A fiery interpreter of the usually staid American songbook, Nina Simone took a song and made it her own -- whether it was Gershwin's "I Loves You, Porgy" or Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit." This 1994 collection on Universal features selections from her Philips years of the mid-'60s, generally acknowledged as the pinnacle of her recording career, the genesis of material including "My Baby Just Cares for Me," "Ne Me Quitte Pas (If You Go Away)," and her own "Mississippi Goddam." Feeling Good: The Very Best of Nina Simone doesn't have any surprises, but it's a good collection for beginners. ~ John Bush