Nina Simone - The Best Studio & Live Recordings (2LP) [2017] Vinyl

Nina Simone's career spanned three decades of studio recordings and electrifying live performances, earning her the title "High Priestess of Soul." This double-LP compilation from Vinyl Passion brings together 27 tracks across four sides, presenting a balanced portrait of Simone's artistry: the first disc draws from her finest studio sessions while the second captures the raw intensity of her concert performances.

Studio Recordings (LP1)

The studio disc opens with the playful swing of "My Baby Just Cares For Me" — the track that brought Simone renewed international fame when it was used in a Chanel No. 5 advertisement in 1987. From there, the selection moves through some of her most celebrated interpretations: the sultry restraint of "Don't Smoke In Bed," the Ellington standard "Mood Indigo," and the tender vulnerability of "I Loves You, Porgy." The studio side closes with the gospel-inflected "Children Go Where I Send You," showcasing Simone's classical piano training alongside her deep roots in African-American spiritual music.

Live Performances (LP2)

The live disc draws from performances spanning 1959 to 1985, including recordings from Town Hall in New York City (1959), Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island (1960), the Village Gate in New York City (1961), and the University of California Berkeley (1969). These performances capture Simone at her most commanding — the politically charged "Mississippi Goddam" and "Four Women" sit alongside definitive live readings of "Summertime" and "Wild Is The Wind." The disc closes with "My Baby Just Cares For Me," bookending the set with a live counterpart to the studio version that opens LP1.

Pressing Details

Mastered using the Direct Metal Mastering (DMM) process and pressed on 180g solid turquoise vinyl, the set is housed in a gatefold jacket. The DMM cutting technique transfers the audio signal directly to a copper-plated disc rather than a lacquer, reducing a generation of transfer and preserving fine detail in the high frequencies.