Welcome!
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Thank you for visiting the site of Jazz Drummer, Composer, and Educator, Tony Moreno. Please check back often as we are constantly adding new media, gig dates, and writings.
"Tony Moreno, a former student of Coltrane-drummer Elvin Jones, belongs to today’s masters of his instrument." |
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-Tony Moreno began studying the piano with his mother at the age of 2. His mother, Nina Dunkel, was a world renowned harpist/pianist/composer who studied with Nadia and Lili Boulanger, Marcel Grandjany, Nicanor Zabaleta and Pierre Jamet. He attended The Dalcroze School if Music at the age of 4 where he continued his piano studies. At the age of 8, Tony began teaching himself drums using the Gene Krupa Method book and a Gladstone practice pad. Beginning with Snare drum studies and technique with Stan Koor at the age of 10, Tony received his first set of drums from Elvin Jones at age 11 and began studies with Elvin for the following 7 years while concurrently continuing mallet and tympani lessons with Stan. Tony's first professional gig was at the age of 12 at The West End. Tony attended every set and weekend matinees when Elvin was in residence at The Village Vanguard. Tony would bring a manuscript book to transcribe Elvin's phrasings, both comping and soloing, which Elvin would review after the last set. Studying with Elvin at Frank Ippolito's Percussion Center, Tony met many great drummers: Papa Joe (sometimes behind the counter selling cymbals), Tony Williams, Buddy Rich, Mel Lewis, Gene Krupa, Billy Cobham, Billy Higgins, Philly Joe Jones, Shelly Manne, Dannie Richmond, Charlie Persip, etc. At 15 he received The Elvin Jones/Professional Percussion Center Scholarship Award (Elon College summer jazz program). Tony interviews Elvin in the documentary "Elvin Jones: A Different Drummer" directed by Ed Gray. Tony also attended Jazz Interactions weekly jazz program where he studied with Al Tootie Heath, Art Blakey and Freddie Waits. Tony also studied privately with Bob Ra Kalam Moses, who encouraged him to compose original music, as did Jimmy Giuffre who was Tony's principal teacher at NYU. Tony spent time having dinner, attending concerts or just hanging out and playing with his mentors: Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Jimmy Owens, Pepper Adams, Masabumi Kikuchi "Poo", Jimmy Garrison, Frank Foster, Jimmy Lyons, Dannie Richmond and Motohiko Hino "Toko". After graduating from The Manhattan School of Music, Tony freelanced in NYC as a sideman/bandleader and was part of "the Loft scene" in NYC where he performed with musicians such as Booker Washington, Jimmy Lyons, the JCOA Orchestra with Cecil Taylor, Bill Dixson, Don Cherry, Roswell Rudd, Leroy Jenkins, Michael Mantler, Carla Bley and Frederic Rzewski. After subbing for Bob Moses for a European tour, Tony began working, recording and eventually residing in Europe. During this period Tony regularly returned to NYC touring and recording with numerous groups including The Gene Ess - Ravi Coltrane Quartet with Matt Garrison, a world tour with The Lounge Lizards ("Live in Tokyo - Big Heart"/YouTube/Sony Records), Barry Harris Trio "Live in Spain" (YouTube), the Timucin - Greg Osby Quartet ("Live in Istanbul" YouTube), Mal Waldron Trio RTVE France/Belgium/Portugal, Sal Nestico, Palle Danielsson, Doug Raney, Spooky Actions "Live in Moscow" (DVD), Woody Shaw, and many other wonderful musicians. Tony appears on over 150 recordings and has toured over 30 countries. His latest double cd recording "Short Stories" was voted Best Recording of the year by The New York Jazz Record (2016), and received 41/2 stars in Downbeat. As an educator, Tony has been a professor teaching private lessons and ensembles for over 20 years at the New York University Jazz Studies and Performance Program (Dr. David Schroeder), the Columbia University Louis Armstrong Jazz Program (Dr. Chris Washbourne) and the City College of New York Jazz Program (Steve Wilson). Tony also volunteered for 10 years at The Door - A Center of Alternatives in NYC. Tony Moreno endorses Paiste cymbals (Kelly Paiste) and Le Soprano drums (Marco Gambarisio). Tony Moreno is a Mayimba Records Recording Artist.
On a Personal Note: Thank you for visiting my web page. It is greatly appreciated. In the Downloads drop down menu you will find the score for "Episodes for Flute and Percussion" which you can listen to on "Paul Lustig Dunkel - Alive in the Studio - Dunkel - Moreno - Muskal - Shostakovich" Master series Recordings MS1554. There is also a hastily written textbook i wrote years ago for a guitar workshop. I hope to do a proper textbook in the future. I will also add my compositions and additional material over time.
Plato: Music is a Moral law
The Buddha: All life is suffering; the keys to unlock that suffering is love, compassion and knowledge
For private lessons, please drop me an email.
On a Personal Note: Thank you for visiting my web page. It is greatly appreciated. In the Downloads drop down menu you will find the score for "Episodes for Flute and Percussion" which you can listen to on "Paul Lustig Dunkel - Alive in the Studio - Dunkel - Moreno - Muskal - Shostakovich" Master series Recordings MS1554. There is also a hastily written textbook i wrote years ago for a guitar workshop. I hope to do a proper textbook in the future. I will also add my compositions and additional material over time.
Plato: Music is a Moral law
The Buddha: All life is suffering; the keys to unlock that suffering is love, compassion and knowledge
For private lessons, please drop me an email.
