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Antonio Underwood

Since leaving the Yale School of Music in 1987 as a Tuba Major (Classical),Antonio Underwood has been a member of the two-time Grammy Awardwinning McCoy Tyner Big Band, featuring such artists as: Dee DeeBridgewater, Savion Glover, Diane Reeves, and Slide Hampton. Playing in allthe major jazz venues throughout the world.

Tony began his career playing in NYC clubs (Lush Life, Sweet Basil’s, VillageGate, The Vanguard, the Greenwich House, The Public Theatre, AlternateMuseum, etc) and festivals (JVC, South Seaport, etc.) at the age of nineteen.

In addition to being a featured performing with Jazz Legend the late MaxRoach, Tony has shared the stage with some of the greats as Jerry Gonzalez,Julius Preister, Delfeayo Marsalis, Bob Belden, Christian McBride, Cecil Taylor,Cecil Bridgewater, Vincent Herring, Joshua Redman, Javon Jackson, the lateLester Bowie, John Faddis, Charlie Haden, Eddie Henderson, Billy Harper, JohnZorn, Steve Turre, Virgil Jones, the late John Stubblefield, Joe Lavano, HowardJohnson, the late Ray Draper, Muhal Abrahams, the late Leroy Jenkins, the lateJulius Hemphill, Henry Threadgill, Andrew Cyril, the late Fred Hopkins, thelate Ed & David Townsend, and many more.

Tony has been a cast member of Juan Darien by Academy Award ComposerElliot Goldenthal and Tony Award Winning Director Julie Taymor, as well as aregular in the Tony award winning play, Jelly’s Last Jam, featuring the lateGregory Hines. His other off-Broadway performances include, “One Mo’ Time”and “Further Mo’“.

Tony is a George Lucas scholar to the Scoring for Motion Pictures andTelevision program at USC. He studied extensively with the late Dr. Norman“Buddy” Baker (Disney studios).

Tony’s composition and orchestration credits include recordings by Be BeWinans (Atlantic Records), Terry Dexter (Warner Bros.), John Purcell (PonyCanyon, Japan), The World Saxophone Quartet (Justin Time Records, Canada),Debut CD of Anthony Montgomery, (Universal/Germany), etc. Owner of hisown published material (380), brass quartets published by TAP Music (Iowa),and Jazz compositions published by ENJA Music, Germany.

Film scoring credits included: Rumbling of the Earth (Filmmakers Library) andShadows of the Dead (Horizon Entertainment).

Awards

Grammy with the McCoy Tyner All Star Big Band and others.

Gear

Yamaha Bbb(YBB 641) with a 62 Schilke mouthpiece

Tags

Antonio Underwood tuba

"Tonight, you played your @$$ off!" -The Late Max Roach (Live Recording at the Blue Note Jazz Club, NYC, 1999) “I’ve known Tony for over 19 years… I am sure the world will be benefited greatly by his wonderful musical talent, because he is definitely ready.” -Dr. Eddie Henderson “Flexible and outstanding on his instrument. Nobody plays like him.” -McCoy Tyner “After twenty-eight years as composer and director at Disney Studios, I rarely see young artists with talent such as his called to my attention.” -The Late Dr. Norman ”Buddy” Baker (Disney Music Director) "Tony Underwood is not only a technical virtuoso, he has the creativity and passion of a true artist

Primary Instrument

Tuba

Willing to teach

Intermediate to advanced

Credentials/Background

TEACHING FELLOWSHIPS/ CLINICS/ MASTER CLASSES - Guest Instructor for the History of Jazz program at California State University, o Monterey Bay, California, November 1997 - Guest Lecturer for MBA course in Music Scoring taught by noted entertainment Lawyer, David A. Braun, Esq., at the University of Southern California, 1996 - Music Clinician at the Bergen, Hunterdon, and Somerset County Teen Arts Festivals, New Jersey, 1994 - Director of the Percussion program at Janis Dismus Middle School and Dwight Morrow High School, in Englewood, New Jersey 1991-1994, (Assisted) 1997-1998 - Performed concert/clinic on the Art of Ensemble Performance with the New Brass Ensemble (Los Angeles) at the University of Massachusetts, Williams College, Williamstown, MA and Pomona College in California, 1989 - Teaching Fellow, The History of Jazz, Yale University, College of Music 1985-1987 - Teacher of Math and Music History for the Better Chance Program at the College of New Jersey, Fall 1980- May 1983