You could say that Tony Graziosi is a guy who toots his own horn. And with good reason. Tony G, as he prefers to be addressed, used to play trumpet cor Count Basie and Maynard Ferguson. He has toured with the American Show Band, performed standup comedy on cruise lines and as an emcee for disc jockeys. Has he gotten enough of the spot light yet? Apparently not, although it has taken a different form. For the past 12 years, Tony G has been a music teacher in the Dix Hills school district - something he never expected to find himself doing. "A band leader that I knew asked me if I knew any music teachers. I told him that I had a degree from Berklee College in Boston, but had never used it," Tony explained. "He encouraged me to try out for the job anyhow. Ham that I am, I guess I put on a good show and I was hired." "People always assume that working on a cruise line must be glamorous, but it's not. You work every night, then you sit there alone and watch other couples having a good time. Also, I was happy to get a steady paycheck and benefits." As anyone who attends the monthly LIA Membership Receptions may know, Tony supplements those steady paychecks with his disc jockey business, TAG Entertainment. For the past few months, Tony has provided soothing atmospheric music - conducive to networking, of course - at the LIA Membership Receptions, with the hope of doing some successful networking of his own."I joined the local chamber of commerce,"Tony said, "but I felt that if I wanted to expand my business beyond the local limits, I needed to find an organization that could offer good networking opportunities. Idid some research and knew the LIA was the best choice." Tony also hopes to enhance the understanding of the services a disc jockey provides. "I get phone calls all the time from people who ask for prices, then wonder why I charge as much as I do .They tell me that they have a cousin or a friend who can do the same thing for a fraction of the cost," Tony explained. Tony G has toured with world- famous musicians, but what really spins his discs is knowing that he can gain good benefits through his Long Island Association membership. "That may be, but I have years of experience with music, performance and handling crowds. There's a lot more to being a deejay than just playing a few records." Hear, hear! Those who want to hear Tony's experience and equipment at work should attend the LIA Membership Reception this month, on March 26, 4 to 6 p.m. Tony also provides his deejay services for charities and special events. In the near future he will perform for Special Olympics and fundraising events for breast cancer research. "The best part about my teaching and deejaying is that I can use my life experience," said Tony. "When the opportunities arose, I went for it. I took a shot." Taking a shot at joining the LIA should pay off too.