Verve/Universal Music Group a newly discovered live album by Nina Simone.
Nina Simone – You’ve Got To Learn – Verve/Universal Music Group – B003788201 stereo vinyl, 32:52 ****1/2:
(Nina Simone – piano, vocals; Rudy Stevenson – guitar; Lisle Atkins – bass; Bobby Hamilton – drums)
As a celebration of jazz icon Nina Simone’s 90th birthday, Verve/Universal Music Group has released a live album, You’ve Got To Learn. Recorded at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival, this is the first time the performance has been heard on record. It had been donated to the Library Of congress by promoter George Wein. Simone’s studio catalog had been successful, but her live performances were transformative. This vinyl is no exception. Backed by Rudy Stevenson (guitar), Lisle Atkins (double bass) and Bobby Hamilton (drums), Simone delivers yet another brilliant set. All of her signature elements are eminently present. She is noted for her musical dexterity and passion for social justice.
Side A opens with the title track, written by Charles Aznavour and Marcel Stellman. Simone delivers a winsome, reflective vocal performance that has some social undercurrents. She injects bluesy countenance and the quartet stays in a tight pocket. As the song progresses, Simone amps up the intensity and adds some jazzy piano riffs. She is cable of taking a pop tune and redefining it as gospel testimony. Next up is one of her most recognized songs, George and Ira Gershwin’s “I Loves You Porgy”. Originally conceived and performed as an aria duet, this controversial song became a defining hit for Simone. Her vocals are spellbinding, distilling the profound emotion with moments of lilting elocution and hushed solitude. She adds some vocalese and injects vibrato. Her emphatic piano style incorporates classicism and Americana motifs. In a gut-wrenching “down ’n’ dirty” translation “Blues For Mama” (co-written with Abby Lincoln), she explores the quintessential theme of of love gone wrong. Gritty vocals and a jagged electric guitar add to the raw texture.
Simone and Hamilton perform a unique voice/drum duet that approximates a New Orleans vibe with “field” chanting. Simone’s growling vocals are compelling and display an improvisational gravitas. With the band fully back, Simone is electrifying on “Mississippi Goddam”. Within the swing arrangement, she details the horrific culture of racism, inspired by the assassination of Medgar Evans (by KKK members) and the unspeakable 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that killed four young black girls. Simone’s piano is jazzy and concise. Her vocals are intense and mirror the chilling narrative. It is a righteous, soulful, repudiation of oppression. The finale (“Music For Lovers”) is more aspirational and Simone’s complex piano run (with trills, rondo-like flourishes and crescendos) is impressive. Her vocals soar with operatic resonance.
Kudos to Verve/UMG for unearthing this mesmerizing live performance by Nina Simone.
—Robbie Gerson
Nina Simone – You’ve Got To Learn
TrackList:
Side A:
You’ve Got To Learn
I Loves You Porgy
Blues For Mama
Side B:
Be My Husband
Mississippi Goddam
Music For Lovers.
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