Genre: soul
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title:  Emergency Ward
Company: RCA Victor
Catalog: LSP-4248
Year: 1973
Country/State: Tryon, North Carolina
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: sill in shrink wrap (opened)
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6336
Price: $15.00

As you can probably tell from earlier reviews, I'm a big Nina Simone fan. There's something immensely appealing about this woman's sense of justice and her quirky and unique mixture of musical genres - folk, jazz, pop, R&B, and soul; sometimes all mixed together in one song. That said, 1973's "Emergency Ward" was one strange release ... Billed as a live album, the opening audience chanting certainly sounded like a concert performances, but with an elaborate arrangements, the two songs on side two had to be studio tracks. The album itself only featured four performances, including two George Harrison covers ('My Sweet Lord' and 'Isn't It a Pity'). In spite of the fact there weren't many discrete songs, there was something quite mesmerizing about three of the four performances. Yeah, some judicious editing and the addition of a couple more songs wouldn't have hurt the set, but I can understand why co-producers Waldon Irvine Jr. or Andrew Stroud weren't about to tell Simone what to do..

- Backed by a slightly ragged choir (the Bethany Baptist Church Junior Choir of South Jamaica New York) and some frenetic drumming, Simone's cover of Harrison's 'My Sweet Love' had a distinctive Sunday morning Gospel feel. Yeah, she vamped and twisted the song all over the place, occasionally sticking with he melody and occasionally taking a detour into other areas, but the results were frequently fascinating. Her brother Sam Waymon was featured on the song. rating: **** stars
- 'Written by Last Poets member David Nelson, 'Today Is a Killer' found Simone reciting an extended song-poem. I'm normally not a big poetry fan, but will admit there was something compelling in hearing Simone's stark (piano, bass, and voice) arrangement. The segment where she holds a note for seemingly ever is simply breathtaking. rating: *** stars
- The album's most commercial track, 'Poppies' started out as a ballad with an elaborate, somewhat MOR-arrangement. Out of the blue the mid-section morphed into something that sounded like it was part of the Baretta television theme. Probably the least interesting song on the LP. rating: ** stars
- Initially just Simone accompanying herself on piano, her bluesy cover of 'Isn't It a Pity' was really special. One of the best Beatles covers I've ever heard. (Okay, okay I know it was a Harrison solo effort.) rating: **** stars

Worth hearing, but probably not the place for a Simone neophyte to start ...

"Emergency Ward" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) My Sweet Lord / Today Is a Killer (George Harrison / David Nelson - Nina Simone) - 18:35

(side 2)
1.) Poppies (Lenny Bleecher - Jeremy Wind) 4:45
2.) Isn't It a Pity (George Harrison) - 11:11