Anthony Stanco

Biography

Anthony Stanco, a trumpeter, composer, bandleader, and educator from Southeast Michigan, began playing trumpet in the fifth grade in the Fraser Public School System. His early musical development was profoundly shaped by Detroit's rich jazz heritage, particularly through participation in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Civic Jazz Program under mentors Marcus Belgrave and Rodney Whitaker during his high school years. By high school, he had established himself as a professional musician, leading his quintet at the 2006 Birmingham Jazz Festival and 2007 Detroit Jazz Festival, and being selected as the top high school soloist at the latter.[1][2][4][6]

Stanco pursued higher education at the Manhattan School of Music, studying jazz performance and privately with Laurie Frink, where he recorded on the Latin Grammy-nominated album Kenya Revisited LIVE! with the Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra directed by Bobby Sanabria in 2008. He completed his graduate degree at Michigan State University in 2014, learning from faculty like Rodney Whitaker, Reginald Thomas, Michael Dease, and Etienne Charles. His career highlights include winning first place in the International Trumpet Guild Jazz Improvisation Competition in 2013, leading The Crucial Elements on U.S. State Department tours as cultural ambassadors to over a dozen countries, and releasing albums like The Crucial Elements on AJS Records and Stanco’s Time on Origin Records in 2024, featuring collaborators such as Joe Farnsworth, Walter Blanding, and Rodney Whitaker. His style blends jazz tradition with global influences, demonstrated in performances at venues like the Java Jazz Festival and Cairo Jazz Club.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Deeply committed to education, Stanco began teaching private students at age 12 and has since mentored at the Detroit Symphony Civic Jazz Program since 2011, Michigan State University Community Music School, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Ohio State University, and as an assistant professor at Michigan State University. His legacy lies in bridging performance, composition, and pedagogy, fostering jazz's global viability while nurturing future generations from his Detroit roots.[1][2][4]

Fun Facts

• Started teaching private trumpet students at only 12 years old.[4]
• Selected as top high school soloist at the 2007 Detroit Jazz Festival with the Fraser Jazz Ensemble.[4]
• Performed with Aretha Franklin, Winard Harper, and Michael Feinstein among other world-class artists.[3][4]
• Released his debut album 'The Crucial Elements' on his own label AJS Records.[4]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Marcus Belgrave - Early mentor and director of Detroit Symphony Civic Jazz Orchestra (Civic Jazz Program during high school) [Early 2000s]
• Rodney Whitaker - Mentor, teacher at Michigan State University and Civic Jazz Program (Jazz studies graduate program) [High school through 2014]
• Laurie Frink - Private trumpet instructor at Manhattan School of Music (Jazz performance studies) [2007-2011]

Key Collaborators

• The Crucial Elements - Bandleader of 5-piece jazz ensemble (Album 'The Crucial Elements'; U.S. State Department tours) [2010s-present]
• Bobby Sanabria - Recording with Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra (Album 'Kenya Revisited LIVE!' (Latin Grammy nominee)) [2008]
• Michael Dease - Recording collaborator (Album 'Relentless') [2010s]
• Joe Farnsworth - Featured musician on album ('Stanco’s Time' (Origin Records)) [2024]
• Walter Blanding - Featured musician on album ('Stanco’s Time' (Origin Records)) [2024]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz