Nina Simone at Newport


Nina Simone at Newport is a live album by jazz singer and musician Nina Simone. It was released in August 1960; the recording taken from a concert held at the Newport Jazz Festival earlier in the year, on 30 June 1960. The album was her fourth overall, and her third for Colpix; it was also her second live album, following on from Nina Simone at Town Hall released at the end of the previous year. All arrangements on Nina Simone at Newport were written by Simone, and it was produced by Stu Phillips.

Overview

Simone had been prolific in 1959, the year of her first releases. There had been three albums, Little Girl Blue, from Bethlehem Records, and from Colpix Records, The Amazing Nina Simone and Nina Simone at Town Hall. The first two had been studio albums, while At Town Hall had been a live album. She had also had a number of singles released from both Bethlehem Records and Colpix Records, with an early track from Little Girl Blue becoming a hit: 'I Loves You, Porgy'.
In the wake of her successes in 1959, Simone was headlining at concert halls and clubs and touring extensively during 1960. On 30 June that year came the band's biggest gig yet - the fifth annual Newport Jazz Festival. The gig was recorded and released around a month later in August 1960.

Personnel