Jazz à la Villette Festival: Hommage à Nina Simone

One of the highlights of this year’s Jazz à la Villette Festival is a tribute to jazz and blues icon Nina Simone, who was known as the “high priestess of soul” and continues to fascinate fans around the world, more than a decade after her death. Last year, young French arranger and orchestrator Clément Ducol approached a diverse group of musicians – from Gregory Porter and Keziah Jones to Melody Gardot – to reinterpret the vocalist and pianist’s standards for an album entitled Autour de Nina.

This one-night-only performance will feature a handful of artists who appeared on the tribute album, including British vocalist Hugh Coltman, Swiss folk-blues chanteuse Sophie Hunger and French singer-songwriter Camille. By performing such classics as Sinnerman, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, I Put a Spell on You and Feeling Good, they’ll paint a modern portrait of Simone’s unforgettable musical heritage.

Jazz à la Villette Festival, Grande Salle, Philharmonie de Paris. September 6 at 8pm. Entry €22–€40. Tel: +33 1 44 84 44 84

From France Today magazine