Short Bio

Award-winning pianist and composer Edward Simon hails from Venezuela. He made his first recording as a leader in 1994 (Beauty Within, Audioquest), giving birth to the Edward Simon Trio. Since then, he founded several other ensembles such as: the Edward Simon Quartet, Ensemble Venezuela and Afinidad. Today, the Edward Simon Trio has become an established voice with five recordings and recent performances at well-known jazz venues around the world.

Simon has recorded 11 critically acclaimed albums as leader, including two New York Times Top Ten Jazz Records of the Year: Edward Simon (1995) and Simplicitas (2005). His recording Unicity was voted "Best CD of 2007" by DOWNBEAT. He has appeared as guest artist on more than 50 recordings, including Paquito D'Rivera's Grammy Award winning Funk Tango (Best Latin Jazz Album, 2007) and several Grammy Award nominated albums.

In 2010 Simon was named Guggenheim Fellow by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. That same year he became a member of the SFJAZZ Collective, a prominent musician/composer jazz ensemble dedicated to creating new work and highlighting the music of historically significant jazz composers of the modern era. The Collective is comprised of “eight of the most in-demand” (New York Times) artists performing today.

Simon has recently released Trio Live in New York at Jazz Standard (Sunnyside Records), his first live album, featuring John Patitucci and Brian Blade. He is currently working on his next album, Venezuelan Suite, scheduled for relase in early 2014 on Sunnyside Records.

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Press quotes

"One of the strongest pianist of his generation, with intuitive empathy and drum-like ingenuity, and solos compositionally with passionate elegance."

-Ted Panken, DOWNBEAT

"Simon's music—whether it's a complex chart like the episodic and dramatically expansive "Intention" or the spare melancholy of "My Love For You," a solo piano piece that bookends Poesia with two different takes—has always been emotionally deep. With the at once challenging and beautiful Poesia, he has once again delivered an album that deserves a spot as one of the best piano trio records of the year."

-John Kelman, AllAboutJazz.com

Edward Simon is worth experiencing. With a very down home style and attitude, he exudes humility that is rare this [sic] days. Real people, with real talent!

-Latin Beat Magazine

[Poesía] A majestic trio record, with “Giant Steps” the most enthralling of many highspots.

-Tony Hall, Jazzwise

"Mr. Simon's touch, light and warm, allows for his music to drift calmly, taking its time to get to where it has to go."

-The New York Times

"He doesn't go in for dazzle and fleet-fingered runs but contents himself with digging in and mining the music for drama and invention. He often turns these rural sounds into deep emotional statements."

-Jazz Journal International

"Simon is an important presence on the jazz and world music scene."

-Los Angeles Times
Edward Simon Trio
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