Billy Taylor's death was announced yesterday. He was eighty-nine, and had a long and distinguished career as a jazz pianist and educator. (He took education extremely seriously, not only teaching for many years but also earning a Ph.D. when he was in his fifties.) But to pay him tribute, instead of featuring one of his own performances, I've picked what is probably his best-known composition in its best-known performance.
Co-written with Dick Dallas, "I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to be Free" is a civil rights anthem written in the style of the kind of hymns found in the black church when Taylor was growing up. Nina Simone, as usual, nails it.
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1 comment:
Beautiful song! :D
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