Nina Simone - High Priestess of Soul

Released in 1967, High Priestess of Soul closed out Nina Simone's run with Philips Records, and it did so with a title she never actually embraced herself. Management coined the "High Priestess of Soul" tag as a way to broaden her commercial appeal, and while it stuck as a nickname for years afterward, Simone reportedly rejected it outright, wary of being boxed in by any single label. Ironically, the album backing that title is one of her more expansive records, moving fluidly between popular songs, gospel, and original material in a way that resists easy categorization entirely.

Backed by a large band under the direction of arranger Hal Mooney, Simone works through the strutting "Don't You Pay Them No Mind" alongside deeply personal, gospel and folk-rooted originals like "Take Me to the Water" and "Come Ye," songs that draw directly on African American spiritual traditions and reflect Simone's growing engagement with the civil rights movement during this period. Her classically trained piano work and unmistakable contralto phrasing tie the whole record together, giving even the most soulful, R&B-leaning tracks a formal precision that set her apart from her contemporaries.

The album reached number 29 on the R&B chart, a modest commercial showing that undersells its importance as a transitional document, recorded right before Simone moved on to RCA Records and the more overtly political work that would define the next chapter of her career.

This vinyl LP pressing captures a pivotal, if often overlooked, moment in Simone's catalog.