Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone

Rochester, NY – Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone is a beautifully orchestrated mixture of classical, jazz and rhythm & blues sounds, with a riveting narrative focused on the musical bond between an artist influenced by a legend from the past. Ledisi returns to her jazz roots while performing classics honoring one of her greatest inspirations — the fabulous Nina Simone. Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone airs Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Recorded live at Myron’s Jazz Cabaret at the Smith Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, the concert includes selections from the varied musical repertoire of Nina Simone, who sang a mix of jazz, blues and folk music in the 1950s and 60s. A staunch Civil Rights activist, Simone was known for songs like “Mississippi Goddam,” “Young, Gifted and Black” and “Four Women.” Performances by Ledisi in the Simone tribute include “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” “Four Women,” “I Put a Spell on You” and “Trouble in Mind.”

A 12-time Grammy-nominated powerhouse vocalist with a career spanning almost two decades, Ledisi recently landed her first #1 Billboard single on the Adult R&B charts with “Anything for You.” For Between the World and Me, based on The New York Times best-selling novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ledisi co-wrote and performs the song “American Heartbreak” and also participates in the readings. The special event premieres on HBO on November 21.

She has released nine studio albums, including her latest soulful release The Wild Card (2020). She's garnered three Soul Train Music Awards, an NAACP Theater Award and six NAACP Image Award nominations. Most recently, Ledisi received two LA Alliance Ovation Award nominations, including one for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Ledisi is not only a singer and actress;  she’s also an author, playwright, film producer and now CEO of her own record label, Listen Back Entertainment.

Photo: The powerhouse vocalist Ledisi celebrates the songs of the legendary Nina Simone.
Credit: Courtesy of Myron G. Martin