Spell Caster
RIP Eunice Kathleen Waymon, BKA Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003) Grammy Award-nominated American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist.Although she disliked being categorized, Simone is generally classified as a jazz musician. She preferred the term "Black Classical Music" herself. Simone originally aspired to become a classical pianist, but her work covers an eclectic variety of musical styles besides her classical basis, such as jazz, soul, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop music. Her vocal style is characterized by intense passion, breathiness, and tremolo. Sometimes known as the High Priestess of Soul, she paid great attention to the musical expression of emotions. Within one album or concert she could fluctuate between exuberant happiness or tragic melancholy. These fluctuations also characterized her own personality and personal life, worsened by a bipolar disorder with which she was diagnosed in the mid-sixties, but was kept secret until 2004
Here’s an excerpt from Nina Simone’s autobiography, “I Put a Spell on You,” about her first performance experience at Midtown Bar & Grill:
"The only public performances I had ever given were classical recitals, and all my training in presentation was for the concert stage…It wasn’t hard to fit it to the improvisation because I used my voice as a third layer , complementing the other two layers, my right and left hands. When I got to the parts where I used elements of popular songs I would simply sing the lyric and play around with it, repeating single lines over again, repeating verses, changing the order of the words. It was fun.”
Nina Simone - Sinnerman
Speaking of Fun...
Melissa Young Takes Over Birmingham!
My girl, Fiona Bloom, tells me that Melissa ripped Atlanta a new one and I believe her. Melissa has a strong voice and soul to spare. With two shows in one week, you gotsta make at least one…for your benefit!
Melissa Young performs twice this week:
Thursday at The Nick with opening act Sharrif Simmons performing an acoustic set.
The Nick / 2514 10th Ave S/ B’ham 35205
Friday at Club Quincy with Trina Broussard and DJ Rahdu
Club Quincy / 1000 John Rodger Drive
Melissa Young – Chinese Torture
Trina Broussard – Inside My Love
posted by DJ Rahdu at
7:51 PM
1 Comments:
~I want to talk to Miss Nina Simone
WOW, This song is so powerful! This is the best example of a crescendo I have ever heard I'm sure. It grips you from the 1st instrument and holds you til it reaches it's climax. Absolutely Genius. She really does put a spell over the listener w/ this track. As a dancer, I can safely say that dancing to a song of this magnitude Would leave me in a trance.
It's very interesting that she recorded her version of Sinnerman in '65 which is about the same time that she was diagnosed w/ Bipolar disorder. The song in itself starts w/ a more tumultuos sound than it ends w/. It has the deep piano bass in the beginning, but midway, transitions into the beginning of the end w/ the happier clapping sounds, complimented by the light tapping of the cymbals throughout.
Its as if she's documenting a day in her life w/ her disorder; deep depression to carefree happiness.
...Great Great pick to ring in her Birthday dude, very good job! I'm so thrilled right now.
~Anywho,Kanye/Common sampled a part of the song, cool beans.
~I'm looking forward to LatteLounge, have heard some good buzz about it, I got stung actually.
~MuSaK~
...Melissa Young is a good listen. I've been checking her out lately and I don't think she'll disappoint in the flesh. She has a unique voice that keeps you captivated because of the sincerity it holds. I really really hope she does "Stay".
...Sharrif, it's always good to hear him and his people perform. They always have supm powerful &/ important to say.
...Trina Broussard has been around for a minute and still isn't getting the play she could be. Like the song you put up, "Inside My Love" came from the LoveJones sndtrk, 1997! Thats 11 years ago. I really like her sound, the acoustic guitar in most of her work allows for continuos play. There's a song on her album; "Just Another Way", you can hear I think Van Hunt &/ Rashaan Patterson. She rolls w/ good peeps apparently, I mean Van Hunt is enough for me to be sold! *Show me your company...*
My song to hear from her would be "Still the Same Girl"
Go out and support people, you can use BlackHistoryMonth as an excuse! "-)
~once again, thanks for the knowledge my nig' LOL
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