Fareen Simpson-Hankins

Esther Boyer College of Music, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

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Fareed Simpson-Hankins first picked up the trumpet at eight years old. Born in Philadelphia, he studied music at the Tony Williams Mount Airy Cultural Center jazz program, and graduated from Central High School. He played at local venues at a young age with the Developing Excellence.Inc and was mentored by Byard Lancaster. He acquired a love for music when he was a child, and his parents practiced and brought him to their performances. He began studying the trumpet with Kathy Kilpatrick, and later with Mike Franchetti.

 

He also learned from playing spirituals and gospel music in the church he grew up in, Shiloh Temple. While attending Temple University, Fareed had the opportunity to study with some of the finest trumpet players in jazz, including Terell Stafford, Tanya Darby, Nick Marchione and currently veteran saxophonist Tim Warfield. Recently, he has been seen on PBS and heard on WRTI 90.1. He’s performed at the 2017 Jazz is Back festival in Grožnjan, Croatia, and at the 2016 North Sea Jazz Festival, in Rotterdam. He now leads his own quintet and co-leads Brothers.Ink with his brother. In 2019, he was featured on Temple University’s Constant Renaissaince, which was Nominated for a GRAMMY.