Nina Simone Sings Ellington!

AMG Review of Nina Simone Sings Ellington!

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

Nina Simone was on her way to becoming a major name by 1962, with her protest and civil rights songs giving her acclaim and recognition far beyond the jazz world. This CD reissue is a change of pace for the singer/pianist, who is heard performing 11 songs written by Duke Ellington and/or Billy Strayhorn. Backed by an unidentified string orchestra (the accompaniment is often sparse) and the Malcolm Dodds Singers, she not only revives the usual Duke hits but such obscurities as "Hey, Buddy Bolden," "Merry Mending," and "You Better Know It." None of these performances sound like the typical treatment of Ellington material, with "I Got It Bad" having a gospel feel, "Something to Live For" being brief but heartfelt, "I Like the Sunrise" sounding like a big production number, and "Satin Doll" being taken as an instrumental. The brevity of this CD is unfortunate and this project should have been combined with another former LP, but what is here is quite intriguing and original.