Tony Saunders (bassist)

This article is about the American musician. For the baseball player, see Tony Saunders.

Tony Saunders (born 1955) is an American bass player and synthesizer player in the genres of jazz, gospel, R&B, pop and world music. He is a composer, arranger, music producer and head of his studio.

Tony Saunders
Saunders in 2011
Background information
Born	1955 (age 68–69) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz R&B Gospel
Occupation	Bassist
Instrument	Bass
Member of	The Rainforest Band
Website	www.tonysaunders.com/about

Early life and education

Saunders was born in 1955 in San Francisco to a musical family. His father, Merl Saunders, a keyboardist, taught him music from an early age. He began singing at the age of five and started playing the piano at eight. Herbie Hancock and Sly Stone were among Saunders’ early teachers. Stone gave Saunders an organ when he was 10. When he was 14, he began playing the bass. While growing up, he was exposed to musicians including Eddie Moore, Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, Sonny Rollins, Dewey Redmen, George Duke, Al Jarreau, Bole Sete, and John Handy.

Saunders received one of his first piano lessons from Herbie Hancock and was awarded a fellowship at the prestigious San Francisco Conservatory of Music for piano. His first Fender bass guitar was a gift from Tom Fogerty, brother of John Fogerty and rhythm guitarist for Creedence Clearwater Revival. He graduated from the Conservatory of Music in San Francisco. He received an Emmy at 14 years old with his father for the children's special Soul Is, a PBS documentary featuring Black poetry accompanied by Saunders on the bass. The second Emmy was for an Episode of Digital Journey titled "China The Digital Economy"

Career

At 17, he began playing with his father and Jerry Garcia and was a featured musician in Merl Saunders & Aunt Monk. Later Saunders played in the original Rainforest Band, and recorded on all other projects of his father. Legendary bassists Chuck Rainey, Jack Casady and John Kahn all took interest in Saunders's ability. Kahn turned Saunders on to James Jamerson, and Saunders modeled his playing around all of his teachers. Other influences include Stanley Clarke, Alphonso Johnson, Rufus Reid, Ralphe Armstrong, and Marcus Miller. This has led to a flexible and diverse style. Anthony Davis and Lee Miles encouraged Saunders to play bass full-time.

Saunders has scored movies, corporate videos, TV shows, and commercials, and produced many CDs, primarily out of his Studio 1281. He wrote the music to the stage play Zetta that was performed in San Francisco by the American Conservatory Theater, and also assumed the role of musical director for the show. He was the musical director of Rock Justice, written by Bob Heyman and Marty Balin of Jefferson Starship.

Artists collaborating with him on projects have included Nils, Jeff Lorber, Paul Brown, Gail Jhonson, Jeff Ryan, Marion Meadows, Mavis Staples, John Lee Hooker and Austin "Auggie" Brown, the nephew of Michael Jackson. (Auggie's project was sold to Midas Records.) Saunders was first hired as a staff producer for San Francisco Records, having previously worked for the label president Ron Umile when he was at Associated Booking in New York. Umile hired Saunders to work with Martha Reeves, Randy Crawford, and others. Saunders's first solo album, Bigger than Outside, was released in October 2011. It remained on the charts for 70 weeks.

His second CD Appaloosa, was released on January 22, 2014. It features Grammy winners Howard Hewett, Bill Champlin and Tony Lindsay on vocals, with seven instrumentals and six vocal songs. Tom Politzer from Tower of Power, Rock Hendricks from Paul Hardcastle's jazz master series also performs saxophone on the CD. Longtime friends of Saunders, Fred Ross and Sakai, background singer with Train, also sing on the duet "The Question Is".

The third CD for San Francisco Records was called Uptown Jazz. It featured Gabrial Mark Hasselbach, Rock Hendricks, Sakai, Paul Harcastle Jr., and Gerald Albright. Saunders single "Rock Steady" is a cover of The Whispers' 1980s hit and was produced in Atlanta by Magic Mendez. Harmony Blackwell, The Whispers' programmer/background vocalist, and Mendez did the vocals with Mendez laying all the music tracks. Nils and Saunders played the lead lines to the song which were written by Babyface.

His next album, Sexy Somethin' was slated to be released on February 21, 2020, on San Francisco Records. It features Jeff Lorber, Marion Meadows, Paul Brown, Nils, Gail Jhonson, Jeff Ryan, Ray Chew, and Paul Jackson Jr.

Saunders has been influenced by gospel music since he was a young child. He studied under choir director Leon Patillo. Saunders met the Hawkins family when he was 14, and credits them with not only inspiring him to play bass but also with giving spiritual guidance to his life. He played with Walter Hawkins, Edwin Hawkins and the Love Center Choir in the 1980s, and released He Lifted Me Up, his first gospel project, in 2005. Among the other gospel artists Saunders has played with are Andrae Crouch, the Clark Sisters, the late Reverend James Moore, Daryl Coley, James Cleveland and the Williams Brothers, The Mighty Clouds Of Joy and Shirley Ceaser. He completed a gospel project that featured Derrick Hughes, Alfreda Lyons-Campbell, and Saunders' longtime friend, gospel bassist/drummer Joel Smith (Walter and Ed's nephew).

Saunders has also performed with his father with Jerry Garcia, Buffy Sainte Marie, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, David Soul, Max Gail Jr. Stevie Wonder, Bob Weir, Bill Kruetzman, Brent Myland, Vince Welnick, John Cippolina, Paul Butterfield, Nick Gravinites and Sly Stone.

Saunders has worked with and performed on behalf of several charitable and social issue-oriented organizations including Bread And Roses, the Seva Foundation, the Rex Foundation, Rock for Hope, the Haight-Ashbury Free Clinic, and the Rainforest Action Network.

Bands and people Saunders has played with include Tony Saunders Romancing The Bass, The Rainforest Band, Les McCann, George Howard, Ellis-Liebman Band, Ringo, Esther Phillips, Chaka Kahn, Harvey Mason, Eric Clapton, Joe Louis Walker, Keystone Revisited, Merl Saunders & the Rainforest Band, Band of Gypsies with Buddy Miles, Mitch Mitchell, Randy Hansen, Zero, Robert Winters & Fall, David Crosby, Tony Saunders & Paradize, and M.R.L.S. A re-launch of the Rainforest Band as a tribute to Merl Saunders took place at the 29th Starwood Festival on July 25, 2009, the site of their last performance, featuring Tony Saunders, guitarist Michael Hinton, and other members of the Merl Saunders Rainforest Band and other Saunders' projects. Also appearing were Sikiru Adepoju on talking drum and Douglas "Val" Serrant on steel drum and djembe.

In 2021, Saunders signed to the label Baja/TSR Records and produced a new CD called All About Love.

Awards and honors

Saunders won a 2022 Telly Award for the video "Black Lives Matter", which he co-authored with Nona Brown. Saunders has also received two Emmy Awards. He won the New York Film Festival's Grand and Silver Award for educational compositions.

Discography

Studio albums

• Whispering Waters - Tony Saunders/Paradize (2002) Bass, Arranger, Producer, Bass (Upright), Six-string Bass, Five-string Bass
• He Lifted Me Up - producer, composer, bassist, Tony Saunders & the Anointed Voices (2005)
• Romancing The Bass - Tony Saunders solo CD (2011)
• Appaloosa - Tony Saunders solo CD (2014)
• Uptown Jazz - Tony Saunders solo CD (2016)
• Peace to the Planet - composer, bassist, Rainforest Band (2019)
• Sexy Somethin' - Tony Saunders solo CD (2020)
• All About Love - Tony Saunders solo CD (2021)
• Good Medicine - composer, bassist, Rainforest Band (2023)
• The Romance Continues - Tony Saunders solo CD (2024)

As major contributor

• Peace to the Planet - Rain Forest Band (2005) Bass, Composer
• He Lifted Me Up - Tony Saunders & Anointed Voices (2005)
• Sweet Breeze – The Noteworthy Band (2021) Bassist, composer, producer

Other contributions

• Right On / Mighty Whitey - The Man Child Singers (1969) Summertone (45 RPM)
• Merl Saunders - Merl Saunders (1974) Fantasy
• You Can Keep Your Hat On - Merl Saunders (1976) Bass
• Light'n Up, Please! - David Liebman (1976) Bass
• Come to Me - Juice Newton (1977) Bass
• Rock Justice - Marty Balin (1979) EMI (Cast Recording - Music Director)
• Imagine Heaven - Edwin Hawkins Singers (1982) Clavinet, Bass
• Death or Glory - Combat 84 (1984) (Liner notes only)
• Do the Right Thing [Soundtrack] (1988) (Mixing / engineer)
• Chain - Family Stand (1990) (Mixing only)
• Funk Drumming - Jim Payne (1993)
• Brothers & Sisters I Will Be Praying for You - Rev. James Moore (1994) Bass
• Beyond The Thunder - Neal Schon (1995)
• Best Kept Secret - Lady Bianca (1995) Bass
• Red Blooded Blues - Various Artists (1995) Percussion
• Blues of the Month Club - Joe Louis Walker (1995) Bass
• Blue Gold - Various Artists (1996) Bass
• Keepers - Merl Saunders (1997) Bass
• Takoma Eclectic Sampler - Various Artists (1997) Bass
• Every Woman's Blues: The Best of New Generation - Various Artists (1998) Bass
• Fiesta Amazonica - Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band (1998) Bass
• Summertime in the Big City - Larry Vann (1998) Bass, Arranger, Producer, Engineer, Keyboard Programming
• Illegally Insane - Fifty One Fifty (1999)
• Blues Routes: Heroes & Tricksters - Various Artists (1999) Bass
• Yes I'm Ready - Ricardo Scales (1999) Bass
• Blues for a Rotten Afternoon - Various Artists (2000) Bass
• Rollin' - Lady Bianca (2001) Bass
• Final Recordings 1 - John Lee Hooker (2003) Organ & Bass
• Reason Why - Loni Williams (2003) Engineer, Mixing
• Rhythm & Roots of Larry Vann - Larry Vann (2003) Arranger, Guitar (Bass), Keyboards, Drum Programming, Keyboard Programming
• Sweet Jimmie Sings the Blues - Sweet Jimmie (2003) Bass
• Face to Face - John Lee Hooker (2004) Organ, Bass
• I Am Sorry - Rene (2004) Bass, Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Drum Programming, Mixing
• The Unsung Soldier - Tony Saunders (2004)
• Still Groovin' - Merl Saunders (2004) Bass|Keyboards|Fender Rhodes, Arranger|Producer|Mixing|Musician
• Jazz Ala Soul - M.R.L.S. (2004) Arranger|Engineer|Mixing, Bass
• Live! From San Francisco - R&B All-Stars (2004) Bass, Arranger, Producer, Engineer, Synthesizer Programming, Repair
• Songs for My Three Mothers - Juel Nero (2004) Vocals (background), Producer
• Songs for the Being Human - Steven B.'s Heart Language (2005) Bass, Arranger, Vocals, Vocals (background), Producer
• Back From the Dead - Automatic Pilot (2005) Guitar (Bass), Guest Appearance (Brown and McQueen Music)
• Sunlight of My People - Ayana (2005) Bass (Electric), Engineer, Mixing
• Sweet Love - Patricia Wilder (2005) Synthesizer, Bass, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, Engineer, Executive Producer, Mixing
• In a Mendocino Town [Bonus Tracks] - II Big (2006) Guitar (Bass), Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guest Appearance
• Face in the Glass - II B'ig (2007) Bass, Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Guest Appearance
• Knee Deep - James Levi (2007) Bass, Keyboards, Producer, Engineer
• Home Schooled: The ABCs Of Kid Soul - Various (compilation) (2007) Numero Group
• Just Kita - Nikita Germaine (2008)
• Sweet Feelings - Ashling Cole (2008)
• Cyril Magnin Street Fair - Various Artists (2008) Group Member
• Live at John's Grill - We 3 (2008) Bass, Producer, Executive Producer, Bass (Upright), 6-String Bass, 5-string Bass, Group Member
• Magic Touch - Ron Thompson and the Resistors (2008) Bass, Engineer, Mastering
• Paradise in the Valley - Hartfield Family (2008) Synthesizer, Bass, Piano, Arranger, Producer, Engineer, Vocal Arrangement, Editing, Drum Programming, Mixing, Instrumentation
• St. Mark Baptist Church: 60th Anniversary - Pastor Rodney G. McNab SR./The Spiritual (2008) Guitar (Bass), Producer, Engineer, Executive Producer, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements
• Romancing The Bass (2011) Producer, Engineer, Bassist composer
• Appaloosa (2014) Producer, Engineer, Bassist composer
• Uptown Jazz (2016) Producer, Engineer, Bassist composer
• Sexy Somethin (2020) Producer, Engineer, Bassist composer

Filmography

• Rock Justice - Marty Balin (1979) EMI (music director) (DVD released 2007)
• Peggy Sue Got Married - (1986) Actor (in "The Four-Mations"), musical performer, wrote one song
• CBS Schoolbreak Special: God, the Universe & Hot Fudge Sundaes (1986) actor: Balliff
• Farmer & Chase - (1995) Soundtrack
• Faith & Fear: The Children of Krishna (2001) Composer & Musician (TV)
• Beginning Bass - Tony Saunders DVD (2005)
• Writer's Day (2005) Composer & Foley Artist
• Learning Bass Guitar - Tony Saunders & Rudy Sarzo - DVD (2007)

Bibliography

• Learning Bass Guitar - Tony Saunders & Rudy Sarzo - Book & DVD (2007)
• Beginning Bass - Tony Saunders - Book & DVD (2005)
• Funk Drumming - Jim Payne (played on enclosed CD) Mel Bay Publications (April 1993) ISBN 0-87166-511-5, ISBN 978-0-87166-511-9

References

• The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll by Rolling Stone Editors Holly George-Warren, Patricia Romanowski, Patricia Romanowski Bashe, and Jon Pareles (2001) p. 429
• Screen World 1998 by John Willis, Barry Monush (1999) p. 155
• Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Biography by Dave Zimmer, Henry Diltz, David Crosby (2008) p. 246
• Release Print: The Newsletter of the Film Arts Foundation (San Francisco, Calif.) (1993) p. 21

External links

• Tony Saunders homepage
• Tony Saunders MySpace Page