Edward Simon (musician)

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Edward Simon
Edward Simon in 2007
Background information
Born	(1969-07-27) July 27, 1969 (age 52) Punta Cardón, Venezuela
Genres	Jazz, Latin jazz, world fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1988–present
Labels	AudioQuest, Sunnyside, CAM Jazz
Associated acts	Bobby Watson, Terence Blanchard, SFJAZZ Collective, John Patitucci

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

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

As sideman

With Craig Handy

• Split Second Timing (Arabesque, 1992)

With Greg Osby

• Mindgames (JMT, 1988)
• Season of Renewal (JMT, 1990)

With Terence Blanchard

• Romantic Defiance (Columbia, 1995)
• The Heart Speaks (Columbia, 1996)
• Wandering Moon (Sony Classical, 2000)
• Let's Get Lost (Sony Classical, 2001)

References[]

External links[]

• Official site