It was to this writer’s delight when Ledisi – inarguably one of the most gifted soul vocalists of this century – announced her upcoming project Ledisi Sings Nina. Her tribute to Nina Simone at the BBC Proms alongside Lisa Fischer, conductor Jules Buckley, and the Metropole Orkest was a thrilling tour-de-force that warranted its own live album release.

She trails Ledisi Sings Nina with a rendition of showtune ‘Feeling Good’, originally from The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd but famously (and irreversibly) covered by Simone in 1965. Ledisi’s rendition is largely faithful to Simone’s in arrangement and orchestration, but differentiated mainly by her vocal horsepower and range. Ledisi’s take is peppered with choices – unexpected scats, inflections into her head voice, and penetrating highs – which all capture the wonderment of the lyric. The orchestra shimmers around her.

Ledisi Sings Nina will be released 23rd July.