Nina Simone – In Concert - Emergency Ward! (Speakers Corner)

One may say of luck that Nina Simone, despite her infamous eccentric ego, perceived her musical environment with sharpened senses and used it for her own experiments. This was the only way that a lot of stock repertoire, traditional blues numbers, black work songs and proven white show melodies with a deep soul feeling could reach the fans.

"Emergency Ward" is no exception in this respect: Simone borrowed George Harrison's original for the explosive live medley "My Sweet Lord" as well as David Nelson's lyric "Today Is A Killer". Together with a small combo and a gospel choir, Simone ignites an 18-minute continuous fire that never loses a second of its spiritual power.

The questioning "Isn't It A Pity" captivates with its instrumental simplicity on the piano against the quiet "Poppies", very elaborately produced with strings, woodwinds and choir. Supported only by simple, throbbing harmonies, which occasionally swell her into chord clouds, Simone places her voice, capable of modulation, in the room, which, as so often happens, fades away as unanswered shouting in nothingness.

An extraordinary album and a roller coaster of emotions that leaves no one cold.

Reviews

M. Böde in Stereo 10 / 06: "Jazz-Lady Nina Simone burned in the November 1971 in Fort Dix live a true emotional Fireworks. A highly explosive mixture, the Nina Simone their listeners with band support as well as the help of an the ears of enthusuasized gospel choirs, as if it were to convert a bunch of heathens. What an experience!"