Colpix Records, founded in 1958, was a subsidiary of film company Columbia Pictures-Screen Gems. Most of its output consisted of pop songs by movie stars; novelty (Yogi Bear!) and comedy records (Woody Allen’s stand-up debut was released on the label); plus spoken word and documentary albums.

The label did however have one bona fide musical superstar – a young Nina Simone. Colpix was the pianist/singer’s first major label after her short and unhappy stint at Bethlehem, which produced a mega-hit in ‘I Loves You Porgy’ but no royalties. What is striking about this period in Simone’s career is that Colpix ceded all creative control to the artist, allowing her to choose her material and select her backing musicians; this resulted in a run of superb albums that showcased her extraordinary talents, as well as her emerging socio-political concerns.

Although overshadowed by her ‘imperial phase’ at Philips and RCA (1964–74), the Colpix years marked the first flowerings of Nina as a distinctive artist and jazz giant-cum-activist.

This great-value (around £35-40) and comprehensive box set collects together no fewer than 107 recordings across eight albums from this crucial period: The Amazing Nina Simone and Nina Simone At Town Hall (1959), Nina Simone At Newport (1960), Forbidden Fruit (1961), Nine Simone At The Village Gate and Nina Simone Sings Ellington (1962), Nina Simone At Carnegie Hall (1963) and Folksy Nina (1964). All come in facsimile sleeves (not very well reproduced, sadly) and bonus tracks; the mastering, by Nick Robbins, is generally very good, resulting in excellent sound.

Add in an informative 36-page booklet (with notes by Nina Simone Appreciation Society founder David Nathan), and you have what is – if you don’t have the albums separately – an essential purchase; and even if you do own them, it’s great to have them all together in one place, in this quality, and with the related singles versions, outtakes, offcuts and unreleased material included.