The Montreux Years
BMG, 2021
9/10
The fans of Nina Simone won’t be disappointed in this double disc collection that offers 29 tracks recorded at The Montreux Jazz Festival from 5 performances spanning 4 different decades (1968, 1976, 1981, 1987 and 1990).
“Someone To Watch Over Me” starts the listen with sublime, intricate piano playing as Simone’s finger acrobatics are nothing short of fascinating, and “Backlash Blues” follows with her inimitable, soulful pipes taking help on light drumming and equally sparse bass.
Further on, “Stars” emits much beauty as a minimal approach is met with poetic singing/talking, while “African Mailman” turns the volume up with rumbling keys, quick drumming and wild percussion in the busy, cultured excitement. “No Woman No Cry” then puts a very fun spin on the classic as Simone retains the spirit of the original in her own version that has Paul Robinson on drums, Leopoldo Fleming contributing percussion and Alvin Schackman holding down guitar, vibraphone and synth.
Disc 1 ends with “Montreux Blues” and “My Baby Just Cares For Me”, where the former recruits well timed harmonica, firm keys and plenty of crowd participation, and the latter flows with swift and glorious musicianship that’s bouncy, memorable and will have you grinning ear to ear.
The 2nd disc is Simone’s 1968 concert in full, making it the first time it’s been available on CD. Armed with an exceptional band, the legend turns in fantastic renditions of “Gin House Blues” and “To Love Somebody”. The highlight from the set is the gospel fueled “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free”, though each song is truly great, as she spans pop, folk and jazz.
No one will ever play music like Simone and her activism has certainly inspired legions of others. This release captures her in fine form with excellent sound quality, and is absolutely a worthwhile chapter in her legacy aimed at the longtime fans, but wouldn’t be a bad starting point for the first time listener, too.
Travels well with: Etta James- The Montreux Years; Coniece Washington- Shades Of Shirley Horn