Of all the major singers of the late 20th century, Nina Simone is one of the hardest to classify. She recorded extensively in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, often over the course of the same album; she was also comfortable with blues, gospel, and Broadway. It’s perhaps most accurate to describe her as a “soul” singer in terms of emotion, rather than form. Like Aretha Franklin, or Dusty Springfield, Nina Simone was an eclectic who brought soulful real qualities to whatever material she interpreted.