Some things in life, we choose to do. Then, there are certain things we have to do. For Antonio Allen, music falls into the later category. His love of music has been there from the start. Growing up in a house full of musicians, there was always some sort of musical activity taking place in his life and his household. At an early age, Antonio began attending rehearsals with his oldest brother who had his own band in the late 70’s. But what influenced Antonio most was his involvement in church. Antonio’s mother, now deceased, was a pastor. Needless to say, going to church wasn’t an option. Antonio’s love of soulful melodies was birthed during this period of his life. Antonio first picked up the saxophone at eight years of age. He immediately began to play the music of television shows and commercials.… Some things in life, we choose to do. Then, there are certain things we have to do. For Antonio Allen, music falls into the later category. His love of music has been there from the start. Growing up in a house full of musicians, there was always some sort of musical activity taking place in his life and his household. At an early age, Antonio began attending rehearsals with his oldest brother who had his own band in the late 70’s. But what influenced Antonio most was his involvement in church. Antonio’s mother, now deceased, was a pastor. Needless to say, going to church wasn’t an option. Antonio’s love of soulful melodies was birthed during this period of his life. Antonio first picked up the saxophone at eight years of age. He immediately began to play the music of television shows and commercials. He started his own band at 14. At 15, he received his first paying gig in a popular night club in the Atlanta area. Because of his young age, Antonio was only allowed on stage and in a dressing room behind stage. At that club, Antonio met and opened for Stevie Wonder, Al B Sure, Peabo Bryson, Jermaine Jackson, and Jean Carne. With that experience under his belt, Antonio continued to perform all over the city of Atlanta. During the 90’s, Antonio could be seen regularly on the jazz scene of Atlanta providing sweet, soulful music in such venues as Jazzmen’s, Club Illusions, Marco’s, The Catfish Station, Cafe’ 290, Hairston’s, Teddy’s Live, Vegas Nights, The Martini Club, The Crow’s Nest and several other popular jazz spots. Antonio’s involvement on the jazz circuit in Atlanta also has afforded him the opportunity to perform at numerous events in and out of the Atlanta area. Private parties for the Cola Cola Company, The Atlanta Athletic Club, TBS, Jane Fonda, Clark Atlanta University, The 100 Black Men, The Black Enterprise Golf Classic, and numerous law firms, fraternities and sororities just to name a few. Antonio also did a tribute to Stevie Wonder at the home of the “REAL” homerun king, Hank Aaron. In August, 2003, Antonio provided the music for the wedding and reception of the late Tupac Shakur’s sister at the Shakur’s family estate in Stone Mountain, GA. At the 2007 Who’s Who In Black Atlanta, Antonio along with the other member’s of Five Men, not only provided entertainment, but were honored as five of the most Distinguished Men In Atlanta.
