Anthony Gorruso

Born in Buffalo, NY, Anthony Gorruso currently resides in Northern New Jersey

Professional career

Known for his extraordinary high range and rich sound, Tony is one of New York's top trumpet player. Click on thumbnail, Tony is the trumpet player in the lower left hand corner by the arrow. http://www.nafshenu.com/about2.html

Son of former ECMEA (Erie County Music Educators Association)president and Amherst Senior High School band director Anthony Gorruso Sr., Tony began his professional career playing at age 17 with the then local Buffalo area band Spyro Gyra on their eponymous first LP, "Spyro Gyra". His name is incorrectly listed on that album as Tony Garusso. http://www.spyrogyra.com/discography.php?num=1 He has since performed with Buddy Rich, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, The Duke Ellington Orchestra (under the direction of Mercer Ellington), Liza Minnelli, Sting and many others. He has recorded with Frank Sinatra on the laser disc "Sinatra in Japan 1985" http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200015580/default.html which also aired on PBS in 1986(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSAvDAQjKlg&feature=related), as well as the CD "Sinatra 80th Live In Concert(Capitol CDP 7243 8 31723 2 0 released 1985)." Mr. Gorruso can also be found on the CD, by Jon Lucien, titled "Mother Nature's Son- Polygram #514 816 released in 1993(http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Artists/Barron/lucien.htm), Mary Ellen Bernard's 1993 CD "Point of Departure" (http://www.pattylarkin.com/discography/mebernard.html) "Music is My Mistress" by Mercer Ellington(Music Master released 1989) (http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,81396,00.html) and Pearls by David Sanborn Elektra/WEA # 61759-2 released March 28,1995.

Currently employed as 2nd trumpet for the Broadway show "Spamalot". He was first trumpet on the Broadway show "42nd Street" (2002-2005). He also played first trumpet on the Broadway show "Gypsy" starring actress Tyne Daly and was featured soloist on the shows famed Overture from 1989-1990. He is also seen briefly and heard on the soundtrack of the 1989 Woody Allen film "Crimes amd Misdemeanors." (Click on link to Internet Movie database), http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097123/fullcredits

Mr. Gorruso played lead trumpet for "Buddy Rich" from Jan. through Dec. 1984 and then toured with Frank Sinatra from Jan. 1985 through July 1991. Since then he has performed on countless national radio and TV jingles. After completing his touring on the road with Frank Sinatra, Tony continued as 2nd trumpet for the complete 9 year 11 month run of "Miss Saigon" on Broadway (1991-2001) this despite suffering a severe upper lip injury requiring over 30 stitches in May of 1998 which nearly ended his career! He fully recovered and is currently quite active on Broadway (for a list of shows click on the link to the Internet Broadway database)(http://www.ibdb.com/person.asp?ID=393459) and the NYC recording scene.

Links

* Discussion of the top lead players in New York : http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=208288&sid=cefcddfcba7e45216c587e2d26f14125
* A video clip of Tony Gorruso being featured by Buddy as lead trumpet and soloist on pianist Bill Cunliffe's arrangement of the Count Basie original "One O'Clock Jump" taken from a live performance at Berlin Philharmonic Hall in the fall of 1984.
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RipHn6sYlOg
*Mike James Jazz™ website has audio clips and personnel info of the complete Berlin concert minus the encore of "I Can't Get Started" see the link below:
* http://www.mikejamesjazz.com/br_clips.html#berlin_1984