Of the handful of 20th century vocalists who will always be relevant to popular music, Nina Simone may be the most transcendent. There’s no mistaking that deep vocal timbre, those trembling syllables and unsaid emotions. When Nina sings a song, it just seems to mean more.
While Billie, Ella and Aretha were masters of their own realms, Nina was more elastic, shifting styles and moods without breaking a sweat. Her chameleonic brilliance is exhibited quite nicely on Baltimore, which was a comeback record of sorts when it was originally released in 1978. This digitally remastered and repackaged edition is bereft of any bonus tracks, and while this may be disappointing to fanatics, this is still classic Nina: spellbinding, adventurous and full of surprises.
The title track is a reggae take on a Randy Newman classic, which sets the tone for a stylistically vibrant album. Simone tackles the ballads with typical grace, especially “My Father.” This ode to hard-working dads and their unattainable dreams is absolutely perfect for the vocalist’s slightly weathered delivery – it’s good enough to rival the Judy Collins original, which was one of her most beautiful and bittersweet compositions.
Baltimore goes on to encompass hook-heavy pop (“Rich Girl”), friendly funk (“The Family”) and Bible-slappin’ gospel (“If You Pray Right”), all equally polished and fun to listen to. In the end, this album turned out to be one of the classics of Nina Simone’s later years. At the very least, it shows how this legendary singer and prolific musician had absolutely no fear, projecting her intangible mystique on every note she sang, even when her glory days were getting smaller in the rearview mirror.
Appeared in the December 23, 2004, issue of Artvoice.