Fred Simmons

Jazz pianist. Born in Philadelphia, PA. His early influences were Philly Joe Jones, Red Garland, John Coltrane and Miles Davis. In the late 60s, after touring most of Europe and the United States, Simmons moved to New York. In Philadelphia Simmons played with John Coltrane and in New York he recorded with Robin Keyatta, Rashied Ali and Dewey Redman. Over the 80s and 90s he performed, practiced and wrote in Philadelphia on weekends and taught jazz piano, theory and composition at Wesleyan University in Connecticut on weekdays.