Tony Waka

myspace commentsBFA 86' Graduate of The Leonard Davis Center of Performing Arts in Harlem NYC. Born and raised in Brooklyn ,New York. Graduate also of Brooklyn Technical High School , Class of 1979. Member of "Seventh Heaven and the East 23rd Street Crew" ; see; Gary Fritz http://www.myspace.com/wickedgaryfritzfriends 'Performed with "7th Heaven" with BACA and local Brooklyn events and East Village Clubs NYC alphabet city 79-83. Also Member of the band "GIZMO" lead by Richard Admiral showcasing probably the first Funk-HipHop band in NYC in 1983. Studied Afro- Carribbean rythms under Gary Fritz through performances with 7th Heaven and African dancers loft rehearsals and Sundays at Prospect Park Drum Jams. 1980-82 ; Began studying music at age 12 through New York City Public School Music Program and was a part of Special Progress Program Public School doctrine(SP) Program. Studied under Profs DCPA: Ed Summerlin; Bob Norden; Ron Carter; Jimmy Heath;Joe Chambers; Ray Gallon; Ray Santos;Dick Lieb; Frank Griffith;Ed Xiques; Jim Pepper at DCPA. CCNY 86' Jazz Band under Dick Lieb. CCNY Latin-Jazz Ensemble under Ray Santos. Jazz Performance Ensemble under Bassists Ron Carter; See Blog Alumni CCNY; Also "Brooklyn College Classical Conservatory Wind Ensemble" 87-89 under Paul Sheldon. "Brooklyn College Jazz Orchestra" under Bill Warfield 89-91; 87-89 under Stafford Horne. Brooklyn College faculty player 1991 "Faculty Concert Series"under Paul Sheldon and Bill Warfield. Played with a variety of Afro-Carribbean Bands playing Calypso and Soca music 1984-1986 with Trinidadian trumpeter composer "Errol Ince and The Foundations" as lead tenor saxophonist. Played with "Collin Dennis Orchestra" playing calypso tent carnivals backing such acts as Calypso Rose,Sparrow and Barron Lee 1984-86. Church Gospel musician for "Pilgrim Baptist Church Music Ministry".under Melvin Holder 85-86. Played on AM Radio Broadcast "Pilgrim Presents" Friday and Sunday Broadcast of Live Gospel Music. "The David Chevan Quartet" from 1990-93 original and standard jazz repertoire at Cafe Millie Lucie in Brooklyn. "John Guinn" 1992 local Brooklyn Pubs , "Tony Waka Quartet" ; Standards and more 92-94. 89-92 "OPEN JAM" at Blue Note held by Ted Curson and local downtown Brooklyn street jams . "The IAR Recording Projects" with Gary Fritz's and Friends 1992-93; 1994 Private Music Instruction ; "In Performance Music Workshop"- present. "Night Moves" 94-present; weddings and commercial venues. Established "WakaWorksMusic LLC" 2007 release of cd "SIDES OF LOVE" available at WWW.DIGSTATION.COM And WWW.CDBaby.COM : You can check out other tracks of TONY WAKA that can be down loaded and purchased as mp3 player files on the SNOCAP player ABOVE^^^^