'15

Let It All Out (1966)   
5-1    Mood Indigo 2'25
5-2    The Other Woman 3'02
5-3    Love Me Or Leave Me 4'05
5-4    Don't Explain 4'18
5-5    Little Girl Blue 2'32
5-6    Chauffeur 2'48
5-7    For Myself 2'05
5-8    The Ballad Of Hollis Brown 4'55
5-9    This Year's Kisses 2'58
5-10    Images 2'50
5-11    Nearer Blessed Lord 4'30

Wild Is The Wind (1966)   
6-1    I Love Your Lovin' Ways 2'35
6-2    Four Women 4'20
6-3    What More Can I Say? 2'45
6-4    Lilac Wine 4'14
6-5    That's All I Ask 2'28
6-6    Break Down And Let It All Out 2'45
6-7    Why Keep On Breaking My Heart 2'30
6-8    Wild Is The Wind 6'53
6-9    Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair 3'25
6-10    If I Should Lose You 3'55
6-11    Either Way I Lose 2'44

High Priestess Of Soul (1967)  
7-1    Don't You Pay Them No Mind 3'00
7-2    I'm Gonna Leave You 2'17
7-3    Brown Eyed Handsome Man 2'01
7-4    Keeper Of The Flame 3'20
7-5    The Gal From Joe's 2'42
7-6    Take Me To The Water 2'49
7-7    I'm Going Back Home 2'47
7-8    I Hold No Grudge 2'18
7-9    Come Ye 3'35
7-10    He Ain't Comin' Home No More 3'09
7-11    Work Song 3'04
7-12    I Love My Baby 4'03

NINA SIMONE - The Complete RCA Albums Collection (2011) 9xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Nina Simone was a singular artist, and she went where she pleased, leaving behind a recorded legacy that is passionate, political, defiant, and delicate by turns, no matter what strain of folk, blues, jazz, or gospel she was dipping into, and she did it all with dignity, grace, and intelligence. This set collects all nine of her albums for RCA Records (released between 1967 and 1974), and thus includes some of her greatest recordings. Signature songs like "I Loves You, Porgy," "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl" (in a couple of versions), and "Mississippi Goddam" (a Simone original -- one wishes she had written more than she did) are all here, along with powerful versions of songs by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Willie Dixon, the Beatles, and Randy Newman, among others. Simone didn't just sing a song. She made it hers. Steve Leggett
CD1: 1967 - Nina Simone Sings The Blues - 00:32:46
01. Do I Move You? [02:48]
02. Day And Night [02:36]
03. In The Dark [02:58]
04. Real Real [02:22]
05. My Man's Gone Now [04:17]
06. Backlash Blues [02:31]
07. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl [02:33]
08. Buck [01:53]
09. Since I Fell For You [02:53]
10. The House Of The Rising Sun [03:53]
11. Blues For Mama [03:58]
CD2: 1967 - Silk & Soul - 00:36:35
01. It Be's That Way Sometimes [02:58]
02. The Look of Love [02:24]
03. Go To Hell [02:50]
04. Love O' Love [05:07]
05. Cherish [03:23]
06. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free [03:11]
07. Turn Me On [02:26]
08. Turning Point [02:02]
09. Some Say [02:11]
10. Consummation [04:12]
11. Why Must Your Love Well Be So Dry / Bonus Track [02:22]
12. Save Me / Bonus Track [03:22]
CD3: 1968 - 'Nuff Said! - 01:05:01
01. In The Morning [02:27]
02. Sunday In Savannah [06:13]
03. The Backlash Blues [02:48]
04. Please Read Me [02:52]
05. Gin House Blues [03:08]
06. Why? (The King of Love Is Dead) [12:51]
07. Peace Of Mind [02:46]
08. Ain't Got No - I Got Life [02:07]
09. I Loves You Porgy [03:28]
10. Take My Hand Prescious Lord [01:56]
11. Do What You Gotta Do [03:04]
12. Mississippi Goddam / Bonus Track [06:55]
13. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood / Bonus Track [04:54]
14. Come Ye / Bonus Track [03:48]
15. Ain't Got No - I Got Life (Single) / Bonus Track [02:58]
16. Peace Of Mind (Single) / Bonus Track [02:37]
CD4: 1969 - Nina Simone And Piano! - 00:54:17
01. Seems I'm Never Tired Lovin' You [03:02]
02. Nobody's Fault But Mine [03:01]
03. I Think It's Going To Rain Today [03:22]
04. Everyone's Gone To The Moon [03:08]
05. Compensation [01:37]
06. Who Am I [04:11]
07. Another Spring [03:31]
08. The Human Touch [02:10]
09. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes) [04:49]
10. The Desperate Ones [04:44]
11. Music For Lovers [04:23]
12. In Love In Vain [02:29]
13. I'll Look Around [05:12]
14. The Man With The Horn [03:41]
15. I Think It's Going To Rain Today (Live) / Bonus Track [04:50]
CD5: 1969 - To Love Somebody - 00:55:52
01. Suzanne [04:19]
02. Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is A Season) [03:41]
03. Revolution (Part 1) [02:52]
04. Revolution (Part 2) [01:53]
05. To Love Somebody [02:41]
06. I Shall Be Released [03:54]
07. I Can't See Nobody [03:08]
08. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues [04:48]
09. The Times They Are A Changin' [06:01]
10. Suzanne (Alternate Version) / Bonus Track [05:14]
11. Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is A Season) (Alternate Version) / Bonu… [02:26]
12. Revolution / Bonus Track [06:29]
13. Save Me (Live) / Bonus Track [03:36]
14. The Glory Of Love (Live) / Bonus Track [02:11]
15. Cosi Ti Amo (To Love Somebody) (Italian Version) / Bonus Track [02:32]
CD6: 1969 - Black Gold - 01:13:37
01. Introduction [02:36]
02. Black Is The Colour Of My True Love's Hair [07:25]
03. Ain't Got No - I Got Life [05:31]
04. Westwind [09:42]
05. Who Knows Where The Time Goes [08:12]
06. The Assignment Sequence [06:25]
07. To Be Young, Gifted And Black [10:14]
08. Suzanne / Bonus Track [05:05]
09. No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed / Bonus Track [04:51]
10. The Other Woman / Bonus Track [06:04]
11. Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There Is A Season) - Live / Bonus Track [04:37]
12. To Be Young, Gifted And Black (Single) / Bonus Track [02:50]
CD7: 1971 - Here Comes The Sun - 01:07:17
01. Here Comes The Sun [03:37]
02. Just Like A Woman [04:50]
03. O-o-h Child [03:17]
04. Mr. Bojangles [05:01]
05. New World Coming [04:45]
06. Angel Of The Morning [03:31]
07. How Long Must I Wonder [06:20]
08. My Way [05:14]
09. Tanywey / Bonus Track [03:28]
10. My Father / Bonus Track [01:42]
11. Jelly Roll / Bonus Track [08:14]
12. Tell It Like It Is / Bonus Track [03:53]
13. 22nd Century / Bonus Track [08:45]
14. What Have They Done To My Song, Ma / Bonus Track [04:32]
CD8: 1972 - Emergency Ward! - 00:39:06
01. My Sweet Lord / Today Is A Killer [18:36]
02. Poppies [04:13]
03. Isn't It A Pity [11:15]
04. Let It Be Me [05:00]
CD9: 1974 - It Is Finished - 00:59:57
01. The Pusher [05:15]
02. Com' By H'Yere Good Lord [05:51]
03. Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter [05:20]
04. Mr. Bojangles [04:52]
05. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl [05:55]
06. Dambala [06:52]
07. Let It Be Me [03:27]
08. Obeah Woman [06:25]
09. Nina / Bonus Track [04:14]
10. Zungo / Bonus Track [04:20]
11. Thandewye (a.k.a. A Charge To Keep) / Bonus Track [07:21]

NINA SIMONE - Fodder on My Wings (1982-2005) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the 1980s, Nina Simone's recordings, particularly those cut in the studio, tended to be a bit erratic. Fodder on My Wings, which was recorded in Paris, is certainly all over the place, although mostly rewarding. Simone is joined by a rhythm section and occasionally a pair of unidentified horns (trumpet and tenor), an organ, and background singers. The repertoire includes the quiet ballad "Il Y a un Baume a Gilhead," the rollicking "Liberian Calypso," a unique unaccompanied and mostly out-of-tempo interpretation of "Alone Together Naturally," and a brief satirical "Color Is a Beautiful Thing." There are also singalongs, brief throwaways, and aching ballads. Far from flawless, there are enough strong moments to make this set of interest to Nina Simone fans. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     I Sing Just to Know That I'm Alive 2:23
Nina Simone
2     Fodder in Her Wings 5:34
Nina Simone
3     Vous Êtes Seuls, Mais Je Désire Être Avec Vous 4:30
Nina Simone    
4     Il Y a un Baume a Gilhead 2:21
Nina Simone
5     Liberian Calypso 2:59
Nina Simone    
6     Alone Again Naturally 6:27
Gilbert O'Sullivan    
7     I Was Just a Stupid Dog to Them 2:25
Nina Simone
8     Color Is a Beautiful Thing 1:03
Nina Simone    
9     Le Peuple en Suisse 4:58
Nina Simone    
10     Heaven Belongs to You 3:38
Nina Simone    
11     Thandewye 5:31
Nina Simone    
12     Stop 2:19
Nina Simone    
13     They Took My Hand 0:34
Nina Simone
Credits :
Artwork By [Cover Painting] – Gabriel Jarnier
Congas, Bells, Percussion [Woodblock] – Sydney Thiam
Electric Bass, Vocals – Sylvain Marc
Percussion, Timpani – Paco Sery
Piano, Vocals, Harpsichord, Shaker, Tambourine, Vocals [Harmony], Arranged By, Conductor, Other [Conceived By], Lyrics By [English And French] – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - My Baby Just Cares for Me (Live at Ronnie Scott's) (1984-1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD gives listeners a typical Nina Simone live performance from the mid-1980s. But what is typical for the singer/pianist/social commentator would be extraordinary for most other performers. Before an adoring audience, Simone (who is accompanied by drummer Paul Robinson) performs such numbers as "Be My Husband," "I Loves You Porgy," "The Other Woman," "Mississippi Goddam" and (as her encore) "My Baby Just Cares for Me." Even with songs she has performed countless times before, these renditions sound quite fresh and relevant. Nina Simone, because she is a unique performer, is an acquired taste; her fans will definitely want this set. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     God, God, God 9:10
Nina Simone   
2     Just in Time 3:25
Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne
3     Let It Be Me 4:52
Gilbert Bécaud / Manny Curtis / Pierre Delanoë
4     The Other Woman 4:53
Jessie Mae Robinson / Nina Simone   
5     I Got Life 6:56
Galt MacDermot / James Rado / Gerome Ragni
6     If You Only Knew 3:27
Nina Simone   
7     To Be Young, Gifted and Black 2:51
Weldon Irvine / Nina Simone   
8     Moon Over Alabama/Mississippi Goddam 7:20
Bertolt Brecht / Nina Simone / Kurt Weill
9     Because/My Father's Dream 9:42
Judy Collins
10     Let No One Deceive You 4:51
Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill   
11     American Pie 1:11
Don McLean   
12     I Sing Just to Know That I'm Alive 2:56
Nina Simone
Credits :
Drums – Paul Robinson
Vocals, Piano – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - Nina's Back ! (1985-1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Originally recorded in 1985, following a lengthy semi-retirement from the music business, NINA'S BACK is pure Nina Simone. Her vocals and piano front a small and sympathetic band on a well-chosen set of standards and several Simone originals. Of those, "Fodder For Her Wings" and the intensely personal "I Sing Just To Know I Am Alive" rank among Nina Simone's finest late-era compositions. The other tracks, particularly an inviting "It's Cold Out There," are equally fine. AllMusic
Tracklist :
1     It's Cold Out There 5:31
Arthur Adams / Nina Simone / Eddie Singleton    
2     Porgy 4:56     
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
3     I Sing Just to Know That I'm Alive 3:25
Nina Simone    
4     For a While 2:54
Bob Gaudio / Jake Holmes    
5     Fodder on Her Wings 5:08
Nina Simone    
6     Touching and Caring 5:28
Nina Simone / Eddie Singleton    
7     Saratoga 3:19
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon    
8     You Must Have Another Lover 4:28
Arthur Adams / Nina Simone
Credits :
Arranged By – Hence Powell
Backing Vocals – The Waters Family
Guitar, Bass – Arthur Adams
Keyboards, Trumpet, Cornet [Coronet] – Hence Powell
Percussion – Luke Metoyer
Saxophone – Allan Barnes
Trombone – George Bohannon
Trumpet – Ray Brown
Vocals,
Piano – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - Let It Be Me (1987) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     My Baby Just Cares For Me 3:01
Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn    
2     Sugar in My Bowl 3:16
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon    
3     Fodder on My Wings 6:00
Nina Simone    
4     Be My Husband 3:55
Nina Simone / Andy Stroud    
5     Just Like a Woman 3:39
Bob Dylan    
6     Balm in Gilead 3:20
Traditional    
7     Stars 4:32
Janis Ian    
8     If You Pray Right (Heaven Belongs to You) 2:54
Nina Simone / Traditional
9     Medley 7:15
Gilbert Bécaud / Manny Curtis / Nina Simone         
10    Four Women 4:52     
Nina Simone / Eunice Waymon
11     Mississippi Goddam 5:02
Nina Simone    
12     Baltimore 4:41
Randy Newman
Credits :
Drums – Cornell McFadden
Guitar, Electric Bass – Arthur Adams
Vocals, Piano – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE - A Single Woaman (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Vocalist, composer and pianist Nina Simone returned from a lengthy self-imposed exile in 1993 with an autobiography and outstanding CD highlighting her still impressive singing and interpretative skills in an intriguing context, surrounded by strings and guitars. While the backdrops were lush and occasionally corny, Simone's deep, penetrating voice, careful pacing and dramatic delivery kept the songs from becoming sappy. While she's always been a great protest and political singer, Simone is also a superb romantic/love song stylist. Simone remains among America's premier performers, and this CD was a welcome addition to her sparkling legacy. Ron Wynn
Tracklist :
1     A Single Woman 3:33
Arranged By – Jeremy Lubbock
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Rod McKuen
2     Lonesome Cities 3:08
Arranged By – John Clayton
Bass – Jim Hughart
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Percussion – Larry Bunker
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Rod McKuen    
3     If I Should Lose You 3:59
Arranged By – Richard Evans
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Guitar – John Chiodini
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger    
4     The Folks Who Live on the Hill 3:39
Arranged By – Jeremy Lubbock
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
5     Love's Been Good to Me 3:57
Arranged By – Richard Evans
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Guitar – John Chiodini
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Rod McKuen    
6     Papa, Can You Hear Me? 4:22
Arranged By – Jeremy Lubbock, Nina Simone
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Orchestrated By – Jeremy Lubbock
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
7     Il N'Y a Pas d'Amour Heureux 6:26
Arranged By – John Clayton
Bass – Jim Hughart
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton*
Percussion – Larry Bunker
Piano – Michael Melvoin*
Written-By – Georges Brassens, Louis Aragon
8     Just Say I Love Him 4:29
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Paul Robinson
Guitar – Al Shackman
Piano – Nina Simone
Written-By – Jack Val, Jimmy Dale, Martin Kalmanoff
9     The More I See You 2:42
Arranged By – John Clayton
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Guitar – John Chiodini
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Trumpet – Jack Sheldon
Written-By – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon    
10     Marry Me 2:51
Arranged By – Nina Simone
Bass – John Clayton
Drums – Jeffrey Hamilton
Guitar – John Chiodini
Piano – Michael Melvoin
Written-By – Nina Simone

NINA SIMONE — The Colpix Singles (1998) RM | MONO | 2xCD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When Nina Simone released her first recordings for Bethlehem Records in 1958, she sounded strikingly accomplished both as a singer and a pianist, displaying the skill and the inspiration of a seasoned veteran. However, her Bethlehem sides only captured one aspect of her musical personality, and as even the most cursory examination of Simone's career makes clear, she was an artist who stubbornly refused to be pigeonholed. After Simone learned her first lesson about the vagaries of the music business when her deal with Bethlehem went sour, she signed with the Colpix label, where she recorded from 1959 to 1964, a time when jazz artists still made occasional appearances on the pop charts. The Colpix Singles is a collection that brings together the monophonic 45-rpm mixes of the 14 7"s released during Simone's tenure with the label, and it makes for a reasonably thorough overview of her work for Colpix. Simone's Bethlehem sides were recorded simply with a small rhythm section, but at Colpix she had the resources for more polished production and significantly more elaborate arrangements, some of which honor her jazz and blues influences, while others sound like clear efforts to introduce her to a mainstream pop audience. Whatever the surroundings, Simone never sounds like anything other than herself; her voice is strong and confident, her phrasing brings out the many moods and meanings of these songs, and her piano work is virtuosic without calling undue attention to itself. Even when the backings sound treacly, Simone rarely makes an emotionally false move. Simone also cut four live albums for Colpix, and the samples of her concert performances are outstanding; the live tracks capture Simone in her element and in the moment, and preserve her brilliance in simple but mesmerizing form. Completists will be happy to know that seven of these songs appear in single edits and mixes that have never before appeared in digital format, and the remastering is clean and well executed. The Colpix Singles covers a time when Simone was still exploring the boundaries of her creative approach, and not long before activism became a key part of her music and her life; this is far from a definitive sampling of this period, but it does make clear just how fruitful it was. by Mark Deming  
Tracklist 1 :

1 Chilly Winds Don't Blow 2:46

Hecky Krasnow / Bill Lovelock
2 Solitaire 3:24
King Guion / Carl Nutter
3 Children Go Where I Send You 2:49
Traditional
4 Willow Weep for Me 3:10
Ann Ronell
5 The Other Woman 2:57
Jessie Mae Robinson
6 It Might as Well Be Spring 3:16
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
7 Summertime 2:50
George Gershwin
8 Fine and Mellow 3:24
Billie Holiday
9 Since My Love Has Gone 2:48
Jack Aaron / Herbert Wasserman
10 Tomorrow (We Will Meet Once More) 3:02
Hermann Krasnow / Jerry Silverman
11 Under the Lowest [Short Version] 3:09
Nina Simone
12 If Only for Tonight 3:02
Martin Kalmanoff / Aaron Schroeder
13 Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out 2:40
Jimmie Cox
14 Black Is the Colour of My True Love's Hair 3:31
Traditional
Tracklist 2 :
1 Trouble in Mind [Single Version] 2:10
Richard Jones
2 Cotton Eyed Joe 2:51
Traditional
3 Work Song 2:07
Nat Adderley / Oscar Brown, Jr.
4 Memphis in June 2:39
Hoagy Carmichael / Paul Francis Webster
5 You Can Have Him 3:36
Irving Berlin
6 Gin House Blues 2:26
Fletcher Henderson / Henry Troy
7 Come on Back Jack 2:15
Leon Carr / Earl Shuman
8 You've Been Gone Too Long 2:11
9 In the Evening by the Moonlight 2:12
Nina Simone / Traditional
10 I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl 2:44
Nina Simone
11 I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) 3:38
Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster
12 Little Liza Jane 2:30
Traditional
13 Blackbird 3:54
Herb Sacker / Nina Simone