Search - Edward Simon :: Latin American Songbook

The music of Latin America has long been some of the world s most beloved, whether Brazilian bossa nova, Argentinean tango, Cuban bolero or irresistible songs from Chile, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. Pianist Edward Simon a native of Venezuela who has made a name for himself over decades in America as a jazz pianist, bandleader and composer-arranger, along with being a Guggenheim Fellow and member of the hit SFJAZZ Collective has created fresh, supple interpretations of melodies from all these countries for Latin American Songbook. To be released via Sunnyside Records on August 26th, 2016, the album the San Francisco Bay Area-based pianist s 14th sees Simon leading his working trio with bassist Joe Martin and drummer Adam Cruz. The trio s subtly virtuosic performances brim with lyricism, color and groove, giving instrumental voice to songs originally made famous by such singers as Caetano Veloso, Mercedes Sosa and Carlos Gardel. The New York Times has praised Simon s light, warm touch as a pianist, while the Jazz Journal International singled out his deep emotional statements. JazzTimes said: Simon is less talked about than many other important jazz pianists from the Caribbean and South America, but he may be the most complete creative artist among them.

Latin American Songbook is the follow-up to Simon s 2014 Sunnyside release, Venezuelan Suite, which saw the pianist blend the tuneful, buoyant sounds of his native country with the harmonically sophisticated, forward-looking manner of jazz. These rich compositions - written on a grant from Chamber Music America - featured star saxophonist Mark Turner alongside virtuosos of the Venezuelan folk tradition. All About Jazz marveled over the album: Venezuelan Suite is pianist Edward Simon s love letter to his homeland, but that s not all it is; it s the perfect confluence of Venezuelan ideals, jazz language and chamber-esque sophistication. In short, it s a masterpiece. DownBeat gave Venezuelan Suite a four-and-a-half star review, summing up: Simon doesn t forcibly create connections he opens our eyes to natural connections that have always been there.

For the new album, Simon created artful piano-trio settings of such songs as Astor Piazzolla s famously rhapsodic Libertango and Antônio Carlos Jobim s lilting Chega de Saudade, as well as the gorgeous Cuban ballad En La Orilla Del Mundo (At the Edge of the World), a number jazz fans may know from its appearance on the hit Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba album Nocturne. About these songs and five others on Latin American Songbook, Simon explains: I grew up listening to and loving this music it sings and it dances. It s irresistible. Later, I dealt with this material playing in Paquito D Rivera s band in the 90s, and in my collaborations with Luciana Souza. As a mature jazz artist now, I wanted to delve into these songs more deeply and make them my own. I tried to start from the original source. For something as well-known as Libertango, I began by transcribing Piazzolla s first recording. Then I strove to subtly transform the originals, taking Carlos Gardel s Volver from a tango to a 5/4 jazz tune, for instance.