egroj world: Nina Simone • A Single Woman The Complete Elektra Recordings

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Nina Simone • A Single Woman The Complete Elektra Recordings

Review by Thom Jurek
A Single Woman is the final studio album released by Nina Simone. Released in 1993, it was her first studio outing in seven years and was produced by Andre Fischer, the Grammy-winning co-founder/drummer of Rufus who produced Natalie Cole's smash Unforgettable. The recording sessions netted 17 tunes -- ten made the final cut. Her revolving studio cast included bassists John Clayton and Jim Hughart, pianist Michael Melvoin, percussionist Larry Bunker, drummer Jeffrey Hamilton, and guitarists John Chiodini and Al Schackman. A 50-piece orchestra with strings performed on the first seven tracks. The material was shaped by arrangers Clayton, William Evans, and Jeremy Lubbock. Despite her trademark range in choosing material and a thoroughly committed performance that ranged effortlessly across genres, Fischer's polished production miffed some critics, who lamented that the recording wasn't "raw" enough. Simone isn't credited on piano because she sang while fronting the orchestra.

The album is modeled on two of Simone's favorite albums: Billie Holiday's 1958 classic Lady in Satin and Frank Sinatra's 1969 A Man Alone (The Words and Music of Rod McKuen). She actually kicks the record off with two McKuen selections: The poignant philosophical ballad "A Simple Woman" and the jaunty "Lonesome Cities." She then delivers a stunning "Love's Been Good to Me" a few selections later, detailing her amorous relationships. The orchestral tunes end a few songs later with her luscious reading of George Brassens' heartbreaking chanson "Il N'y A Pas D'Amour Heureux" (There is No Such Thing as Happy Love). All three songs appeared on Sinatra's album. "Just Say I Love Him" is a dark, lonely, loss-ridden cabaret song. Harry Warren's "The More I See You" is a finger-popping jazz tune with a hip trumpet break by Jack Sheldon before the album wraps with the swinging Simone original "Marry Me." Though dismissed by critics at the time, A Single Woman reveals an ever-evolving, creatively restless artist and deserves reconsideration as a powerful work of mature, iconic art.

[2025's A Single Woman: The Complete Elektra Recordings is beautifully remastered. Its ten bonus tracks include the seven unissued session songs including a stellar "The Long and Winding Road," a 58-second intro take of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" that emerges into Prince's "Sign of the Times" to reflect their original sequencing. (There's an alternate take of it later.) It also includes two excellent takes of Fats Waller's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" that cross jump blues, stride, and R&B. Simone pays a fantastic tribute to Bob Marley with "No Woman, No Cry." The inclusion of two takes of the sexually overt "Do I Move You" looks back to the 1960s when she cut the tune twice as a single in 1966 and an unreleased second, slower, lustier version. This one revels in a celebratory sensuality. There are also two versions of "Baseball Boogie," presumably with Simone pumping the 88s in scorching jump blues versions.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-single-woman-the-complete-elektra-recordings-mw0004631665

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Reseña de Thom Jurek
A Single Woman es el último álbum de estudio lanzado por Nina Simone. Lanzado en 1993, fue su primera salida de estudio en siete años y fue producido por Andre Fischer,cofundador/baterista ganador del Grammy de Rufus que produjo el éxito Unforgettable de Natalie Cole. Las sesiones de grabación obtuvieron 17 melodías ten diez llegaron al corte final. Su elenco de estudio rotativo incluía a los bajistas John Clayton y Jim Hughart, el pianista Michael Melvoin, el percusionista Larry Bunker, el baterista Jeffrey Hamilton y los guitarristas John Chiodini y Al Schackman. Una orquesta de 50 músicos con cuerdas tocó en las primeras siete pistas. El material fue moldeado por los arreglistas Clayton, William Evans y Jeremy Lubbock. A pesar de su rango característico en la elección del material y una interpretación completamente comprometida que abarcaba sin esfuerzo todos los géneros, la pulida producción de Fischer molestó a algunos críticos, quienes lamentaron que la grabación no fuera lo suficientemente "cruda". Simone no está acreditada al piano porque cantó al frente de la orquesta.

El álbum está inspirado en dos de los álbumes favoritos de Simone: el clásico Lady in Satin de Billie Holiday de 1958 y A Man Alone de Frank Sinatra de 1969 (Las palabras y la música de Rod McKuen). De hecho, inicia el disco con dos selecciones de McKuen: La conmovedora balada filosófica "A Simple Woman" y la alegre " Lonesome Cities. Luego entrega un impresionante "El amor Ha sido Bueno para Mí" unas pocas selecciones más tarde, detallando sus relaciones amorosas . Las melodías orquestales terminan unas canciones más tarde con su deliciosa lectura de la desgarradora canción de George Brassens "Il N'y A Pas D'Amour Heureux" (No Existe el Amor Feliz). Las tres canciones aparecieron en el álbum de Sinatra. "Just Say I Love Him" es una canción de cabaret oscura, solitaria y llena de pérdidas. "The More I See You" de Harry Warren es una melodía de jazz que hace estallar los dedos con un corte de trompeta moderno de Jack Sheldon antes de que el álbum termine con el swing original de Simone " Marry Me."Aunque rechazada por los críticos en ese momento, A Single Woman revela una artista en constante evolución y creativamente inquieta y merece una reconsideración como una poderosa obra de arte maduro e icónico.

[A Single Woman: The Complete Elektra Recordings de 2025 está bellamente remasterizada. Sus diez pistas adicionales incluyen las siete canciones de sesión no emitidas, incluida una estelar "The Long and Winding Road", una toma introductoria de 58 segundos de "The Times They Are A-Changin'" de Bob Dylan que emerge en "Sign of the Times" de Prince para reflejar su secuencia original. (Hay una versión alternativa más adelante.) También incluye dos excelentes tomas de "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" de Fats Waller que cruzan jump blues, stride y R & B. Simone rinde un fantástico homenaje a Bob Marley con " No Woman, No Cry."La inclusión de dos tomas de la abiertamente sexual" Do I Move You " se remonta a la década de 1960 cuando ella cortó la melodía dos veces como sencillo en 1966 y una segunda versión inédita, más lenta y exuberante. Este se deleita con una sensualidad festiva. También hay dos versiones de "Baseball Boogie", presumiblemente con Simone bombeando los 88 en versiones abrasadoras de jump blues.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-single-woman-the-complete-elektra-recordings-mw0004631665

Tracks:
1 - A Single Woman - 3:33
2 - Lonesome Cities - 3:08
3 - If I Should Lose You
Written-By – Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger - 3:59
4 - The Folks Who Live On The Hill
Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern - 3:39
5 - Love's Been Good To Me - 3:57
6 - Papa, Can You Hear Me?
Written-By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand - 4:22
7 - Il N'y A Pas D'Amour Heureux
Written-By – Georges Brassens, Louis Aragon - 6:26
8 - Just Say I Love Him
Written-By – Jack Val, Jimmy Dale (3), Martin Kalmanoff - 4:29
9 - The More I See You
Written-By – Harry Warren (2), Mack Gordon - 2:42
10 - Marry Me - 2:51
- Previously Unreleased -
11 - The Long And Winding Road
Written-By – John Lennon / Paul McCartney - 3:32
12 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
Written-By – Fred E. Ahlert, Joe Young (3) - 2:20
13 - Baseball Boogie - 0:55
14 - No Woman, No Cry
Written-By – Bob Marley, Vincent Ford - 3:13
15 - Do I Move You? - 3:16
16 - The Times They Are A-Changin'
Written-By – Bob Dylan - 0:56
17 - Sign 'O' The Times
Written-By – Prince - 5:37

Label: Elektra – 8122-79999-0, Rhino Records (2) – 8122-79999-0, Warner Jazz – 8122-79999-0, Warner Classics & Jazz – 8122-79999-0
Series: Elektra Masters, Elektra Masters
Country: Europe
Released: 2025
Genre: Jazz, Pop
Style: Soul, Vocal
https://www.discogs.com/release/3644299-Nina-Simone-A-Single-Woman?srsltid=AfmBOorJwzvEA-5xsu_Dzwo3eur-emKmEWmwQCyPvbfpbP7tDufjW3MW