Tony Succar is 5 time Latin Grammy nominated artist, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer/arranger whose talents stem from a passion for music gifted to him early on in life. Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Miami Florida, Succar is grateful to have come from a family of musicians. That early musical influence is his foundation and set the groundwork for what was to come. “I was privileged to be brought up in a family of musicians: I couldn’t be more grateful,” Succar explained. His gratitude goes beyond those in his family who have supported and encouraged him; it extends to his fans, fellow musicians, teachers, and other musical influences.
Tony’s path has led him into the world of salsa, jazz, pop, and afro-latino inspired music. He possesses a rare combination of high standards, a devotion to music, and a reverent respect for those who came before him. His formal music education began on piano and then segued to percussion. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Jazz Performance from Florida International University in 2008 and his Master’s degree in 2010. It was FIU that fulfilled Tony’s personal desire to surround himself in an environment that quenched his thirst for excellence.
Succar’s musical diversity is well known in the industry, having worked with an impressive array of talented artists including Tito Nieves, India, Jon Secada, Marc Anthony, Sheila E., Arturo Sandoval, Judith Hill, and Obie Bermudez, among others.
His debut Latin jazz album, “Live at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center” received rave reviews from both fans and respected music critics. The Jazz Chicago Reviews described the album as “An exciting fusion of South America, Cuba, Jazz and South Beach flavor from an up-and-coming artist who will almost certainly be heard from more in the future.”
Succar’s sound is refined and distinctive. His up-tempo songs have unmatched explosive energy while his slower arrangements are soulful and captivate the listener with the intricate nuances that are signatures of his sound.
Tony’s most recent album, UNITY: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson had tremendous success, reaching Billboard’s #1 Tropical Album Music Chart, iTunes' #1 World Latin Chart, and Amazon's #1 Latin Pop Music chart, among others. The UNITY project was signed with the Universal Music Group as a joint venture between Universal Classics and Universal Music Latin Entertainment. The album was the brainchild of Succar and evolved into a nationally televised primetime PBS special that kicked off the PBS Fall Arts Festival. The special was produced by Succar and OPB (Oregon Public Broadcast) and recorded in front of a packed house at the historic Olympia Theater in downtown Miami. The nationwide viewing audience was impressive, numbering more than half a million PBS viewers. Donald Thomas, Vice President of Programming for PBS and festival curator, called it “a marvelous testament to the diversity of art and performances being created in the U.S. We are delighted to showcase that diversity on PBS.”
The program continues to draw overwhelming interest and appreciation globally through millions of fans. The live production featured 37 on-stage musicians and ten additional artists. UNITY is touring globally and has performed at the Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival (Aruba), the Ravinia Festival (Chicago), Auditorio Telmex (Mexico), Vivo Beach (Puerto Rico) and Tempo Latino (France), among others.
Tony is currently working on his next album, and tours internationally. You can find Tony's full schedule of performances on his website.
Tony was nominated for the prestious Latin Grammy Awards 2018 for Best Tropical Song with “Me Enamoto Mas De Ti” – Jorge Luis Piloto, Jean Rodriguez & Tony Succar, songwriters (Tony Succar Featuring Jean Rodriguez). And most recently, was nominated this year 2019 for Best Album Of The Year, Best Producer Of The Year, Best Tropical Song, and Best Salsa Album.
