NINA SIMONE AT THE MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL (1992) *** It would be wrong to believe that Nina defined herself in terms of opposition to the United States government, but not to say that it represents most of what she defined herself against. Racism, hypocrisy, artistic sterility, there's more but by enumerating more you're just distracting. Twenty years after leaving her homeland she still can't help denouncing the dumb lying ox fewer than seven times during the set. Which is more inspiring (and funny) than sad. Of course even if Nina's target remains the same, she evolved tremendously as an artist. The rhythms in her work form intricacies beyond description and the metaphysical appropriations of her submission to God flow in levels of passion more typically associated with the better sins. The crowd goes wild and she gives them this look: bunch of dumb bourgeoisie honkeys who do what the critics tell them-I wish you would just get it, but also, maybe, a longing for the simplicity of an existence that her talents, and skin, and government, denied her.
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