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TONY "THE TONES" GRASSO : TRUMPET
Tony is a graduate of the Naval School of Music in Norfolk, Virginia and has played with various military bands over a 10-year span. He studied with legendary tenor saxophonist Joe Daley of Chicago, and pianist/author Mark Levine. Since Tony's arrival in the Northwest, he has played or recorded with The Ryan Burns Trio, The Young Composer's Collective, The Seattle Creative Orchestra, Karin Kajata Jazz Quintet, The Hans Fahling Quintet, Vince Balestri's "The Essence of Jack Keroac" theater piece, Ev Sterns Jazz Workshop, and poet Marian Kimes, to name a few.
Tony currently teaches trumpet techniques and jazz improvisation at Mills Music in Issaquah, Washington and Olympic College in Bremerton. He has also participated in and instructed clinics at Seattle Centeral Community College, and is a recording artist with the Seattle-based label Hipsync Group. In late summer 2004 Tony will be recording a new record with 12VoltArts. In 1999 Tony released a self-produced CD entitled "The Tony Grasso Saxophone? Quartet!" The group consists of the uniquely arranged instrumentation of trumpet, alto sax (Dan Blunck), tenor sax (Brian Kent), and baritone sax (David Johnson). This group features compositions by Tony that sound like a form of chamber free jazz lined with layered contrapuntal patters and splintered sharp fragments. The group performs frequently in the Seattle area and has been joined by poet Greta Nitzel and multi-instrumentalist Bert Wilson. They have appeared live on KCMU "Sonarchy Radio" with Doug Haire and KBCS radio as well. Tony and the TGS?Q! have been featured on Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" on National Public Radio.
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