A Transformational Journey in Jazz: How NIU Helped Brian Simpson, '85, Find His Voice
By Tony Scott

Brian Simpson, '85. (Photo credit: Brian Simpson)

For Brian Simpson, '85, a celebrated jazz pianist, composer and songwriter whose career has taken him from television stages to world tours and Billboard chart success, the path to a life in music began with a stroke of luck.

After graduation, Simpson joined the band of pop star Sheena Easton, appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, a moment he still describes as surreal. He later co-wrote "The First Time" for the group Surface, a song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1990. His career also included a world tour with Janet Jackson in 1995.

Growing up in suburban Gurnee, Illinois,Simpson was surrounded by music from an early age. His father loved jazz. His older brother excelled as a drummer and his sister played clarinet in school bands. Music filled the family's modest home, where rehearsals, records and impromptu performances were simply part of daily life.

When Simpson was nine years old, his parents surprised him with a Baldwin piano. Though his first teacher was a jazz musician rather than a traditional instructor, he quickly developed a love for the instrument. What he lacked in formal training, he made up for through listening and absorbing the sounds and language of jazz that surrounded him.

Still, college was not part of his original plan.

In high school, Simpson focused on vocational auto mechanics courses and enrolled at the College of Lake County after graduation. On a whim, he auditioned for the community college's jazz ensemble despite having never played with other musicians.

As it turned out, he was the only pianist who showed up.

"That was truly a pivotal moment in my life," Simpson recalled.

The opportunity changed everything. Under the guidance of a patient band director, Simpson learned how to translate years of listening into performance. Within months, he had gone from the least experienced musician in the ensemble to one of its strongest players. New opportunities followed, including paid work with a local wedding band and a coveted position performing in the stage productions at Great America.

Surrounded by professional musicians who were pursuing music degrees, Simpson realized he wanted to do the same. He chose NIU because it was close to home and affordable for his family. Only later did he realize how transformative that decision would become.

His music audition for NIU was, in his own words, "terrible." Without classical training, he had little to show faculty members evaluating prospective music majors. Fortunately, the head of the piano program saw potential and accepted him into the program.

That decision led Simpson to study with renowned jazz pianist and arranger Frank Mantooth, who had just joined the NIU faculty. Though Mantooth remained at NIU for only two years, from 1982 to 1984, his influence on Simpson proved lasting.

"From his training, I developed a harmonic knowledge that I employ to this day in my own music," Simpson said.

At NIU, Simpson thrived in an environment that felt both intimate and inspiring. Living in Gilbert Hall and spending much of his time among fellow music and art students, he found a close-knit community that encouraged creativity, collaboration and growth.

His experience was further shaped by jazz ensemble director Ron "Mode" Modell, whose award-winning program emphasized more than technical excellence.

"Mode showed us how to entertain an audience," Simpson said. "I learned to look at the bigger picture."

Those lessons would serve him well throughout a remarkable professional career.

Today, Simpson focuses primarily on creating his own music. He recently completed his 13th album and has built a devoted global audience, including more than 340,000 followers on Spotify. He currently tours throughout the world, including gigs scheduled next year for Toyko and London. 

Despite decades of success, he continues to draw on lessons learned in DeKalb.

"I'm so very grateful for the teachers I had at NIU," he said.

One lesson in particular has remained with him throughout his career: "Unity, Variety and Continuity," concepts emphasized in a music theory class that he didn't fully appreciate at the time.

"I remembered it," Simpson said. "And it guides me through every album I make now."

Looking back, Simpson sees a career shaped by talent, hard work and a few fortunate twists of fate. But he also recognizes the critical role NIU played in transforming opportunity into achievement.

From a pianist with no classical training who almost missed his chance to pursue music, Simpson became a world-class performer, songwriter and recording artist.

NIU led Simpson down this path by providing the mentorship, community and transformational experiences that helped make it all possible.

This is just one example of how NIU prepares students for impactful careers through transformational experiences. Discover how NIU is fortifying our future at niuforward.com.