Nina Simone - Baltimore (1978/2013) [LP,DSD128]

Veteran jazz producer Creed Taylor decided to sign Nina Simone to his record label after seeing her perform live in 1977 at Drury Lane, and together they would record "Baltimore," Simone's first album since 1974's It Is Finished. Sessions for the album were very tense, with Simone disagreeing with Taylor's production choices—particularly his interest in a reggae sound, which first caused Simone to ask "What is this corny stuff?" Simone's difficult behavior delayed production, but she would eventually record her vocals for the album in a single hour-long sitting. The place of recording may have had something to do with Simone's behavior, as she would later call the historic barn where Baltimore was recorded "a basement in Belgium where I was forced to sing songs in order to get out of there."

Tracklist:

Side A:

"Baltimore" (Randy Newman) – 4:37
"Everything Must Change" (Benard Ighner) – 3:57
"The Family" (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins) – 4:57
"My Father" (Judy Collins) – 4:54

Side B:

"Music for Lovers" (Bart Howard) – 3:40
"Rich Girl" (Daryl Hall) – 3:11
"That's All I Want From You" (Fritz Rotter) – 2:53
"Forget" (Rocky "Cole" Coluccio, David Matthews) – 2:54
"Balm in Gilead" (Traditional) – 2:24
"If You Pray Right" (Traditional) – 3:17



Musicians

Nina Simone – vocals, piano
Eric Gale – guitar
Gary King – bass
Jim Madison – drums
Nicky Marrero – percussion
Al Schackman – piano on "Baltimore"
Jerry Friedman – guitar on "The Family" and "Rich Girl"
Will Lee – bass on "Rich Girl"
Andy Newmark – drums on "Rich Girl"
David Matthews – string arrangements, piano on "The Family" and "Forget"
String section:
Barry Finclair, Charles Libove, David Nadien, Harry Glickman, Harry Lookofsky, Herbert Sorkin, Marvin Morgenstern, Max Ellen, Richard Sortomme – violin
Alfred Brown, Emanuel Vardi, LaMar Alsop – viola
Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken, Jonathan Abramowitz – cello
Chuck Israels, Homer Mensch, John Beal – double bass
Albertine Robinson, Babi Floyd, Debbie McDuffie, Frank Floyd, Joshie Armstead, Maeretha Stewart, Milt Grayson, Ray Simpson – background vocals


Thanks to the original releaser!

Hi-Res analogue rips

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