Why Nina Simone Rejected the 'Jazz' Label

At Town Hall captures a pivotal moment in Nina Simone's story, when she left behind her dream of being a concert pianist and embraced her identity as an indefinable and remarkable talent. At Town Hall shows off Nina’s classical chops, infused with the jazz influences from working in nightclubs and mixed with the folk and gospel sounds of her youth. Adam and Peter pull apart the tracks to highlight each element of her unique musical blend. This may not be one of her most recognizable albums, but it is one of her most interesting. It's made even more fascinating by the fact that Nina met bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Ben Riley only as they walked on stage! Listen to hear her arranging and composing on the spot. Subscribe to the You'll Read It newsletter for stories that didn't make the pod: https://youllhearit.com/newsletter Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs: https://osjazz.link/yhi 00:00 - Intro: "Summertime" 02:15 - Welcome + Thank You! 5:25 - Rejecting Nina Simone 8:30 - Why Nina Hated the "Jazz" Label 14:50 - Becoming a Cocktail Lounge Singer 16:30 - "I Loves You Porgy" 20:40 - "Black Is The Color of My True Love's Hair" 27:40 - "Exactly Like You" 34:00 - "The Other Woman" 36:20 - "Under the Lowest" 39:00 - "You Can Have Him" 42:40 - "Summertime (Instrumental)" 44:10 - "Summertime (Vocal)" 46:55 - "Feeling Good" 48:20 - "Cotton Eyed Joe" 49:50 - "Wild Is the Wind" 52:25 - "Fine and Mellow" 55:25 - Apex Moments 56:45 - Categories, Explained 57:55 - Quibble Bits 59:00 - What Is the Snobometer? 1:03:45 - "Summertime"