The Miami Horns - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes

In January 1976 Steve Van Zandt set about finding a record deal for Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes. As well as being a full-time member of the E Street Band, Van Zandt also acted as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, manager, producer and arranger for the band, which he and Southside Johnny had co-founded in the early part of 1975. At the time, the Jukes horn section consisted of just one permanent member - sax player Carlo Novi. However for the recording of their debut release, I Don't Want To Go Home, Van Zandt put together a horn section consisting of Rick Gazda (trumpet), Bob Malach (tenor sax), Deacon Earl Gardener (trumpet), Bill Zacagni (baritone sax) and Louie Parente (trombone). This quintet formed the original Miami Horns line up. However with the exception of Rick Gazda, they all went their separate ways in March 1976 once the album had been finished. Bob Malach would briefly return in 1977 to play a solo on the second Jukes album, This Time It's For Real. On May 30, 1976, the Jukes celebrated the release of I Don't Want To Go Home with a show at The Stone Pony. It was broadcast live on nine radio stations, including WMMR, and featured guest appearances by Ronnie Spector, Lee Dorsey, Bruce Springsteen and various members of the E Street Band. By this time a new Miami Horns line up consisted of Carlo Novi (tenor sax), Eddie Manion (baritone sax), Tony Pallagrosi (trumpet) and Rick Gazda (trumpet). They eventually grew into a five-piece with the arrival of Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg (trombone) in November 1976 and went on to tour and record regularly with Southside Johnny during the 1970s. They featured prominently on the album Hearts Of Stone. In 1992 they also featured on Better Days, effectively a Jukes reunion album, produced by Van Zandt. It also featured guest appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi and honorary Jukes, Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent. The horns were provided by Rosenberg, Pender, Manion, Gazda, Joey Stann, Frank Elmo and for the first time, Jerry Vivino.