Home » Jazz Musicians » Tony Scherr

Tony Scherr

Tony Scherr is arguably one of the most in-demand sidemen in New York City. The list is long; as a bassist, guitarist, or singer Tony has worked with: Bill Frisell Trio, Sexmob, John Lurie's Lounge Lizards, Willie Nelson, Rickie Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco, Jason Collett (Broken Social Scene), Rufus Wainwright, Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux, Jesse Harris, Richard Julian, Sasha Dobson, Shawn Colvin, The Abrams Brothers, Kevin Kinney (Drivin N Cryin), and Teddy Thompson to name a few.

He still tours, records, and plays around town regularly with a very broad range of artists, and has played on many albums, movie and television scores. In the 1990's, Tony built his own 8 track analog studio where he has recorded and played on numerous albums. A Grammy nominated producer, Tony has produced and engineered a diverse body of work that includes two records of his own music released on Smells Like Records titled "Come Around"(2001), and "Twist in the Wind"(2008).

He is also busy with his own band; Tony Scherr Trio, singing his own songs, performing steadily in the NY area, and touring the US, Canada, and Europe. This band travels light, is self managed and booked, and is currently recording a new live album to be released Spring 2011.

Born in New Haven, CT, Tony began studying string bass at the age of five. He rebelled by picking up guitar at twelve years old and forming a series of garage bands with his brother Pete on bass. After trying music school, Tony spent a couple of years on the road with the Woody Herman band, landing in New York in the late eighties.

This led to a blizzard of bass gigs playing with many of New York's finest jazz musicians (Al Grey, Maria Schneider, Dakota Staton, John Scofield, Stanley Turrentine, pianist Steve Kuhn and many more...), for most of his twenties, after which he rebelled again by picking up the guitar, writing songs, and singing. The New York Times has declared him to be a “singer-songwriter of deep and palpable conviction”.

He is still playing string bass as a member of the Bill Frisell Trio (10 years), and Sex Mob (15 years), and plays guitar as a member of Ursa Minor (8 years), and in Anton Fier's recently reformed rock band The Golden Palominos.

Tony Scherr lives in Brooklyn.

Tags

3
Album Review

Elan Mehler: There Is A Dance

Read "There Is A Dance" reviewed by Patrick Burnette


David Bowie's album The Rise And Fall of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars (RCA, 1972) includes instructions on the back: “To Be Played At Maximum Volume." Had pianist Elan Mehler's new trio effort, There is a Dance, followed suit, the slogan would be something like “To Be Played Only on Rainy Afternoons." There is a Dance, which celebrates memories of Mehler's mother, is a quiet, meditative album, one more drawn to rubato than momentum. There are moments of ...

16
Album Review

Norah Jones: I Dream of Christmas

Read "I Dream of Christmas" reviewed by Jim Trageser


With Tony Bennett's retirement, the mantle of legitimate straight-ahead pop crooners is now firmly in the hands of subsequent generations: Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall and Norah Jones. Not pure jazz singers, of which there are numerous stellar examples, these singers are more in the Bennett-Sinatra-Fitzgerald mold, bringing a jazz sensibility to pop music. It is in the area of seasonal Christmas music that the crooners have had perhaps their greatest influence. From Andy Williams to Connie Stevens, ...

3
Album Review

Pat Donaher: Occasionally

Read "Occasionally" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Occasionally sees saxophonist Pat Donaher reflecting on a few milestones in his life to date. He does this by writing and performing compositions which are all dedicated to occasions and people that have been special to him. Donaher's varied set of tunes is played here by an excellent group with Jason Palmer on trumpet, Tim Watson on guitar, Carmen Staaf on piano, Tony Scherr on bass and Allison Miller on drums. Two selections celebrate family weddings. “Wedding Day," ...

269
Album Review

Rick Peckham Trio: Left End

Read "Left End" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


Guitarist Rick Peckham has played as a sideman on several albums, bringing his personal signature to the music. On this, his debut as leader, he elevates that presence, aided by two fine musicians in Jim Black and Tony Scherr.

Peckham is fine tuned into jazz, as evidenced by his cover of the Thelonious Monk tune “Evidence," as well as the group's “Free 1" and the fleeting “Free 2." And though the harmonies may not be those of jazz ...

647
Album Review

Bill Frisell: Unspeakable

Read "Unspeakable" reviewed by John Kelman


Some artists spend an entire lifetime within a narrow genre, honing their skill and working at stretching the boundaries of that style, while others transcend all definitions and labels, creating a music that defies categorization. Such is the case with guitarist Bill Frisell, who over a twenty-five year career has contributed to everything from the Nordic cool of Jan Garbarek's quartet to the downtown edge of John Zorn's Naked City. On his own records he has explored diverse landscapes including ...

164
Album Review

Rick Peckham: Left End

Read "Left End" reviewed by Sean Patrick Fitzell


The opening twangy guitar riff off the title track of guitarist Rick Peckham’s Left End suggests an edge usually associated with rock music, a feeling solidified by the propulsive groove of drummer Jim Black and bassist Tony Scherr (both with plenty of rock in their backgrounds) to push the leader’s statement further. And that’s just the first 30 seconds.

Peckham’s debut as a leader draws on early classic rock guitar influences for sound and attitude and infuses them with improvisational ...

168
Album Review

Rick Peckham: Left End

Read "Left End" reviewed by John Kelman


For the first album by the assistant chair to the guitar department at the Berklee School of Music, one might expect a heavily jazz-centric affair and, given Rick Peckham’s vintage, one that would be heavily informed by alumni like John Scofield, Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. And, to be sure, there’s a certain outward edge a la Scofield, and some reference to the skewed Americana of Frisell territory. But while Left End may demonstrate these allegiances, they are just as ...

Read more articles
187

Recording

Tony Scherr "Twist in the Wind" out on March 17, 2008

Tony Scherr "Twist in the Wind" out on March 17, 2008

Source: All About Jazz

"One of the best guitar players I've ever seen." -Norah Jones

“Tony is one of the most original and soulful musicians I know. I love his slide playing, his voice, his songs...and this new album." -Bonnie Raitt

“Of all the marvelous musical roles Tony plays, I like it when he sings and plays his own songs best. He is a soulful guitarist and honest singer who writes as naturally and casually as he speaks." ...

“Tony Scherr has a few different profiles as a musician, each of them sharp-honed…and generously melding into the others.” —New York Times

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

RETRO Trilogy

Allegato Music
2023

buy

There Is A Dance

Newvelle Records
2022

buy

Occasionally

Self Produced
2021

buy

Another Way Home

Roots2Boot
2020

buy

Unspeakable

Nonesuch Records
2004

buy

Tropicalia

From: RETRO Trilogy
By Tony Scherr

The Wind

From: RETRO Trilogy
By Tony Scherr

Lonely Hearts

From: Another Way Home
By Tony Scherr

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.