10/20/2025
The great Nina Simone on Black classical music. ❤️
Classically trained at Julliard, Simone’s influences ranged from Bach to the blues.
However, she faced racism throughout her career in her bid to become a leading African-American pianist. At her concert debut in 1943, when she was just 12 years old, her parents were forced to give up their front-row seats to white audience members. Simone refused to perform until they were allowed to return.
Simone felt that the term ‘jazz’ was often used to disparage and marginalise Black musicians. Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and John Coltrane also avoided the word.
She later expanded on this idea: “For years it was known as jazz, but it isn’t that. It’s a combination of gospel, pop, love songs, political songs, so it is Black-oriented classical music, that’s what it is.”
The term was revived by British artist Yussef Dayes, who in 2023 released a record called ‘Black Classical Music’. He said: “There are so many nuances that can’t be defined by one thing. I’ve had classical piano lessons. I’ve been to west Africa and seen instruments that predate the cello and violin, drums that were there before timpani. There are other histories that made me realise this is bigger than just a jazz record.”
Quotes: Far Out Magazine, Guardian
