Sings Duke Ellington

Description

Here is one of Nina Simone's best albums in a long time. She took ownership of a multitude of Duke Ellington pieces, some well-known, others less so, and gave them interesting and captivating interpretations, imbued with her very particular style. The album, a bit more direct than her later works, benefits from a polished accompaniment by Stu Phillips, which also features the Malcolm Dodds Singers. The result is a masterpiece, proof that, even in her early days, Nina could transform any piece and reveal a soulful depth that even the original recordings could not fully capture. Among the standout tracks: « I Got It Bad », « Solitude », « The Gal From Joe's », « It Don't Mean A Thing » and « I Like The Sunrise ».