Michael “Uncle Mike” Anthony

Even if you’ve never heard the name Michael Anthony, it’s very likely that you’ve heard him. A first-call fixture in Los Angeles studios for 15 years, the guitarist has played on hundreds of TV and film soundtracks, including seven years on the Carol Burnett Show, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and more than 250 Hanna-Barbera cartoons. On recordings, he’s backed stars ranging from Tony Bennett to the Beach Boys.

Since relocating to Albuquerque in 1980, Anthony has become a respected figure on the jazz scene and a venerated teacher, affectionately known to his students as Uncle Mike. The moniker perfectly captures his avuncular contribution, musical and otherwise, to his students’ lives. Two of those students, John Maestas and Claudio Tolousse, who have built successful careers as professional guitarists on the foundation of Anthony’s lessons, will honor him this Saturday evening when they present Michael Anthony: The Lineage Concert at the Outpost.

The idea for the concert coalesced a few months ago when Tolousse was visiting Maestas in New Orleans, where he has settled. The two were planning for Maestas’s summertime visit to Albuquerque. They knew Anthony was recovering well from a trying medical condition, and they recalled the fun they’d had on a couple of previous gigs with Uncle Mike. So the two decided to seize the moment and “celebrate Uncle Mike’s influence on the guitar community and his influence on us . . . turning us into lifelong music makers and dreamers,” says Maestas.

Claudio Tolousse

“He’s so loving, man,” says Tolousse, explaining why Anthony is such a good teacher. “He loves what he does, and he shows so much compassion.” He transmits his “almost childish love for the guitar.”

For Maestas, Uncle Mike’s willingness to explore new material and ideas was an important lesson in itself. “He was so open. He had that fresh approach. Approach it new every day: there’s always something that you can learn and a new way to see something,” says Maestas. “He’d say—he got this from Howard Roberts [jazz guitarist and one of Anthony’s mentors]—he’d say, ‘Howard told me, “You’ve got 10 fingers and six strings. Leave no stone unturned.” ’ ”

Both Maestas and Tolousse acknowledge that Uncle Mike’s mentorship went way beyond the guitar. His willingness to share his life experiences openly, whether it was about navigating difficult life passages or how to prepare your taxes, made a lasting impression.

John Maestas

Anthony himself feels that the relationship with these young men has always been a two-way street. “I’m flattered and honored [about their appreciation for me], and part of that reason is because of who they are. . . . They have these values about appreciating life and appreciating what they learn from people around them and in their experiences. It’s been a very mutual experience in that way. They’ve enriched my life every bit as much as they feel I’ve helped them.” He also acknowledges their dedication and creativity: “They took what they learned from me and every other place, and they ran with it.”

Maestas and Tolousse are taking a fresh and creative approach to the concert. They want to showcase not only Anthony’s stellar guitar chops, but also his teaching chops. To do that, they’re working on a story format: how we came to know Uncle Mike. There will be solo guitar from Anthony, and he will also perform with his trio, with Rob “Milo” Jaramillo on bass and Andy Poling on drums. Maestas and Tolousse will each have some space to do their thing, and there will be a three-guitar segment with Uncle Mike and his musical “nephews.”

Although the concert was intended to pay homage to Anthony’s contribution to his protégés, Anthony has upped the ante a bit, wanting to also pay homage to his mentors, such as Roberts, Joe Pass, and Wes Montgomery. So the evening will look both forward and backward from the vantage point of Michael Anthony. In either direction, you can bet that this will be a love fe(a)st for guitar.

Michael Anthony: The Lineage Concert
Saturday, July 7
Doors: 6:30 p.m. Concert: 7:00 p.m.
Weil Hall at the Outpost Performance Space
210 Yale SE, Albuquerque
Tickets: $25 (advance); $30 (day of)
For tickets or more information, click here,
or call 505-480-0107 (not the number on the poster above).

© 2018 Mel Minter