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Essential - Nina Simone
At the turn of the century, Lauryn Hill was crowned as the soul talent par excellence on
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the basis of her work with the Fugees and one solo album, the fêted The Miseducation of. Still, she's a good a choice as any to make the point: without Nina Simone, there would be no Hill. Before even Aretha Franklin demanded "Respect", Simone was commanding audiences with her voice, virtuoso piano and powerful presence. In the early 1960s, she wrote "Mississippi Goddam" in response to the murder of civil-rights activist Medgar Evers; it remains one of the most potent protest songs of the era. Whether singing her own compositions or interpreting others, Simone puts her own stamp on every song, be it sad and bluesy ("Don't Smoke In Bed") or up-tempo and playful (but still deadly serious on "Love Me or Leave Me"). Amazon.co.uk contributor Lucy O'Brien compiled this Essential collection, and her take on Simone is joyously expansive, covering best-known works ("My Baby Just Cares For Me"), live tracks and some of O'Brien's favourites. The definitive Simone wouldn't fit on a single disc, so while there are plenty of greats not here, The Essential Nina Simone lives up to its billing. --Randy Silver