NINA SIMONE — The Complete RCA Albums Collection (2011) 9xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Nina Simone was a singular artist, and she went where she pleased, leaving behind a recorded legacy that is passionate, political, defiant, and delicate by turns, no matter what strain of folk, blues, jazz, or gospel she was dipping into, and she did it all with dignity, grace, and intelligence. This set collects all nine of her albums for RCA Records (released between 1967 and 1974), and thus includes some of her greatest recordings. Signature songs like "I Loves You, Porgy," "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl" (in a couple of versions), and "Mississippi Goddam" (a Simone original -- one wishes she had written more than she did) are all here, along with powerful versions of songs by Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Willie Dixon, the Beatles, and Randy Newman, among others. Simone didn't just sing a song. She made it hers. Steve Leggett

CD1: Nina Simone Sings The Blues (1967)
CD2: Silk & Soul (1967)
CD3: 'Nuff Said! (1968)
CD4: Nina Simone And Piano! (1969)
CD5: To Love Somebody (1969)
CD6: Black Gold (1969)
CD7: Here Comes The Sun (1971)
CD8: Emergency Ward! (1972)
CD9: It Is Finished (1974)