Oscar Groomes - O's Place Jazz Newsletter
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One of the best Latin jazz albums of the year
Trumpeter Michael Simon breathes fresh Latin bebop through his horn. Michael composed the new music with two tracks written by his older brother, pianist Edward Simon. There is no shortage of talent with Miguel Zen�n (sax), Andy Gonzalez (b), Roberto Quintero (congas, perc) and brother, Marlon (d) in the band. They captured our interest from the start on "Mi Amigo El Machista" and never let go. The blending of percussion, piano and brass is balanced and engaging. Varied tempos and syncopated beats with fresh music make this one of the best Latin jazz albums of the year. We are making that statement in May!
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Changophil
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Simon's Latin Jazz Right Stuff :)
1997,stuck in Miami due to an impossible love,I was listening a fantastic Latin Jazz program from in Coral Gables everyday for my spirit survival and salvation, smile.. Many thanks to Maggy Pelea of radio WDNA ;) :)
Then,came up to my ears and soul,Marlon Simon with his first cd "Goes Latin".I bought it first because Jerry and Andy Gonzalez were into, but but but, what a wonderfull mine of talents I discovered; Marlon and Edward Simon!
Later on, Marlon made his second cd "Rumba a la Patato".When Marlon asked me wich tunes I liked the most from it, I told him "humble and innocents" and "easy mood",and he started to laught LoL because there were the two only tunes, written by his second brother Michael Simon. The youngest Simon's brothers, Michael, so gifted to write those deep and rich melodies so rare now on the Latin Jazz scene today. Great Composer but also great trumpet player, known in the Nederlands with "Fra Fra Sound band", and his own band "United roots" (cd "revelation"), the same way Edward and Marlon are known, on the East coast,in NYC or Philadelphia. I will always remember him playing and trying same fluglehorn Jerry uses(Besson)in a Parisian horns shop :))
The Marlon brothers are just fantastic in their own diferent ways, like good wines getting better with aging. :)
Here,in his second cd "New York Encounter",Michael comes with a very beautifull Latin Jazz like I love the most.
Deep New York sound, high spirited, soulfull, awakening and vibrating.. After the rain, comes always the sun..
Bassist Boris Kozlov walks into Andy's foot prints as Sax Peter Brainin into Carter Jefferson's, and Trumpet/composer Michael into Jerry's ones, just like Marlon could have been Apache"s Steve Berrios y mucho mas.
You are the next keepers of the flame. Mucho ache para todos :)) Gracias a ti Michael.
Changophil
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Mike Hobart - Financial Times(.com)
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Michael Simon/Nightingale: New York Encounter
Venezuelan trumpeter Michael Simon joins the talent-spotting jazz label’s roster with a fine Latin jazz release that blends rhythmic subtlety, sharp harmony and full-blooded arrangement.
The balance between stand-out ensembles and freely breathing rhythm is just right, and his writing adds lustre to the strong solos of the leader and saxophonists Miguel Zenón and Peter Brainin.
Simon’s older brothers, pianist Edward and drummer Marlon, sit in a glistening rhythm section that glides from pre-arranged complexity to deft swing with a tightness and strength pulse that implies this recording was more labour of love than chance meeting.
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Chip Boaz
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A Powerful Connection To Musical Communities
New York Encounter displays a broad swatch of Simon’s musical abilities, bringing together all the influences of his community connections. The different pieces of this puzzle are most apparent in Simon’s compositions, which reflect a broad artistic viewpoint. Simon weaves together various musical elements including Afro-Cuban and Afro-Venezuelan styles, odd time signatures and free improvisation, as well as straight-ahead swing and extended improvisations. The seamless integration of these pieces reflect a mature musical mind with a wealth of experience. The inclusion of Simon’s brothers - pianist Edward and drummer Marlon - creates a comfortable environment that resonates with endless possibilities. There’s a sympathetic interaction in the group’s performance that only arises from a lifetime’s worth of shared musical experiences. The addition of some of New York’s best musicians inject the recording with an authentic jazz edge and an inspired sound. Bassist Andy Gonzalez and Kozlov, saxophonists Zenón and Brainin, as well as percussionist Quintero all represent a piece of New York’s long connection to Latin Jazz, a direction that bursts through the album with resounding clarity. The potent brew resulting from Simon’s connection to these various communities flows through New York Encounter with a unified strength, giving us an idea of the powerful contribution that Simon’s music can give back to Latin Jazz communities around the world.
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