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2003-04-24 - 7:31 a.m. It is with deep sadness and admiration that I would like to acknowledge the loss of a great soul, the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone. I first became acquainted with the work of Nina Simone in 1993 through a movie . I was twenty years old, my father was dying, and I found great comfort in her throaty soulful songs. The repeater button on my cd player has always been my favorite function and back then I would listen to �I want a little sugar in my bowl� for hours on end. Later as I learned more about her and her compositions; strong, thought-provoking protests against racism, like �Missippi Goddam� in response to the murder of Medgar Evers, and uplifting songs of pride like �To be young, gifted and black,�my admiration deepened. I look to her as a role model, a lesson in strength, self confidence and personal conviction. Her example made me more politically aware and, I hope, more politically active. I thank my parents for raising me to understand that all people were created equal regardless of race, creed or color and I thank Nina Simone for teaching me the power of words and the necessity for them. It was my good fortune and the fulfillment of a long held wish that I was able to see Nina Simone in concert a couple of years back. It was held in an old theater in Philadelphia, with no air-conditioning. The night was warm, sultry even. We sweated in our seats, metal folding chairs that stuck to your skin. Some waved paper fans but it only pushed the hot air around. None of that mattered though, the moment that She took the stage. I was surprised by her frailty, but her voice was strong and affecting, strangely beautiful. She held a feathery wand that she used to stimulate applause, waving it over her head and beckoning the crowd with her other hand, nodding her approval when we complied. I don�t know how long the set was; it seemed timeless and yet over all too soon, like her life. And so a toast to the High Priestess of Soul! What I'm toasting with: Soul Kiss Cocktail � 
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