Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Edward Simon was born July 27, 1969 in Punta Cardón, Venezuela and when he was ten years old came to the United States to study at the Performing Arts School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating, he attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where he studied classical piano, then the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied jazz piano.

In 1988, he recorded as a sideman with Greg Osby, then worked as a member of the band Horizon led by Bobby Watson. For the next eight years he was a member of Terence Blanchard’s band. He has also worked with Herbie Mann, Paquito D’Rivera, Bobby Hutcherson, Jerry Gonzalez, John Patitucci, Arturo Sandoval, Manny Oquendo, and Don Byron.

Simon recorded Beauty Within in 1994), his debut album as a bandleader, with Horacio Hernández and bass guitarist Anthony Jackson. That same year, he was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition. Then the following year he composed Rumba Neurotica for the Relache Ensemble.

In 2003 Simon formed Ensemble Venezuela to combine jazz with the music of Venezuela. Given a commission by Chamber Music America to write Venezuelan Suite and recorded the album in 2012 with musicians from Venezuela, Colombia, and the U.S. He has played on several Grammy-nominated jazz albums. Besides his trio he leads the Sexteto Venezuela, the Afinidad Quartet, and the group Simon, Simon, & Simon with his brothers.

Wearing his educator hat he has taught at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and has been artist in residence at Western Michigan University.

Pianist and composer Edward Simon continues to perform, compose and record.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Wendell “Cassino” Simpson was born on July 22, 1909. He may have studied piano under Zinky Cohn. His first recording was in 1923 with Bernie Young, then recorded with the Moulin Rouge Orchestra in 1925. Following this he joined Arthur Sims’s orchestra, recording with them in 1926. With Sims dying soon after Bernie Young took over as bandleader and Simpson remained in the ensemble until 1930.

He simultaneously recorded with Jabbo Smith’s Rhythm Aces on his 1929 Brunswick Records releases. From 1931 to 1933 he played with Erskine Tate, though he never recorded with him. Cass recorded as a leader under various names, with Jabbo Smith and Milt Hinton as sidemen. In 1933 he cut a few sides with Half Pint Jaxon, a female impersonator.

Soon after his recordings with Jaxon, Simpson apparently became mentally disturbed, and was institutionalized in 1935 in Elgin, Illinois. While there, he continued to play piano and vibraphone in a hospital dance band, and played bass drum in the hospital’s marching band.

 He recorded solo piano numbers on the grounds of the hospital in the middle of the 1940s. Pianist Cass Simpson, who was best known for his associations on the Chicago, Illinois jazz scene and was never released from the hospital, died on March 27, 1952.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Eduard “Eddie” Brunner was born on July 19, 1912 in Zürich, Switzerland. He learned to play clarinet, piano, and tenor and alto saxophone before beginning to perform professionally. In the early 1930s he worked with Rene Dumont, Jack and Louis de Vries, and Marek Weber.

By 1936 he moved to Paris, France and recorded under his own name as well as with Goldene Sieben and Louis Bacon. He returned to Switzerland once World War II broke out. Brunner joined Teddy Stauffer’s band, and in 1941 took over leadership of the group until 1947, when it dissolved.

He led a new six-piece ensemble in 1948, and recorded for radio and television broadcasts in the 1950s.

Reedist and bandleader Eddie Brunner died on July 18, 1960 in his city of birth.

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GOTHAM YARDBIRD SANCTUARY RENAISSANCE CIRCLE

Gotham Yardbird Sanctuary is a not-for-profit 501 (C)(3) organization that was founded in response to the 2020 global pandemic and it’s impact on NYC’s Jazz community and local businesses.

After gaining strong collaboration experiences with great local nonprofits and businesses, we are planning to take on meaningful projects and campaigns for social justice causes. One venue is Ornithology Jazz Club.

Tonight they present two bands under the auspices of Renaissance Circle: Orfeu Talks Of Sonnets by @Jayshawn LivesLavish Lee

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

Hank Johnson was born Stuart H. Tresser on July 14, 1949 in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, New York. He began piano study early in life at age three with Mrs. Henryetta Klein as his first piano teacher. Graduating from George W. Wingate High School in 1967, he continued his education and in 1970 was awarded an AAS Degree in Graphic Arts and Advertising Technology, from New York City Community College. In 1973 a BFA degree was awarded from New York Institute of Technology, with a major in Communication Arts.

He continued his private piano instruction with classical pianist Ms. Malady, who taught piano at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. He also received lessons fromMorty Kessler, and Morty Reed, a showband pianist in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as from Horace Parlan and Teddy Wilson..

Hank learned to write music, and developed the friendship and guidance of Ray Cox, who worked for Machito, as a copyist and arranger. In 1977 Johnson had replaced Jimmy Nottingham’s trio at the Village Door Restaurant and Supper Club in Jamaica, Queens, New York. It was at the Village Door that he got the hands-on experience that  ignited his passion to be the best piano player.

He founded the independent record label Jazzbone Records. Presently pianist Hank Johnson is the Director of Tresser Printing Office, a security printer, and a division of Tresser Music, music publishers.

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