Home » Jazz Musicians » Michael Simon

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.

It wasn't until 1993, that he was auditioned by Jan Laurens Hartong and Eric Calmes (teachers at the Rotterdams Conservatory) and admitted him to study in the jazz department; when he moved to The Netherlands. In 1998 he obtained his degree of D.M. (bachelour) for trumpet and started another course on composing and arranging in the same school. Throughout this period, working as a professional trumpetter in The Netherlands, Michael had the opportunity to perform in the most important theaters, concert halls and festivals. In the summer of 1997 he made his first appearance at the North Sea Jazz Festival as a member of the Fra Fra Big Band and the following year with Gerardo Rosales's Latin Jazz Ensemble, he has been a steady member of these groups since 1996 as well as of Fra Fra Sound.

So far, he has accumulated an impressive curriculum. His work experience includes performances with some of the top Latin and Jazz artists in the world such as Lester Bowie, Denise Jannah, Rotterdams Fabrikaat Big Band, Ben Herman, Bobby Watson, Conexion Latina, Toumani Diabate, Andy Gonzalez, Edward Simon, Lukas van Merwijk and Cubop City Big Band, Ronald Snijders, Marlon Simon, Javier Plaza, Eddie Martinez and recently with David Murray. Throughout his concert tours, he has performed in Irland, Benelux, France, Switzer- land, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Austria, Finland and also in countries outside Europe such as USA, Jamaica, Hungary, Surinam, Guatemala, South Africa and five countries in West Africa.

Michael Simon & Asian Connection: East West & Beyond

Read "East West & Beyond" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
October 8, 2024

If you find yourself in need of a lift, you may find it on Michael Simon and Asian Connection's uplifting album East, West & Beyond. Born in Venezuela, Simon, now resident in the Netherlands, has spent over two decades combining western jazz with music from the east and collaborating with some of Asia's best musicians. Joining Simon to deliver his vision are Taiwanese saxophonist Minyen Hsieh, Hong Kong drummer Huang Tzu Yu, Taipei-based Japanese bassist Ikeda Kinya, Indonesian ...

160

Mix Tape

New Jazz & World Music: 2011

by Michael Simon
September 11, 2011

Some of the most creative jazz and world music artists on the scene right now that deserve wider recognition. TrackNameTimeArtistAlbum1Sangre Mandinga6:2Alex WilsonMali Latino2Bamako 20005:29Alex WilsonMali Latino3Choro6:16Banda Jazz Sinfonica de Diademainterpreta Noel Rosa4Galactic Panama5:4Danilo PérezProvidencia5Providencia5:8Danilo PérezProvidencia6Firi Na Gron'6:18FrafraSoundBlack,Dutch & More7Guess What?6:24FrafraSoundBlack,Dutch & More8Blen Blen Blen3:5Gerardo RosalesGerardo Rosales and his Afro Cuban Jazz Quintet “Chano Pozo's Music"9Straight, No Chaser4:26Jorge GlemLa Siembra del Cuatro10Bily3:19Jorge GlemLa Siembra del Cuatro11Serendipity6:41Leo BlancoAfrica Latina12Afro East4:43Leo BlancoAfrica Latina131 Si S-Au Iubit8:1Modern Balkan Jazz OrchestraPrimavara Master ...

299

Take Five With...

Take Five With Michael Simon

by Michael Simon
August 8, 2011

Meet Michael Simon: Michael's musical background goes back to Punta Cardón (his native town), in Venezuela in the 1980s, when he was only ten years old, already jamming with his brothers. His musical studies cover a wide spectrum, first in Cuba where he went to the Ignacio Cervantes music school to study trumpet, and then to the Rotterdam conservatory of music in The Netherlands, where he obtained his arranging and composition degree in 2002. For the ...

156

Album Review

Michael Simon & Roots United: Revelacion

Read "Revelacion" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza

by Jerry D'Souza
October 7, 2006

Michael Simon was born in a family where music was a strong persuasion. His father Hadsy, a guitarist and singer, first inculcated the love of music in him, while his brothers Edward and Marlon turned his ear towards jazz. After attending a concert by Irakere in Curacao, he went to Cuba and learned the music of that country. Three years later, in 1992, he moved to the Netherlands, where he now resides.

Simon composed and arranged all the music on ...

Career

Michael Simon to Head Harry Fox Agency

Source: HypeBot
October 18, 2012

Michael S. Simon has been promoted to President and CEO for rights management, royalty and licensing company, The Harry Fox Agency. Simon has been with HFA for more than 11 years, serving in a variety of roles, including Senior Vice President of Business Affairs, General Counsel and Chief Strategic Officer. Prior to joining HFA, Simon was the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and General Counsel for technology business consultants Razorfish, Inc. Prior to Razorfish, Simon helmed Simon Ventures, an ...
read more

205

Recording

Download Two Free MP3s by Trumpeter Michael Simon

Source: Michael Ricci
August 11, 2011

Download two free MP3s from trumpeter and composer Michael Simon.

Download MP3 Now | Purchase Music

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 ...
read more

137

Recording

Michael Simon Releases "New York Encounter"

Source: Michael Ricci
August 4, 2010

A new CD by Michael Simon, after the well received Revelacin, New York Encounter is also the title song specially written for the recordings made in the Big Apple, inspired by the reunion of the Simon brothers reinforced by a “dream team" of outstanding artists from the actual jazz en latin music world. The repertoire varies from very groovy and energetic to straight ahead jazz and subtle pieces. Line-up: Michael Simon (Fra Fra Sound / Roots United)—trompet; Marlon Simon (The ...
read more

Recording

Michael Simon & Roots United Release "Revelacion" on Pramisi Records

Source: All About Jazz
April 26, 2006

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 Revelacion the flavors of their youth, their colorful background and mutual love for jazz.

Based in Rotterdam, ...
read more

"This recording was more labour of love than chance meeting" —Mike Hobart - Financial Times(.com)

"one of the best Latin jazz albums of the year" Oscar Groomes —O's Place Jazz Newsletter

"New York Encounter displays a broad swatch of Simon’s musical abilities, bringing together all the influences of his community connections" —Chip Boaz, Latin Jazz Corner