This two disc set is an attractive anthology of Venezuelan born pianist and composer Edward Simon, who has been a sideman for the likes of Bobby Watson and Terence Blanchard, but is here shown what he has done on his own for the past quarter century. The collection starts with his 1995 self-title album with lyrical work by tenor saxist my Mark Turner on “Alma Ilanera” and includes rich tunes from his classy La Bikina session with Turner and alto saxist David Binney in the front line for the warm handed “Ericka”. Hi shows his sophisticated composing and playing skills as on the gentle trio “Simplicity” and concert session “Pathless Path”, but for my money the most alluring feature here is his collection of vocal sessions.
Luciana Souza is ethereal alongside guitaris Adam Rogers on the lovely “Govinda” while Genevieve Artadi and Gretchen Parlaton are both wispy during the poetic “What If?” and “Triumphs” respectively. Some creative and textured horns display another side of Simon as on the elegiac “Venezuela Unida” and the sophisticated “Uninvited Thoughts” while some dancing themes tap into Simon’s cultural roots on “Barinas”. These tunes put together fulfill their purpose in that they make you want to go back and revisit the albums that spawned this rich retro.