Nina Simone medley

Susan Alcorn (deceased) · Post by **Susan Alcorn (deceased)** » 23 Mar 2023 3:49 pm

In February of this year, I was asked to play at Baltimore's An die Musik, for a concert honoring the legacy of Nina Simone on what would have been her 90th birthday. I'm a huge fan of Nina Simone, but had never played her music before. I was given 12 minutes to do one or two songs, but it was a challenge. My inclination is usually to go "outside", but the audience was mostly people in the community who loved Nina and her music.

I was the only musician that night playing without the accompaniment of a gospel-tinged pianist. So I was more than a bit nervous that they wouldn't like it. I wanted to play with feeling and respect to this giant luminary of music. To me, it is important that a musician feel something when they're playing, to be affected by the music itself. Perhaps we all do that, but whether we are able to transfer it to the listening audience is perhaps a different matter.

Anyway, here's a medley of her music and a couple others' too (also, can anyone name the five tunes I played in those twelve minutes?). I hope you enjoy this humble tribute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxApSENeYOM

Larry Jamieson · Post by **Larry Jamieson** » 25 Mar 2023 5:54 am

Very nice, Susan! I am not familiar with Nina, but listened to your entire performance. Beautiful, soothing music.

Dennis Detweiler · Post by **Dennis Detweiler** » 25 Mar 2023 9:05 am

Great technique, execution, intonation and tone. Also, you gotta love that MSA.

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » 27 Mar 2023 6:41 pm

Beautiful performance! Very nuanced, reflective, and deeply soulful- like Nina Simone’s music. Your arrangement and performance are really superb. Thanks for sharing it here. Very inspiring!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 27 Mar 2023 6:50 pm

That's lovely, Susan! I think the only one I recognized was God Bless the Child but they are all beautifully played, as always by you. And so great so see such an enthusiastic audience reaction too.
Best wishes from Philly!
Jimbeaux

Christopher Woitach · Post by **Christopher Woitach** » 27 Mar 2023 7:46 pm

Well, of course, just wonderfully beautiful all through, nice segues also.

The first song sounded like I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free but I wouldn’t bet on it, I heard God Bless, thought I might have heard Sinner Man - I’ll listen more times and see if a) I was even close and b) what the tunes actually were… I also thought I heard T’aint Nobody’s Business but I hadn’t heard Nina Simone do it (although a perfect song for her!)

I think you made the correct choices for the event, and, as always, showed your heart. Thank you for sharing this

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 30 Mar 2023 9:23 am

Beautiful, Susan. Nice to hear your take on these tunes.