Jazz breaking news: Meshell Ndegeocello channels the spirit of Nina

A dedication to the fearless creativity and spirit of Nina Simone, the feisty songwriter/bassist is joined by her regular touring band of guitarist Chris Bruce, keyboardist Jebin Bruni and drummer Deantoni Parks, all creating radically reworked versions of songs made famous by the iconic singer. The recording also features guest vocal performances from Lizz Wright, Sinead O'Connor, Valerie June, Tracy Wannomae, Toshi Reagon and Cody ChesnuTT.

Recorded over a ten-day period the album’s often fiery, soulful exuberance is a direct reflection of Ndegeocello’s admiration of Simone’s indomitable creative spirit, describing the project as: “A dedication to Nina Simone and her incredible influence but it is also a dedication to the single, interior life we all experience. She wanted success, was pressured to make hits, but her own sound was still irrepressible. She had things to say, she protested. She was a loud, proud black, female voice during a time when black female voices were not encouraged to make themselves heard.” A statement that also reflects Meshell’s uneasy relationship with meeting commercial expectations – sparked by the early success of her 1993 debut Plantation Lullabies – she’s since pursued an unpredictable yet acclaimed career that includes such diverse work as her jazz-heavy 2005 album The Spirit Of Jamia: Dance of the Infidel, and Weather, her stunning singer songwriter set from 2011.

Pour une âme souveraine mixes up classic Nina material, such as ‘Feelin' Good’, alongside songs written by Simone (‘Real Real’), or for her (‘To Be Young, Gifted and Black’ penned by Weldon Irvine), the album reflects the breadth and dynamism of styles Simone embraced. From an almost funk-fuelled take on ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, to the languid soulfulness of ‘Feeling Good,’ or the stirring gospelised outpouring from Lizz Wright on ‘Nobody’s fault But Mine’, this is a record that surprises and delights in equal measure.

– Mike Flynn