I attended this concert, but I was unable to see much of it because my eyes were constantly full of tears. Two years later in 1967 I met Nina in Amsterdam. From that meeting a close friendship emerged that lasted until her death in 2003. The last words she spoke to me before she died were: Don't leave me Gerrit. To this day I miss her and her genius!
I prepared to sing this song in my Catholic Schools Talent Show. I had no idea what Strange Fruit was, I'd heard & liked the song. My mom played Jazz (i.e.Count Basie, Ella, etc.), Classical , Popular (Mathis, Sinatra), R&R (James Brown, Elvis, etc) Country (Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, etc) Variety! It wasn't until my BFF's brother explained what lynching was that I understood why my singing was stopped & rejected. "Black bodies" didn't compute in my 12YO brain. Project2025 takes us back to Strange Fruit days!! VoteBlue2024!
Nina Simone has been a part of my life since I was a child. I can remember when I first heard her voice and was immediately spellbound by what I was hearing. My grandmother used to play her records when I was little. She would say that Nina was an enigmatic artist who sang and played such beautiful music her voice expressed such deep emotions love sorrow and pain. It was like witnessing the energy of a bright star in the cosmos. I’m 50 years old her music has been in every stage of my life. I played her songs when I’m happy, when I sad and in moments where I need to find my foundation. Her songs are profoundly beautiful and every single song carries me through life as I listen and what I need the most in that moment of my life. On my 44th birthday I went to see my tattoo artist and friend and asked to put her name on my arm. I’ve read all about her life her music her triumphs her losses her activism her beliefs her hopes for the future her struggles and her constant battles with her inner demons. She was a trail blazer and ahead of her time. A poet, an artist, activist, a teacher, a mom, a revolutionary figure and most importantly a woman. As a man who has been influenced by only 5 women in my life are my grandmother, my mother, my wife and my baby daughter. And the incomparable Nina Simone.
What a unique talent Nina was. She often looked like she would rather be somewhere else when she was playing or that she was enduring the intrusion of the audience but her voice and playing revealed a passion and intensity that was off the scale. Genius is an overused word but not in her case .
She was such a brave and talented goddess... to sing these lyrics during this time...sharing our peoples horror stories all over the world. What and activist.
She is tellin' a story, in words, but mostly in sounds. A true story, sad sometimes, joeyfull otheretimes, but sincere and open. That story touches your soul... Very few artists can do that!
Quel document précieux, ! Je le cherchais depuis son annonce il y a quelques jours! Des versions intimistes et complètement différentes de celles que nous avons entendues jusqu'à lors. Quel régal ! Quel caractère !😂 ❤❤❤
Le caractère est primordial à ce niveau de technicité musical ! A la 29 ème minute elle demande un micro plus haut mais surtout qui soit tourné vers le bas ! C'est pour ça qu'elle demande par la suite aux musiciens de jouer moins fort car pour cette chanson elle a besoin que sa voix porte plus, or avec le micro qui n'est pas tourné vers le bas cela ne lui va pas ! Donc elle préfère de leur demander de jouer moins fort pour que sa voix soit en avant !
A real person_ I cant imagine what it was like for her to be in this world _ every minute on fire _ she stayed for her people_like Jesus she loved her family_ all people being abused belong to her family
Wonderful video. I had the pleasure of seeing Nina Simone at the Fillmore East in New York twice circa 1970. I always thought that her live performances were much better than her recordings from that era. I forgot what a wonderful pianist she was. Thanks for posting this!
what a Diamond, thank you for this so much. ... Simone-( forever alive her music!) sang the truth with power, compassion, grit. Seems like such a deep strength radiates from her whether or not it was a conscious offering to her Loves and Inspirations ...Still waters run deep
Let’s hope … it’s unfortunate that her Carnegie Hall centre was never video recorded 😮😢that would have been something… but this concert is AMAZING ‼️‼️‼️
The time she takes with the phrasing and her expressions still give me chills whenever I listen to this version of Strange Fruit. The grief and the indignation come across as a punch
Nina, you have always blown me away. I have been a big fan since age 18 and bought lots of her records. I am nearly 40 now and she still blows me away. You can't pin her down to one genre. She makes every song her own.
Un document exceptionnel, sans voix. Extraordinaire Nina Simone. Elle touche les émotions de notre âme. Cela fait 20 ans que j écoute cette voix unique. Fait rire et pleurer. Donne de l espoir ,du courage. Repose en paix. Youssef B.
Don't know how Angry She played the Intro. This very moment, the Advertising is Popping Up. Aggression is flooding me. I remember the text Words. Once heard in the Gym. Dancing and Bursting. My Sad Soul out.
She reminds me of Mary J Blige imperfectly perfect. Raw real intriguing and wearing her life on the stage as she rods through with the ache of the voice.
