bio
A new trombone voice calls for a new era.
Born and raised in Denville, NJ, Brian Simontacchi first fell in love with Glenn Miller and the music of the swing era. It wasn’t until his brother gave him a copy of “The Best of John Coltrane” that his trajectory changed forever. With one foot in the past and one in the present, Simontacchi pushes the trombone to its absolute limit (& beyond!) with soulful tones, explosive lines, rhythmic and harmonic intensity, and a dark, mellow sound reminiscent of Curtis Fuller and Slide Hampton.
At the Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz, Brian studied with the great Steve Davis. Davis’ lyrical style, hard swinging rhythmic concept and harmonic mastery became a focal point of Brian’s sound. Later on, Brian attended William Paterson University to earn his Master’s, studying with John Mosca. Brian also cultivated a relationship with Curtis Fuller, who remarked that Brian had left an impression on him.
Since graduation, Brian’s employers and frequent collaborators have included Frank Lacy, Josh Evans, Valery Ponomarev, Mark Johnson, Fabio Morgera, Winard Harper, Allen Lowe, Zaccai and Luques Curtis, Eric Wyatt, Julius Tolentino, The Makanda Project, Jovan Alexandre, Jonathan Barber, Kendrick Oliver & The New Life Jazz Orchestra, Dr. Lewis Porter and more. In September 2013, Brian recorded on Allen Lowe’s project “Man with Guitar: Where’s Robert Johnson?” featuring NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz.
In 2019, Brian formed o3 with Corey Garcia and Matt Dwonszyk. Brian is currently working with Frank Lacy’s Septet. His first recording project(s) are in development.
“Don’t be limited by the instrument.” - Curtis Fuller