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Richard Simon

He plays, records, teaches and produces to perpetuate the jazz groove

About Me

In 1980, I came to a fork in the road, and held it up to my ear: rather than accept a lifelong, tenured position as an instructor of English, I began an earnest (and ongoing) pursuit of “a few good notes” on the bass. With the late Abe Luboff, Red Callender, and the still-very-much-alive John Clayton as mentors, I have no excuses; I'm as busy as I deserve to be, held back only by my own self-imposed limitations. Jazz has afforded me opportunities to travel (to the Orient w/Ken Peplowski's “Last Swing of the Century,” and two jam sessions w/The King of Thailand), to teach (in Buddy Collette's JazzAmerica program) and to write (occasional freelance magazine articles). It has also brought me in contact with a wonderful group of people--a worldwide community of players and fans, artists and aficionados whose shared love for this unique art form is a life-sustaining stream.