Nina Simone - Live 1961-1962

Nina Simone has always been hard to classify. The "High Priestess of Soul" was trained as a classical pianist, but branched out early into pop, gospel, jazz and blues, playing and singing everyone's compositions and writing many of her own. At 28 years old, she had already been seen in many clubs and had recorded several LPs when in 1961-62 she agreed to be filmed, without audience, in a New York City studio.
On the1961 date, Nina Simone, on piano and vocals is accompanied by Bobby Hamilton (percussion), Chris White (bass) and Al Schackman (guitar). This is the same group that had backed her at the Newport Jazz Festival the year before.In 1962 she headed back to the studio and performs with Montego Joe (congas), Lisle Atkinson (bass), Paul Palmieri (guitar), and Warren Smith (percussion). At that time, she was playing with this group of musicians at the New York City jazz venue The Village Gate. Selections include: Sunday in Savannah, I'll Look Around, When I Was in My Prime, Zungo (a Nigerian chain gang song taught her by the great drummer Babatunde Olatunji), For All We Know, Strawberry Woman, Crab Man..., I Loves You, Porgy (from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess) and some jazz improvisation.These are two rare performances, captured live, that every Nina Simone fan will treasure