Tony Trischka
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| Tony Trischka | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Tony Trischka |
| Born | January 16, 1949 |
| Origin | Syracuse, New York, USA |
| Genre(s) | Bluegrass, Country |
| Occupation(s) | Bluegrass musician |
| Years active | 1970s – present |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Banjo, steel guitar | |
Tony Trischka (born January 16, 1949 in Syracuse, New York) is an American five-string banjo virtuoso with a remarkable picking style.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
He was born in Syracuse, New York, and graduated from Syracuse University (in Syracuse, New York) with a B.A in Fine Arts, and was inspired to play the banjo in 1963, listening to the Kingston Trio's "Charlie and The MTA".
In 1971 he made his recording debut on 15 Bluegrass Instrumentals with the band Country Cooking, and at the same time, he was also a member of Country Granola In 1973, he began a two-year stint with Breakfast Special. Between 1974 and 1975, he recorded two solo albums, Bluegrass Light and Heartlands. After one more solo album in 1976, Banjoland, he went on to become musical leader for the Broadway show The Robber Bridegroom. Trischka toured with the show in 1978, the year he also played with the Monroe Doctrine. Beginning in 1978, he also played with artists such as Peter Rowan, Richard Greene, and Stacy Phillips.
In the early 1980s, he began recording with his new group Skyline, which recorded its first album in 1983. Subsequent albums included Robot Plane Flies over Arkansas (solo, 1983), Stranded in the Moonlight (with Skyline, 1984) and Hill Country (solo, 1985). In 1984, he performed in his first feature film, Foxfire. Three years later, he worked on the soundtrack for Driving Miss Daisy. Trischka produced the Belgian group Gold Rush's No More Angels in 1988. The following year, Skyline recorded its final album, Fire of Grace. He also recorded the theme song for Books on the Air, a popular National Public Radio Show, and continued his affiliation with the network by appearing on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, From Our Front Porch, and other radio shows.
Trischka's solo recordings include 1993's World Turning, 1995's Glory Shone Around: A Christmas Collection and 1999's Bend. New Deal followed in 2003. The new studio album was a bluesy adaptation of bluegrass standards that featured, among other things, a vocal cameo by Loudon Wainwright. Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, featuring an appearance by comedian Steve Martin, came out four years later.
Tony was banjo teacher to Béla Fleck, regarded, along with Tony, as one of the world's top banjoists. <Biography by: by Sandra Brennan - courtesy All Music Guide>
In the late 90s, Trischka teamed up with David Grier, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, and Todd Phillips as "Psychograss" and formed a new band, whose debut album Bend explored yet more territory uncharted by banjo.
In January 2007 Tony released, to critical and popular acclaim, Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, featuring new music and performances by a stellar line-up of musicians including Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck and even the multi-talented Steve Martin. On April 26, 2007, he performed live on The Late Show With David Letterman with Steve Martin and Béla Fleck.
On October 4,2007 Tony won his three nominations at the International Bluegrass Music Awards; for Album of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year and Banjo Player of the Year. This was some long-deserved recognition for Tony and marked a homecoming to the bluegrass community.
Tony currently resides in Fair Lawn, NJ.
Tony has performed with the following list: The Wayfaring Strangers The Boston Pops Orchestra Barry Bostwick* Sam Bush* David Bromberg William S. Burroughs* Buddy Cage* Larry Campbell* Keith Carradine Vassar Clements* Ornette Coleman John Denver* Hazel Dickens* Jerry Douglas* Bill Evans (saxophonist with Miles Davis)* Bela Fleck* The Flecktones John Goodman Richard Greene* Merv Griffin Orchestra Nancy Griffith David Grisman* Thomas Hampson* John Hartford Levon Helm Chris Hillman Garth Hudson Ferlin Huskey David Johansen (aka Buster Poindexter)* Jorma Kaukonen Jeannie Kendall Alison Krauss* Malachy McCourt Roger McGuinn Steve Martin* John Medeski Natalie Merchant* Edgar Meyer Jane Monheit Bill Monroe National Radio Orchestra of Korea Mark O’Connor* Odetta Charles Osgood* Van Dyke Parks* Tom Paxton Robert Randolph The Roche Sisters* Peter Rowan* Earl Scruggs* Mike Seeger* Pete Seeger* Ricky Skaggs Phoebe Snow Bruce Springsteen Ralph Stanley* Tanya Tucker Jay Ungar and Molly Mason* Violent Femmes* Loudon Wainwright* Doc Watson Waverly Consort* The Whites* Wichita Percussion Ensemble Tom Wopat
- denotes recordings
[edit] Banjos Tony Plays
Tenbrooks Saratoga Star made by the Deering Banjo Company
[edit] Television Appearances
• Live at the Quick, with Bela Fleck, 2004-2006 • ABC “Views”, with Bela Fleck - Summer 1997 • “ABC World News Tonight” with Peter Jennings - Summer1996 • “CBS Sunday Morning” with Charles Osgood - feature story (including Bela Fleck), 1995 • “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” (PBS), 1992 • British Television Production of “Voice of America: History of the Banjo” , 1989 • CBS “Hallmark Hall of Fame” production of “Foxfire” with Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn and John Denver, 1987 • Ralph Emory’s “Frets” Awards Show, The Nashville Network, 1987 • Nashville Network’s “Fire on the Mountain,” 1986, 1984 • Merv Griffin Show, 1976
[edit] Performances
• Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular Tour - Currently touring with guitarist/vocalist michael daves, fiddler brittany haas, bassist skip ward & double banjo seat filled by noam pikelny, gordon stone, and others. • Tony Trischka Band – Kennedy Center (2000), Seaside Jazz Festival (2002), plus tours throughout the United States, Canada, and Germany, 1997-present • Solo tours throughout the United States and Korea, Japan, Finland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Croatia, 1986-present • World Turning - Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC) 1997, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival, Black Mountain Folk Festival, and countless concerts and club dates, 1993-2002 • National Public Radio – “Next Big Thing”, 2005, “World Café”, 2004, 2001, “Morning Edition”, “Fresh Air”, Mountain Stage”, 2001, 1995 and 1994; The Connection (2001), “Prairie Home Companion”, 1996, 1982 • With Skyline - appearances in 40 states, five tours throughout Europe; two tours of Japan, 1981-Present
[edit] Performances with others
• Duo performances with Bela Fleck - tours of U.S., and New Zealand, 1992-2006 • With John Modeskey and Robert Randolph, 2001 • Leftover Salmon, Flecktones, Vassar Clements, and Violent Femmes, 1999-2001 • Old and in the Way reunion at Rocky Grass Festival (CO), 1997 • Waverly Consort - 1998 Spring tour, NPR’s Performance Today, Summer 1996; Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC), 1995. • With Peter Rowan and Richard Greene - Telluride,CO, 1996, Japan and Hawaii, 1978 • Guest soloist with National Radio Orchestra of Korea, in Seoul: “The Slavery Documents”, 1991 • Guest soloist with Wichita Percussion Ensemble: “The Void Beneath the Coffee Table” a three movement banjo concerto composed by Paul Elwood for Tony Trischka, 1986 • “Foxfire” with Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn, and Keith Carradine, Los Angeles and Denver, 1985-1986 • “The Robber Bridegroom” - Ford’s Theater, Washington, D.C., 1978; bus and truck tour, 1978; musical leader of Broadway production, 1976-1977 • With David Bromberg and Ferlin Husky - Avery Fisher Hall, NYC, 1973
[edit] Instructional Materials
Mel Bay • Fiddle Tunes for Banjo, to be published in 2006
Alfred Publishing • Banjo for Beginners, 2001
Hal Leonard Publications • The Tony Trischka Collection, 1999
AcuTab Publications • Masters of the 5 String Banjo (with Peter Wernick) 2000 (re-pubublication) • Glory Shone Around, 1995
Books for Oak Publications • The Complete Banjo Player, to be published 2006/2007 • Masters of the Five String Banjo (with Peter Wernick), 1987 (first publication) • Hot Licks for Bluegrass Banjo, 1983 • Bill Keith, 1979 • Teach Yourself Bluegrass Banjo, 1977 • The Banjo Songbook, 1975 • Melodic Banjo, 1973
Independently Published Books • Tablature for Hill Country • Tablature for Robot Plane Flies Over Arkansas
Homespun Tapes BOOK • Bluegrass Repertoire, to be published 2006 • Tablature to Solo Banjo Works, with Bela Fleck, 1998 VIDEO and DVD • Classic Bluegrass Banjo Solos, and Practicing Tips, 2002, 2003 • Bluegrass Banjo: Tunes and Tips, 1990 AUDIO • Easy Banjo Solos, 1988 • Hot Licks for Bluegrass Banjo, 1986 • Advanced Banjo (with Bill Keith), 1979
Workshops and Lessons • Banjo Camp North, 2001-2006 Groton, MA • Rocky Grass Academy, Lyons, CO, 2006, 2002, 1997 • Winnipeg Folk Festival, 2006 • Augusta Heritage Workshop, Elkins, WV, 2005, 2001, 1994-1996 • National Summer Guitar Workshop, New Milford, CT, 2001, 1989-1997 • Sore Fingers Summer Workshop, Chipping Norton, England 1999-2000 • Bluegrass Camp, Levelland Texas, 2000 • Tony Trischka’s first Banjo Retreat, New Paltz, NY, 1998 • Banjo history lecture at Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 1997 • Common Ground Workshop, Westminster, MD,1997 • Telluride Academy, Telluride, CO, 1994 • Tennessee Banjo Institute, Lebanon, TN, 1988, 1990, 1992 • Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, 1977-1982, 1989-1990, 1992 • One day workshops throughout U.S., Australia, Japan and Europe, 1978-present • Private instruction, 1971-present
[edit] Miscellaneous
• Performed on 2001 International Bluegrass Music Association instrumental album of the year Knee Deep in Bluegrass, the Accutab Sessions • Performed on 1997 Grammy winner True Life Blues (the music of Bill Monroe) • 1996 NAIRD nominee for Best Album in a Seasonal Category (Glory Shone Around) • 1994 International Bluegrass Music Awards Finalist for Recorded Event of the Year • Hall of Fame inductee, Syracuse Area Music Awards (Sammy), 1993 • Three time FRETS Award Winner, “Banjo Player of the Year”, 1986-1988 • Columnist for Sing Out, Bluegrass Unlimited, Acoustic Musician, Banjo Newsletter • Liner notes for numerous recordings (Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss, others)
