Victoria Geelan sings the songs of Nina Simone with Full Band
Victoria and her band of spectacular musicians perform a carefully-selected set of songs made famous by the ‘High Priestess of Soul’, Nina Simone. An award-winning artist, Victoria is best known for her passionate and powerful vocals, evinced by her most recent album, 2020’s ‘Sophisticated Lady’, which opens with a reinterpretation of ‘Feeling Good’. Throughout Victoria’s work, the influence of Nina is unapologetically there.
Working closely from Nina’s original arrangements of such classics as ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’, ‘I Put A Spell On You’ and ‘Ain’t Got No-I Got Life’, Victoria and the band -featuring Neil Burns (piano), Rohan Armstrong (double bass) and Andrew McCoubrey (drums)- will bring audiences on an emotional musical journey rich with their selection of Nina's finest interpretations of songs in Jazz, Blues, Folk, Funk and Gospel.
Interweaving her life story from classical pianist to ‘Freedom Singer’, Victoria celebrates and interprets how Nina Simone used music to profoundly connect with her audiences, offering community and comfort to those fighting for their basic rights. Come and enjoy a musical celebration of an extraordinary life lived in song.
Featuring:
Neil Burns, piano
Neil Burns (a.k.a. Comrade Hat) is an award-winning composer/songwriter/pianist and producer based in Derry. With a background in Classical composition and piano, alongside a passion for Jazz and a long-standing partnership with Victoria, interpreting the music of Nina Simone is a natural fit.
Rohan Armstrong, double bass & Andrew McCoubrey, drums & percussion
CLICK HERE to view the full festival programme
