Philips, 1967
“On High Priestess of Soul,” Nina Simone is accompanied by a large band directed by legendary arranger, Hal Mooney, lending it an epic sweep and lush feel. While more conscious of the contemporary soul sounds of the day, the album sits comfortably alongside her eclectic mid-60s classics, containing popular songs, such as "Don't You Pay Them No Mind" as well as more serious African American gospel- and folk-related songs written by Simone herself, such as the haunting "Come Ye." Simone’s spirited rendition of Oscar Brown and Nat Adderley’s soul-jazz standard “Work Song” reveals a powerhouse vocalist in her prime.