The Nina and Me Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer Ledisi. After the release of Ledisi's tenth album Ledisi Sings Nina (2021), the tour was revived as the Ledisi Sings Nina Tour in July 2021. The Ledisi Sings Nina Tour also coincided with The Wild Card Tour (2021). A concert special, Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone, aired on PBS on November 28, 2020, featuring the performance recorded at Myron's Jazz Cabaret in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 1, 2020.
Background
In 2003, Ledisi recounted first listening to Nina Simone.Nina Simone Saved Ledisi's Life. Now She's Paying Tribute on an Album . New York Times. Retrieved on June 15, 2024 After the release of her second album Feeling Orange but Sometimes Blue in 2002, she reached a stagnation in her music career.Column: Finding salvation from dark places through Ledisi and Nina Simone . Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on June 15, 2024
After hearing Nina Simone's cover version of "Trouble in Mind" on the radio, Ledisi repudiated her thoughts of suicide and revived her career. In 2006, she secured a record deal with major label Verve Forecast Records and went on to release a total of seven albums during her duration on the label. In 2017, she incorporated songs from Simone's repertoire into her concert with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO Pops) at the Kennedy Center. In 2018, she headlined a tribute concert to Simone in New Orleans with the drummer Adonis Rose and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. In May 2019, she embarked on the Nina and Me Tour.
Concert synopsis During the Nina and Me Tour, Ledisi opened the show with "I Put a Spell on You" and often performed "Feeling Good" as an encore. In 2021, she revamped the set list for the tour and retitled it the Ledisi Sings Nina Tour. The set list included her single "Anything for You". Ledisi opened the show with "Feeling Good". Before performing "Trouble in Mind", she recounted how Nina Simone's version of "Trouble in Mind" helped her overcome her experiences with career stagnation, financial issues, and suicidal thoughts.Ledisi pays emotional tribute to iconic singer Nina Simone at the Mann. Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved on June 27, 2024
Critical reception Shaun Brady of The Inquirer referred to the concert as "a powerful evening, a fitting tribute to a complex and brilliant artist". Brenda C. Siler of The Washington Informer reviewed Ledisi's March 13th performance at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Siler stated, "Ledisi did not attempt to mimic Simone’s unique vocal style. It was an evening where we heard Ledisi’s multi-octave vocal range. From the moment she came on stage, it was clear Ledisi intended to spread joy."Ledisi Concert Wows with Nina Simone Tribute. Washington Informer. Retrieved on June 27, 2024
Ledisi: The Legend of Little Girl Blue
On December 13, 2019, Ledisi opened her two-week residency show Ledisi: The Legend of Little Girl Blue to Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California.Ledisi: The Legend of Little Girl Blue at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Theatre in LA. Retrieved on June 27, 2024 The show was written by Ledisi and her husband Ron T. Young. It was directed by Gregg Field and produced by Billy Porter and Suzi Dietz. The residency show ended on December 29, 2019.
Set list Nina and Me Tour (2019) "I Put a Spell on You" "I'm Going Back Home" "Be My Husband" "Trouble in Mind" "Four Women" "Mississippi Goddam" "Little Girl Blue" "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" "Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me)" "All the Way" "Here Comes the Sun" "Work Song" "My Baby Just Cares for Me" "Wild Is the Wind" Encore "Feeling Good"
Ledisi Sings Nina Tour (2021) "Feeling Good" "My Baby Just Cares for Me" "Little Girl Blue" "Good King Wenceslas" "Trouble in Mind" "Do I Move You?" "Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me)" "All the Way" "Here Comes the Sun" "Work Song" "Wild Is the Wind" "Baltimore" "Shot Down" "See-Line Woman" "Anything for You" "I Put a Spell on You" "I'm Going Back Home"
Notes The set list for Nina and Me Tour was often rearranged for different dates.
Tour dates +List of 2019 concerts showing date, city, country, venue and opening actsDateCityCountryVenueMay 10Rodney BaySaint LuciaSaint Lucia Jazz and Arts FestivalJune 7St. LouisUnited StatesPowell HallJuly 12BethesdaThe Music Center at StrathmoreAugust 21LondonEnglandRoyal Albert HallAugust 26AmsterdamNetherlandsConcertgebouwSeptember 6HammondUnited StatesHorseshoe CasinoOctober 4October 18AtlantaAtlanta Symphony HallOctober 19BaltimoreLyric Baltimore
+List of 2021 concerts showing date, city, country, venue and opening actsDateCityCountryVenueJuly 24, 2021Los AngelesUnited StatesHollywood BowlJuly 30, 2021NewportNewport Jazz FestivalAugust 17, 2021San DiegoThe Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
+List of 2022 concerts showing date, city, country, venue and opening actsDateCityCountryVenueJanuary 12, 2022St. PetersburgUnited StatesDuke Energy CenterJanuary 13, 2022West Palm BeachKravis CenterJanuary 14, 2022MiamiAdrienne Arsht Center for the Performing ArtsJanuary 15, 2022TallahasseeRuby Diamond Concert HallMarch 13, 2022Washington, D.C.Kennedy CenterJuly 22, 2022PhiladelphiaThe Mann Center
+List of 2023 concerts showing date, city, country, venue and opening actsDateCityCountryVenueFebruary 23, 2023New York CityUnited StatesCarnegie HallSeptember 8, 2023San FranciscoDavies Symphony HallSeptember 15, 2023New York CityPittsburgh International Jazz Festival
Personnel Nina and Me Tour New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (May 10, 2019) The L.A.B Trio (July 12, 2019, October 4–19, 2019) Music Director/Piano: Brandon Waddles Bass: Jeremy George Drums: John Davis Metropole Orkest (August 21, 2019 and August 26, 2019)
Ledisi Sings Nina Tour San Diego Symphony (August 17, 2021) Philadelphia Orchestra (July 22, 2022) Nashville Symphony (November 6, 2022) Magik*Magik Orchestra (September 9, 2023) Note: This list does not include the individual personnel of orchestras or symphonies.
Broadcasts and recordings
On November 16, 2020, Ledisi announced the concert special Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone via her Facebook.My first PBS Special! LEDISI LIVE: A TRIBUTE TO NINA SIMONE. Facebook. Retrieved on June 27, 2024 Professional footage from the tour aired on American television network PBS on November 28, 2020. The concert special was recorded at Myron's Jazz Cabaret in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 1, 2020, by Ledisi's film company Fig Street Films.Ledisi Live: A Tribute to Nina Simone. Rhode Island PBS. Retrieved on June 27, 2024 On November 18, 2022, Ledisi released Ledisi: A Night of Nina which was distributed exclusively through PBS.Ledisi: A Night of Nina CD. New Jersey PBS. Retrieved on July 13, 2024Ledisi: A Night of Nina DVD. Face The Music. Retrieved on July 13, 2024
Track listing
Personnel Production Executive producers: Ledisi, Ron T. Young, Myron Marton, Producers: Tim Swift, Gregg Field Production manager: Benny Biggs Makeup artist: Terrell Terry Jr Hair stylist: Tony Walker Teleprompter operator: Gigi Koury
Band Musical director: Brandon Waddles Guitar: Michael Nomad Ripoll Bass: David Parks Drums: Brian Collier Percussion: Ronald Gutierrez Backup vocalists: Keisha Renee Lewis, Shannon Pearson, Sara Williams
References