Seeking to offer audiophile grade versions of some of the best jazz records ever made, Verve and Universal Music new audiophile Acoustic Sounds Series is supervised by Chad Kassem, utilizing the skills of top mastering engineers and the craft of Quality Record Pressings, with all titles being mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing.

• Acoustic Sounds Series
• Mastered from the Original Analog Master Tapes
• Cut by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound
• Audiophile 180 Gram Vinyl LP
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings, QRP USA
• Deluxe Gatefold cover by Stoughton Printing

Rated 9/11 Music and 9/11 Sound by Michael Fremer (Analog Planet)

I Put a Spell on You is the 1965 album by Nina Simone, and features some of her best known songs. "I Put a Spell on You" is a song originally by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The original version gave the song an ironic theme, but Simone transformed it into a thrilling love song, complete with horns and strings. It had become one of her most well-known songs. She used the title for her autobiography I Put A Spell On You (1992).

In 1964, Nina Simone embarked on new stage of her career. Her rejection by the Philadelphia-based Curtis Institute Of Music; time spent as a pianist in an Atlantic City nightclub; her jazz, gospel, pop and classical influences – all these had fused to make her one of the most complex, fascinating and talented artists of the decade. Simone released her debut album in 1958, but when she signed to Philips, in 1964, her creative output was about to dovetail with the Civil Rights movement – notably coinciding with the Civil Rights Act Of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, gender, religious affiliation or nationality.

In Simone's hands, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was as much a demand as it was a plea, and on 1965's I Put A Spell On You she continued to record songs with a deep personal resonance. Her version of the title track remains as mesmerizing as its name suggests, while covers of Charles Aznavour's "Tomorrow Is My Turn" and Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas" are equally strong declarations. Meanwhile, Simone once again turned to musical theatre for "Feeling Good" (lifted from the 1964 stage show The Roar Of The Greasepaint – The Smell Of The Crowd), instantly owning the song with her definitive version. Artists as varied as Billy Paul, Muse and Michael Bublé have since covered it, but none with as much dedication – and spine-tingling effect – as Simone.

"I Put a Spell On You is a thoughtful, often joyful sophisticated set of well-chosen, popular songs (pop of that era is unlike today's pop) that Nina Simone delivers with unerring charm and warmth. It's her most consistently excellent Philips era album and it and Pastel Blues, both released in 1965, are ideal showcases for both Simone's enduring artistry and for what made her Philips era records special. The sound of both of these records is the best that's been produced from these tapes and both records are well worth owning. - Michael Fremer, Analog Planet, Music 9/11, Sound 9/11

Track Listing:

01. I Put A Spell On You
02. Tomorrow Is My Turn
03. Ne Me Quitte Pas
04. Marriage Is For Old Folks
05. July Tree
06. Gimme Some
07. Feeling Good
08. One September Day
09. Blues On Purpose
10. Beautiful Land
11. You've Got To Learn
12. Take Care Of Business

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫