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by Paige Wassel
MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (April 29, 2003) — Rick Simerly, jazz trombonist and associate professor of music at Milligan College, recently released his second solo CD, entitled Obscurity, on the Double-Time jazz label.
The title was inspired when one New York reviewer commented that Simerly was “laboring in a sea of obscurity,” referring to the music scene where Simerly is based.
Although East Tennessee may not be known for its jazz music scene, Simerly has sailed through this “sea” and gained national exposure performing with well-recognized jazz musicians, such as Billy Taylor, James Moody, Rufus Reid, Jon Faddis, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Milt Hinton, Bobby Shew, Dave McKenna, Slide Hampton, Plas Johnson, Jake Hanna and Tommy Newsom.
He has also toured with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and played in the bands of Tommy Dorsey, Woody Herman and Nelson Riddle.
New York-based trombonist John Fedchock wrote the liner notes for Simerly’s latest CD and commented: “Rick Simerly is doing just fine in his ‘sea of obscurity.’ Not only has he traversed the rough waters, but he’s also found a way to swim with some of the biggest fish in jazz’s largest pond. Rick is riding the wave of good fortune, and this CD deserves a stream of superlatives.”
Simerly has certainly raised the bar on the jazz music scene of East Tennessee. For the past 25 years he has spent weekends and summers playing and touring with jazz musicians throughout the U.S., but his days have been spent teaching young musicians of the Tri-Cities region.
Simerly has worked in music education in this region for over 20 years. From 1979 to 2001, he served as band director at T. A. Dugger Junior High School in Elizabethton. Simerly, who holds a master’s degree in music education from East Tennessee State University and has been a longtime clinician at colleges throughout the U.S., joined the music faculty at Milligan College in 2001. With his addition, the college expanded its instrumental music program to include jazz studies.
And Simerly continues to perform throughout the region to the delight of many in the local community who enjoy his music and the excitement he brings to it. He is also a regular faculty member at the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops and continues to perform in concerts and clinics throughout the United States. Simerly is an artist/educational specialist for Conn-Selmer Inc. and plays Conn trombones exclusively.
Although he had performed on other albums, Simerly released his first solo CD Simple/Complexity in 1998, receiving the highest praise from music critics and performers. His latest CD features New York jazz musicians Eric Alexander, David Hazeltine, Lynn Seaton, Steve Davis and Scott Wendholt.
Obscurity is on the Double-Time label and is currently being sold through Simerly’s website www.ricksimerly.com and the Double-Time sponsored website www.thejazzartist.com. Locally, copies may be purchased at Cates Music in Johnson City, The Coffee Company in Elizabethton, and The Milligan College Bookstore on the Milligan campus.