Tony Succar

Succar was born in Lima, Peru to Antonio F. Succar, a Peruvian pianist, and Miriam Tayrako Sakaguchi, a Peruvian-American singer of Japanese descent.FIU Magazine, Winter 2012–2013, [http://news.fiu.edu/2012/11/fiu-alumnus-and-artist-in-residence-tony-succar-pays-tribute-to-michael-jackson-with-the-unity-project/47365 The King of Pop gets a little 'aSuccar'], retrieved 1 June 2013. He has an older sister, Claudia and one younger brother, Brian Kenyi , also an artist and producer.{{Cite web |last=Rupert |first=Lucia |date=2023-05-19 |title=Celebrating Mother's Day TONY SUCCAR the Latin Grammy winner Presents new album: "MIMY &TONY" |url=https://tonysuccar.com/en/albu-mimytony-en/ |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=Tony Succar |language=en-US}} When he was two years old his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Miami, Florida. Among his relatives were a number of musicians who encouraged Succar to develop his own musical interests. The family's musical tradition began with his paternal great-grandparents, Mexican composer Lauro D. Uranga and Spanish flamenco dancer Adelina Esteve Gregory. Since he was 3 years old Tony started playing the Peruvian cajón. When Succar was 13, he began playing drums with his parents' band when they performed at weddings and other private and corporate functions, mainly in Miami.

Succar attended Miami Sunset Senior High School in Miami-Dade County. At the time his ambition was to be a professional soccer player,WLRN Miami, [http://wlrn.org/post/tony-succar-mixes-latin-tribute-michael-jackson Tony Succar Mixes Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson], retrieved 4 June 2013. and he played in several teams, including his high school team when it won the 2004 state championships. Later he tried to earn a soccer scholarship at Florida International University. Unable to obtain a scholarship, he asked his father for study advice. The advice he got was to apply for FIU's School of Music. Seeking an interview with the school's drum instructor he ended up auditioning for the Latin Jazz ensemble and was quickly accepted. Succar gained a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Performance in 2008 and went on to study for a master's degree, which he gained in 2010.

Succar already had an active musical career while still an undergraduate student. As a college junior, he took over as musical director of the family band, which he rebranded as Mixtura.

On 21 September 2010, Succar released an album recorded at his graduate recital, a live concert featuring Mixtura at Miami's Wertheim Performing Arts Center. This CD/DVD contains a mix of Latin-influenced arrangements of classic Jazz numbers and original material. It received numerous positive reviewsSalsa Power, [http://www.salsapower.com/joomla/cd-review/456-tony-succar-y-su-grupo-mixtura-live-at-the-wertheim-performing-arts-center Live at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130723104424/http://www.salsapower.com/joomla/cd-review/456-tony-succar-y-su-grupo-mixtura-live-at-the-wertheim-performing-arts-center |date=23 July 2013 }}, retrieved 6 June 2013. including Audiophile AuditionAudiophile Audition, 5 November 2010, Tony Succar – Live at the Wertheim Performing Arts Center], retrieved 5 June 2013. and JazzChicago.JazzChicago, [http://www.jazzchicago.net/reviews/2010/QuickHits20.html CD Reviews], retrieved 5 June 2013.

After graduating from FIU, Succar became an artist-in-residence there in 2012, continuing to work with the school's music students on a number of projects. He is the youngest artist ever to hold this appointment at FIU.Gon Bops, [http://www.gonbops.com/artist/tony-succar Artists – Tony Succar], retrieved 4 June 2013.

Succar has worked with a number of prominent artists in the Latin music genres. These include Tito Nieves, La India, Kevin Ceballo, Michael Stuart, Jon Secada, Jennifer Peña, Jean Rodríguez and Obie Bermúdez, who all collaborated with him on Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson.

In 2019, Succar was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in four separate categories, winning for Best Salsa Album and as Producer of the Year. {{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/8544165/tony-succar-interview-latin-grammys-wins |title=Tony Succar 'Comes Full Circle' at the Latin Grammys With Best Salsa Album, Producer Of the Year Wins |publisher=Billboard |date=November 19, 2019 |accessdate=1 August 2020 }}

In 2023, Succar released MIMY & TONY, an album with his mother, Mimy Succar. The album features José Alberto "El Canario", La India, Haila Mompié, Cali Flow Latino, and Rafael Brito. Tony Succar writes about the album, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2024 for Best Tropical Latin Album:{{Cite news |date=2023-11-10 |title=Grammy Awards 2024: The Full List of Nominees |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/10/arts/music/grammys-nominee-list-2024.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |issn=0362-4331}}

{{Block quote|text=It combines the wisdom gained through years of experience with a modern and groundbreaking approach. “Mimy & Tony” celebrates beloved classics from Latin American artists while also introducing original hits by Mimy. Both Mimy and Tony shine on this project, not only as a remarkable mother-son duo but also as exceptional artists and creative partners.|author=}}

Unity: The Latin Tribute to Michael Jackson is a collaborative project to produce a musical tribute to Michael Jackson. As well as live performances, the project plans to release an album consisting of 14 Jackson songs rewritten to include Latin influences, primarily salsa. and Latin American Ritmos, Succar, who was a long-term fan of Jackson's work, is the founder and producerUrban Music Scene, 17 October 2012, [http://news-releases.theurbanmusicscene.com/2012/10/17/unity-the-latin-tribute-to-michael-jackson-hits-itunes.aspx Unity Releases Its 2nd Solo Track, "Será Que No Me Amas" in Tribute to Michael Jackson], retrieved 1 June 2013. of the project.

Unity was launched in 2015 with a concert at Olympia theater in Miami Sponsored and transmitted by PBS TV, 360 Stations, and also Sponsored by Universal Music Classic. Unity features more than 100 musicians, such Latin superstars as Tito Nieves, Jon Secada, La India, Obie Bermudez, Jennifer Pena, Michael Stuward, Angel Lopez, Sheila E., Judith Hill, Jean Rodríguez, Fernando Vargas, Maribel Diaz, Kevin Ceballo, Presented in PBS TV by Gloria Estefan, mixed by engineer Bruce Swedien. In 2024, through Unity Entertainment, Tony Succar released Mimy & Tony: The Creation of a Dream, a biographical documentary film about Mimy Succar's life and her musical resurgence since her participation in La Voz Perú and her Grammy Award nomination.{{Cite web |last=García-Belaunde |first=Inés |date=2024-09-12 |title="Mimy & Tony: la creación de un sueño": la familia apasionada de la música |url=https://peru21.pe/espectaculos/mimy-tony-la-creacion-de-un-sueno-la-familia-apasionada-de-la-musica |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Perú 21 |language=es}}

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Category:1986 births

Category:American male musicians

Category:American salsa musicians

Category:Latin Grammy Award winners

Category:Grammy Award winners

Category:Living people

Category:Peruvian emigrants to the United States

Category:Peruvian people of Japanese descent

Category:Latin Grammy Award for Producer of the Year

Category:American musicians of Japanese descent

Category:Latin music record producers

Category:Latin music songwriters