Michael Simon & Asian Connection “East, West & Beyond”
East, West & Beyond was recorded in the fall of 2019 in Taipei, Taiwan. There, Michael toured nationwide with local musicians and performed at the prestigious Taichung Jazz Festival. The band is known as Asian Connection and is a collaboration between established musicians from the Netherlands, Taiwan, Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia. They last played in the Netherlands in 2018 at the Tong Tong Fair, Podium Grounds and the Red Light Jazz Festival. The band reappeared at the Red Light Jazz Festival 2024. They played music from the new album. East, West & Beyond was made possible with a successful crowdfunding campaign on Voordekunst.
Recognized by the prestigious online magazine Latin Jazz Network as ‘a shape shifting musician and instrumentalist’. Throughout his career, trumpeter-composer Michael Simon has consistently broadened the range of jazz. Coming from a renowned and musical Venezuelan/Dutch Antillean family, and based in the Netherlands since 1993. Michael is known as a member of Fra Fra Sound and the Rob Mostert Hammond Group.
Michael started an important collaboration in 2010 with Malaysia’s leading Jazz Club No Black Tie’s owner and music curator, Evelyn Hii. It was there where his albums: ‘Destiny’s Will’ and ‘Asian Connection’ were recorded in front of an audience. His interest in Eastern philosophy and meditation made him drawn to the Southeast Asian region. Michael’s contact with Asian music had a major impact on his own music, defined a new path for his artistry and resulted in a cultural transcendence in an exchange between the West and the Far East. This phenomenon was widely discussed in his album ‘Asian Connection’ and is now amplified in his new album entitled ‘East, West & Beyond’.
Produced by Michael Simon and Minyen Hsieh
Michael Simon: trumpet and flugelhorn Minyen Hsieh: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute Hauyi Tsai: pipa Sri Hanuraga: piano Ikeda Kinya: bass Tzu Yu Huang: drums
Recorded at Lights Up Studio, Taipei, Taiwan on October 16th and 17th 2019 Recorded by Tsai Chou Han, Mixed by Chris Weeda and Mastered by Darius van Helfteren Photography by Dogcheep Studio Album artwork by Minlu Feng Graphic design by Geert Hermkens
Michael Simon plays a Van Laar OIRAM flugelhorn Minyen Hsieh plays Forestone tenor saxophone
“Their music connects not only Asia, but the whole world!”
Daniel Shen / Promoter and Jazz DJ from Taiwan
“A unique blend of Asian soundscapes, world rhythms and the spirit of jazz!”
Andrew Salim / Rhythm Alley (Taipei)
“Melodic, spicy and multicultural; Definitely a complete package.” “I wish I was there when they recorded this masterpiece.”
Saúl Zavarce / Presenter and producer from Melbourne
MICHAEL SIMON & Asian Connection ‘East West & Beyond’ (2024) a release by Pramisi Records Note to the press: order a review copy or book an interview by contacting Michael Simon at info@michaelsimon.nl / 06-30094895. For more information, go to: www.michaelsimon.nl www.redlightjazz.com
The album will be available on various streaming platforms soon, such as Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and more. The album is also available as a physical CD for purchase in our online store.
To preview or to buy the album, please visit our webshop or check out our dedicated album music page.
About the Artist
Michael Simon is an independent Jazz Artist and Trumpeter who obtained his degrees in Jazz Trumpet, composition and arranging at the Rotterdam Conservatory. Michael Simon founded Roots United in 2000, a Latin jazz septet with a new approach to the genre. Michael has performed in multiple events & venues and has published four Jazz albums.
We are proud to announce our new album release “Michael Simon – Asian Connection” by Jazz artist “Michael Simon”. The album has been released on December 18, 2018 and is digitally distributed by Michael Simon.
To preview or to buy the album, please visit our webshop or check out our dedicated album music page.
About the Artist
The son of a musician, Michael Simon grew up around music in Venezuela, his native country. “My brothers Marlon and Edward started before me, experimenting with different instruments and leaving behind the ones that didn’t appeal to them. After Marlon left a trumpet in the closet, I started playing it, taking lessons from age ten.” Michael gained early experience playing salsa, merengue and bolero with local bands. Inspired by the music of the iconic group Irakere, Michael studied music at the Ignacio Cervantes Music School in Cuba. Meanwhile his brothers encouraged him to listen to Jazz, and in 1993 he moved to the Netherlands to study at the jazz department of the Rotterdam Conservatory where he obtained degrees in Jazz Trumpet and in composition and arranging.
Michael Simon founded Roots United in 2000, a Latin jazz septet with which he explores a new approach to that genre. He collaborates with percussionist Gerardo Rosales since 1994, with Rob Mostert since 2010, has been a member of the dutch world/jazz ensemble Fra Fra Sound for 25 years, has worked with Lucas van Merwijk, Lester Bowie, Larry Harlow, Paquito D’Rivera, David Murray, James Carter and Toumani Diabaté. Michael’s prolific work as a composer and arranger is trusted and praised by such bands and artists as Nederlands Blazers Ensemble, Metropole Orkest, Estrella Acosta, Deborah Carter and Quinteto Tango Extremo, to name a few.
With an intensive career as educator and performer, Michael covers a wide range of musical genres and now focuses on producing new music inspired by Asian melodies, Latin music and Jazz. Vehicles for his musical ventures are his big band, The Dutch Caribbean Groove Orchestra, his quintet MS-5, and Asian Connection, an international project in which he collaborates with excellent emerging artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan and Taiwan, and with which he recorded his latest album.
Michael Simon Music band name is a salute to the 90th Infantry Division that was a unit of the United States Army that served in WW I & WW II. We are 4 brothers from different backgrounds bringing a full spectrum of New Alternative to you!
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