Various Artists
Nina Revisited… A Tribute To Nina Simone (RCA)
With the recent resurgence in all things Nina Simone, (a Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone?, an upcoming biopic, etc.) there’s no better time than now to unleash a tribute album to the High Priestess of Soul. Curated by Lauryn Hill, a controversial deity in her own right, the compilation features covers by Hill, Usher, Mary J Blige and many more.
Hill contributes six tracks. On “I Got Life”, she samples Simone’s original vocal, and delivers a politically charged, perhaps over-bearing rap. It is not the album’s finest moment, but she comes close with the mellower “Wild Is The Wind”. Her powerful take of “Feeling Good” is charged with the same confidence and sexuality as the original.
While Usher’s “My Baby Just Cares For Me” is kinda corny, and Mary J Blige’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” is somewhat redundant, there are some transcendent moments. Simone’s daughter, Lisa Simone offers a smoky rendition of “I Want a Little Sugar In My Bowl”. Alice Smith's hauntingly beautiful cover of “I Put A Spell On You”, wrought with raw emotion over a simple reverse-effect guitar.
Paying tribute to a legend is never easy, and sure to leave a few upsets on the way. Hill has managed to put together an array of artists as diverse as Simone herself, but above all, it is the love, care and respect that each of them brings to the music that makes this tribute worthy.
Rating: ★★★1/2
