Dedicating an album to Nina Simone is a difficult thing to do. It takes a great deal of care and understanding to capture the same enigmatic spirit that catapulted Simone to legendary status. So when Meshell Ndegeocello decided to dedicate her 10th studio album to her she made sure to carefully select the right ensemble that could help bring her vision to light. The result, Pour une âme souveraine (“For a sovereign soul”), is a beautifully crafted album, a project with spirited interpretations of Nina’s classic songs. For her set at Old Town School of Folk Music she’ll be working with local stalwart Jeff Parker, whose contributions to Tortoise has been widely noted. This’ll a perfect way to shake that Thanksgiving hangover. (J. Min)
