4-vinyl limited edition box set including a 30 x 30 8-page booklet featuring the biography of Nina Simone but also anecdotes and citations. All the tracks included in this box have been remastered for the occasion:
Vinyl 1
Side A - NINA SIMONE ESSENTIAL
Side B - NINA SIMONE ~ LITTLE GIRL BLUE (BETHLEHEM)
Vinyl 2
Side C - NINA SIMONE ~ LITTLE GIRL BLUE (BETHLEHEM)
Side D - THE AMAZING NINA SIMONE
Vinyl 3
Side E - NINA SIMONE AT TOWN HALL
Side F - NINA SIMONE ~ FORBIDDEN FRUIT
Vinyl 4
Side G - NINA SIMONE AT NEWPORT
Side H - NINA SIMONE SINGS DUKE ELLINGTON
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Nina Simone rightly belongs in the Pantheon of exceptional voices, as an immense artist whose fervour and mastery of the piano made every performance a uniquely original work of jazz, soul and classical music combined. A whirlwind of triumphs and frustrations characterized her life, perhaps explained by a mixture of exceptional gifts, a seriously classical piano education, and three critical E. D Zemall episodes that came without warning: the Curtis Institute's refusal to accept her as a pupil; the departure of her husband and manager; and the suffering of black people in Sixties' America. These circumstances forged her into one of the most gifted vocalists of her generation, as well as one of its most controversial personalities, fascinating millions of admirers.
The history of music shows us that different kinds and forms follow each other. And that the latest trend overshadows the one that came before it. Today it's difficult to say exactly which trend dominates, as there are so many music currents that overlap and intersect. Mainstream exists no longer. Yet one thing is certain: each music form is built on the music that precedes it. There would be no jazz without classical music, no rock without blues, no rock without jazz, no rap without soul music, no sampling without the riffs of either soul or rock… and therefore, inside each genre you find different chapters in the history of music. And that is why it is so important to understand their origins: they shed the light that is necessary for an understanding of the music born every day.
The richness of jazz lies at the origin of so much music today that it is essential to discover this creative wealth. The Essential Works of Masters of Jazz bring to light those 20th century creations that still exert an influence on the majority of musicians today — whether they are aware of it or not.
The Essential Works of Masters of Jazz gather the fundamental creations of the music of today.