Edward Simon (musician)

Edward Simon (born July 27, 1969) is a Venezuelan jazz pianist and composer.

Edward Simon
Edward Simon in 2007
Edward Simon in 2007
Background information
Born (1969-07-27) July 27, 1969
Punta Cardón, Venezuela
GenresJazz, Latin jazz, world fusion
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active1988–present
LabelsAudioQuest, Sunnyside, CAM Jazz

Early life

Simon was born in Punta Cardón, Venezuela. When he was ten years old, he went to the United States of America to study at the Performing Arts School in Philadelphia. After graduating, he attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he studied classical piano, then the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied jazz piano.[1][2]

Later life and career

In 1988, he recorded as a sideman with Greg Osby, then worked as a member of the band Horizon led by Bobby Watson. For the next eight years he was a member of Terence Blanchard's band. He has also worked with Herbie Mann, Paquito D'Rivera, Bobby Hutcherson, Jerry Gonzalez, John Patitucci, Arturo Sandoval, Manny Oquendo, and Don Byron. Simon recorded Beauty Within (AudioQuest, 1994), his first album as a bandleader, with Horacio Hernández and bass guitarist Anthony Jackson.[1] During the same year, he was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. Then the following year he composed Rumba Neurotica for the Relache Ensemble.

He formed Ensemble Venezuela in 2003 to combine jazz with the music of Venezuela. He was given a commission by Chamber Music America to write "Venezuelan Suite". He recorded the album in 2012 with musicians from Venezuela, Colombia, and the U.S.[1]

Simon has played on several Grammy-nominated jazz albums. Besides his trio he leads the Sexteto Venezuela, the Afinidad Quartet, and the group Simon, Simon, & Simon with his brothers. He has taught at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and has been artist in residence at Western Michigan University.

As leader

Album Label Year released Session musicians
Beauty Within AudioQuest 1994 Horacio Hernández, Anthony Jackson, Diego Urcola
Edward Simon Kokopelli 1995 Larry Grenadier, Adam Cruz, Mark Turner, Milton Cardona
La Bikina Mythology 1998 Adam Cruz, Ben Street, Mark Turner, David Binney, Pernell Saturnino, Diego Urcola, Milton Cardona
Afinidad Red 2001 David Binney, Scott Colley, Brian Blade, Adam Cruz, Lucia Pulido, Adam Rogers
The Process Criss Cross 2003 John Patitucci, Eric Harland
Fiestas de Agosto Red 2005 David Binney, Donny McCaslin
Simplicitas Criss Cross 2005 Avishai Cohen, Adam Cruz, Luciana Souza, Adam Rogers, Pernell Saturnino
Unicity CAM Jazz 2006 John Patitucci, Brian Blade
Océanos Criss Cross 2007 David Binney, Scott Colley, Brian Blade, Luciana Souza, Adam Rogers, Shane Endsley, Jesse Newman, Alan Ferber, Pernell Saturnino
Poesia CAM Jazz 2009 John Patitucci, Brian Blade
Danny Boy Audio & Video Labs 2010 Philip Donkin, Stephen Keogh
Live in New York at Jazz Standard Sunnyside 2013 John Patitucci, Brian Blade
Venezuelan Suite Sunnyside 2014 -
Latin American Songbook Sunnyside[3] 2016 -
Sorrows & Triumphs Sunnyside 2018 David Binney, Scott Colley, Brian Blade, Adam Rogers
Solo Live Ridgeway[3] 2021 -

As sideman

With Craig Handy

With Greg Osby

With Terence Blanchard

References

  1. Lynch, Dave. "Edward Simon". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. Jesse Hamlin (20 June 2018). "Arts & Ends: Edward Simon, Marco Granados take up two nights in Oakland". San Francisco Chronicle.
  3. "Edward Simon | Album Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 November 2016.


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