Jazz Articles about Richard Simon

Richard Simon: Pacific Standard Time

by Jack Bowers
October 1, 2002

If one harbors any doubt that there is life after seventy (or even eighty!) — and an abundance of swinging Jazz to be produced by those who’ve reached those plateaus — he or she need only listen attentively to bassist Richard Simon’s Pacific Standard Time to erase any such misgivings. While Simon himself is a (relatively) young whippersnapper, his guests — guitarist Al Viola and reedman Sam Most — are eighty–three and seventy–one, respectively, and weren’t much younger when PST ...

Richard Simon: Covering the Basses

by AAJ Staff
March 1, 1999

Here’s a concept album with a fun concept: a melodic bassist playing the compositions of other bassists. Richard Simon has surrounded himself with top West Coast talent (Buddy Collette, Al Viola, Art Hillery) and made a session that shows the group as well as his technique.

It’s a broad spotlight, and everybody gets to shine. Simon’s “Melatonin” uses the chords on “In a Mellow Tone”, and is a relaxed swinger of the old school. Collette struts his confident sax through ...

Richard Simon: Covering the Basses

by Jack Bowers
July 1, 1998

On the second release for his own UFO-Bass label, bassist Richard Simon pays tribute to a number of other well-known timekeepers with a laid-back session whose aura is one of a late-night club date in which everyone is simply having a grand time grooving on the music they love and appreciate. After opening with a pair of disarming originals by Simon ("Melatonin," which brings Duke's “In a Mellow Tone" up to date, and “Theme from Poultry-geist"), the group essays tunes ...