Executive producer is something of a new hat for Tonio K., but not an entirely unpredictable one. A Brief History of the Blues is a 21-song blues compilation that Tonio and Charlie Sexton assembled for Universal Records, attempting to cover 50 years of music in one volume. Tending toward lesser-known songs by major blues artists, the compilation has received positive notes from critics. Tonio wrote the liner notes and is listed as the executive producer.