180 Gram Vinyl! Mysterious, Sensual Ballad Voice! Her Debut Recording! Up-Tempo Jazz Style with Authority and an Enigmatic Down-Home Feel! Pressed at Pallas in Germany!
Nina Simone's first recording, released in 1957, showcases her ballad voice as one of mystery and sensuality backed by Jimmy Bond and Albert "Tootie" Heath.
Nina Simone was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music. Simone aspired to become a classical pianist while working in a broad range of styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop.
Her musical style arose from a fusion of gospel and pop songs with classical music, in particular, from her first inspiration, Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied with her expressive jazz-like singing in her characteristic contralto. She injected as much of her classical background into her music as possible to give it more depth and quality, as she felt that pop music was inferior to classical. Her intuitive grasp on the audienceperformer relationship was gained from a unique background of playing piano accompaniment for church revivals and sermons regularly from the early age of six years old.
"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 up-tempo 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... [M]any 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." - Thom Jurek/AMG
"Little Girl Blue is more than a splashy debut. Its an artistic statement by a jazz virtuoso... [I]t is a tour de force of musical vision. She reinvents a wide variety of material, commanding the essence of the compositions... Unlike all of her female peers, Simone is a serious bandleader... [T]he listener is treated to the quintessential rendition of 'I Loves You Porgy'. This was Nina Simones first big hit (in the Billboard Top 20), and her vocals are dazzling. She delivers all of the emotional intensity, but never overwhelms the music... All eleven songs are strong there is never a letdown. Pure Pleasure Records has done a sensational job in re-mastering this mono recording. Piano and voice tonality is superlative. The mix is clear and responsive to the different musical levels. This album sounds contemporary and electrifying." - Robbie Gerson, audaud.com, 5 Stars!
Click here to read the entire review!
Features:
180 Gram Vinyl
Pressed at Pallas in Germany
Limited Edition
Mono
Re-mastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London
Musicians:
Nina Simone, piano, vocals
Jimmy Bond, bass
Albert "Tootie" Heath, drums
Selections:
Side A:
1. Mood Indigo
2. Don't Smoke In Bed
3. He Needs Me
4. Little Girl Blue
5. Love Me Or Leave Me
6. My baby Just Cares For Me
Side B:
1. Good Bait
2. Plain Gold Ring
3. You'll Never Walk Alone
4. I Loves You Porgy
5. Central Park Blues
Nina Simone's first recording, released in 1957, showcases her ballad voice as one of mystery and sensuality backed by Jimmy Bond and Albert "Tootie" Heath.
Nina Simone was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist widely associated with jazz music. Simone aspired to become a classical pianist while working in a broad range of styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop.
Her musical style arose from a fusion of gospel and pop songs with classical music, in particular, from her first inspiration, Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied with her expressive jazz-like singing in her characteristic contralto. She injected as much of her classical background into her music as possible to give it more depth and quality, as she felt that pop music was inferior to classical. Her intuitive grasp on the audienceperformer relationship was gained from a unique background of playing piano accompaniment for church revivals and sermons regularly from the early age of six years old.
"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 up-tempo 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... [M]any 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." - Thom Jurek/AMG
"Little Girl Blue is more than a splashy debut. Its an artistic statement by a jazz virtuoso... [I]t is a tour de force of musical vision. She reinvents a wide variety of material, commanding the essence of the compositions... Unlike all of her female peers, Simone is a serious bandleader... [T]he listener is treated to the quintessential rendition of 'I Loves You Porgy'. This was Nina Simones first big hit (in the Billboard Top 20), and her vocals are dazzling. She delivers all of the emotional intensity, but never overwhelms the music... All eleven songs are strong there is never a letdown. Pure Pleasure Records has done a sensational job in re-mastering this mono recording. Piano and voice tonality is superlative. The mix is clear and responsive to the different musical levels. This album sounds contemporary and electrifying." - Robbie Gerson, audaud.com, 5 Stars!
Click here to read the entire review!
Features:
180 Gram Vinyl
Pressed at Pallas in Germany
Limited Edition
Mono
Re-mastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London
Musicians:
Nina Simone, piano, vocals
Jimmy Bond, bass
Albert "Tootie" Heath, drums
Selections:
Side A:
1. Mood Indigo
2. Don't Smoke In Bed
3. He Needs Me
4. Little Girl Blue
5. Love Me Or Leave Me
6. My baby Just Cares For Me
Side B:
1. Good Bait
2. Plain Gold Ring
3. You'll Never Walk Alone
4. I Loves You Porgy
5. Central Park Blues
