Remember The River Fred Simon

• 1 Kore O Love, Where Are You Leading Me Now? 07:08
• 2 Remember The River 05:16
• 3 Double Dream 04:00
• 4 December Together 03:49
• 5 Time Will Tell 04:10
• 6 Revolver 04:58
• 7 Folk Songs of the Cold War 04:53
• 8 Listen To The Colour Of Your Dreams, Part 1 03:24
• 9 Miracle Enough 06:48
• 10 Listen To The Colour Of Your Dreams, Part 2 03:08
• 11 WWJTD 04:52
• 12 Isabel 02:34
• Total Runtime 55:00

Info for Remember The River

Remember The River is Fred Simon's eagerly awaited second album for The Naim Label. It sees Fred in a trio setting once again, this time accompanied by the musical alchemists Paul McCandless on reeds and Steve Rodby on double bass.

Fred wrote each track on the disc, injecting his sense of beautiful musicality into every inch of the score. The piano sounds as light as a feather under his touch, the bass a perfect complement in Steve's hands. Paul's floating and innovative sound has the effect of transporting the whole composition to a higher plane.

For years, Paul has played with the relentlessly innovative group, Oregon, winning many awards and nominations for his playing. He is a talented multi-instrumentalist, as can be seen by reading his list of involvement on Remember The River.

Bassist and co-producer of the Pat Metheny Group, Steve Rodby has won several Grammys for his work. His rapport with the bass is second to none, easily coaxing out a deep and wondrously rich sound; smooth yet authoritative.

While most readers won't know the name Fred Simon, the pianist has kept admirable company over the years, including woodwind multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless from the genre-bending group Oregon, and bassist/producer Steve Rodby, best known for his work with Pat Metheny Group since '82. Both artists team up with Simon for his latest release, Remember the River , and the result is an album that demonstrates everyone's strengths within the context of an album of gentle energies and subtle passions.


Simon's influences are broad—from Keith Jarrett and Lyle Mays to Joni Mitchell and the Beatles. He's a richly lyrical player who is more interested in serving the song than demonstrating his clearly fine technique, which, subsumed in the folk-like ambience of the record, is deceptive in its simplicity. While there's an improvisational component to the material—certainly this recording has some of McCandless' most eloquent playing in recent times—it's always within the context of a strong compositional element. With most pieces under the five-minute mark, and many under four, these are deeply visual miniatures that evoke the imagery of their titles in remarkable fashion. All too often song titles appear to be arbitrary choices—after all, you have to call a tune something —but when Simon titles a piece 'December Together,' he conjures a contrasting impression of winter cool and gentle romance.

While there's a general air of melancholy throughout this largely introspective album, that doesn't mean the album lacks dynamics, although they are generally more delicate and understated. McCandless' solo on the tender 'Kore (O love, where are you leading me now?)' builds to a powerful climax, all the while retaining a certain finesse and elegance. And there's an elusive quality to Simon's writing that echoes a certain sentimentality without ever resorting to saccharine affectation.

Rodby has often been overlooked as a bassist, simply because he plays the role so well, providing a rich foundation without ever being intrusive or obvious. He is uncannily empathic—listen to him follow McCandless' rhythmic conceits on 'Revolver'—but in the context of a trio such as this his role is even more significant. Every note counts, and along with Simon he gives the music a certain forward motion that keeps things from becoming too abstract or impressionistic, although he sits out on the more evasive 'Listen to the Colour of Your Dreams, Part 1,' and provides but a gentle underpinning to the rubato 'Listen to the Colour of Your Dreams, Part 2.' And among the more haunting melodies of the title track and 'Miracle Enough,' there is the soft optimism of 'WWJTD.'

Remember the River will appeal most to fans of the more lyrical side of Oregon, Pat Metheny Group and Keith Jarrett, but make no mistake, Simon has his own distinctive approach which, for a Chicago native, evokes surprising images of open spaces and broader vistas. And with the firm support of Rodby and the provocative playing of McCandless, he has fashioned an album of sensitive grace, charm and dignity. (John Kelman, AllAboutJazz)

Fred Simon, Piano
Steve Rodby, Acoustic Bass
Paul McCandless, English Horn, Oboe, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Penny Whistle

Fred Simon has been making music for more than thirty-five years, composing for records, live performance, film, dance, and television, with instrumentation ranging from solo piano to symphonic orchestra. His recorded work includes seven albums of original music under his name: SHORT STORY and TIME AND THE RIVER (Quaver), USUALLY/ALWAYS (Windham Hill), OPEN BOOK (Columbia), DREAMHOUSE (The Naim Label), REMEMBER THE RIVER (The Naim Label), and SINCE FOREVER (The Naim Label); three albums (as principle composer) with the Simon and Bard Group: MUSAIC, TEAR IT UP, and THE ENORMOUS RADIO (Flying Fish); as well as TWILIGHT (NorthSound Music Group), a collaboration with reed player Paul McCandless and guitarist Teja Bell; THE MUSIC OF THE BEACH BOYS (NorthSound Music Group), an album of solo piano arrangements of Brian Wilson songs; and numerous appearances on compilations released by Windham Hill, Columbia, Narada, Private Music, Imaginary Road, NorthSound Music Group, Jazziz Magazine, and The Naim Label.

Fred has recorded and/or performed with Ralph Towner (Oregon), Paul McCandless (Oregon), Larry Coryell, Lyle Mays, Iain Matthews (Fairport Convention), Jerry Goodman (Mahavishnu Orchestra), Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico (Pat Metheny Group), Bonnie Herman (Singers Unlimited), Kurt Elling, Fareed Haque, David Onderdonk, Ingrid Graudins, Ross Traut, The Stan Kenton Orchestra, and many others.

Future plans call for more of the same, only different.

Booklet for Remember The River