Guitarist, composer, sound designer.
I play steel-string, 12-string, and electric guitar. I’ve been an instructor with Guitar Craft since 1985 and have recorded and toured with The League of Crafty Guitarists, Toyah, and The Trey Gunn Band. Today I play in Zero Times Everything and Braindance and perform solo electric sets (recently at Matagiri, Spectrum NYC, and the Center for Creative Studies).
I’ve worked in theater, as composer, musician, and/or sound designer in over 25 productions with Karin Coonrod and others directing.
For Music for Contemplation I composed Ordinary Time for eight trumpets, performed outdoors at the Newtown Creek Nature Walk in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in October 2021.
Photo (Spectrum NYC): Patrick CourtneySolo album
Native of the Rain
Solo 12-string guitar, released by Discipline Global Mobile in 1997. All compositions are mine, produced with David Singleton, and the album has no overdubs. Cover painting: “Below The Drops Above,” painted with toothpicks by Virginia Marshall.
Tony Geballe on Apple Music · Amazon · Bandcamp
With Braindance
Braindance
I play guitar in Braindance’s live band, and I mixed their album Master of Disguise with Vora Vor.
Official video: “Lost”
Live at Le Poisson Rouge, New York, September 13, 2015: watch the set (playlist)
As a player
Recordings
New Words for Old Lullabies
A Young Person’s Guide to Hell
The Dream of “I”
Theater & film
In 1993 I became composer-in-residence and sound designer for Karin Coonrod’s Arden Party Theater Company, with support from a Meet the Composer grant. I’ve since composed and/or designed sound for over 20 productions with Karin directing, including at New York Theatre Workshop, Hartford Stage, the Public Theater (Love’s Labour’s Lost, 2011), and La Compagnia de’ Colombari, including Laude in Urbis in Orvieto, Italy.
For film I’ve worked as production and post-production sound engineer for filmmaker Elizabeth Bouiss (Pink, White and Blue; Speak Your Mind; Masters of Dissent) and on PSAs for the Children’s Health Fund, International Planned Parenthood Federation, and others.
Press
“An awesome display of what happens when someone plays the 12-string with power and grace.”
Review of Native of the Rain
“A gorgeous debut recording of solo 12-string guitar. Highly recommended.”
Guitar Shop
“Geballe’s debut CD is a highly melodic and beautiful affair… A most enjoyable and captivating release worthy of investigation.”
Innerviews
“Guitarist Tony Geballe… creates a beautiful racket, mostly on electric guitars.”
Bill Meredith, Fort Lauderdale City Link, on The Trey Gunn Band
“A very fine set of atmospheric tracks. Backed by guitarist Tony Geballe and Stick player Trey Gunn, Toyah conjures strong moods.”
Billboard, on Toyah — Ophelia’s Shadow
“This funky costume drama with Tony Geballe’s retooled folk songs is the ensemble’s most accomplished work yet.”
The Village Voice, on Beggar’s Opera
“The somber, haunting music, composed and performed by Tony Geballe, adds a suitable, otherworldly atmosphere.”
Town & Village, on Faustus
“The production gets a terrific lift from… the mood-inducing original score of Tony Geballe.”
Danbury News-Times, on Othello