Edward Simon “Femeninas” featuring Magos Herrera

The summer series opens on Sunday, June 11, with a special program created by celebrated Venezuelan pianist-composer-arranger Edward Simon, joined by his trio members, Reuben Rogers (bass) and Adam Cruz (drums), plus special guests Luis Quintero (percussion) and Grammy-nominated Mexican jazz vocalist Magos Herrera. Simon is known to Athenaeum audiences from his past performances as a leader, with the SFJAZZ Collective and in the Steel House trio with Scott Colley and Brian Blade. JazzTimes commented, “[Simon] may be the most complete creative artist . . . among important jazz pianists from the Caribbean and South America.” Of vocalist Herrera, NPR wrote, “She gets way under the skin of the song, recalling great communicators like Edith Piaf or Billie Holiday.” Simon writes of this new program, Femeninas, “This project spotlights the contributions of Latin American women songwriters, living and past, well-known and unknown, such as Violeta Parra (Chile), Marta Valdes (Cuba), Chabuca Granda (Peru), Elizabeth Morris (Argentina), and Joyce [Moreno] (Brazil). These incredible songwriters have created beautiful songs that should be internationally known.” This concert will also feature a new composition by Simon, Latino Soy, commissioned by Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works Program. This performance is made possible with the support of Jazz Road, a national initiative of South Arts, funded by the Duke and Mellon foundations.

Tickets for the show can be bought online on their website. Doors do open at 7:00 pm to enter the event on a first come, first served basis, so arrive early!