About Tony Bunn
Born 1957. Tony Bunn is an American jazz musician.
Robert Anthony Bunn (born November 18, 1957) is an American bassist, composer, producer, and writer.
Biography Tony Bunn was born into a musical family and began studying music in grade school. By the age of seventeen he was proficient on woodwind and brass instruments; earning scholarships to Peabody Institute Preparatory Summer Program(s), as well as inclusion in local orchestras for gifted students. He began the study of the bass guitar in high school.
By the age of twenty-two he had toured Europe and played and recorded with several renowned groups, including Sun Ra, Harold Ivory Williams, Michal Urbaniak, Urszula Dudziak, Jean Carne, Chuck Brown, and the legendary Chuck Berry. In 1977, he conceived and developed the first modern 5-string bass guitar with luthier Paul Reed Smith (Most other sources attribute the first modern 5-string bass to an instrument built in 1976 by Alembic Inc for bassist Jimmy Johnson). Graduating from university in his late twenties, Bunn earned bachelor's degrees in mathematics and computer science. Working with computers and scientific programming, he went on to receive an award from NASA for flight dynamics work on the Terra satellite system. Later, aged in his fifties, Bunn returned to music full-time and began producing projects as a bandleader and solo artist. In 2009, he released the Small World recording (also featuring Dennis Chambers, Arshak Sirunyan, etc.), receiving international acclaim.
Selected discography as Leader Spirit Moves (2007) Small World (2009)
as a Sideman with Arshak Sirunyan Journal (2011)
with Ray Gaskins A Night In The Life (2009)
with John Lamkin Hot (1984)
with Gabrielle Goodman: Travelin' Light (1993) Angel Eyes (2003)
with Michal Urbaniak: Smiles Ahead (1976) Heritage (1976) Urbaniak (1977)
with Urszula Dudziak: Midnight Rain (1977)
with Sun Ra: Live At Montreux (1976) Cosmos (1976)
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Important facts
People in Tony Bunn's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Tony Bunn's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Tony Bunn?
American musician
When was Tony Bunn born?
Tony Bunn was born on 18 November 1957 in Baltimore.
What is Tony Bunn's occupation?
Tony Bunn is a jazz musician.
What nationality is Tony Bunn?
Tony Bunn is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tony Bunn. https://biography.guide/tony-bunn/
MLA: "Tony Bunn." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tony-bunn/.
Chicago: "Tony Bunn." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tony-bunn/.
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