Musician Profile

Band Info

Tony O’Sullivan – Trumpet. Tony is a self-taught musician who began playing at school, then college and graduated onto the London scene in 1961 in a band led by the legendary Uncle John Renshaw. In 1963-64 he lived and worked for a year in New Orleans, studying improvisation with George Guesnon, and trumpet with De De Pearce. He also rehearsed with the Gibson Brass Band. On returning to the UK he joined Mike Casimir’s New Iberia Stompers and played with the band until 1984. Highlights of this period included engagements with Albert Nicholas, Alvin Alcorn, Paul Barnes and Alton Purnell. In 1978 his playing took a new direction as Dick Cook founded the London Ragtime Orchestra and Tony became trumpet player and presenter. The formality of reading authentic orchestrations of ragtime and early jazz classics added new dimensions to his playing. Tony has also played with Dick Cook’s Jambalaya, the Excelsior Brass Band, Bill Stotesbury’s Goin’ Home Band and the Delta Jazz Band. Tony’s recorded output includes sessions with the New Iberia Stompers, Paragon Brass Band, Barry Martyn’s Eagle Brass Band with Louis Nelson, the London Ragtime Orchestra, Chris Watford’s New Orleans Standard Bearers and the Goin’ Home Band. He has featured regularly with the Legacy Band since 2006.