Little Girl Blue (also known as Jazz As Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club) is the debut album by Nina Simone. It was released by Bethlehem Records in February 1959.[1][2][3]
At this time, Simone was in her mid-20s and still aspiring to be a classical concert pianist. She immediately sold the rights for the album to Bethlehem for $3,000 (US$26,910 in 2020 dollars[6]). This deal eventually cost her royalty profits of more than a million dollars.[7] Simone was dissatisfied by the lack of effort the record company took in promoting her, and she subsequently formed a long business relationship with Colpix Records. The album Nina Simone and Her Friends was released after she had left Bethlehem, without her consent, and comprised songs that were left over from the Little Girl Blue recording session. The session was the only one ever recorded for Bethlehem.[8]
The album was reissued by Bethlehem in 1992 on CD (Bethlehem 30042), with three additional tracks from the same session: "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", "For All We Know" and "African Mailman".[9] This format was released again in 2002, as Jazz as Played in an Exclusive Side Street Club by Charly / Snapper Music (SNAP 216 CD), remastered and with the addition of "My Baby Just Cares for Me (Extended Version)".[10]
^"February Album Releases"(PDF). The Cash Box. The Cash Box Publishing Co. Inc., NY. 14 February 1959. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
^Callahan, Mike; Edwards, David. "The Bethlehem Records Story". Both Sides Now Publications. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
^Popoff, Martin (2009). Goldmine Record Album Price Guide (6th ed.). London: Penguin. p. 2123. ISBN9781440229169.
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