2008-05-18
Lisa Celeste Stroud carved out a successful career on stage with lead roles in "Rent" and "Aida," but there was another artistic muse calling out to her, and no wonder: she's Nina Simone's daughter. Three years after her mother died, Lisa did a tribute concert in New York and the response to that evening began her development as "Simone," a jazz/blues singer. This disc covers 11 of Nina Simone's songs with the original arrangements, plus a tribute song from daughter to mother, titled "Child in Me." The upbeat numbers are #2, #3, #6, the gospel-organ-fueled #8 and #11. The classic "Black is the Color" starts as a quiet piece and then picks up a catchy beat and new lyric. Mom plays the piano on the opener, one of the few times Nina and daughter were on the same stage. The young woman can sing. A legacy continues. 05/08 MJVD J-Roots(Vocal)The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.