Her deep voice and the funky sophistication of her piano have made Nina Simone a timeless icon of American music. Her extreme sensitivity as a militant artist in the struggle for civil rights was matched only by her unrivalled talent as a vocalist and instrumentalist: nobody could come close to her when she infused jazz with soul, or classical music with rhythm and blues. Here Olivier Julien has brought together a complete set of Nina Simone’s effervescent recordings from her early period, featuring a great number of her hits including the emblematic “My Baby just Cares for Me”.
Patrick Frémeaux

CD 1 : MOOD INDIGO • DON’T SMOKE IN BED • HE NEEDS ME • LITTLE GIRL BLUE • LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME • MY BABY JUST CARES FOR ME • GOOD BAIT • PLAIN GOLD RINGFREMEAUX264YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE • I LOVES YOU PORGY • CENTRAL PARK BLUES • BLUE PRELUDE • CHILDREN GO WHERE I SEND YOU • TOMORROW (WE WILL MEET ONCE MORE) • STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY • IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING • YOU’VE BEEN GONE TOO LONG • THAT’S HIM OVER THERE • CHILLY WINDS DON’T BLOW • THEME FROM “MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT” • CAN’T GET OUT OF THIS MOOD • WILLOW WEEP FOR ME • SOLITAIRE.
CD 2 : BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY TRUE LOVE’S HAIR • EXACTLY LIKE YOU • THE OTHER WOMAN • UNDER THE LOWEST • YOU CAN HAVE HIM • SUMMERTIME • SUMMERTIME (VOCAL) • COTTON EYED JOE • RETURN HOME • WILD IS THE WIND • FINE AND MELLOW • DO NOTHIN’ TILL YOU HEAR FROM ME • I GOT IT BAD • HEY, BUDDY BOLDEN • MERRY MENDING • SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR • YOU BETTER KNOW IT • I LIKE THE SUNRISE • SOLITUDE • THE GAL FROM JOE’S • SATIN DOLL • IT DON’T MEAN A THING.
CD3 : TROUBLE IN MIND • BLUES FOR PORGY • LITTLE LIZA JANE • YOU’D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO • FLO ME LA • NINA’S BLUES • IN THE EVENING BY THE MOONLIGHT • RAGS AND OLD IRON • NO GOOD MAN • GIN HOUSE BLUES • I’LL LOOK AROUND • I LOVE TO LOVE • WORK SONG • WHERE CAN I GO WITHOUT YOU • JUST SAY I LOVE HIM (ENGLISH VERSION) • MEMPHIS IN JUNE • FORBIDDEN FRUIT.
CD4 : JUST IN TIME • HE WAS TOO GOOD TO ME • HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN • BYE BYE BLACKBIRD • BROWN BABY • ZUNGO • IF HE CHANGED MY NAME • CHILDREN GO WHERE I SEND YOU • AFRICAN MAILMAN • FOR ALL WE KNOW • HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS • IF ONLY FOR TONIGHT • NOBODY KNOWS YOU • WHEN YOU’RE DOWN AND OUT • COME ON BACK, JACK • I WANT A LITTLE SUGAR IN MY BOWL.
DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE : OLIVIER JULIEN