Emergency Ward (album)

Emergency Ward is the title of an album released by Nina Simone. The title of the record is rendered as "Emergency Ward" on the record label itself, but as "Emergency Ward!" on the cover sleeve. The sleeve also bears the text "Nina Simone In Concert".

According to the liner notes the album was "recorded live in concert at various locations including Fort Dix." The Japanese release consists of three tracks. The A-side is filled with a 18:29 minutes rendition of a medley of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" and David Nelson's poem "Today Is A Killer". This is a very strong gospel-like performance, perhaps in a church. It was performed together with the Bethany Baptist Church Junior Choir of South Jamaica, New York. The B-side consists of the Lennie Bleecher/Jeremy Wind song "Poppies" and George Harrison's "Isn't It a Pity". Both songs on the B-side feel more like a studio than a live recording. Nina Simone improvises upon and varies the lyrics of the poem and songs, for which she takes all responsibility in the liner notes. Additional information in the liner notes give credit for all choral arrangements and orchestration to Weldon J. Irvine, Jr., to Sam Waymon for vocals in "My Sweet Lord", and to Lisa Stroud, age 9 for polyrhythms in the same song. Gratitude is expressed to Nat Shapiro and Andrew Stroud.^[2]

Track listing

Personnel

• Choral Group - Bethany Baptist Church Junior Choir of South Jamaica, New York
• Orchestrations - Welden J. Irvin, Jr.

• Recording Engineer - Ed Begley

References