Tony’s Teachers
Tony with Ziggy Elman
Tony with Claude Gordon
Tony’s U. S. Army Service
• Served 1968 thru 1971
• 72nd Army Band, Six Army Headquarters Band
• Fort Mac Arthur, Presidio, San Francisco
• Last rank: E-5 (Sergeant)
Chronology |
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| June 1957 | First TV appearnance: “ROCKET TO STARDOM: Talent Show”
Tony won the trophy.
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| 1958 | First band: “TONY’S TONES.” Featured future music luminaries
If I’ve left anyone out, I’m sorry |
| 1963 | Joined Musicians’ Union Local #47
Society work, casuals & work with Latin bands including Rene Touzet, Modesto Duran, Carlos Vidal, Francisco Aguabella which included players from the bands of Gerald Wilson, Stan Kenton, Henry Marcini & other studio orchestras. |
| May 1963 | Toured on the road with Jimmy Wakely Show: Harrah’s in Reno & Lake Tahoe & one-nighters up & down West Coast. Another member of the Jimmy Wakely Show was my roommate, Charlie Hodge, who, when he wasn’t on the road with us, lived at Graceland with Elvis Presley. Charlie always had great stories. |
| June 1964 | Toured with Joyce Amy Show. Played trumpet, flugelhorn, bass trumpet & sang. Society work, playing with musicians such as Jay Graydon. |
| March 1965 | Toured with “Shindig ‘65” featuring Gary Lewis & the Playboys and Dobie Gray. |
| January 1966 | I went on the road with Louis Bellson/Pearl Baily Show. Playing next to Louis night after night was an incredible experience, especially for a twenty-year old trumpet player. |
| June 1966 | Joined the Tony Pastor Orchestra as a singer/ trumpet player. These were great experiences touring the United States and included Newfoundland & Labrador. |
| August 1966 | Re-joined Jimmy Wakely at Harrah’s, Lake Tahoe. |
| September 1966 | Started on TV with the weekly “The Jimmy Wakely Show.” |
| June 1967 | Created show with Johnny Wakely & Herschel Witt during “Summer of Love.” |
| June 1968 | Drafted into U.S. Army. Played trumpet and met great musicians such as Tom Pedrini III (bass with L.A. Philharmonic), Nolan Shaheed (conductor for Marvin Gaye, trumpeter for Earth, Wind & Fire & LA studio musician) and others. Became Musical Director of the 72nd U.S. Army Jazz Band at Fort MacArthur. |
| June 1971 | Honorably discharge from U.S. Army. Appeared in episodes of TV series “Chicago Teddy Bears.” |
| May 1973 | Toured with Ray Charles Orchestra with opening acts Oscar Peterson Trio & The Count Basie Band. |
| June 1974 | Surgery in lower lip to remove tumor. I was told I’d never play again. |
| August 1974 | Took 2 lessons with Claude Gordon, with whom I had studied as a child. |
| Sept 1974 | Joined Louis Prima, Sam Butera & The Witnesses, performed, toured and recorded Louis’ last album, “THE WILDEST ’75,” on which I was featured, as well as did some of the arranging. Tony also played French Horn and Bass Trumpet on some tracks. |
| Nov 1975 | Joined the Raquel Welch Show & toured world through August 1976. |
| October 1976 | Studio work in LA as composer, conductor and musician on disco recordings such as “Fly,” “Get Up & Dance” & “Disco Down” produced by Frank Cook (drummer with Canned Heat). |
| May 1977 | Toured with Lou Rawls. |
| February 1978 | Recording work for Don Peake & Gene Paige for artists including Jermaine Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, Johnny Mathis, Kenny Rogers and many others. |
| 1979 | LA studio work: “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley,” “Knight Rider,” “Falcon’s Crest,” etc.
Recording with Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra. During evenings played with Willie Bobo’s band. Movies: Presidio; Beaches; solos in several Robby Benson movies; Quicksilver. Live performance with Los Lobos in La Bamba. Sentimental trumpet solos featured on the TV show “Cheers” Teacher at Dick Grove School of Music Elected to Trial Board of Local 47 Musician’s Union (AFofM) With Willie Bobo Band, played Playboy jazz Festival; Newport Jazz Festival and toured European jazz festivals. Dizzy Gillespie took me under his wing in Nice, France and became friends, with Dizzy inviting me to play with him at various venues. |
| 1982 | Performed in Cheech & Chong movie: “Things are Tough All Over.” |
| 1989 | Tony and his wife Naomi decided to try a “career adjustment.” Naomi’s schedule as a dentist in private practice, coupled with Tony’s schedule left little time for each other. Thus they decided that she should join the U.S. Army, seeking a European assignment.
Tony & Naomi arrived in Germany in 1989, where Tony ceased being a sideman, and took up a career as a solo artist, both on stage and in the studios, along with teaching privately and doing clinics/ concerts. Having hooked up with a couple of promoters, Tony was able to enjoy his time in Germany, while playing the major jazz fests, as well as writing and co-producing, with Torsten Kamps, Tony’s first cd, “This Is Tony Horowitz.” |
| 1993 | They were sent to Texas, where Tony met, and befriended Henry Brun, the leader of the “Latin Playerz.” Through Henry, Tony networked throughout Texas. When Tony & Naomi arrived in central Texas, Tony met Tom Fairlie, the head of the music department at Temple Community College. Tony joined the teaching staff, and was also used as a clinician/soloist for the Temple Jazz Festival.
It was during this period that Tony encountered Rich Fenno, a former L.A. musician, and John Blondell, a massively talented trombone/ bass player. Tony did a lot of work with them in the Austin area, along with some recording work. |
| 1999 | Naomi was once again assigned to Germany, where Tony resumed his career as a solo artist/clinician, and teacher. Working this time with veteran producer/promoter, Bernd Hasel, Tony co-produced a modern Dixieland album of Tony’s original songs, “Texas Trumpet,” written in the Dixieland style, but with Horowitz’s unique approach to it. At the same time, Tony, again teamed up with his old ally, Torsten Kamps for the lightly Latin jazz album, “Paz Y Amor.”
Upon returning to the U.S. in 2009, Tony decided to retire from live performance due to health issues. Tony & Naomi now reside in the lovely town of Monterey , California. Tony has had a very fortunate career. Many people have mentioned how lucky Tony has been to be able to work with such stellar performers. Tony simply tells them, “The more I study and practice, the luckier I get.” |