 Simon Planting
In 1976, Simon Planting started taking classical training on double bass from Hans van Meegen, a well-known Dutch bass player who played at the Noord-Hollands Philharmonisch Orkest in Haarlem, Netherlands. Later he studied with Hans Krul of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. He studied jazz and improvised music at the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam (1982-1986). There he met Cor Bakker, a now well-known arranger and gifted piano player. He played with Cor for 10 years in various radio and TV shows for Dutch Broadcasting.
In the early years of his musical career he started playing with many talented musicians including the well-known Fapy Lafertin, a Dutch Roma Gypsy guitar player and gifted Django Reinhardt interpreter. He recorded 2 albums and 6 CDs with Fapy and toured throughout Europe with him.
That same year, Mathilde Santing, a famous Dutch singer and performer, asked him to audition for her new ensemble and he was immediately one of the core players in her band for more than 17 years. Together they played in almost every capital of Europe performing concerts in London, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Oman and later in the U.S.
Four years later in 1999, he teamed up with Reinier Voet, lead guitarist of the Gypsy Jazz Duo, Pigalle 44. Reinier was a former colleague at the Sweelinck Conservatorium and they also played together in Fapy Lafertin’s Quartet and Quintette. Together with Gert Wantenaar, Barry Block and George Washingmachine as guests, they recorded 4 CDs and played jazz clubs and festivals in Holland, France, England and Germany.
When Robin Nolan asked him to join the trio in 2003 and finally commit to playing gypsy jazz full time, Simon jumped at the opportunity. The first concert was the prestigious Django Reinhardt Memorial in Samois sur Seine, France where “Live in Samois” was recorded. This was followed by a concert at Lincoln Center, New York and a tour of Iceland. They continued to perform many concerts throughout the world, including Japan, Canada, England, Norway, Germany, France and the US and recorded 5 CDs.
During his career he has played with the crème de la crème of jazz manouche guitarists such as Jimmy Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre, Dorado, Tjavalo and Samson Schmitt, Andreas Oberg, Gonzalo Bergara, Kruno, and other jazz greats, Larry Coryell, Bill Frisell, and Howard Alden to name a few.
In march 2009 Simon joined the John Jorgenson Quintet and is re-united with Kevin Nolan, thus continuing one of the worlds strongest rhythm sections in the genre...
Simon continues to play in various jazz and gypsy bands throughout the U.S. and Europe. He lives now California and enjoys the musical spirit in San Francisco.
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