This remarkable documentary about jazz great, civil rights auteur, brilliant, original musician, Nina Simone, explores her roots and route from being born Eunice Waymon in North Carolina, (1933 the Jim Crow era), to taking the musical scene and world of raw, unfettered activism by the goddams and blending them into a pallet beyond compare.
Hoah! And I thought the Amy Winehouse bio was captivating and difficult to watch.
What Happened, Miss Simone? is a bold, fierce piece fitting of the Patron Saint of the Rebellion, who trained to be the first black female classical pianist and dreamt of performing at Carnegie Hall. At her first recital, her parents were told to stand in the back because they were black. Little Eunice had none of that, and they were seated in the front row.
Nina's peformances, naturally, are extraordinary, more so as they are woven within the context of her life story. Her rendition of 'Mississippi Goddam' is a highlight in this film, punched up by the well presented history of the 1960s civil rights movement. Nina made clear she was not non-violent, and was interested in achieving freedom and justice no matter what it took. Her rage was channeled into her music; she sang and played with passion to change this wild world.
Nina's daughter Lisa, (grounded, articulate, and empathetic), serves as one of our guides through Nina's life. Lisa's admiration for her mother's genius, hard work, courage, and sacrifice mingle with her painful recollections of being abandoned by her. After beatings by her husband, losing audiences because of her fierce devotion to singing only political songs, and erratic behavior of highs and lows, (later labeled bi-polar disorder), Nina left her young daughter and everything behind to seek liberty in Liberia.
The description of the bad effects of the psych medication Nina was put on were disturbing.
Nina was turned away from applying to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia due to racism; later and in her life, the Institute gave her an honorary degree.
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