Tony Villanti

The great physicist Albert Einstein once declared that, had he not been a scientist, he might have been a musician because “I often think in music, I live my daydreams in music, I see my life in terms of music”.

That pretty much summed up what a young eighteen year old Tony Villanti had on his mind while working in the building industry not long after arriving in the land of Oz from the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic archipelago immersed in the magical Tyrrhenian Sea just north of the island of Sicily.

With that state of mind and a little persuasion from his friends this young man decided to purchase his first guitar and start looking for the best teacher to provide him with lessons.

That teacher turned out to be none other than the well known Giovanni (Jack) Cera who hailed from the Veneto region of Northern Italy and who had built an enviable reputation as one of Melbourne’s finest musicians performing in a multitude of venues including the most prominent reception centres, Myer department stores, playing on ABC Radio and who for many years also held a residency at the very popular Mario’s Restaurant in Exhibition Street.

And so began the illustrious career of Melbourne guitarist, composer, arranger, teacher and musical director Tony Villanti whose name went on to become synonymous with quality and professionalism and sought after for every imaginable type of function from weddings, festivals, gala evenings to night clubs and five star restaurants.

Let's go back in time…..Melbourne in the early 1960’s…..Queens Road St Kilda.

The John Batman Motor Inn was a building of architectural significance and besides being considered very modern for the times the venue was well known to the "glamorous people" of Melbourne society and Eliza's Restaurant on the first floor was much frequented by well known personalities from Australian and International society.

Being a first class establishment of course they required first class entertainment and that was where Tony with The Johnny Edwards Quartet came in.

All members of the quartet hailed from international destinations (Mediterranean mainly) and had already achieved considerable success in the Italian night club scene and even in film prior to their arrival in Australia.

Local boy Tony Villanti was delighted, to say the least, when invited to join leader of the quartet and bass player Johnny Edwards, drummer and singer John Turner and piano accordionist and singer Pino Alescio.

They commenced as the house band at Eliza's Restaurant at the John Batman Motor Inn in 1966 playing seven nights a week and were remarkably still playing there in 1978!

Subsequently Tony was invited to join the resident band at a new venue called Rembrandts situated on Burwood Highway in Wantirna South which owner/manager, musician Vincent Lopes, opened in 1979 announcing it was intended to be a showpiece for Australian entertainment - a theatre restaurant in the true sense of the word.

Throughout his career Tony appeared on numerous successful recordings for various artists and performed alongside some of Australia’s most noted musicians and entertainers including the famous Duo Moreno Combo, an Italian outfit discovered in Rome by none other than Sir Reginald Ansett and with whom Tony also did a lengthy stint at the world renowned Hayman Island Resort in the Whitsunday Islands of Far North Queensland.

Tony provided backing accompaniment on many occasions for events featuring a host of cabaret artists including those from Italy such as TV and recording super stars of Sanremo Song Festival fame Nilla Pizzi, Carla Boni, Gino Latilla, Luciano Tajoli and Giorgio Consolini with whom Tony toured and performed multiple shows at venues all over Australia.  

Speaking of festivals Tony was for many years involved as guitarist, arranger, composer and sometimes musical director in the local productions of International Song Festivals featuring original works by Australian and overseas artists.

In one edition a song penned by him titled “Qualcosa Che Non Va”, performed majestically by the late Tony Serrano, was awarded 1st Prize to overwhelming acclaim from public and industry experts alike.

Maybe Einstein was right!

To be a successful musician you need to think in music, live your dreams in music and live your life in music - Tony Villanti certainly has and still does!

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