JADE SIMMONS
REVOLUTIONARY RYHTHM
Stacey Holzer
Looking at the patterns of her life pianist Jade Simmons has always been the first, the founder or on the forefront of something big. Currently Jade is on a leading edge journey expressing music that can cross over genre lines and break it out of its box. She just released Revolutionary Rhythm, a cd that blends a classical repertoire of contemporary composers including Russell Pinkston, Samuel Barber and John Corigliano with the hip hop etudes of DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain). At a recent concert at Rockefeller hall in Houston, a diverse audience assembled to celebrate the release of Revolutionary Rhythm. Energy pulsated from the stage as Jade performed her strengths and proved herself in a variety of contexts. The performance combined many of her talents and became a showcase for her latest experiment. Rob Reynolds of room 101 took the stage utilizing his street savvy hip hop techno beats and the circle unfolded as he and Jade performed side by side. Fresh sound filled the hall, this music is exciting. Simmons whole body moves with the music as she plays, there is an authentic physicality brought from her background in rhythmic dance..
One example of how music and art become collaborative is through the process of Synesthesia. Simmons stated that when she plays Rachmaninoff she sees blues and purples. For an upcoming concert entitled "Kandinsky and Scriabin, Hearing in Color" Simmons studied Synesthesia by pairing the paintings of Wassily Kandinsky and the music of Alexander Scriabin. An innovative and controversial Russian composer ,Scriabin aimed to experiment with emotional mechanisms or simultaneous auditory and visual perceptions. Scriabin was quite specific in his depiction of music and color relating with tonal range. For example C represents red and A green. The painter Wassily Kandinsky also experimented with synesthesia at this time in an attempt to evoke deeper emotions and sensations in the beholders of his art, For Simmons performance, slides of Kandinsky's paintings will depict art in the same colors as the musical tones being played. A resonant response from the audience is anticipated as her performance will illustrate the music. Another opportunity for a modern audience to capture the emotional resonance of synesthesia will take place
at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, CA (August 29th, 2009). Specifically designed for the Museum this program will pair Scriaben and Picasso.
Envisioning her future Jade sees herself collaboratively working with others as a one woman show. If that sounds like an oxymoron consider the work of Laurie Anderson as an example. Laurie is an established artist who works with others visually, musically, in collaboration with ideas, people and performance, really expressing herself ,inventing new media that never existed. Comparing the two you have an accurate idea of what might come next for Simmons. From a dream over and again she sees a stadium setting, with a large audience and although the vision is not quite complete, Simmons says it will likely include percussionist David Skidmore and Saxophonist Jonathan Sanford. Together Skidmore, Simmons and Sanford are the trio Collide. Hip hop will also play a role and Rob Reynolds has influenced her perspective in a way that adds a diverse audience with new possibilities. “Ultimately you want people to book you because you are you” What differentiates you from everyone else eventually becomes your greatest strength even if you yourself sometimes struggle to embrace it.
Contemporary composer John Corigliano famous for dramatic film scores such as 1980 film Altered States, the 1985 film Revolution and The Red Violin is one of Simmons favorite composers to perform because his music allows the listener to experience a shadow side. As an artist, Simmons wants the audience to let go and experience the music. Performing Corigliano allows access to all parts of herself the dark and the light sides. When she plays Corigliano she feels spent and it’s the best feeling in the world she has gone there with the audience and has become completely present with the music
The audience can be emotionally moved in unique ways. Playing in minor keys is “real”. Horror films and thrillers have always captured her attention as a safe way to explore the darker side of humanity. The thin line between genius and madness also fascinates Simmons and is relative subject in the field of music. Beethoven a brilliant composer yet a tortured soul, a genius who could not hear his own music. Her interest in horror films, thrillers and novels pertaining to the supernatural remain a periphery interest as her life, combines a disciplined structure for success with a balanced family life.
Simmons utilizes her interest in the dark side helping others make a connection that makes a difference in their lives. Building on the premise that every life has a purpose to fulfill, Simmons works with Suicide prevention and Mental Health Awareness organizations. Speaking to groups of young people and performing for them she cultivates dialogue encouraging prevention and treatment inspiring them to examine patterns in their lives that formulate who they are. This encourages people to discover what interests them and live more fully. Truly a founder on the forefront of something big, Jade Simmons is a revolutionary.
.Playing up her differences has set Simmons apart, yet required her to prove herself to an unparalleled standard of excellence. As one of the first few African American female classical pianists to perform on the national stage, Simmons has overcome preconceived perceptions and performed beyond a proven level of standard. Along the way she has explored various facets of her personality. As an undergraduate student at Northwestern University she founded a percussive dance group called Boomshaka. Dance, combined with found objects produced a combination of percussive sound and movement.. Boomshaka became so successful a professional branch still thrives in Chicago and members of the group have gone on to perform with STOMP in New York.
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.After Simmons completed her graduate degree from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in 2003 she founded The Impulse Artist series. It is an annual event showcasing young professional emerging pianists who have just begun or have been working professionally for 3-5 years. The concept is an inspiration to young professional musicians as it provides them not only with performance opportunities but offers a career seminar designed to provide them with the tools to continue to build their own unique careers. Exploring different venues, events for impulse have been held in private homes, The Rothko Chapel, and most recently in conjunction with Wade Wilson Art. The series has established a relative audience from visual art and music. Interestingly this natural relationship may provide fuel for future projects.
