Simon Crosby-Arreaza

Simón Crosby-Arreaza was born in Long Island, New York in 1996. A child of two medical students from Colombia, Simón spent his childhood in New Jersey, in a home that fostered a love for intellectual heritage and the arts. Learning flute at the age of 7, Simón began to study the music of Bach and Mozart under his father’s encouragement. At 13 he picked up the saxophone and shortly after, began to study with saxophone teachers at the Jazz House Kids program in New Jersey, namely Bruce Williams of the World Saxophone Quartet and RH Factor, and Julius Tolentino, alumnus of the Illinois Jaquet and Duke Ellington bands. He also studied composition with Michelle Rosewoman of the New Yor-Uba ensemble.

Simón moved to Philadelphia to study computer science at Temple University. A chance encounter with saxophonist and musical visionary Steve Coleman proved to be a significant moment in his musical development, and led him to focus on music as a career as well as a way of life. Simón switched to studying music under Dick Oatts, Ben Schachter, and Tim Warfield as well as receiving instruction in Terell Stafford’s big band at the school. Simón owes his philosophical approach to music to the influence of Coleman, Warfield, and Oatts.

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