Praised by DownBeat as “one of the strongest pianists of his generation,” award-winning artist and composer Edward Simon has become an irrepressible force in modern music. Throughout his accomplished career, the Venezuela-born Bay Area artist has refined his sound by exploring its pluralisms and by fostering global connections on and off the bandstand.
Grounded in the moment and wired for exploration, Simon’s expression leans into different styles from Latin America, the Caribbean, West Africa and the United States, treating their elements and traditions as inextricably related and universal. His technical mastery continues expanding, as does his emotional resonance and his social impact. He’s a storyteller. Lithe and beautiful, guttural and lamenting — his music courts tension even beyond harmony and rhythm, renewing his legacy of artistry, advocacy and true creative expression.
Simon’s collaborative spirit runs far and wide. Born in Punta Cardón, he arrived in New York City in 1988 and has lived in nearly every corner of the U.S. and in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. He’s been a pivotal member of the SFJAZZ Collective since 2009, receiving more than 20 composer commissions, in addition to his critically acclaimed suites commissioned by Chamber Music America (CMA), Venezuelan Suite (2005), Sorrows and Triumphs (2010) and House of Numbers (2010), for Ensemble Venezuela, Afinidad — his quartet with Scott Colley and Brian Blade, co-led with David Binney and featuring Gretchen Parlato, Adam Rogers and Rogerio Boccato — and Afinidad with Imani Winds, respectively. Simon also has composed vital works commissioned by Afro Latin Jazz Alliance and San Francisco Contemporary Music Players.
Winner of the 2017 NAACP Image Award in Outstanding Jazz Album for Latin American Songbook, Simon has appeared multiple times on The New York Times Top Ten Jazz Records of the Year list. He has worked with luminaries of every generation, including Paquito D’Rivera, Terence Blanchard, Becca Stevens, Bobby Watson, Herbie Mann, Magos Herrera, Don Byron, Scott Colley, Brian Blade, Luciana Souza, Adam Cruz, Mark Turner, Lucia Gutiérrez, Lage Lund, Donny McCaslin, Ignacio Berroa, Chris Potter, David Binney, Adam Rogers, Diane Reeves and John Patitucci, among countless others.
As a headliner, Simon has performed at the Village Vanguard, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club, SFJAZZ, Walton Arts Center, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival, Earshot and Kuumbwa Jazz Center. As a core member of SFJAZZ Collective, he has appeared at iconic venues and events across the world, including Monterey Jazz Festival, Blue Note Tokyo, Birdland, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Amherst Fine Arts Center, The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Segerstrom Center, Musical Instrument Museum in Scottsdale, Arizona, Disney Hall, Cite de la Musique in Paris and Berliner Philharmonie.
Over the course of his career as a visionary leader and an intrepid co-leader, Simon has released more than 20 acclaimed albums via ArtistShare (Venezuela: Latin American Songbook Vol. 2, 2025; Femeninas, 2023; Steel House with Scott Colley & Brian Blade, 2017), GroundUP (Three Visitors with Scott Colley & Brian Blade, 2024), Ridgeway Records (Solo Live, 2021; Edward Simon 25 Years, 2020), Sunnyside Records (Latin American Songbook, 2016; Venezuelan Suite, 2014; Trio Live in New York at Jazz Standard, 2013) and Criss Cross (Simplicitas, 2005; The Process, 2003), among other distinctive labels. He has co-issued 14 recordings with SFJAZZ Collective, including Wonder, which won Outstanding Jazz Album at the 45th Annual NAACP Image Awards.
Simon’s exploration of jazz dialog across Latin American repertoire continues on Venezuela: Latin American Songbook Vol. 2 (ArtistShare, 2026). The anticipated album follows the success of his award-winning album Latin American Songbook, and reconvenes his famed trio with Reuben Rogers on bass and Adam Cruz on drums.
A lifelong scholar and mentor to the next generation of artists, Simon studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He has received private instruction in Piano and the Art of Practicing from Madeline Bruser, the Feldenkrais Method from Mary Spire, Classical Piano from Sophia Rosof, and the Alexander Technique from Clare Maxwell. Currently, he serves on faculty in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music’s Roots, Jazz and American Music department, teaching jazz theory, composition and piano.