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From the album: New York Encounter (Fresh Sound Records) by Michael Simon
About the album/track: New York Encounter is also the title song specially written for the Big Apple recording locale. Inspired by the reunion of the Simon brothers, the repertoire varies from groovy and energetic to straight ahead jazz and subtle pieces. Michael Simon (tp, flh), Miguel Zenon (as), Peter Brainin (ts), Ed Simon (p), Andy Gonzalez, Boris Kozlov (b), Marlon Simon (d, perc), Roberto Quintero (perc).
Editor's comments: Nice straight-ahead piece with latin flavor. Thoroughly enjoyable jazz tune that skips right along until it takes off at the mid-point with a lovely sax solo. Wonderful tune. A reminder of why we love jazz.
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From the album: Revelacion (Pramisi Records) by Michael Simon & Roots United
About the album/track: Revelacion is the debut CD of Michael Simon's Roots United, a formation of international, experienced and mature musicians. On this album Michael Simon proves not only to be an outstanding trumpet player but also a very talented and modern composer. His compositions are new, fresh and sparkling. The contribution of Michael's brothers Marlon and Edward, both known in the jazz scene, adds to Revelacin the flavors of their youth, their colorful background and mutual love for jazz.
About Michael Simon
Michael Simon's exposure to music started at a very young age. His father, Hadsy Simon, a guitarist and singer (who started it all), and his brothers Edward (pianist) and Marlon (drummer) kept the music environment in the house and supported him throughout his studies.
At the age of fourteen, Michael started taking trumpet lessons as well as musical theory and solfege lessons at a local music school in Valencia (Venezuela), and later started gaining on-stage experience playing with local (popular music) bands. Troughout this period, his brothers encouraged him to listen to Jazz, which drove him to a desire for new goals. And while on vacation in Curacao visiting his father, Michael had the opportunity to attend his first Jazz Festival where he ended up shocked after hearing the legendary cuban group Irakere.
In 1991, Michael went to cuba to study music at the Escuela de Superacion Profesional “Ignacio Cervantes," which he attended for two years. During his research in Cuba he had many private lessons with amaizing trumpetters like: Juan Munguia, Roberto Garcia, El Greco, Jose Alberto Varona, Alfredo Pichardo and others.
Looking for a school with a jazz program, as he got more and more interest in jazz, Michael decided to spend some time with his father in Curacao, where he started working as a professional trumpetter with local jazz and latin bands.
