DJ Maestro Presents Nina Simone - Little Girl Blue Remixed (2015)

Perhaps not as well known to the general public, Bethlehem Records earned its place in jazz history with the release of debut albums from artists like Carmen McRae, Chris Connor, Herbie Mann and Johnny Hartman. Besides that, check those early covers - pure art! Unmistakably, Bethlehems most famous release is the 1958 debut album by Nina Simone, Little Girl Blue. So when I got the chance to remix this album, I was thrilled. Soon I got the idea to ask some of my favorite producers to collaborate. Most of them I got acquainted to on my travels and gigs around the world, like Mop Mop, Renegades of Jazz, Gramophonedzie or Fab Samperi. Some I got to know more recently, like The Reflex or Mees Dierdorp. One thing they all had in common: excitement to work with the original recordings from this iconographic album. The only thing I asked these different remixers was to handle Ninas timeless songs with respect. For all of them, that was a no-brainer. The result is 14 remixes, each with a unique approach to the original song, and all with a contemporary feel. (DJ Maestro)

"Some of the remixes strip the original tracks down quite radically and rebuild them cubistically, while others leave a substantial amount of Simone's quirky vocal and even quirkier pianism respectfully in place, embroidering the sound subtly with imported elements... Very nice overall." --Rick Anderson, CD Hotlist: New Releases for Libraries, October 2015