Tony Monaco

Tony Monaco stands at the forefront of a quiet resurgence for the Hammond B3 organ within jazz circles. Jimmy Smith proved instrumental in drawing the younger musician toward the genre and sustaining that fascination, first when Monaco encountered Smith’s recordings at age 12 and again when the legendary organist telephoned him on his sixteenth birthday. That relationship reached its peak when Smith asked the teenager to appear with him at his own club. Additional guidance came from other established figures on the instrument, among them Hank Marr and Dr. Lonnie Smith. At sixteen Monaco began filling in for veteran players such as Marr at venues around Columbus, Ohio. Peer support arrived from Joey DeFrancesco, who produced Monaco’s debut recording, Burnin’ Grooves, and contributed piano to the date. Horns entered the picture on the follow-up, Master Chops T, issued in 2002, expanding the range of possible arrangements and letting Monaco exploit the electric organ’s distinctive rhythmic potential. A live set, Intimately Live, appeared before the year ended. Beyond his own projects, he has appeared on sessions with Eric Neymeyer and neo-bop guitarist Mark Elf. Monaco balances these pursuits with a concrete construction company he owns and operates alongside his brother. In his remaining free time he studies the work of Smith, Richard “Groove” Holmes, and Larry Goldings.