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Fred Simon

Fred Simon has been making music for more than thirty-five years, composing for records, live performance, film, dance, and television, with instrumentation ranging from solo piano to symphonic orchestra. His recorded work includes seven albums of original music under his name: SHORT STORY and TIME AND THE RIVER (Quaver); USUALLY/ALWAYS (Windham Hill) featuring Paul McCandless, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Bonnie Herman, Ross Traut, Iain Matthews, and Mark Walker; OPEN BOOK (Columbia) featuring Steve Rodby, Ross Traut, and Mark Walker; DREAMHOUSE (Naim); REMEMBER THE RIVER (Naim) featuring Paul McCandless and Steve Rodby; and SINCE FOREVER (Naim) featuring Paul McCandless, Steve Rodby, and Mark Walker; three albums (as principle composer) with the Simon and Bard Group: MUSAIC featuring Larry Coryell, TEAR IT UP featuring Ralph Towner, and THE ENORMOUS RADIO featuring Larry Coryell (Flying Fish); as well as TWILIGHT (NorthSound Music Group), a collaboration with Paul McCandless and Teja Bell; THE MUSIC OF THE BEACH BOYS (NorthSound Music Group), an album of solo piano arrangements of Brian Wilson songs; and numerous appearances on compilations released by Windham Hill, Columbia, Narada, Private Music, Imaginary Road, NorthSound Music Group, Jazziz Magazine, and NAIM. Fred has recorded and/or performed with Ralph Towner, Paul McCandless, Larry Coryell, Lyle Mays, Iain Matthews, Jerry Goodman, Steve Rodby, Paul Wertico, Bonnie Herman, Kurt Elling, Fareed Haque, David Onderdonk, Ingrid Graudins, Ross Traut, The Stan Kenton Orchestra, and many others. Future plans call for more of the same, only different. ——-


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330
Album Review

Fred Simon: Since Forever

Read "Since Forever" reviewed by John Kelman


A pianist of rare compositional lyricism, it's remarkable how one event in Fred Simon's life has led, almost inescapably, to the present. Touring with woodwind multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless in support of the Oregon co-founder's Premonition (Windham Hill, 1992), the keyboardist found himself onstage with Pat Metheny Group bassist Steve Rodby and soon-to-be-Oregon drummer, Mark Walker. That tour ultimately led to Simon's Remember the River (NAIM, 2004), an intimate chamber jazz affair featuring Rodby and McCandless. With that trio still intact, ...

269
Album Review

Fred Simon: Remember the River

Read "Remember the River" reviewed by John Kelman


While most readers won't know the name Fred Simon, the pianist has kept admirable company over the years, including woodwind multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless from the genre-bending group Oregon, and bassist/producer Steve Rodby, best known for his work with Pat Metheny Group since '82. Both artists team up with Simon for his latest release, Remember the River , and the result is an album that demonstrates everyone's strengths within the context of an album of gentle energies and subtle passions.

Simon's ...

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

• Jazz instructor, Roosevelt University - 2005 to present; piano, composition, improvisation, theory, ear-training, music history • Private instruction - 1976 to present; piano, composition, improvisation, theory, ear-training, music history • Residencies, workshops, adjudications: Simon and Bard Group - 1978 to 1985; small and large ensemble, piano, composition, theory, improvisation, ear-training • Residencies, workshops, adjudications: Stan Kenton Orchestra Clinics - 1977; small and large ensemble, piano, composition, theory, improvisation, ear-training • Seminars and private instruction: University of Illinois - 1974 to 1976; small and large ensemble, piano, composition, theory, improvisation, ear-training • Bachelor of Music Composition, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana - 1976 • Rates and schedule available upon request

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