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The Eunice Waymon-Nina Simone Memorial Project is pleased to announce the NINA SIMONE WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL 9, 10 & 11 September 2011 Tryon, North Carolina, USA A music festival in the name of Nina Simone with local, regional and (inter)national talents performing a range of music genres on multiple stages in the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountain birthplace of Ms. Nina Simone



Nina Simone Festival Announces Jonathan Green Poster

Anticipation builds about the Nina Simone World Music Festival in Tryon, NC. The music festival in the name of Nina Simone includes local, regional and (inter)national talents performing a range of music genres on multiple stages in the North Carolina Blue Ridge birthplace of Simone.

Nina Simone Project (NSP) founder and director Dr. Crys Armbrust released information today detailing the poster for the inaugural festival celebration of the internationally-famed, North Carolina-born singer and activist. The over-sized poster, depicting a powerful image of Simone, features artist Jonathan Green's painting NINA (2009). A limited number of the poster's printing run will be signed by the artist.

Green, highly acclaimed as one of the most important painters of the southern experience, describes his painting thusly: "I approached the creation of "Nina" as a privilege to express my interpretation of the power, force, passion, and vulnerability of a gifted genius of music and performance." That interpretation, Armbrust asserts, captures, in the words of Green, "the incredible legacy Dr. Nina Simone gave to our culture and heritage."

"The Nina Simone Project," Armbrust continued, "expresses its deep appreciation to Mr. Green for his generous sharing of talent and vision to support the NSP's mission and goals."







‘British Ambassador of Soul’ Joins Nina Simone Festival Committee

 Recent discussions between Eunice Waymon-Nina Simone Memorial Project director Dr. Crys Armbrust and entrepreneur David Nathan, ‘the British Ambassador of Soul,’ have culminated with David Nathan joining the Nina Simone Music Festival committee.

Nathan first met Simone in 1965 in London and began a lifelong association with the international chanteuse. He and his sister Slyvia Hampton went on to form the Nina Simone Appreciation Society in London in 1966, a forerunner of the present International Nina Simone Fan Club.

Nathan’s writing credits include ‘The Soulful Divas’ (1999), a collection of p ersonal portraits detailing over a dozen musical divas, including Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, and Janet Jackson. Further, he co-authored, with his sister Sylvia, the first biography of Simone, “Nina Simone: Break Down and Let It All Out” (2004). He is also credited with producing liner notes for over 700 albums.

Beyond his prolific credits as a historian of 20 th century popular music, Nathan manages the popular internet site SoulMusic.com, and has recently launched his own solo recording career with several critically acclaimed albums.

Nathan serves, too, as the Rhythm & Blues Foundation Executive Council Secretary. Founded in 1988, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation produces the popular Annual Pioneer Awards, administers significant medical and financial assistance endowments—including The Motown/Universal Music Group Fund, Gwendolyn B. Gordy Fuqua Fund and The Doc Pomus Financial Assistance Program—and oversights the historical and cultural preservation of Rhythm & Blues music of the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Armbrust comments that “Nathan’s deep emersion in the music industry and his broad experience at multiple levels within the industry will prove invaluable as the Simone Project moves into the planning stages for the upcoming Nina Simone Music Festival.”