Column Three: Hymn To Nina

Right now, I'm intrigued by a CD by jazz singer Barb Jungr.

Straight off, I was drawn to the cover, the title: proud-standing lady, draped in red, a title that expressed allegiance and belief in fiery inspirational blues (and soul and pop and gospel and so on) singer Nina Simone - Just Like A Woman (Hymn To Nina). Jungr's sleeve notes state that..."Nina sang and played with everything she had ...", sentiments I can only agree with, proud owner of over 50 Nina Simone albums, before adding..."I grew up loving Nina Simone; that uncategorisable voice, her uncompromising approach to material, fearlessness in changing lyric and arrangement to make songs personal, and courageous musicianship. So when I heard her spirit speak demanding that i make a collection dedicated to her, I complied without question..." OK. That's fine. I'm not as scornful of folk claiming inspiration or spirit messages from dead folk as I once was, and if Ms Jungr wants to pay tribute to a supremely talented, supremely individual woman that's fine by me. Sure, it's a little odd that her tribute comprises a collection of songs made her own by Nina Simone - among them songs music fans may be more accustomed to hearing from other folk, such as "The Times They Are A-Changin'", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" - but that's understandable. Mostly because Jungr doesn't fall for the most obvious trap and attempt to imitate or emulate Nina.

Instead, she interprets the songs in a strong and soulful manner, self-belief trembling through every wavered note, pleasingly poised and collected within her own art of expression (something that's at odds with her muse: Nina never held back, always gave her all). For the main, it's a surprisingly listenable tribute: as a diehard Simone fan I was fully expecting to react to this album the same way I do most ‘tributes' (for example, that dire Phil Collins series of Supremes covers in the Eighties, wherein he managed the singular feat of rendering the originals unlistenable through association), and sure it's odd hearing Jungr interpreting Simone interpreting Bob DylanBob Dylan (say), rather than Jungr interpreting Dylan - and on occasion her voice, with its angelic warble and gentle, chiding swoon reminds me of Mercury Music Award-winning Antony Hegarty. But that's all to the good. I'm certainly not familiar with Jungr's own pantheon, but it's clear from this outing she's an accomplished singer in her own right, with an admirable grasp of the complexity and necessity of silence, that she understands when to hold back and when to let rip. And her obvious love for Nina comes shining through every bar, every beat.

And all this means that I could yet return to her music when usually I would go straight to the source. I can think of few ‘tribute' albums that I can say the same about: K McCarty covering troubled Austin, Texas poet savant Daniel Johnston on 1994's Dead Dog's Eyeball, Nick Cave reinventing the gospel standby ‘Oh Happy Day' for the Goth generation, The Legend! covering the songs of the Television Personalities, maybe...

No wait. That last one was by me. Respect due to Barb Jungr. Respect due.

http://www.barbjungr.co.uk/