It was released in August 1960; the recording taken from a concert held at the Newport Jazz Festival earlier in the year, on 30 June 1960.

There had been three albums, Little Girl Blue (February 1959), from Bethlehem Records, and from Colpix Records, The Amazing Nina Simone (July 1959) and Nina Simone at Town Hall (December 1959).

She had also had a number of singles released from both Bethlehem Records and Colpix Records, with an early track from Little Girl Blue becoming a hit: 'I Loves You, Porgy' (1959).

In the wake of her successes in 1959, Simone was headlining at concert halls and clubs and touring extensively during 1960.

On 30 June that year came the band's biggest gig yet - the fifth annual Newport Jazz Festival.