Nina Simone sings the blues

"A&R executive Danny Davis brought together the finest session players in New York for the album of blues standards, but that was precisely the problem. The bands forté clearly isn't the blues, and their approximations of Chicago blues are disappointingly clichéd ... However, Simone is rarely cowed by substandard accompaniment and frequently on this album, she rises above the material ... But what will put this album into most peoples record collection, is Simones fantastic and popular I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl. Oozing sexuality and longing, it's no surprise that the song has endured so well".

"The song selection is key here. Because for all intents and purposes this is perhaps the rawest record Simone ever cut ... "Nina Simone Sings the Blues" is a hallmark recording that endures; it deserves to be called a classic".