Over the last two decades,
Simon Kafka has cemented his reputation as one of New York City’s premier session musicians and live performers. A guitarist and pianist, he’s collaborated with globally renowned artists including Elle King, Sara Bareilles, Renee Rapp, Jidenna, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lesley Gore, The NY Pops, Mac Davis, Jane Krakowski, and Duncan Sheik.
Simon is widely recognized for his recurring role as “Mr. Simon” on the hugely popular toddler-learning series Ms. Rachel, which boasts over 14 million YouTube subscribers and now streams on Netflix. In addition to his on-camera presence, he records guitar for the show’s musical score and performs in its live events.
His film and television credits span scores for HBO, Netflix, and network TV, including the iconic PBS series Sesame Street, where he has contributed guitar work. As a supporting musician, he regularly appears on late-night and talk shows, including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Graham Norton Show, among others.
Simon also writes and performs original music under his own name and with his band WolfSuit, which has toured Eastern Europe twice as a U.S. State Department cultural ambassador.
Based in Brooklyn, he currently serves as the in-house guitarist for Aladdin on Broadway.
Notable Performances
Sara Bareilles
Jane Krakowski
Ms. Rachel
Jidenna
Carly Rae Jepsen
Lea Michele
Renee Rapp
Elle King
Coyle Girelli (Sun Records)
Lesley Gore
Duncan Sheik
Shoshana Bean
Jeremy Jordan
Norm Lewis
Darren Chris
NY Pops
Jennifer Simard
Ashley Loren
Andre Deshields
Betsy Wolfe
Maddie Poppe (American Idol Winner)
Mac Davis
Emma Memma (The Wiggles)
John Cameron Mitchell
Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon (Multiple)
Late Night With Seth Meyers (Multiple)
Graham Norton
BBC Live Lounge
Good Morning America (Multiple)
Today Show (Multiple)
The Talk
NPR
So You Think You Can Dance
Dick Clark Rockin’ New Years
Lollapalooza
Glastonbury
SummerSonic (Japan)
Byron Bay Blues Festival (Australia)
Rock Werchter
Roskilde
Multiple Episodes of Ms. Rachel (Netflix)
SXSW
In The Mix (Philippines)
Bafta Awards
Osheaga
