Nina Simone - With Strings (1966)

Nina Simone had long since departed the Colpix label by the time of the 1966 release of this record. That accounts for its pasted-together contents, which combined some previously unreleased material with tracks with strings. Actually, not all of the selections had strings, which yielded a pretty misleading album title. That technicality isn't really important. 

This is not the Nina Simone record to start with, but if you like Simone enough to seek out a lot of her albums, there's some worthwhile music here, even if the programming isn't so smooth. The production is uneven, sometimes with the kind of strange echo and imbalance that makes the music sound as if it was recorded in a dressing room. Although Simone sings well on every take, the standards are outshone by the earthier tunes, like "Chain Gang (The Work Song)." Certainly the best number is "Blackbird," with its creepy bass and percussive slaps the only accompaniment for Simone's magnificent spiritual vocal.

In the UK, the album's version of "I Loves You Porgy" was used in television commercials in 1997 by the mobile telephone operator Orange.

Tracklist:

A1 I Love You Porgy 4:00
A2 Blackbird 2:06
A3 Falling In Love Again (Can't Help It) 2:38
A4 Baubles, Bangles And Beads 2:04
A5 Spring Is Here 2:37
B1 That's All 2:24
B2 Chain Gang 2:40
B3 The Man With A Horn 3:17
B4 Porgy, I Is Your Woman (Bess, You Is My Woman) 3:22
B5 Pigs Foot And A Bottle Of Beer 2:05

Nina Simone - With Strings (1966)
(320 kbps, cover art included)