High Priestess of Soul

Nina Simone wore many hats: civil rights activist, prodigious pianist, jazz pioneer, game-changing songwriter. On this eclectic record, she flexes all these muscles, backed by swelling big-band arrangements courtesy of Hal Mooney. “Take Me to the Water” mines a cavernous, harrowing sound synonymous with Southern spirituals, while “I’m Going Back Home” fuses fervent, funky church organ with Simone’s molasses vocals. “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” is groove-laden pop, and “Work Song,” with its jaunty horns, showcases midcentury jazz at its finest.