The sounds of STOMP will be coming to Mansfield this weekend. On Aug. 29, the latest Final Friday concert series will feature Elec Simon, a self-described “percussionist, tap dancer, actor, motivational speaker, teacher, mentor, facilitator, and MC.”
Simon, a self-taught musician from childhood, lived in New York as a street artist for two years, before securing a spot for himself in STOMP’s lineup. He still occasionally tours with them, but otherwise fills his time by visiting schools in and around the Cleveland area, playing music with his band Elec Simon and Friends. Occasionally, he makes an appearance with Mansfield’s S’yVelt.
Simon is excited to play with the band later this month. He first met them at Ashland’s Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.
“Jeffrey Boyd (S’yVelt’s trumpet player) is one of the greatest trumpet players in the world,” said Simon.
One of those appearances will be on August 29, for Downtown Mansfield Inc.s’ Final Friday Concert Series in the Brickyard.
Simon grew up in Smithfield with his mother, who is also a musician.
“I was always around music growing up. My mom was a musician and into gospel, so I was always back stage listening to everything,” he remembered.
He played football for Akron University for two years and then lived in New York City as a street artist with Larry Wright and William Johnson. He lived there for two years before he heard of an audition for STOMP, along with 1,200 other talented individuals. The judges chose eight – Simon was one of them.
“My mom called me up and told me there was another audition. So I went and I got it,” said Simon. Before this audition in New York City, he auditioned in Boston years prior, but injured his lower back before his first show. “This time … I got it,” he added.
When Simon was 16 years old, his best friend, Terry Ford, took his own life. Ford was bullied through school, so another element of Simon’s career is talking to youth about bullying. “I like to help people. So I get their attention with my music, and then I talk to them about bullying. I try to encourage them to smile through it,” he said.
“There was one girl who was the only African-American girl in her school that had some cuts on her arm. She said things were rough. I just told her to stand tall. And to smile when they say stuff to her,” said Simon.
Simon still tours with STOMP on occasion, however, according to their website, they are on a hiatus in the United States currently, with the exception of still performing in New York City.
For more information on Elec Simon, visit his website. He also has a band with a separate website. On Aug. 29, Simon will play with local jazz funk band S’yVelt. For more information on this concert, visit the website. The concert starts at 5 p.m.
