April 1967, London
Moving my focus away from the challenges in my young love life, I’m continuing to champion Nina Simone as the founder of her UK appreciation society. Nina’s brilliance as a unique, distinctive and peerless artist is gaining recognition in Britain, indeed in Europe and with the news that she’s signed a contract with RCA Records, it seems her international career is moving to a new plateau. She’s booked for her first UK tour with renowned comedian and fellow civil rights activist Dick Gregory. I go on the tour bus to the show in Bristol and Nina is less than happy that only 30 tickets have been sold. Nonetheless she performs with passion and conviction and fortunately, the tour has its share of triumphs including a show in London at The Royal Albert Hall.
During the journey to Bristol, Nina asks me about a show she’s booked to do at a club called the Ram Jam in Brixton. I tell her Brixton’s residents include a high proportion of Caribbean immigrants. ‘My people!’ Nina grins, acknowledging in her response that this will be her first show before a predominantly Black audience in Britain and she’s excited about it. We arrive back from Bristol late at night and Nina and her husband-manager Andy offer the sofa in their hotel suite, given it’s early morning and I have no easy way to get home. The tender memory of Nina Simone, the high priestess of soul, giving me extra blankets as I sleep peacefully on the sofa remains vivid…
