TheBanjoMan.com is
pleased to present French banjoist Fred Simon. I became
aware of Fred through Rod Newland, an ex-patriate
Englishman now living in France. Fred represents the
emerging generation of banjoists, bringing us inventive,
new music blazing new trails for the banjo.
Fred Simon – Biography
Fred Simon was born Toulouse, France January 11th,
1965. He began to play the banjo at the age of 13,
self-taught by studying the methods of Earl Scruggs
(Earl Scruggs and the Five String Banjo), Bluegrass
Banjo à 5 Cordes Methode, a book co-authored
by Bill Keith and Jean- Marie Redon, published in
France, plus books by Pete Wernick, Tony Trischka
etc. Practicing with his school friends, he formed
the group Melting Potes. Potes has two meanings
in English and French. This plays on the English word,
“pots”––for cooking etc. and
“potes”, a familiar French expression
for “old chums”.
Fred participated in the Toulouse
Bluegrass Festival, which was his opportunity to see
and hear live performances by “the greats”:
Bill Keith, Tony Trischka, Béla Fleck &
David Grisman. Their influences allowed him to develop
and further his own style.
At the age of 20 he studied the
tenor saxophone, which brought him in contact with
jazz players and inspired him to absorb and incorporate
jazz into his banjo playing.
Fred has recorded
a goodly amount of material, and made an album with
Melting Potes called Jour J. Here’s
the personnel on Jour J:
Melting
Potes:
Fred Simon: Banjo & Vocal
Bernard Minari: Mandolin, Mandocello & Vocal
Patrick Portales: Guitar & Vocal
Daniel Portales: Mandolin & Vocal
Nam Ngothien: Dobro & Vocal
Jacky Grandjean: Bass
He participated in popular French singer Pierre Vassiliu’s
album La vie ca va. He formed his own group
Camel Ride and devoted himself to arrangements and
compositions.
Fred has also studied
Celtic music and played with various groups such as
Pate à Celte. He plays duets with Philippe
Beautes (guitar and vocal), with varied repertoire
encompassing pop 70’s, bluegrass-Irish-etc.,
and also bluegrass-Irish music in a trio with Philippe
Beautes (guitar and vocal) and Léonard Zandstra
(violin and vocal).
He plays jazz standards
and compositions with the double bassist Lionel Milazzo,
and with Gerry Carter’s group, more Irish music,
on a recently recorded album. His banjo appears in
the new album by Bombes2bal, danceable folk music,
occitan (from the west of France) and faro (a Portuguese/Brazilian
language blend, used for ballads and rural music),
and in an acoustic popfolk song-rock duo with Guillaume
Precheur (guitar and vocal). Fred plays classical
pieces as part of the programs in concerts with the
different bands, further evidence of his versatility.
Fred is interested
in all types of music and tries to brings banjo interpretations
of many musical genres to his audiences.
With his new CD with
Camel Ride, Ange du désert he is hopeful
an impending departure on a world tour will soon come
to pass!! Here’s more information about the
CD and the personnel:
Camel Ride:
Fred Simon: Banjo & Composer
Jean-Michel Roitero: Bass & Double bass
Nasser Soltani: Percussion
Leonard Zandstra: Violin
Fred’s banjo is a magnificent Steve Huber top-tension
Black Gold model, built in 2000, which he acquired
in December of 2005. He also plays an electrified
Deering Crossfire banjo, with midi-equipment, and
a 1983 Gibson RB250 which he modified by adding eight
resonant sympathetic strings. The French luthier Gérard
Beuzon made him a small folk guitar which looks like
a Martin 001. Fred played it on the title tune Ange
du désert on the Camel Ride Quartet CD.
Further Trivia and Influences
Fred recorded Jour J (the Melting Potes album)
on a 1927 Gibson Mastertone once owned by Béla
Fleck and sold to French banjo player Pierre Jeanblanc.
Fred met Jeanblanc at the Toulouse Bluegrass Festival
organized by director Joel Herbach. The banjo was
lent to Fred for his recording for an entire year!
Fred has fond reminiscences
of Bill Keith’s master class in Toulouse. Bill
taught the circle of fifths and much more about the
inner workings of music and the banjo. “It was
amazing!”, he says.
Of course the meetings
with Béla Fleck and Tony Trischka were a dream
come true for him and Fred vowed to follow the banjo
road, finding his way to his destination: truly mastering
his instrument!
The Future
Fred sincerely desires a career with his band Camel
Ride. He hopes to tour the USA, sharing the stage
with great musicians. His first priority is to find
an agent to promote his music and a label to produce
his album.
Playing jigs in the
south of France, he finds that audiences are enthralled
by the power and fullness of the music. Consequently,
the band is spurred on, more enthused to go on playing
everywhere.
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Pete, I have to thank
you for all the beautiful things you do for the banjo.
Your website is really fantastic, the radio programming
is so various and open to every style of music with
a banjo. It’s my number one listening venue
today! Therefore, it’s an honor for me to be
heard and included among the music streamed on TheBanjoMan.com
radio. I will mention your website to everyone interested
in the banjo.
