Edward Simon (musician)

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

Edward Simon
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
InstrumentsPiano
Years active1988–present
LabelsAudioQuest, Sunnyside, CAM Jazz
Associated actsBobby Watson, Terence Blanchard, SFJAZZ Collective, John Patitucci

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.

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