Final answer:
Before 1963, Nina Simone was associated with jazz and blues music, embodying the African American musical traditions that evolved from work songs and spirituals during the Harlem Renaissance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nina Simone, known for her distinctive style and powerful voice, was mainly associated with jazz and blues music prior to 1963. Her work reflected the traditions of African American music, which evolved from spirituals, work songs, and the rich cultural backdrop of the Harlem Renaissance. The blues, an expression of the African American experience, gained notoriety through artists like Bessie Smith, who worked with the likes of Louis Armstrong. Meanwhile, jazz became synonymous with the culture of the 1920s, emerging from ragtime and the blues, with prominent figures like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway leading the scene in Harlem nightclubs.
Nina Simone's early music, deeply rooted in these genres, captured the complexity of life and leveraged the unique chords and "blue" notes characteristic of blues, as well as the improvised solos and bold rhythm of jazz. Like many African American musicians of her time, before 1963, Simone did not mirror European classical music but rather embraced and helped define the new styles that were reflective of black communities, especially in places like New Orleans.