Simon Von Hatten

As drummer for the Grammy-nominated Two O’Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas, as well as timbalero in the Grammy-nominated Latin Jazz Lab Band, Simon Von Hatten is steadily becoming one of the top young jazz drummers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Though jazz is currently at the forefront of his musical endeavors, Simon has a soft spot for 80s rock’n’roll in which he grew up listening to, and would begin his life-long musical journey with taking up drum and piano lessons at age 4. His journey would forever change at the age of 8, when his father passed away. Music became more than a hobby; it became a fundamental method of expression of love and grief. Today, besides performing with the aforementioned University of North Texas ensembles, Simon is working to translate what he’s learned about love, grief, and life into the music he plays and writes.

Throughout his musical career, Simon explored various veins of music. He participated in a world-finalist indoor drumline for 5 years, becoming section captain by his sophomore year of high school. Simon also co-led an independent, recording alternative blues/rock band, helping them earn a spot in the 2022 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN and release two original singles on all streaming platforms. His exploration in blues music would lead him to attend the Pinetop Perkins Foundation blues camp, where he would work with blues artists such as Bob Margolin and Victor Wainwright to further his skills in the blues idiom. He would later build his foundation in jazz drum set in lessons with Quincy Davis and Ed Breazeale, while simultaneously drumming in the acclaimed “Messengers” ensemble at the Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts. After his first year of collegiate study, Simon was chosen to attend the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency in Wilmington, Delaware where he honed his skills in jazz composition with Jonathan Whitney, Jonathan Scales, Victor Wooten, and Shawn Qaissuanee. 

Simon is currently a sophomore at the University of North Texas studying drum set with Quincy Davis and José Aponte. He has received additional mentorship from Rob Parton, Phillip Dizack, Dave Meder, Rich DeRosa, and Brad Leali. Previous to his college education, Simon has studied with Paul Romaine, Colin Stranahan, Eric Gunnison, Gonzalo Teppa, Greg Gisbert, and Ed Breazeale. By the end of the 2026 school year, Simon will have recorded two albums, one with the Two O’Clock Lab Band and the other with the Latin Jazz Lab Band.