from PRX.

I'm Kurt Anderson, and this is the Studio 360 podcast.

I'm Jocelyn Gonzalez from Studio 360.

This is another edition of This Woman's Work, a series of stories from classic album Sundays and Studio 360. This is another edition of This Woman's Work, a series of stories from

Classic Album Sundays and Studio 360. Classic Album Sundays is a program of community listening

events founded by Colleen Cosmo Murphy, where fans listen to essential albums uninterrupted on

state-of-the-art sound systems. For this woman's work, we're highlighting classic albums by female artists

who have made a lasting impact on music and pop culture.

This time, the Grammy-nominated live album Black Gold by Nina Simone.

It was recorded in front of a packed audience at Philharmonic Hall in New York City

on October 26, 1969, and released in 1970.

The record captures the commanding and poignant performance by Nina Simone that night.

But we also hear her on-stage banter between songs. At times, she seems aloof and

dignified. But then, she's teasing and light-hearted, and the audience is clearly delighted. Black

Gold displays Nina Simone's talents at interpreting a song, not to mention her range, moving from

soul and gospel to show tunes and folk music.

Through it all, her distinctive voice soars into moments of defiance and uplift.

This record represents not only an artist at the peak of her talents, but an important

figure in the civil rights movement in the U.S.

In this episode of This Woman's Work, Nina Simone's Black Gold.

Here's Colleen.

My name is Ed Williams, and I've been asked to introduce Miss Simone to you this evening.

...