Knit to This: Nina Simone

Look, just between us, I thought it was 100% total cheating when Kay picked “all of PBS” as her Knit to This entry a few weeks ago. ALL OF PBS. I mean, what did she think the fallback choice was when none of us could think of anything? Answer: ANYTHING ON PBS. It was always such a reliable well from which to draw because we could just turn it on for one second, see that there was a twelve-part miniseries about a ahead-of-her-time secretly royal 17th-century veterinarian suffragette (played by Judi Dench) and bing bang bong, Knit to This practically wrote itself. But no, she’s ruined it for us now. “I PICK ALL OF PBS.”

We have to search farther afield now, get in our cars and go to things, pick things from deeper in our collections, pay attention to what the kids are talking about. We have to turn the channel from PBS. Hmph.

With that in mind, this week, I choose ALL OF JAZZ. All of it. ALL. ALL OF JAZZ. Take that, Kay Gardiner.

But more specifically, I choose You’ve Got to Learn, a release (at long last) of Nina Simone’s legendary 1966 Newport Jazz Festival set. It’s one of those shows that people have talked about in hushed tones since the moment it happened, by all accounts having stopped the Newport Jazz Festival in its tracks when the audience demanded she return to the stage for more. If she had just stayed and stayed and was still singing all these years later, not one person would have complained.

It’s only a six-song album, but by the time she makes her way through “I Loves You Porgy” and “Be My Husband,” and gets to the fifth—a re-worked version of her own defiant, angry “Mississippi Goddam” that she re-arranged (musically) and updated a bit, singing “California” instead of “Tennessee” to reflect 1965’s Watts Riots—it’s quite clear that you’re listening to someone at the peak of her powers summiting Everest. It’s truly monumental. Do I want it to be longer, more than six songs? Of course. Am I happy that we at least have this, this perfect little six? Absolutely.

Simone would have turned 90 this year, and it’s hard to imagine her sounding any less 100% full-bore “Nina Simone” than this set reveals (at one point, she tells the audience to “shut up, shut up” and gosh, I wish more singers would do this today). I was lucky enough to see her live in 2000 when both her health and vocal skills were in decline, and I was still almost struck dumb in awe (ALMOST, as this rambly flapdoodle proves). Anyway, it was a heart-stopping two hours of my life, even with her voice diminished; to hear this Newport set, when she was in absolute full power of everything, everything, everything, including the whole wide world, it seems, is almost too much to think about. ALMOST.

“All of PBS.” I mean.

A Giveaway!

The prize? Field Guides Subscription 2023! On Monday the big designer reveal is coming for the new Field Guide coming soon. It’s never too late to get in on the fun and benefits of being a subscriber. (Already a subscriber? Thank you. If your comment is picked, you’ll get to Make Your Own Field Guide Bundle of three Field Guides.)

How to enter?

Two steps:

Step 2: Make a donation in any amount to Red Cross Hawaii or to Hawaii Community Foundation or any organization you wish to support: here’s a list of relief organizations supporting communities affected by the wildfires in Maui. Then add your “I helped!” to the comments. Honor system!

Deadline for entries: Sunday, September 3, 11:59 PM Central time. We’ll draw a random winner from the entries. Winner will be notified by email.

About The Author

DG Strong took up knitting in 2014. He lives in Nashville with his sister, her rat terrier and a hound dog named Opal. He has a blog of drawings and faintly ridiculous rambling called The Psychopedia—there are worse ways to spend your afternoon.

141 Comments

Kathleen E 8/27/23 • 4:55AM

I helped!
- Nina 9/03/23 • 7:37AM
  
  I helped!
- Julie Ballou 9/02/23 • 5:22PM
  
  I helped! Donation to the Maui Humane Society.
Terri 8/27/23 • 5:15AM

I helped.
Sharry Gregory 8/27/23 • 5:25AM

I helped!
DebbieM 8/27/23 • 5:49AM

I helped!
https://www.redcross.org/local/hawaii/ways-to-donate.html
Rebecca 8/27/23 • 5:59AM

I helped!
Mary P 8/27/23 • 6:04AM

I helped!
Maggie P. 8/27/23 • 6:04AM

Have to say your column had it all today! ….laugh out loud moments….poignant memories of one of my favorite artists!…..the important nudge to lend a hand ..(.I helped) ….. and…a new vocabulary word…..”flapdoodle”…..I never heard that before! My goal is to use it in a sentence today!
- Lynne Pierpont 9/02/23 • 10:15AM
  
  I helped!
betsymamo 8/27/23 • 6:09AM

I helped!
- Carol S Minix 8/27/23 • 7:25AM
  
  I helped! World Central Kitchen
Susan G 8/27/23 • 6:13AM

I helped!
Susanknits 8/27/23 • 6:13AM

I helped. If you encounter the NYT pay wall, just go to redcross.org
- Essie Woods 8/27/23 • 4:20PM
  
  Thanks! I helped.
Myra Arnold 8/27/23 • 6:13AM

I helped!
MarthaW 8/27/23 • 6:20AM

I helped! Maui Humane Society, and World Central Kitchen, which has been feeding people since the start.
Lyn Z… 8/27/23 • 6:31AM

Ah the sweet smell of righteous indignation ~ this piece really made me giggle ‘ALL OF PBS’!! Thanx for making me google DC , I don’t find much humor actually humorous!!!
I gave
- Michelle Borkhuis 9/02/23 • 7:01AM
  
  I helped and enjoyed you column too. Thanks for giving this nudge.
Katherine Beissner 8/27/23 • 6:34AM

I helped!
Ginna Stringer 8/27/23 • 6:51AM

I helped!
Susan Palcic 8/27/23 • 6:51AM

I helped!
Barbara 8/27/23 • 6:51AM

I helped
Enid Friedman 8/27/23 • 7:54AM

I donated to the World Central Kitchen – on the ground feeding Maui. I could not see the list
Shelley 8/27/23 • 8:21AM

Any day that starts with a column from DG Strong is a good day. I helped…the American Red Cross all the way…. I have personal knowledge of how great an organization they are. Talk about Johnny On The Spot…..
Sharon A Stone 8/27/23 • 8:39AM

I helped.
Martha Rothe 8/27/23 • 8:40AM

I helped!
Cyndi 8/27/23 • 8:46AM

I helped!
Gillean Wilsak 8/27/23 • 8:48AM

I helped! P.S. it’s very easy to set up an ongoing monthly contribution to the Red Cross. Even a small monthly amount adds up and dear God, there are catastrophes all too often.
Gillean Wilsak 8/27/23 • 8:51AM

I helped! Btw: it is easy to set up a monthly donation to the Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, etc. Even a small amount as an ongoing gift helps preparedness.
Nancy in Gallatin 8/27/23 • 8:56AM

I helped!
Gail 8/27/23 • 9:03AM

PBS
We stand behind World Central Kitchen
Mary 8/27/23 • 9:17AM

I helped – but, full disclosure, I directed it to Canadian wildfire relief. We haven’t had the terrible loss of civilian life Maui has experienced, but we have lost 4 Canadian wildfire fighters and the evacuations are unprecedented.

I read the comments about World Central Kitchen – I hadn’t heard of it before. Thanks for mentioning it, so I also made a donation to it, since they are working in Maui.

“ …there was a twelve-part miniseries about a ahead-of-her-time secretly royal 17th-century veterinarian suffragette (played by Judi Dench) and bing bang bong, Knit to This practically wrote itself.”. Laugh out loud.
- Barbara Rosenberg 9/02/23 • 5:45AM
  
  I helped! World Central Kitchen. I appreciate that you focused on relief efforts!
Laura 8/27/23 • 9:20AM

I helped!
- Lisa 9/02/23 • 8:43AM
  
  I helped:)
Sharle Osborne 8/27/23 • 9:24AM

Maui Food Bank, I helped
Brenda 8/27/23 • 9:26AM

I helped!
Arlene 8/27/23 • 9:26AM

Me too
Deepa 8/27/23 • 9:30AM

I helped.

Also, yes to ALL of jazz, and infinite yes to Nina Simone. A stone cold legend. How lucky were you to see her in person!
Nancy Blumenberg 8/27/23 • 9:59AM

I helped, Red Cross Hawaii.
Robin S Remer 8/27/23 • 10:03AM

I helped!
Merry Hall 8/27/23 • 10:16AM

I helped! And thank you for doing this.
Jeri 8/27/23 • 10:23AM

I gladly helped.
Stacy 8/27/23 • 10:27AM

I helped!
Elaine Corets 8/27/23 • 11:18AM

I helped! I just donated to HCF yesterday!
Diane Huff 8/27/23 • 11:29AM

Your nudge was the last one I needed. I helped too. Devasted by destruction.
Karengrace729 8/27/23 • 11:38AM

I helped. This was on my to do list. I just haven’t gotten around to it. Now I have. Thanks for the motivation.
Kerry Bowers-MacArt 8/27/23 • 11:39AM

I helped.
Joanne Watson 8/27/23 • 11:45AM

I helped.
Faelind 8/27/23 • 11:50AM

I helped!
JanOZ 8/27/23 • 11:52AM

I helped. Maui Humane Society gets 100% of donations when you go to their site.
Barbara 8/27/23 • 11:54AM

I helped.
Barbara Heinrich 8/27/23 • 12:10PM

I helped!
Karen W. 8/27/23 • 12:55PM

I helped with a donation to the World Central Kitchen.
leslie 8/27/23 • 1:04PM

I helped. World central kitchen.
tess 8/27/23 • 1:26PM

Love this entry requirement! I helped (HCF). Thank you for the nudge & for making it just a link away!
Kathy 8/27/23 • 1:52PM

I gave to Hawaii Comm Foundation. Thank you for the reminder.
kskferg 8/27/23 • 2:31PM

I helped!
Linda C 8/27/23 • 3:17PM

I helped!!!
Lynn Rubin 8/27/23 • 3:47PM

I helped
Theresa 8/27/23 • 4:03PM

I helped. Red Cross Hawaii
Theresa Pincich 8/27/23 • 4:25PM

I helped. Can anyone tell me the name of the 12 part miniseries with Judi Dench as a seventeenth-century veterinarian suffragette?
Anne 8/27/23 • 5:54PM

I helped!
Nancy Purkey 8/27/23 • 6:51PM

I was fortunate to attend a concert she gave in Atlanta right after MLK was assassinated. She was so incredibly talented and I still listen to her regularly.
Laurpud 8/27/23 • 6:58PM

I helped!
TOBIE 8/27/23 • 8:23PM

I already helped but happy to help some more!
Andrea 8/27/23 • 9:16PM

I helped.
Cynthia Patti 8/27/23 • 9:40PM

I helped. As usual, I am laughing out loud Mr. Strong!! Thanks for the laughs!!
Pam 8/28/23 • 12:40AM

I helped!
Sarah Z 8/28/23 • 5:21AM

I helped!
Donna 8/28/23 • 5:47AM

I helped. Brother’s Brother foundation directly to Maui.
JoEllen 8/28/23 • 8:06AM

I helped! Maui Humane Society.
Purlaverse 8/28/23 • 8:06AM

I helped.
Regina Hanover 8/28/23 • 8:15AM

I helped
Trish 8/28/23 • 8:57AM

I helped and loved this post!!!!
Mary Meadowlark 8/28/23 • 11:33AM

Wow DG it’s so good you’re Not Bitter about someone filling in for you! They go low, you go high, man. And yeah—can’t get much higher than Nina Simone.
This is easy for me because thanks to Miz Max Daniels I DID make a contribution to the Hawaii Community Foundation earlier this week. Always helpful to have someone point the way to a reputable org.
mac 8/28/23 • 3:16PM

I helped
J Diane Oliver 8/28/23 • 4:50PM

I helped* but my donation went to Red Cross Canada bc the RC America page could not handle a CA postal code. We’ve had our share of devastating fires too so, I helped also. <3
Jennifer 8/29/23 • 9:38AM

I helped. World Central Kitchen and Hawaii Community Foundation.
bex 8/29/23 • 11:36AM

I helped! World Central Kitchen
Beth R. 8/29/23 • 7:43PM

I helped!
Cindy Putterman 8/30/23 • 7:12AM

Love Nina
Pam 8/30/23 • 3:06PM

I helped! World Central Kitchen- Jose Andres. Doing The Lord’s work.
Luci F 8/30/23 • 3:56PM

I helped!
Cynthia 8/31/23 • 4:02PM

I helped. (Red Cross) Can’t give blood right now so this will do.
Chris Chambers 9/02/23 • 6:36AM

I helped! World Central Kitchen
Susan Goecker 9/02/23 • 6:59AM

I helped
Rebecca 9/02/23 • 7:05AM

I helped. Thank you for the nudge and for speaking truth to power in one my favorite pieces here. That first paragraph – so good. You are right on about the great Ms. Nina Simone, too. Uh oh now I’ve done a flapdoodle.
Ilana Blatt-Eisengart 9/02/23 • 7:15AM

I helped ❤️
kamische 9/02/23 • 7:48AM

I helped.
Beth Szopinski 9/02/23 • 8:00AM

I helped!! My company does a match, so donated $100 to the Maui Humane Society yesterday! Praying for all the locals and their beloved pets…
Diana 9/02/23 • 8:21AM

I helped…and have family on Maui so thanks to everyone else who helped! Big ups to MDK for encouraging folks to keep Maui in mind.
NancyG 9/02/23 • 8:42AM

I helpec
jan m 9/02/23 • 8:45AM

I helped.
colleen troy 9/02/23 • 8:53AM

I helped.
Karon 9/02/23 • 8:57AM

I helped with a donation to the World Central Kitchen. Thank you for doing this!
Jinna Cox 9/02/23 • 8:58AM

I helped!
Appreciating the work of the Hawaii Community Foundation.
Jennifer Accardo 9/02/23 • 9:12AM

I helped–thanks for using your powers for good!
Elizabeth T 9/02/23 • 9:24AM

I helped
Laura 9/02/23 • 9:34AM

I helped; thanks for the reminder!
KathyS 9/02/23 • 9:37AM

I helped!
dori 9/02/23 • 9:40AM

I helped
hollive 9/02/23 • 9:51AM

I helped!
Darci 9/02/23 • 10:00AM

I helped via People’s fund of Maui
Deanna 9/02/23 • 10:07AM

I helped!
K Mookini 9/02/23 • 10:08AM

I helped!…and I’m still helping!
Grace Frank 9/02/23 • 11:07AM

I helped.
Trish O. 9/02/23 • 11:20AM

I helped! https://www.mauihumanesociety.org/
Sandy 9/02/23 • 11:41AM

…and l helped!
Karen H. 9/02/23 • 12:06PM

Great way to use your bully pulpit DG — donation sent to the Red Cross.
GailD 9/02/23 • 12:16PM

I helped!
Sandra 9/02/23 • 12:43PM

I helped!
Pat Enterkin 9/02/23 • 1:18PM

The thing that I enjoy about MDK is the variety of information that relates to knitting. The article about Princess Di is a perfect example. She probably didn’t knit, but wore knitted sweaters. The music that D.G. Strong suggested is awesome. MDK can pull off some wonderful things and the weekly Snippets is the cat’s pajamas. I helped by donating to Samitarian’s Purse.
Dot D 9/02/23 • 1:35PM

I helped with a donation to the Hawaii Community Foundation
Edie Mullally 9/02/23 • 2:25PM

I helped!
Sharon Mitchell 9/02/23 • 2:29PM

I helped!
Nancy 9/02/23 • 2:33PM

I helped!
hd 9/02/23 • 3:20PM

I helped!
Laurel 9/02/23 • 3:22PM

I helped. I cried again for Maui.
- hollandteach 9/02/23 • 9:25PM
  
  Donated to Ukraine and Maui so far this year.
Tina Saner 9/02/23 • 3:30PM

Love World Central Kitchen! Learned of them from Knit for Food.
Cindy Antene 9/02/23 • 3:37PM

I helped!
Carol Sams 9/02/23 • 3:42PM

I helped the Maui Food Bank.
Christine L Wolfe 9/02/23 • 3:52PM

I helped the Red Cross. They helped me after a fire destroyed my home.
Amy S 9/02/23 • 5:30PM

I helped.
Natalie N. 9/02/23 • 6:16PM

I helped.
Ellen Hansen 9/02/23 • 6:24PM

I helped. https://mauiunitedway.org/disasterrelief
Ellen Hansen 9/02/23 • 6:30PM

After I helped I read others’ comment. I LOVE being part of this community of makers that rises to the occasion. What an impact it has to mobilize a group of like-minded individuals.
Mary Jean Blythe 9/02/23 • 6:54PM

I helped!
Sarah White 9/02/23 • 7:06PM

I helped!
Caroljmh 9/02/23 • 8:22PM

I helped! Thanks for the nudge:)
Lily Shih 9/02/23 • 11:47PM

I helped by donating to the Hawaii Strong Fund via the Hawaii Community Foundation.
Mary Alice 9/03/23 • 7:36AM

I helped.
Hattie Aderholdt 9/03/23 • 8:43AM

I helped early on with a donation to the Community Foundation.
ttyy 9/03/23 • 9:03AM

I helped!
stilton velveeta mozzarella 9/03/23 • 1:57PM

I helped via WCK, who I learnt of through the Knit for Food fundraiser.
kelli cree 9/03/23 • 5:58PM

I helped!
Kate L 9/03/23 • 7:20PM

I helped!
Amee Warfield 9/03/23 • 7:59PM

I helped/donated/gave/supported. Which ever word you choose to use, you are the types of people who really make a difference. Thanks to every person who gave (and to MDK for the great idea to help Maui by reaching their thousands of followers).
Laura 9/03/23 • 8:46PM

We helped the Maui Humane Society.