Interview by royston eldridge, melody maker, 19 april 1969. A year later, she recorded ode 2 nina on her second album tunin. Born eunice kathleen waymon in smalltown north carolina, nina simone changed the face of both music and race relations in america. American pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and activist nina simone 19332003 played a major role in the civil rights movement and yet many historical accounts of the ra have e snubbed her. In a 1984 interview, simone recalls her first brush with discrimination. From a musical standpoint alone, i put a spell on you is an extremely valuable read. Compilation of nina simones best interviews exposes how much of a genius that this artist was.
Simone was a singer, pianist, and songwriter who bent genres to her will rather than allowing herself to be confined by their boundaries. Interview by lilian terry lilian terry had a national radio show in italyeveryone from ray charles to duke ellington appeared on her show. Nyc artists unite to preserve nina simones birthplace bpr. Nina simone and her daughter, who recently caused a stir by criticizing the casting of zoe saldana as simone in a biopic.
Eunice kathleen waymon february 21, 1933 april 21, 2003, known professionally as nina simone, was an american singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and civil rights activist. Contains interviews with nina simone by rob lemkin. Nina simone on david bowie, janis joplin and singing stars live at montreux, 1976 duration. See all books authored by nina simone, including i put a spell on you. Its a new dawn, its a new day, its a new life and were feeling good published. I heard nina simone for the first time in person in october at the village gate. Nina simone interview with mavis nicholson duration. Brilliant, gifted, and bitter, nina simone offers a heartfelt and humble rendering of her exceptional journey in i put a spell on you, in hopes of providing clarity and truth to her often misunderstood life.
Compilation of nina simone s best interviews exposes how much of a genius that this artist was. February 7, 2020 the album, recorded in 1982 after simone had. Recorded live at ronnie scotts, london, november 17, 1984. Nina simone i sing just to know that im alive lyric video duration. Eunice kathleen waymon, better known by her stage name nina simone, was a fifteentime grammy awardnominated american singer, songwriter, pianist.
Interview with michael zwerin down beat published january 1968. What was the alabama song by the time of her 1984 performance but a song best. Impressed, i readily agreed to the suggestion of an interview by a press representative of the company for which she records. Nina simone fodder on my wings long considered an outlier in her catalog, nina simones newly reissued 1982 album is an intimate and immense portrait, a. The musical performances are interspersed with interviews, but what remains of these performances is simone at her best.
Noting that a large part of her mothers impact stemmed from her dark skin, wide nose, and full lips, simones daughter asserted that casting another finefeatured, lightskinned woman simply reinforced the antiblack beauty standards nina stood in defiance of. When every day is a matter of survival i dont think you can help but be involved. Returning to the stage at the montreux jazz festival in 1976, nina simone prefaced her performance with, i think the only way to tell you who i am these days is to sing a song. Nina simone, the person, is compelling, formidable, and. Nina simone, the pastors daughter, mixed humility with hubris and it was a deadly cocktail. However, in my opinion, this would also be a unique, relevant, and worthwhile addition to any highschool or collegiate history library, or anyone with an interest in the civil rights movement both politically and artistically.
Much like her music, i put a spell on you is compelling, honest, and powerful. Nina simones most popular book is good night stories for rebel girls. I was already a fan when i was first asked to be part of the tribute. Little girl blue home libguides at bgsu university. Books by nina simone author of i put a spell on you. Eunice kathleen waymon february 21, 1933 april 21, 2003, known professionally as nina. Nina simone transcended the typical ideas of blackness through her music, and used this position of respectability to further more radical, advanced ideas of black liberation that would make up much of the rhetoric for the 1970s and beyond. Enjoy this long lost interview with nina simone from 1968. Nina simone books list of books by author nina simone. Sony bmg music entertainment 88697 01764 2,camden 88697 01764 2 format. Nina simone simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Hozier on seamus heaney, maltesers and why nina simone turns. New documentary finds nina simone in between the black and white keys simones recordings still loom larger than the rest of. Hozier on seamus heaney, maltesers and why nina simone turns his brain inside out. Nina simone, american singer who created urgent emotional intensity by singing songs of love, protest, and black empowerment in a dramatic style, with a roughedged voice. Claudia roth pierpont on how the struggle for civil rights shaped nina simones life and career, and on a controversial new movie, nina, starring zoe saldana. The former editor in chief of vibe and spin on nina simone, david bowie and prince. The producer of an upcoming nina simone biopic has cast afrolatina actress zoe saldana in the lead role a move thats proved controversial. Nina made a demo records released as a bootleg starring nina simone in. The inimitable, gorgeously talented nina simone 19332003the high priestess of soulsets the story of her tumultuous, passionate life straight in i put a spell on you. Well soon be able to stream nina simones latecareer rarity fodder on my wing wbgo. Two interviews conducted by tom schnabel for the radio program morning becomes eclectic in 1985 and 1987. I started off as a child prodigy, simone explained to new music expresss gavin martin in 1984. I think on the part of all of us, all four of us, there was a sense of urgency, says pendleton, what a great opportunity to. Born eunice waymon in rural north carolina in 1933, simone trained as a.
It is meticulously packed with historical information on america during some of its ugliest times, coming. Nina simone was a legendary africanamerican jazz, blues and folk singermusician who was also a prominent figure of the civil rights movement. Nina simone, the artist, is the high priestess of soul, the blues singer and the jazz pianist. But as i no longer have a stereo to play my vinyl, i am slowly adding cds of my favorites artists, including my latest addition, the best of nina simone. It encompasses simones singing career from 1957 1993, 93 being the last time she recorded professionally, and gathers recordings that were done for different record labels and puts it all on three cds. I wish the concerts were shown in their complete form. This dvd is a fascinating document of 2 1968 concerts featuring the legendary nina simone. In the 1960s she became a friend of martin luther king, jr. The tumultuous reign of nina simone, and it tells the story. Nina simone was one of the most gifted vocalists of her generation, and also one of the most eclectic. Simones story is as harrowing as it is remarkable, said the yorkshire post.
The birthplace of nina simone in tryon, nc was purchased by four artists from new. Book this book does not require a rating on the projects quality scale. This book traces nina s history as a young ambitious child in north carolina to a sophisticated, wise diva in amsterdam. The singer of take me to church answered questions on the irish abortion referendum, reading 1984 and cheese. Simone did not like people to classify her music, or say what genre it fell into, but people often call her a jazz musician. Nina is part of the project majesty of black woman photo show. This nina simone interview is the inspiration we all need. The princess noire author nadine cohodas has written a new biography of singer nina simone. Perhaps the modesty and the monstrosity were both needed to fuel the genius, to fuse the two worlds. February 21, 1933 april 21, 2003 was an american singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. The autobiography of nina simone, and nina simone piano songbook vol. About nina simone the official home of nina simone. That was the driving idea for the book, which is a really interesting model that makes sense.
Four women includes mississippi goddam and other examples of simones socialactivist songs from the 1960s. It is apparent upon reading this book, that it was nina s destiny to become an international success as a performer. In the wake of this election cycle, the late nina simones words of inspiration could not be more needed. It explains her trail of thoughts, her views on religion, politics and everything in between. Jazz trumpeter miles davis spoke highly of simone, deeply impressed by her ability to play threepart counterpoint her two hands on the. In an interview for jet magazine, simone stated that her controversial song mississippi. Nina simone has been a favorite of mine since the 60s. Simone, in an interview with mavis nicholson, 1984.
She finally got a chance in 1968 thanks to drummer max roach. Her vocals and piano front a small and sympathetic band on a wellchosen set of standards and several simone originals. Notes and tones, musiciantomusician interviews, features an interview with nina simone 12 pages. This book is within the scope of wikiproject jazz, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of jazz on wikipedia.
Ive loved her voice, her ability to make each song her own and admired her courage to stand up for herself and others. One of the last divas of jazz, nina simone 1933 2003 was one of the. Listen to the opening notes of nina simones remarkable 1957 debut. Nina simone interview with mavis nicholson youtube. Compilation of nina simones best interviews youtube. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks. Nina simone high priestess of soul 2 2342103 pianist, singer, songwriter, activist, icon, mother. In a different interview the same year with the magazine rogue she. And there was one person she always wanted to interview. Nina simone on david bowie, janis joplin and singing stars live at. Theres an interview with nina in the early 1990s by ebony. Transcription of the interview in the dvd live at ronnie scotts.
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