Listen Up: Classic Artist of the Week • Page 6

Kanye

 

My mind is going to Bowie, but I don't think it's him.

 

is it the dead

 

yes it probably is the dead kennedys

 

I think a lot of people are going to be very excited about it

 

hey! no secrets!

 

Actually now that I think about it, I'm not sure if I actually know or if it's just someone I know Chris and I talked about.

 

I bet it's The Spinners.

 

Ding ding ding. They will definitely get a week

 

I'm a fuckin' ap genius

 

@cshadows2887 Not that you need my input, but I really think what we're missing here is a game show style reveal each week

 

Hah like I should tease a clue every Friday or something

 

Nina Simone
The High Priestess of Soul herself. Though her specialty was jazz, Nina absorbed blues, soul, R&B and even pop into her eclectic and unique style. She was a gifted piano player and a distinct vocal talent. She was socially conscious and politically radical at a time when it really mattered. She recorded the definitive versions of other people’s songs, and debuted songs that other artists would take to great heights later. She’s certainly one of the most sampled artists in hip-hop, which is as good a piece of evidence as any that her influence is still massive. She’s incomparable.

Recommended Listen:
Nina Simone Sings the Blues

Crash Course:
1. Nina Simone Sings the Blues
2. High Priestess of Soul
3. I Put a Spell on You

Compilation Replacement:
Anthology

Signature Songs:
1. “I Loves You Porgy”
2. “Don’t You Pay Them No Mind”
3. “In the Dark”
4. “Sinnerman”
5. “Mississipi Goddamn”

Personal Note: Nina is such a complex and multifaceted artist that it was almost impossible to really encapsulate everything she could do, or rank her different eras. As such, this is definitely more weighted toward my personal opinions than usual, just because it was the only way to make head or tails. She has plenty of staple early live albums that could have been in the crash course, or her later records which are beloved and have a cult following now but weren’t her best-reviewed. I also left out plenty of staple songs of hers because I just couldn’t live without having “In the Dark” and “Don’t You Pay Them No Mind” on that list. So please, explore beyond what’s here. Do a little research (allmusic.com is always a good resource) and follow any thread that appeals to you. You really can’t go wrong.

 

oh excited to jump in

 

She's one of my big blind spots. Haven't ever heard more than a few songs.

 

I kinda figured this might be the case for a lot of people

 

I'm happy this thread exists. I watched the Nina Simone documentary that came out last year but never really started listening to her, due to just how many albums she made. I'm getting Nina Simone Sings the Blues right now though. Excited to finally listen.

 

Awesome! Once I announce the artist, we move to the artist's thread, so feel free to post your reactions/thoughts/whatever once you get a chance to listen. Welome aboard.

 

I've been wondering if/when this will go country and I have a feeling that, considering yesterday , it might be next week

 

It will be. Not even being mysterious about it. Next week will be Merle.

 

I couldn't even name you a Merle song, so he's more than just a blind spot for me. Looking forward to the crash course next week!

 

I've only heard 3, so it's not a crash course with much expertise, but it's a start.

 

Gonna start taking a part of this. Hello!

 

The Nina album I listened to was amazing. Didn't get to watch the doc because something came up but I really loved the music. The different emotions her voice brings out in me is unreal.

 

Glad to have you on board. Feel free to check out some Nina Simone and post in her thread tomorrow or Saturday or wait for the next artist on Sunday. Whatever is your speed