Biography of Anthony Caceres

With a family history rich in musical tradition, it’s no wonder that Anthony Caceres chose music as his profession. His grandfather, Emilio Caceres, was a master jazz violinist who led his own trio on the Benny Goodman Camel Caravan radio hour as well as leading his own full Latin orchestra. Emilio’s brother, Ernie Caceres, was one of the nation’s top alto and baritone sax players, and was equally accomplished on the clarinet. An original member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Ernie played with Woody Herman’s Thundering Herd and performed with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong and Tommy Dorsey. The brothers also performed together to great acclaim. In addition, Anthony’s brother David is an accomplished jazz saxophonist.

Anthony started out on the saxophone while just a youngster, but changed to electric bass in high school at the urging of a friend, who needed to round out his rock band. Anthony joined the navy upon graduation, hoping to secure a spot in the band. While he did indeed pass his audition, it was a long four years for Anthony on the USS George Washington after the program was cut due to budgetary issues.

Caceres changed to the upright bass and earned a degree in jazz studies at the University of North Texas after his discharge. He spent most of the next few years touring the globe, first with the Miss Saigon road tour, and later with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, which is still actively touring all these years later. He names Ron Carter and Ray Brown as his greatest bass influences, mainly for the unique style they have brought to the instrument and the genre.

With expressive eyes and a shy demeanor, Caceres seems to come into his own singing on stage, something he only recently pursued seriously. He looks to jazz greats like Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra for influence — Tormé as a master at scatting and Sinatra for his tremendous phrasing ability. His favorite contemporary artist is British crooner Jamie Cullom.

The rich, warm round tone of Anthony’s voice invites comparison to Kurt Elling, who, coincidentally, he backed up on bass while in college. Caceres enjoys a busy performing schedule in Houston, backing up popular local talent on bass as well as doing solo vocal gigs. He’s working on his first CD, and looks forward to touring when it’s finished.

Anthony plays bass on the album as well as doing vocals. With jazz standards like “Moonlight Becomes You” and lesser-known tunes like “Sodanco Samba” (which he sings in Portuguese), the album promises to please a wide audience and weave yet another thread into the fabric of the Caceres musical legacy.