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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Finally, it is here. This DVD has been scheduled for release a number of times over the last couple of years, but at last it is here. And it is well worth the wait.
The majority of the DVD was recorded in Montreux in 1976, a unique time in Simone's career as she had been living in Liberia since finishing her contract with RCA in 1974 with the appropriately titled album "It Is Finished". She declares near the beginning of this performance that this will be her last jazz festival performance before she goes on to better things. This is a sign that this is going to be a typically eccentric Simone performance.
On entering the stage, she stands motionless for what seems like an eternity before finally sitting at the piano, waiting for a sound problem to be rectified, before performing an extended version of "Little Girl Blue". Every song, including this one, becomes personalised. New, presumably improvised, lyrics find their way into every song. Simone is obviously a woman scarred by her experiences in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. She delivers long, meandering monologues between songs, but this does not detract from the fact that she is hypnotic form - all the more so for her eccentricities. She berates the audience for not clapping and joining in, she loses patience with a stage hand and tells an audience member trying to make an exit after the first encore to "SIT DOWN!"
But nothing takes away from the fact that she is fine vocal form (unlike the other two pieces of concert footage on the DVD) and her work at the piano is as brilliant as ever. There is a rare version of "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" to end the main section of the concert before she eventually returns to deliver a long, and slightly bizarre, monologue and then sings "Stars". Here, the song gradually morphs into the then hit, "Feelings" which she almost seems afraid to finish. The second encore is an instrumental in order for her to demonstrate some African dancing!
It is a bizarre, hypnotic and brilliant performance of a scarred, damaged artist near the peak of her powers. If you expect a light hearted performance that will please the average jazz fan, then this isn't for you. But this is a performance that Simone afficianados will be getting very excited about. Yes, it is more of an aquired taste than the Ronnie Scotts performance of 1984 (which is just as good), but if you are interested in seeing Simone's soul, then this is the performance to watch.
The extra tracks from 1987 and 1990 show Simone's powers diminished but not completely gone, and they make the running time of this DVD extremely generous. It took literally years to be finally released in the Live In Montreux series, but it is undoubtedly one of the greatest concert DVDs of this kind out there.
The majority of the DVD was recorded in Montreux in 1976, a unique time in Simone's career as she had been living in Liberia since finishing her contract with RCA in 1974 with the appropriately titled album "It Is Finished". She declares near the beginning of this performance that this will be her last jazz festival performance before she goes on to better things. This is a sign that this is going to be a typically eccentric Simone performance.
On entering the stage, she stands motionless for what seems like an eternity before finally sitting at the piano, waiting for a sound problem to be rectified, before performing an extended version of "Little Girl Blue". Every song, including this one, becomes personalised. New, presumably improvised, lyrics find their way into every song. Simone is obviously a woman scarred by her experiences in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. She delivers long, meandering monologues between songs, but this does not detract from the fact that she is hypnotic form - all the more so for her eccentricities. She berates the audience for not clapping and joining in, she loses patience with a stage hand and tells an audience member trying to make an exit after the first encore to "SIT DOWN!"
But nothing takes away from the fact that she is fine vocal form (unlike the other two pieces of concert footage on the DVD) and her work at the piano is as brilliant as ever. There is a rare version of "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free" to end the main section of the concert before she eventually returns to deliver a long, and slightly bizarre, monologue and then sings "Stars". Here, the song gradually morphs into the then hit, "Feelings" which she almost seems afraid to finish. The second encore is an instrumental in order for her to demonstrate some African dancing!
It is a bizarre, hypnotic and brilliant performance of a scarred, damaged artist near the peak of her powers. If you expect a light hearted performance that will please the average jazz fan, then this isn't for you. But this is a performance that Simone afficianados will be getting very excited about. Yes, it is more of an aquired taste than the Ronnie Scotts performance of 1984 (which is just as good), but if you are interested in seeing Simone's soul, then this is the performance to watch.
The extra tracks from 1987 and 1990 show Simone's powers diminished but not completely gone, and they make the running time of this DVD extremely generous. It took literally years to be finally released in the Live In Montreux series, but it is undoubtedly one of the greatest concert DVDs of this kind out there.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I experienced the great Dr Simone in 1978 and 1979 in London and she was well - just Nina - totally eccentric and yet riveting.
The 1976 Montreux concert is a great experience - yes the diva is so great it defies description. She lives life (I got life) OK. I Wish I Knew and Feelings are so stellar in emotion that it is difficult to convey how great the interpretations are. Lets just say that they take your breath away.
The 1987 and 1990 bonus tracks are OK but they are too edited - Nina is best experienced in totality which the 1976 concert is. I thoroughly recommend that you buy this concert DVD and trust that Dr Simone's estate release many more of her concerts on DVD - once you see her live you can never forget how great she was.
A Diva supreme.
The 1976 Montreux concert is a great experience - yes the diva is so great it defies description. She lives life (I got life) OK. I Wish I Knew and Feelings are so stellar in emotion that it is difficult to convey how great the interpretations are. Lets just say that they take your breath away.
The 1987 and 1990 bonus tracks are OK but they are too edited - Nina is best experienced in totality which the 1976 concert is. I thoroughly recommend that you buy this concert DVD and trust that Dr Simone's estate release many more of her concerts on DVD - once you see her live you can never forget how great she was.
A Diva supreme.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Magnificent perfomer transcending genres and bringing together different styles, Nina Simone is one of those marginally jazzy ladies whom jazz fans (such as myself) have a soft spot for...
But, look at the main feature of the DVD - her 1976 appearance in Montreaux jazz festival scene, such power and emotional intensity is rarely seen! Since that segment is also beautifully filmed (and, BTW, Nina looks remarkable and gorgeous)... Among the unexpected pleasures are, ofcourse, the reworking of "Feelings" and an African drum feature in the end ("African Mailman").
The parts of her later two performances at Montreaux (in 1987 and 1990) are very welcome ("Someone to Watch over me" will particularly interest Nina's jazz fans)...
In adition to music highlihts, these bonus tracks give some of the most popular Nina Simone songs ("My Baby just cares for me", "I Loves You Porgy" ...), not performed in the glorious 1976. main feature.
But, look at the main feature of the DVD - her 1976 appearance in Montreaux jazz festival scene, such power and emotional intensity is rarely seen! Since that segment is also beautifully filmed (and, BTW, Nina looks remarkable and gorgeous)... Among the unexpected pleasures are, ofcourse, the reworking of "Feelings" and an African drum feature in the end ("African Mailman").
The parts of her later two performances at Montreaux (in 1987 and 1990) are very welcome ("Someone to Watch over me" will particularly interest Nina's jazz fans)...
In adition to music highlihts, these bonus tracks give some of the most popular Nina Simone songs ("My Baby just cares for me", "I Loves You Porgy" ...), not performed in the glorious 1976. main feature.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Possibly the best album she has made
This is an ideal album to study Nina at her best. No eccentricities and no histrionics; simply Nina on top form. "Little Girl Blue" will bring tears to anyone's cheeks.
Published 13 months ago by S. E. Stafford
Dissappointing
I was quite dissappointed by this DVD...I have, for many years, been a fan of Nina and have several CDs, but on this DVD she spends more time talking and trying to be funny than... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mark Leach
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