The Miami Horns
American horn section with a rotating lineup and extensive rock pedigree.
The Miami Horns are a horn section from the United States, most famous for their work on tours and recordings with Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven, and the Max Weinberg 7. Beyond those core associations, they have performed or recorded with a vast array of other artists, including Diana Ross, Gary U.S. Bonds, Robert Cray, Bon Jovi, Cissy Houston, Joe Cocker, Dave Edmunds, Darlene Love, the Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, and Ricky Martin. Individually, the members have also collaborated with acts like Aerosmith, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Power Station, Graham Parker, and They Might Be Giants.
Steven Van Zandt first assembled the Miami Horns in 1976 for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. The group’s name has only a loose link to the city of Miami; Van Zandt had picked up the nickname “Miami” because he disliked cold weather, and the horn section inherited it. Over the years, they have also been billed under various other names, such as the Jukes’ Horns, La Bamba’s Mambomen, the U.S. Horns, the J.A.M. Horns, the Tunnel of Love Horns, the Horns of Love, and the Late Night Horns. The lineup is largely impromptu, shifting depending on which musicians are available at any given time.
Many players have come, gone, and later returned. The most consistent members have been Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg (trombone), Mark Pender (trumpet), and Eddie Manion (saxophone). Other notable contributors have included Stan Harrison, Chris Anderson, Joey Stann, Mario Cruz, and Alan Chez. In 1991, Rosenberg, Pender, Manion, and Harrison released a self-titled album under the name La Bamba & the Hubcaps.
In January 1976, Van Zandt was seeking a record deal for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. At that time, he was a full-time member of the E Street Band and also served as a singer, guitarist, songwriter, manager, producer, and arranger for the Jukes, which he and Southside Johnny had co-founded in early 1975. The Jukes’ horn section then consisted of just one permanent member, saxophonist Carlo Novi. For the debut album, *I Don’t Want To Go Home*, Van Zandt assembled a quintet of Rick Gazda (trumpet), Bob Malach (tenor sax), Deacon Earl Gardener (trumpet), Bill Zacagni (baritone sax), and Louie Parente (trombone). This group was the original Miami Horns lineup.
Quick Facts
- Background
- group_or_band
- Origin
- New Jersey, U.S.
- Years Active
- 1976–present
- Associated Acts
- Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, E Street Band, Little Steven, The Max Weinberg 7
- Current Members
- Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg (trombone) / Mark Pender (trumpet) / Eddie Manion (saxophones)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Miami Horns were first assembled in January 1976 when Steven Van Zandt put together a quintet for the recording of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes' debut album, I Don't Want To Go Home. That original lineup included Rick Gazda, Bob Malach, Deacon Earl Gardener, Bill Zacagni, and Louie Parente, though most departed after the album's completion. By May 1976, a new lineup—Carlo Novi, Eddie Manion, Tony Pallagrosi, and Rick Gazda—performed at the Stone Pony show celebrating the album's release, and the section grew to five pieces with the arrival of Richie 'La Bamba' Rosenberg in November 1976. Over the years, the lineup has been impromptu, depending on availability, with Rosenberg, Mark Pender, and Eddie Manion as the most consistent members.
The Miami Horns first toured with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 1976 and 1977 during the latter stages of the Born to Run tour. Research by Asbury Jukes historian Mike Saunders indicates that the horns for that tour were actually provided by two separate quartets, both billed as the Miami Horns. The first quartet—Carlo Novi, Eddie Manion, Tony Palligrosi, and Rick Gazda—debuted with Springsteen on August 1 at the Monmouth Arts Centre. After they rejoined the Jukes in September, a second quartet—Ed De Palma, Dennis Orlock, John Binkley, and Steve Paraczky—toured with Springsteen from September 26 until March 1977. The horns later appeared on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour in 1984 and were featured prominently on the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour in 1988, sometimes referred to as The Tunnel Of Love Horns or The Horns of Love.
Beyond Springsteen, the Miami Horns worked extensively with Little Steven, who used them on Gary U.S. Bonds' album Dedication and on his own debut Men Without Women, where they were credited as La Bamba's Mambomen. In 1993, Max Weinberg recruited Rosenberg, Pender, and Jerry Vivino for Late Night with Conan O'Brien; they played as The Max Weinberg 7 and later as part of The Tonight Show Band and the Basic Cable Band until 2019. The section also toured with Diana Ross in the early 1980s and with Dave Edmunds' Rock 'n' Roll Review in 1989.
Reader's Guide
The Miami Horns hold significance as a versatile and enduring horn section that bridged the Jersey Shore sound of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes with the broader rock and pop landscape. Their rotating membership, anchored by core players like Richie 'La Bamba' Rosenberg, Mark Pender, and Eddie Manion, allowed them to adapt to a wide range of artists and settings, from Bruce Springsteen's stadium tours to the nightly television band of Conan O'Brien. Their work on Springsteen's Live/1975-85 and The Rising, as well as their contributions to Little Steven's solo projects and Darlene Love's holiday classic 'All Alone on Christmas,' cemented their place in rock history. The section's legacy is also tied to its role in the E Street Band's horn arrangements, particularly during the Tunnel Of Love Express Tour and the Seeger Sessions Band. Despite the informal nature of their lineup, the Miami Horns maintained a consistent identity that made them a sought-after ensemble for decades, influencing the use of horn sections in rock music.
Did You Know?
- The Miami Horns were named after Steven Van Zandt's nickname 'Miami,' which he acquired due to his dislike of winter.
- The original Miami Horns lineup for Southside Johnny's debut album consisted of five players, most of whom left after the album was finished in March 1976.
- During the 1976-1977 Born to Run tour, two separate quartets billed as the Miami Horns performed with Bruce Springsteen.
- In 1991, Rosenberg, Pender, Manion, and Stan Harrison recorded an eponymous album as La Bamba & The Hubcaps.
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