Nina Simone:
Style: Nina Simone was a versatile musician who crossed several genres, including jazz, blues, gospel, and folk. Her unique style incorporated elements of classical music while showcasing a strong and distinctive contralto voice.
Instruments: She was known as a pianist and singer, and her piano playing was essential to her performances.
Activism: Nina Simone was a civil rights activist and used her music as a platform to address racial and social issues, composing and performing songs like “Mississippi Goddam” and “To Be Young, Gifted and Black.”
Mary Lou Williams:
Instruments: She was primarily a pianist, and her piano skills were highly regarded in the jazz world.
Innovation: Mary Lou Williams was a pioneering figure in the history of jazz, known for her innovative compositions and arrangements, as well as for mentoring and collaborating with many prominent jazz musicians.
Billie Holiday:
Style: Billie Holiday was a jazz and blues singer with a unique, emotive vocal style. She is widely considered one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time.
Instruments: Unlike Nina Simone and Mary Lou Williams, Billie Holiday did not play an instrument. Her voice was her primary instrument.
Legacy: Billie Holiday’s impact on the world of jazz and popular music is primarily through her powerful and emotionally charged vocal performances. She is best known for songs like “Strange Fruit” and “God Bless the Child.”
