Strange Fruit - Nina Simone

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treitz3
treitz3 Posts: 18,393
in 2 Channel Audio
https://youtu.be/ughAVo2ZAag

So, I am working on things in the office tonight and my wife, Kim is watching this show called, "Cold Case". I have mentioned to her before that I dig her watching this as I am working because the songs they play are well, pretty cool. Most of them anyways.

So, tonight I am listening to this one song and I mentioned to her that I would LOVE to hear this song on the rig. It was soft, I honestly (and so did she) thought that it was a man singing but I was really interested in finding out who this singer was. The tune was right up my alley for some mood music (audiophile style).

Come to find out that it actually was a woman singing and this was verified by the video. Have any of you ever heard of her before and if there is a recording that is sought after or one that you would recommend by her? I am ALL ears. I really dug what sample I heard tonight. Talk to me.

Tom
~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,083
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    You've never heard of Nina Simone? Her story is absolutely fascinating. She was an almost unbelievably accomplished pianist, on the side.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,083
    edited January 2022
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    https://youtu.be/_AsKyYBewWY

    https://youtu.be/LJ25-U3jNWM

    Given the subject matter, I find Strange Fruit to be a really difficult listen :(
    Billie Holiday's version is epochal.

    https://youtu.be/Web007rzSOI

    PS Not quite sure how I managed to get this into two separate posts. Sorry! :p
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,393
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    All discussion on this is welcome, Doc. Thank you, sir.

    While this may be *new* to me? I am quite sure (as evidenced by your post) that others have more experience than I.

    It is that experience that I yearn for. Thanks again. ;)

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,083
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    Might want to try the music forums at a place like audioasylum or maybe the Hoffman forum (or suchlike).
    Nina Simone isn't particularly esoteric -- but she's from another era; classical/traditional "jazz" fans will likely be much more attuned to her work, although she wasn't really a jazz performer.
    I don't get the sense there are many jazz or Great American Songbook aficionados at the Polk
    forums, but I could be wrong. Someone like @SeleniumFalcon probably has way more on point suggestions for you, come to think of it! :)

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,083
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    speaking of music a bit off the main axis of the usual around these parts -- and, seriously, not tryign to derail your thread/question(!), but...
    Do you know Sister Rosetta Tharpe?

    https://youtu.be/3NFywQdeKSo
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  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,353
    edited January 2022
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    If you do Netflix...2015 bio documentry, What Happened, Miss Simone?

    https://www.netflix.com/title/70308063

    They used her 1965 cover of Sinnerman in the The Thomas Crown Affair 1999 repop. I enjoyed both the movie and her cover. Sinnerman from her '65 album Pastel Blues. Her version ran for over 10 minutes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH3Fx41Jpl4
    Post edited by SCompRacer on
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  • Faustin
    Faustin Posts: 1,149
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    Netflix documentary was very interesting. She was quite the talent
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  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,049
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    ....
    I don't get the sense there are many jazz or Great American Songbook aficionados at the Polk
    forums, but I could be wrong. ....

    I will stand up proudly to that!
    My hit of choice for that affliction is Ella, but there are many fine interpretations.
    Some fairly surprising & interesting. Think Dame Kiri Te Kanawa doing Nelson Riddle arrangements.

    And yes, Nina Simone had some serious chops.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,083
    edited January 2022
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    tonyp063 wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    ....
    I don't get the sense there are many jazz or Great American Songbook aficionados at the Polk
    forums, but I could be wrong. ....

    I will stand up proudly to that!
    My hit of choice for that affliction is Ella, but there are many fine interpretations.
    Some fairly surprising & interesting. Think Dame Kiri Te Kanawa doing Nelson Riddle arrangements.

    And yes, Nina Simone had some serious chops.

    Hey, I said [not] many. Not none. B)
    I listen to such things, too -- and I very much grew up listening to such.

    PS The older I get and the more music I've heard, I am asymptotically reaching the conclusion that Ella in her prime was the most perfect female vocalist ever. Or at least, of all those whose singing was ever captured for posterity acoustically or electrically. :|

    Listen, e.g., to her Song Book albums (e.g., Cole Porter). She makes it seem so easy (as did Sinatra in his prime).
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  • tonyp063
    tonyp063 Posts: 1,049
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    ah9zzmfa6p15.png


    So I ran across this today at Open Culture.

    As mentioned, Serious Chops.
    Ah! Bach! *
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cnZjClf6zM


    *
    read the article for more info, should you wish

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  • Jazzhead
    Jazzhead Posts: 525
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    She was yet another great Jazz musician born in North Carolina (Tryon) (in addition to John Coltrane (Hamlet), Thelonious Monk (Rocky Mount), Max Roach (Pasquotank Co.), Percy Heath (Wilmington), Tina Brooks (Fayetteville), etc. etc.
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 18,393
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    So, I bought the album (CD). It bites the big one. So restricted and nothing audiophile about it.

    Streaming, on the other hand? AUDIOPHILE. At least on Qobuz.

    That said, I haven't had this one in rotation in a while. I do need to listen to it again. I LOVE her voice.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • recoveryone
    recoveryone Posts: 885
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    Nina Simone would be best put in "Folk/Blues/Classical & Jazz" a long ago hidden treasure within the musical & black community. Many of her songs become Anthems during the Civil Rights marches "Young Gifted and Black" and her rendition of "Strange Fruit" (best sung by Billie Holiday) a song that started the long storied history of anti lynching laws (only took 60 plus years to get it done)
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