Tom Malone (musician)

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For other people by this name, see Tom Malone.

Tom "Bones" Malone, left in background, as featured in a Late Show commercial bumper

Tom Malone is an American jazz musician specializing in trombone. He is famous for being a member of the Blues Brothers Band and a member of the CBS Orchestra, the house band for the Late Show with David Letterman. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on June 16, 1947.

[edit] Beginnings in Music

Malone began his professional career on a job playing lead trumpet with Brenda Lee at a club in Jackson, MS, while enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi. In response to a call from Warren Covington, leader of The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, he expanded into contracting musicians. After transferring to North Texas State University, Malone continued working as both a player and a contractor for a variety of groups. Upon graduation, Malone worked in bands of Woody Herman (1969), Duke Pearson (1970), Louie Bellson (1971), Doc Severinsen and Blood, Sweat & Tears (1973). In 1973, Malone began a close, 15-year association with Gil Evans, who exerted considerable musical influence on him. With Evans, Malone recorded seven albums and toured Europe, Japan and the Far East.

[edit] Musical Projects

A call in the early 1970s from Saturday Night Live (SNL), a new, revolutionary, late-night comedy show on NBC, proved highly fruitful for Malone, who arranged for the show from 1975 to 1985. A single SNL comedy skit featuring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd mushroomed into The Blues Brothers; Malone wrote the chart for that first skit, then continued as an integral member of the Blues Brothers musical organization. His writing and performance may be found on all Blues Brothers recordings and in The Blues Brothers film score. In 1993, Malone reunited with SNL veterans Paul Shaffer (keyboards), and Will Lee, (bass), in the CBS Orchestra. In 1997, Blues Brothers 2000 and the film score includes considerable contribution by Malone.

Malone joined the CBS Orchestra on November 1, 1993, and plays the trombone, trumpet, bass trombone, tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, piccolo, and alto flute on the show. He has contributed more than 350 arrangements to the Late Show.

As a studio musician, he has been heard on more than 350 records and in more than 3000 radio and television commercials. Malone has also played themes for CBS This Morning, Murder, She Wrote, and the 1992 Olympic Winter Games, all on the CBS Television Network. His solo album, "Soul Bones," features guest appearances by Paul Shaffer and Blues Traveler's John Popper.

[edit] Potpourri

His feature-film credits include The Blues Brothers, The Last Waltz, and Blues Brothers 2000.
He has also performed and recorded with James Brown, Frank Zappa, Blood, Sweat & Tears, the Band, Miles Davis and Steve Winwood.
He graduated along with follow Blues Brothers bandmate Lou Marini from North Texas State University.
He was an original member of the Saturday Night Live band from 1975 until he became the band's musical director from 1981 to 1985.