On an evening in April, bassist Tony Saunders, 58, gave a memorable performance for some of the men at San Quentin State Prison. He also discussed music, demonstrated his playing style and talked about his own road to recovery.
A dozen inmates who attend a weekly guitar workshop listened to Saunders play his custom bass and discuss his career playing with greats such as Stevie Wonder.
“He’s probably one of the most eclectic persons I’ve ever been around,” said Saunders of Wonder.
Saunders played songs from his new album/CD, “Appaloosa,” released earlier this year on SFRecords. He produced and recorded the album himself.
During his visit, Saunders gave lessons on bass-playing techniques as he told anecdotes about his life, music and overcoming his struggle with addiction.
Inmate Joe Mason asked Saunders if it was “a hard transition” to go from playing on a four-string bass to a five-string bass.
Saunders smiled and said, “I grew up playing Fender basses,” which are typically four-string instruments. His smile was an indication that the change was not an overnight change.
“Romancing My Life” is one of the many singles Saunders performed for Kurt Huget’s Thursday evening guitar class.
“My songs are all about romance,” said Saunders.
Saunders said during his long career he played with the famed Oakland-based gospel group The Hawkins Family and the Love Center Choir for several years during the 1980s.
According to his biography (on Wikipedia), Saunders released his first gospel project, “He Lifted Me Up,” in 2005.
“I put a gospel recording on each one of my recordings,” Saunders said.
A soft gospel song, “What Is This,” is another single with memorable lyrics from Saunders’ “Appaloosa” album.
“If you have it in your heart and soul, it doesn’t lie,” Saunders said. “All of my songs that I’ve written from the heart have done well.”
“Everybody has something to offer in music; even if it’s one note,” Saunders said.
When Saunders solos on the bass he uses many of the old-school thumping and plucking styles from the 1970s, reminiscent of Larry Graham, Bootsy Collins, Stanley Clark and Louis Johnson.
Huget played guitar, accompanying Saunders on the song “All Blues,” written by Miles Davis.
Saunders said he has worked with many artists over the span of his career, including Buddy Miles and Mitch Mitchell in the Band of Gypsies and some up-and-coming hip-hop performers.
Miles “was a great guy to play with,” said Saunders, adding, “The young rappers I deal with, I try to turn them back on to the music.”
When discussing addiction, Saunders said he has been clean and sober since May 1983 “when my daughter was born. I haven’t done drugs since then.”
Aside from Saunders’ professional career, he plays for Bread and Roses, an organization that takes music to people in places where they would not otherwise have access to live performances.
Romancing his life apparently is something Saunders takes seriously. He said he is getting married for the fourth time next year.
According to Saunders’ biography, he comes from a musical family. His father, Merl, a famous keyboard player, started him out with music at an early age.
“Tony received his first piano lesson from Herbie Hancock,” Wikipedia reported. Sly Stone is among Saunders’ early teachers.
Saunders received a fellowship and graduated from the prestigious San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Tom Fogerty, the brother of John Fogerty of the group Creedence Clearwater Revival, gave Saunders his first bass. At age 18, he played with Jerry Garcia.
In addition, Saunders has recorded movie scores, corporate videos, commercials, television shows and CDs at his studio Magic Castle.
