Nina Simone: Ronnie Scott's, London
Don Watson, New Musical Express, 28 January 1984
NINA SIMONE finishes another song, totters to the front of the stage and stands, fixing the audience with a gaze that's as intent as it is ambiguous. Sitting at the piano with profile to the audience she can carry off an air of the 'professional performer', but front on she looks... bemused? the teeniest bit deranged? resentful? embittered? Pick your interpretation, but one thing you can't deny — something ain't exactly right.
Total word count of piece: 587