THE ROAD WILL RISE 2009
A labour of love which began in Tbilisi in 2007 with Georgian rhythm section Lasha Abashmadze on bass, Zaza Tsertsvadze on the drums and Dato Japaridze on percussion, and continued back in Brussels and Chichester with writer Simon David Eden, who co-wrote six of the songs and created the very beautiful sleeve design. The album was mixed by Mark Smith, my long time associate for over 30 years, who very sadly passed away just two weeks after previewing the new songs with my band at the 606 Club in October last year. We miss Mark so much more than I can write here...
THE MANSARDE SESSIONS 2006
In May 2004, Tony moved with Femke and the boys to Tbilisi in the ex-Soviet Republic of Georgia, where he recorded his sixth album, "The Mansarde Sessions" in 2005, featuring the beautiful playing of Paata Andriadze on grand piano.
MY FOOLISH HEART 2003
A fifth album, "My Foolish Heart", a selection of great standards featuring Marty Townsend, Pino Palladino and Ian Thomas on the drums, was recorded in London in April 2003 and then re-mixed and mastered in Brussels.
OH! 2003
Tony and his wife Femke moved to Brussels in 1999 for the birth of their twins, Joseph & Patrick. The studio was set up in the garage and, between changing nappies, Tony set about recording his fourth album "Oh!" which was three years in the making. Tony had been introduced to great musical talents of American guitar player Marty Townsend, a wonderful musician with a great ear. Together they began their fruitful writing partnership which has produced more than twenty songs.
FREEDOM ROAD 1999
His third album was recorded after moving the equipment to small premises in Kentish Town, where "Freedom Road" was written and performed in ’98, with the help of great musicians Pino Palladino, Hamish Stuart, Ash Soan, Adam Phillips, Mel Collins, Neil Hubbard and Mark Smith. A labour of love and an album that grows with each listening, mysteriously "Freedom Road" has yet to be officially released.....
SUNSHINE EVERYDAY 1997
By ’94 Tony had joined the digital age and, financed by long trips to Switzerland, Austria and Germany, invested in his first digital studio equipment, tearing his hair out for a year getting to grips with the new technology before making his second album "Sunshine Everyday", most of which was recorded in his tiny apartment in Hackney in East London. The album was eventually released on the Millennium label in ’97.
NAKED FLAME 1995
Between ’93 and ’96 Tony performed many times at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, until Ronnie passed away, culminating in "Naked Flame", Tony’s first solo album, recorded live at Ronnie’s in July ’94 and released on Ronnie's Jazzhouse label in ’95.
THE 606 CLUB
By 1992, Tony was playing monthly at the great 606 Club in Chelsea, working with the cream of British musicians – Pino Palladino, Ian Thomas, Mark Smith, Laurence Cottle, Jeremy Stacey, Andy Newmark (resident in U.K.) Mel Collins, Mornington Lockett and Neil Hubbard, to name but a few.
SOLO
Throughout the eighties Tony played gigs in small clubs in London and around the UK, Germany, Austria, France & Switzerland, either solo or with fellow musicians, building a following of loyal fans, and constantly updating his repertoire of songs.
10CC
Financial problems forced members of Kokomo to seek work with other artists, i.e. Bryan Ferry, Alvin Lee, Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones and many more. Tony joined 10CC in 1977 and toured the U.K., Europe, Japan and Australia, recording one album, "Live and Let Live". In 1978 Tony left 10CC to pursue a solo career.
KOKOMO
Still eager to create a band that would make the kind of music he was itching to play, Tony joined forces with his friend, drummer Terry Stannard. This marked the birth of Kokomo, a ten-piece “Supergroup”, featuring Arrival singers Frank, Paddie & Dy, Neil Hubbard on guitar and Alan Spenner on the bass from Joe Cocker’s Grease Band, Jim Mullen on guitar, now regarded as one of the best in the jazz world. From King Crimson the much-travelled and great Mel Collins on saxes, plus Jody Linscott on Congas, who like Mel, has since played with everybody!
Kokomo took London by storm in 1973, culminating in a debut album, Kokomo 1, now a classic among collectors. The band was managed by Steve O’Rourke, the brains behind Pink Floyd’s success, who sadly passed away on October 30th 2003, aged 63. R.I.P. Steve.... Kokomo recorded three albums, touring the U.K., Europe and States supported their old friends The Average White Band on several tours and recorded with Bob Dylan in New York (Desire).
THE MICK COX BAND
Seeking a new challenge Tony decided to go his own way, briefly joining the Mick Cox Band, with whom he recorded the lead vocals on Mick’s debut double album, "The Mick Cox Band", which made the U.S. album charts in 1972.
ARRIVAL
In January 1969 the Gunnells Booking Agency asked Tony to play piano for a group from Liverpool called Arrival, who had travelled to London to seek a recording contract. The band featured four amazingly irresistible singers, Frank Collins, Dyan Birch, Paddie McHugh and Carol Carter, and went on to have two top ten hits throughout Europe with "Friends" and "I Will Survive" in 1970. Arrival toured the world, including a stint at Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan, scoring more hits in several countries around the globe, playing the now infamous Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 and the Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth ll.
RONNIE JONES & THE Q SET
The band was later to become Ronnie Jones and the Q Set and played a long residency at the Bag O’Nails club in Soho, where such luminaries as Jimi Hendrix would often pop down to jam with the band. The Q Set then toured the U.K., France, Italy and Greece before Tony moved on to join the Counts, featuring his long time friend, bassist extra-ordinaire Philip Chen. (Rod Stewart, Jerry Lewis, Linda Lewis, Jeff Beck, the Doors, plus many more).
THE SKYLINERS
The Skyliners worked the Irish clubs up and down the country until Tony was spotted at an audition by Ian Samwell, writer of Cliff Richard's first hit "Move It". Ian was then managing soul band Malcolm McGarren and the Blueshealers which Tony eventually joined at the age of 16.
THE DEFENDERS
By the age of twelve, Tony had formed his first band, the Defenders, with his brother, Kevin, Julian Harris and Terry Horn from his hometown, Harrow-on-the-Hill in north London. They played the local youth clubs and dances until he was fifteen, when he joined an Irish showband, the Skyliners from Enniskillen. Life on the road had begun…