Juxtapoz Magazineさんのインスタグラム写真 - (Juxtapoz MagazineInstagram)「We were hesitant to put “Nina Simone Sings the Blues” so close to John Coltrane's “A Love Supreme” in the #juxtapozsoundandvision Vision series, not only because of closeness in years (Simone-1967, Coltrane-1965), but because of the symbolism on the covers. But after this week, we wanted to focus on it. The intensity, the almost mythical sound of the music, the eyes peering off into the distance with purpose and intention. They feel like similar artists, too, in a way. Nina Simone in 1967 was at the peak of her powers, fresh off her classic 1966 album, “High Priestess of Soul.” “Blues” was her debut with RCA. I don't claim to have lived in 1967, but something tells me hearing Simone's "The House of the Rising Sun" in 1967 was revelation. As the tumultuous and enlightening years of Civil Rights, Vietnam and the Summer of Love all began to intersect, there was this voice, this soul, these blues. And over 50 years later, the album seems as vital as ever to contemporary America. • “Backlash Blues,” with Civil Rights-inspired lyrics by poet, Langston Hughes, feels the most traditional blues, rough around the edges even. Some have called the album "gritty," but it just feels like Simone's composed a tight, focused collection. No note was wasted but it wasn’t glossy. The cover is sparse but hypnotic, like the music. It's just her eyes: determined, intense, focused. If those eyes don't tell you the story of the artist, I don't know what will. David Hollander photographed the sessions for the album at RCA Studios in NY, which made it to the cover. As Nina Simone feels like a singular force in music, this cover seems to exemplify that fact. • Nina Simone has found her way into more and more pop-culture contexts in recent years. Kanye West, in particular has sampled Simone's work, and many historians put Simone in her rightful place as one of the great artists on the last 100 years. Nina Simone Sings the Blues remains a special release in the Simone catalog, 13-songs of deep reflection and emotional depth. This album may be called the blues, but this was all about soul.」7月22日 0時30分