A collection of recordings that the inimitable Nina Simone made for the Colpix label early in her career, between 1959 and 1963. Simone excels on the many live cuts included here,accompanying herself on the piano with her trio, which features the intricately beautiful guitar work of Al Shackman. Her treatment of Irving Berlin's "You Can Have Him" is transcendent and breathtaking. Even when she's gentle and tender, as in her classic version of "Wild Is the Wind", her passion always seethes under the surface. She is a master musician, and her tastes in material and arrangements are always eclectic, daring, and surprising. The 19 tracks here (two previously unreleased), run the gamut of jazz, folk, blues, andsoul, providing a wonderful overview of her powerful artistry.