
Kandace Springs
Season 5 Episode 505 | 56m 15sVideo has Closed Captions
Kandace Springs brings a mix of jazz, soul and pop with her all-female band.
Kandace Springs brings a stunning mix of jazz, soul and pop. With her all-female band, she performs songs from her 2020 album “The Women Who Raised Me”. In a funky yet sophisticated set, Springs delivers songs to honor her vocal influences including: Nina Simone’s “I Put a Spell on You”, Bonnie Raitt’s vocals on “I Can't Make You Love Me”, and Sade’s “Love is Stronger Than Pride.”
The Kate is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television

Kandace Springs
Season 5 Episode 505 | 56m 15sVideo has Closed Captions
Kandace Springs brings a stunning mix of jazz, soul and pop. With her all-female band, she performs songs from her 2020 album “The Women Who Raised Me”. In a funky yet sophisticated set, Springs delivers songs to honor her vocal influences including: Nina Simone’s “I Put a Spell on You”, Bonnie Raitt’s vocals on “I Can't Make You Love Me”, and Sade’s “Love is Stronger Than Pride.”
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪ That's what makes the world go round ♪ ♪ The ups and downs, a carousel ♪ I grew up in Nashville and I feel really blessed for it because my father is a singer there.
♪ Shake it on down ♪ ♪ Shake on the shakedown ♪ And when I was a little girl growing up he'd have me listening to everything from Nina Simone to Roberta Flack to Garth Brooks.
He sang a lot of backup for all these country stars in Nashville, from Faith Hill, Vince Gill, Garth to Aretha Franklin.
I got to brag that's my dad.
His name is Scat Springs.
We got this old upright piano - I come downstairs and see it, and I start pickin on it and my dad is like "Let me show you how to do that babygirl."
So he starts playing like the first part of "Moonlight Sonata", and I played it back like right away and he was like "That ain't normal.
You want lessons baby?"
I was like "Yea ok, I'd love piano lessons."
♪ My father recommended that I go to this organization called the Nashville Jazz Workshop.
And it's run by Lori Mechem and Roger Spencer and they've been there for like over 20 plus years, running it and teaching people of all ages jazz.
'Cause, you know, it's kind of a dying, dying art in a way.
♪ In my solitude ♪ So that's where I learned all these standards from.
And they gave me CD's after CD's, back then.
That's all I'd be playing in the car.
So I'd be like 16, 17 just bumping Ella.
♪ With reveries ♪ I see music in colors, when I see notes I see colors, when I see chord changes I see more colors if that makes sense.
I'm an artist, I paint, and I draw and all that, so I see music the same way.
My new album is titled The Women who Raised Me .
It's a tribute record to all the women that I grew up listening to.
There's a song for each of them, Ella Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack, Billie Holiday, Sade, Norah Jones.
A funny store, I was in Nashville coming back from a gig in New York, and I run into of all people coming out of the bathroom while I'm going into the bathroom, Norah Jones.
I fell over.
So we swapped numbers and I sent her a text asking if she would sing on my third album.
So, we got together at her apartment maybe like a month or two later and we brainstormed, like, who our favorite singers are and it obviously comes down to Ella Fitzgerald.
And we picked "Angel Eyes".
And so we get on her little upright piano in her apartment and start kinda playing with the chords and come up with an arrangement.
It's the best experience recording I've ever had.
♪ Angel eyes ♪ ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ Turn down the lights ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ Turn down the bed ♪ ♪ Turn down these voices inside my head ♪ ♪ Lay down with me ♪ ♪ Tell me no lies ♪ ♪ Just hold me close, don't patronize ♪ ♪ Don't patronize ♪ ♪ 'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't ♪ ♪ You can't make your heart feel ♪ ♪ Something it won't ♪ ♪ Here in the dark, in these final hours ♪ ♪ I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power ♪ ♪ But you won't, no you won't ♪ ♪ 'Cause I can't make you love me ♪ ♪ If you don't ♪ ♪ ♪ I close my eyes, then I won't see ♪ ♪ The love that you don't feel when you're holding me ♪ ♪ Morning will come I'll do what's right ♪ ♪ Just give me 'til then to give up this fight ♪ ♪ And I will give up this fight, oh ♪ ♪ 'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't ♪ ♪ You can't make your heart feel, yea, something it won't ♪ ♪ Here in the dark, in these final hours ♪ ♪ I will lay down my heart and I'll feel the power ♪ ♪ But you won't, no you won't ♪ ♪ 'Cause I can't make you love me if you don't ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ Here we go.
♪ Oh oh no no ♪ (audience applauding) How's everybody doing?
Yay!
(laughs) Well anyway, this is "Angel Eyes".
(piano music) ♪ ♪ Try to think that love's not around ♪ ♪ Still it's uncomfortably near ♪ ♪ My old heart ain't gaining no ground ♪ ♪ 'Cause my angel eyes ain't here ♪ ♪ Angel eyes, that old Devil sent ♪ ♪ They glow unbearably bright ♪ (scatting) ♪ Need I say that my love is misspent ♪ ♪ Misspent with angel eyes tonight ♪ Come on, ladies.
♪ So drink up all you people ♪ ♪ Order anything you see ♪ ♪ Have fun you happy people ♪ ♪ The drinks and the laughs on me ♪ ♪ Pardon me but I've got to run ♪ ♪ The fact's uncommonly clear ♪ (scatting) ♪ I've got to find who's now number one ♪ ♪ And why, why my angel eyes ain't here ♪ ♪ And why my angel eyes ain't here ♪ Come on, ladies, sing it.
♪ And why my angel eyes ain't here ♪ ♪ And why my angel eyes ain't here ♪ ♪ And why my angel eyes ain't here ♪ ♪ Excuse me while I ♪ ♪ Disappear ♪ ♪ Angel eyes, ooh yeah ♪ (audience applauding) Are you having a good time?
AUDIENCE: Yeah!
All right, we're gonna jam a little bit.
Yeah, baby, throw it back.
Give it a little more tempo.
I wanna bring it up a little.
Yeah, that's good, yeah.
♪ ♪ Trash men didn't get my trash today ♪ ♪ Oh why?
Because they want more pay ♪ ♪ Buses on strike, want a raise in fare ♪ ♪ They're blaming it on longer hair ♪ ♪ But that's what makes the world go round ♪ ♪ The ups and downs, a carousel ♪ ♪ Changing people's heads around ♪ ♪ Go underground, young man ♪ ♪ People make the world go round ♪ ♪ Round, round, and around and round ♪ ♪ Wall Street losin' dough on every share ♪ ♪ They're blaming it on longer hair ♪ ♪ Big men sitting in their easy chairs ♪ ♪ On a fat cigar without a care ♪ ♪ But that's what makes the world go round ♪ ♪ The ups and downs, a carousel ♪ ♪ Changing people's heads around ♪ ♪ Go underground, young man ♪ ♪ People make the world go round ♪ ♪ Round and round and around and round ♪ ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ (vocalization) ♪ But that's what makes the world go round ♪ ♪ The ups and downs, a carousel ♪ ♪ Changing people's heads around ♪ ♪ Go underground, young man ♪ ♪ People make the world go round ♪ ♪ People make the world go round ♪ ♪ People make the world go round ♪ ♪ People make the world go round ♪ Last one.
(vocalization) (audience applauding) (piano music) This is another song that's on my record and this one is a tribute to Carmen McRae.
♪ ♪ In my solitude you haunt me ♪ ♪ With reveries of days gone by ♪ ♪ In my solitude you taunt me, yeah ♪ ♪ With memories that never die ♪ ♪ I sit in my chair ♪ ♪ I'm filled with despair ♪ ♪ There's no one could be so sad ♪ ♪ With gloom ev'rywhere ♪ ♪ I sit and I stare ♪ ♪ I know that I'll soon go mad ♪ ♪ In my solitude ♪ ♪ I'm praying ♪ ♪ Dear Lord above ♪ ♪ Send back my love ♪ (piano music) ♪ ♪ Ooh yeah yeah ♪ ♪ I sit in my chair ♪ ♪ I'm filled with despair ♪ ♪ There's no one could be so sad ♪ ♪ With gloom ev'rywhere ♪ ♪ I sit and I stare ♪ ♪ I know that I'll soon go mad ♪ ♪ In my solitude ♪ ♪ I'm praying ♪ ♪ Dear Lord above ♪ ♪ Send back my love ♪ ♪ Dear Lord above ♪ ♪ Send back my love ♪ (audience applauding) Thank you, appreciate it.
Thank you.
("Chopin" on piano) I love Chopin too.
You guys ready for this?
(Tempo changes to contemporary jazz) ♪ Yes.
♪ ♪ How insensitive I must have seemed ♪ ♪ When he told me that he loved me ♪ ♪ How unmoved and cold ♪ ♪ I must have seemed ♪ ♪ When he told me so sincerely ♪ ♪ Why he must have asked ♪ ♪ Did I just turn and stare in icy silence ♪ ♪ What was I to say ♪ ♪ What can you say ♪ ♪ When a love affair is over ♪ All right, ladies, come on.
(instrumental music) ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ ♪ Come on woman.
Aneesa Strings.
(Audience cheers and applause) Yes.
Come on, girl.
♪ Yes.
♪ Yes girl.
♪ Girl!
♪ (audience applauding) Woo!
That's Taylor Moore.
♪ Now he's gone away ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ And I'm alone ♪ ♪ With a memory of his last, last look ♪ ♪ Vague and drawn and sad ♪ ♪ I see it still ♪ ♪ All the heartbreak in that last look ♪ ♪ What was I to say ♪ ♪ Did I just turn and stare in icy silence ♪ ♪ What was I to do?
♪ ♪ What can you do yea ♪ ♪ When a love affair is ♪ Aneesa, can you play a C sharp for me?
♪ Over ♪ ♪ Thank you.
(audience applauding) They are something else, dude.
Incredible, it's incredible.
You better play those drums.
Come on, yeah.
I was about 18 and I was working in Nashville, downtown Nashville at the Renaissance Hotel as a valet parking attendant, 'cause I love cars.
If you really know me, you'll know that.
And I can drive anything.
I'm about to do a donut for y'all.
(tires squealing) They had a piano sitting in the lobby.
On my break I just went and sat down in my uniform and just started playing.
And they were like, "Hey, I didn't know you could play.
"You're pretty damn good.
"So maybe you could play in our lounge sometime."
I would go home after doing a shift in the morning like parking people's cars, checking people in, hauling up their luggage.
Go home, shower, and put on like a nicer outfit, and come right back and go up to this bar and there would be a piano there.
♪ It's not the pale moon ♪ The first song I sang, I believe, was "The Nearness of You".
I remember everybody just turned around and watching.
And I was like, "oh my god, they're watching!"
So it was kind of a magical moment and that point was kind of a turning point into my career playing and singing and accompanying myself for an audience.
I was like, well, if this doesn't take off, I have another thing backed up.
I was gonna go to either automotive design school or, I fricking work on cars, so I guess - I love cars.
So if music didn't take off, that was my backup.
(tires squealing) I think I do have a particular favorite for like American muscle cars.
Something about the loud rumble that I love.
I collect them.
I probably own about 10 right now.
This is my '69 Cutlass.
My latest is a Dodge Viper SRT10.
♪ Walking down the street ♪ ♪ Smoggy-eyed ♪ Prince reached out to me in 2014.
I remember I was outside washing my Jeep and my phone goes off, and I'm like, is that Prince texting me?
Of course, I don't believe it's him.
You know people always pretend to be other people.
And then I keep getting more messages.
And he's like, "Who are you?
"You're so beautiful, I would love you "to come play with my band up at Paisley Park.
"We're having the 30th Purple Rain Anniversary coming up."
And then I get a call from my record label saying, "Prince just called us."
Now I know, this might be real.
So next thing I know, I'm getting a plane ticket, first class, at Paisley Park, and it's just the most amazing thing.
♪ That it's true ♪ He loved good music, and he's really funny, too.
And I came back up there a couple years later, like a few months before he passed away, it was in 2016.
I remember seeing my artwork, like, in his lounge, like he had framed it.
One of his things that he would always stress is that I should not cover up my voice too much with too much, you know, like with tracks and stuff like that it can get a little overbearing on my voices, and my texture, and I don't have the loudest singing voice, so he would always say, "You sound the best when it's just organic.
"Like use live instruments, use, you know, minimal."
And I believe he's right.
My dad used to say the same thing.
I did this one on my second album.
And I'm gonna play it at every show.
I actually got to close Prince's 30th Purple Rain Anniversary with this song.
- Yeah.
- So it's a special song.
Here we go.
♪ ♪ The first time, ever I saw your face ♪ ♪ I thought the sun rose in your eyes ♪ ♪ And the moon and the stars ♪ ♪ Were the gifts you gave ♪ ♪ To the dark, and the endless skies ♪ ♪ And the first time, ever I kissed your mouth ♪ ♪ I felt the earth move in my hands ♪ ♪ Like the trembling heart ♪ ♪ Of a captive bird ♪ ♪ That was there, at my command ♪ ♪ That was there, oh yeah ♪ ♪ At my command ♪ ♪ The first time, ever I saw your face ♪ ♪ Your face, oh no, no, no ♪ ♪ Your face ♪ ♪ Your face ♪ Thank you, thank you (audience cheers and applause) You guys like Sade?
(audience applauding) Me, too, yeah.
One of my biggest inspirations as well.
Yes, if you guys wanna sing, you're welcome to.
I've got a little line for you guys to sing.
I'll show it to you.
Something to the effect of like, it can go like this, I want you guys to sing, ♪ I, I, I, I ♪ Now you do it, come on, with me.
♪ I ♪ Come on, I can't hear you.
♪ I ♪ Very good.
♪ I ♪ Keep going.
♪ I, I, I ♪ Come on, ladies.
♪ I, I, I ♪ ♪ I ♪ Yes.
♪ I, I ♪ ♪ I won't pretend that I intend to stop living ♪ ♪ I won't pretend I'm good at forgiving ♪ ♪ But I can't hate you ♪ ♪ Though I have tried ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ I still really, really love you ♪ ♪ Love is stronger than pride ♪ ♪ I still really, really love you, love you, love you ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ Come on, Aneesa.
C'mon girl.
♪ I won't pretend.
♪ Yes.
♪ That I intend to stop living, no ♪ ♪ No, I won't pretend I'm good at forgiving ♪ ♪ But I can't hate you ♪ ♪ Although I have tried ♪ ♪ Oh yeah ♪ ♪ I still really, really love you ♪ ♪ Love is stronger than pride ♪ ♪ I still really, really love you ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ It's Aneesa Strings.
(audience applauding) ♪ Sitting here wasting my time ♪ ♪ Baby waiting for the sun to rise ♪ ♪ It's all too clear ♪ ♪ Things come and go ♪ ♪ Sitting here wasting my time ♪ ♪ Be like waiting for winter ♪ ♪ It's gonna be cold ♪ ♪ There may even ♪ ♪ Be snow ♪ ♪ ♪ I still really love you ♪ ♪ Love is stronger than pride ♪ ♪ I still really love you ♪ ♪ Love is, love is stronger than pride ♪ ♪ I still really love you ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ I still really love you ♪ ♪ Love, love is stronger than pride ♪ ♪ I still really, really love you ♪ ♪ Stronger than pride ♪ Let's break it down.
♪ I, I, I, I ♪ ♪ I, I, I, I ♪ Just the voices.
♪ I, I, I ♪ Thank you.
(audience cheers and applause) Yes.
Aneesa Strings on the vocals again.
Taylor Moore.
This is a tribute to Nina Simone.
She's one of the, you know, ultimate, just badass female pianist, singers ever out there and I just love the way she plays.
She plays a lot of classical, everything.
Just everything, mixes it up.
Her voice is so original and I've taken so much inspiration from her.
This is a piece I put together, arranged.
So thank you, here we go.
(laughing) (piano music) ♪ ♪ I put a spell on you ♪ ♪ 'Cause you're mine ♪ (scatting) ♪ You better stop the things you do ♪ ♪ Well, well ♪ ♪ I ain't lying ♪ ♪ No, I ain't lying ♪ ♪ You know I can't stand it ♪ ♪ You running around ♪ ♪ You know better, babe ♪ ♪ I can't stand it, 'cause you put me down ♪ ♪ Oh I put a spell on you, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Because you're mine ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ (scatting) ♪ Oh baby ♪ (scatting) ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ I love you, I love you anyhow ♪ ♪ I don't care if you don't want me ♪ ♪ I'm yours right now ♪ ♪ I don't care if you don't want me ♪ ♪ I'm yours right now ♪ ♪ I put a spell on you, yeah ♪ ♪ Because you're mine ♪ (vocalizing) ♪ Mine, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ You know I can't stand it ♪ ♪ You running around ♪ ♪ You know better, baby, baby, baby ♪ ♪ I can't stand it ♪ ♪ 'Cause you put me down, oh ♪ ♪ I put a spell on you, yeah ♪ ♪ Because you're mine ♪ (audience applauding) ♪ I'll follow you.
♪ At last ♪ (audience applauding) (laughs) Yes.
♪ My love has come along ♪ ♪ My lonely days are over ♪ ♪ And life is like a song ♪ ♪ Ooh, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ At last ♪ ♪ Skies above are blue, yeah ♪ ♪ My heart was wrapped up in clover ♪ ♪ The night I looked at you ♪ ♪ I found a dream ♪ ♪ That I could speak to ♪ ♪ A dream that I could call my own ♪ ♪ I found a thrill to press my cheek to ♪ ♪ A thrill I had never ever known ♪ ♪ You smile, you smile ♪ ♪ Oh and then a spell was cast ♪ ♪ And here we are in heaven ♪ ♪ For you are mine ♪ Hold on a second, I said, ♪ Mine ♪ I want you guys to sing that back, okay?
On the count of three go, ♪ Mine ♪ One, two, three.
AUDIENCE: ♪ Mine ♪ Oh, they sounds good, okay.
Hey.
♪ Mine ♪ Taylor, sing it for me.
TAYLOR: ♪ Mine ♪ - Yes!
Give it up for Taylor, c'mon.
(audience applauding) Come on, Aneesa, sing it for me.
♪ Mine ♪ - Okay, Lauryn Hill.
All right, go back.
♪ Mine ♪ I usually have my manager come out and sing this part, but we're just gonna keep going.
♪ At last ♪ (vocalizing) (laughing) (upbeat piano music) Oh wait, that's the wrong song.
♪ At ♪ F. (piano chords) Take me to church, guys, take me to church.
Thank you so much, guys.
Have a great night, thank you.
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The Kate is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television