This album was for me the first ever Jazz CD I bought and simply based on the beautiful cover art. Well, the series by Verve is definately a good buy and a great way to build a jazz-vocal library. The fact that some are live performances makes this album even more interesting and it gives an insight in what was going on in the time of Nina's life and the history of the U.S.A. Listening to this album you get the feeling as if Nina is singing live in your own livingroom. I would say that all the best songs are on the album, but that is something depending on the knowledge you have of Nina's discography. For me there are a few that stand out: Mississippi Goddam, Don't You Pay Them No Mind, I Put A Spell On You & Wild Is The Wind. If you're still a beginning jazz lover, buy the diva series! If you are a fan of Nina, and you don't have this album in your collection yet, you should buy it today. Verve has shown real excellence with this compilation!