Love Songs

Nina Simone's gorgeous, husky voice lent itself well to interpreting a wide range of material, including standards, folk, soul, show tunes, and--of course--love songs. This RCA/Legacy compilation rounds up a strong batch of the latter, and does a fine job representing Simone's vocal prowess and impressive stylistic range. The recordings are culled from Simone's heyday in the late 1960s and early '70s, and include treatments of songs by Bob Dylan ("Just Like a Woman"), the Bee Gees ("To Love Somebody"), Sandy Denny ("Who Knows Where the Time Goes"), and Leonard Cohen ("Suzanne"), among others. In addition to unique, soulful spins on songs by late-'60s songwriters, Simone treats classics like Hoagy Carmichael's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" and two tunes from PORGY & BESS with equal flair and adventurousness. As a vocalist, Simone simultaneously surprises with her inventiveness and enchants with the warmth of her delivery, a combination perfectly suited to this set of love- and longing-themed tunes. Personnel: Nina Simone (vocals). Arrangers: Nina Simone; Emile Latimer; Harold Wheeler; Sammy Lowe.