There’s nothing quite as captivating as soul music‘s groove and expressive abundance, dispelling any notions of black deprivation. Soul also echos morally rich music such as gospel piano, blues melisma by Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin’s erotic truth-telling.
Simone spoke out forcefully for African American freedom and became affiliated with Black Nationalism and Black Power movements. Additionally, she was an incredible singer-pianist whose works transcended genres.
Her early years
Eunice Kathleen Waymon was an astounding prodigy reminiscent of Mozart. By age 3, she was playing piano by ear, mastering Bach, Chopin and Beethoven before she turned four! Soon thereafter, audiences across the Eastern seaboard took notice and she earned rave reviews from jazz and cabaret audiences alike – soon earning rave reviews as jazz and cabaret audiences began demanding she sing instead of play the keys. When club owners insisted she sing instead of play them instead of just listening, Simone discovered her vocal power was extraordinary – whether haughty or seductive, virginal or powerful her vocal style was spellbinding and powerful.
Her versatility enabled her to embrace an array of musical styles and genres, from American classics on her first album to pop hits of the 1970s. She defied musical and social categorizations during a career that took her from Liberia to Switzerland to England to Barbados to France.
Simone’s musical boldness can be seen as political activism, and this book examines her work within the civil rights movement. It highlights how her songs such as Mississippi Goddam or To Be Young, Gifted and Black (which was borrowed from Lorraine Hansberry’s play) were used to galvanize African-American pride and rally fans to her cause.
Simone endured severe mental health problems and financial struggles for most of her life, fighting record labels, managers, and the Internal Revenue Service for control. Additionally, she battled racism and sexism within her country while being close with Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz – two people whom Simone considered friends.
She eventually grew tired of America’s deeply divided racial politics, and moved abroad in the 1970s, eventually settling in France for good. Yet despite these obstacles she continued releasing albums and drawing audiences to her concerts – becoming one of the most powerful and influential voices in world music before her passing in 2001. But how did a preacher’s daughter from small-town North Carolina emerge as such an influential voice against injustice?
Her career
Simone was an engaging and unpredictable performer, capable of summoning an array of emotions from explosive swells of anger and passion to melancholic purrs of heartbreak. A pianist and singer herself, Simone could cross genres such as jazz, blues, folk tunes, R&B gospel – as well as her classical training – drawing upon both.
Simone was an activist-artist dedicated to reclaiming her African-American roots through music. Her works challenged Eurocentric classical canons while celebrating traditional musical traditions from her homeland. Simone resonated with moral clarity of soul artists such as Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin while simultaneously embodying its gritty virtuosity.
Simone released her protest song, “Mississippi Goddam”, as an emotional response to the bombing of Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham and Medgar Evers’ assassination. It quickly became one of her signature hits, cementing Simone as one of the foremost jazz vocalists of her era.
Simone received four Grammy nominations, yet lost each to Aretha Franklin in the category Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Additionally, Silk & Soul from 1967 was nominated as Album of the Year but lost out to Respect from Aretha in this same category. Additionally, in 2016 Simone was nominated posthumously in Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance by Jay-Z’s cover of her song “Four Women”.
Simone struggled with mental illness and drug addiction during her later years. Additionally, she experienced racism and sexism that she vocally condemned and spoke out against injustices she encountered. Nonetheless, Simone remains an influential figure due to her ability to transform challenging social challenges into creative insight; her legacy inspires generations of musicians who defy societal norms by forging their own paths. Jeffrey Boakye is a writer/broadcaster with an interest in issues surrounding race, masculinity, education, culture and community training for schools/universities/ businesses alike.
Her music
Nina Simone was an acclaimed pianist and singer of her time, known for being one of the great soul musicians of her era. As well as civil rights activism, she had many hits on the charts during her early career; her music had an immense influence on artists like Aretha Franklin and Tony Bennett; recently, audiophile reissue labels Pure Pleasure Speakers Corner 4 Men With Beards have done well to preserve her recordings for posterity; many albums from Nina’s catalog were even featured on Jay Z’s 4:44 album!
Simone first rose to fame with her 1959 song “I Loves You Porgy,” becoming an instantaneous superstar and going on to record over 40 original albums throughout her career. Considered one of the greatest singers ever, her mesmerizing vocals remained unrivaled – as were her talents as both composer and pianist.
Simone was known for making political statements through her songs during the 1960s, often being described as the high priestess of soul music. A champion of civil rights activism and member of the Black Panther Party, her songs touched upon a wide range of subjects such as race and class relations, racial tensions and feminism; though some found her music overly dramatic or emotional at times; her singing was nonetheless beautiful and expressive.
Simone recorded her second album for RCA Records, Fodder on Her Wings, in 1967 following an initial stint with several small labels. This powerful work captured the turmoil in Simone’s life with songs in both English and French; its haunting tunes range from romantic optimism to depictions of prejudice.
Simone begins the album with her deeply soulful acapella vocalizing, followed by a full band. Simone tackles Bert Bacharach’s “The Look of Love,” her voice echoing off the canyon walls – making this powerful track one of its highlights on this record.
Simone takes an original approach to spiritual hymn “Thandewye,” using her powerful vocals to convey its spirit compared to It Is Finished which sound more reggae-influenced. Finally, this album closes out with her rendition of Rod McKuen’s “Il y a Balm in Gilead”, further emphasizing Simone’s powerful vocal performance.
Her legacy
Simone was an active supporter of the Civil Rights Movement. She attended meetings and marches; spoke out against Malcolm X for his violent revolution; advocated that African-Americans form their own separate state; wrote songs that highlighted discrimination and social injustice such as “Four Women” and “Little Liza Jane”. Simone’s powerful messages remain timeless and relevant today.
Though she never achieved rock-and-roll stardom, Simone became one of the most influential American artists of her time. Her unclassifiable music spanned jazz, blues, folk, classical styles – as well as being marked by fierce independence yet immense tenderness – never surpassing it in beauty or elegance. Her unmistakably moody yet elegant vocals were unparalleled by any other artist of the time.
Simone released her debut album for Bethlehem Records in 1958 titled Little Girl Blue and chart-topped with George Gershwin’s I Loves You Porgy from Porgy and Bess musical. Over her long career she would go on to record 40 more albums.
In the mid-60s, she switched to Philips and released seven albums within three years – showing she wasn’t dependent on hit singles for success. These records ranged from her warm ballad interpretations of Jacques Brel and Billie Holiday to instrumental piano workouts and brassy pop. Her signature sound consisted of gospel piano with blues melismas and classical riffs.
Simone was profoundly moved by the Civil Rights Movement and rising black pride during this period, producing some of her finest songs such as “Old Jim Crow” and the timeless classic “Mississippi Goddam,” that tackled these topics more directly than most singers could.