BRIAN SIMPSON (Sun, 11/15/26)

After graduating from Northern Illinois University, keyboardist and composer Brian Simpson relocated to Los Angeles, where he was soon playing alongside musicians Gerald Albright and Norman Brown and eventually on a world tour with Janet Jackson.

In 1990, Simpson received a call from George Duke that led to a decade of touring and production work with the late jazz legend. It was his tenure with George that led to working with a variety of artists, from James Ingram and Anita Baker to Dave Koz and Boney James.

The popularity of his music worldwide has kept Mr. Simpson on a seemingly endless world tour, which last year included Japan, Australia, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Spain, United Kingdom, Portugal, and South Africa.

With writing and performing credits on R&B chart-topping albums and Smooth Jazz Airplay charts, it’s clear why Brian is the veteran Music Director of so many jazz events.

Brian is a recording artist with Shanachie Entertainment, which released his twelfth CD entitled Midnight Groove (2025)