house band
A house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play at an establishment.
It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to bands which ...
that plays on the American television
variety show
Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical theatre, musical performances, sketch comedy, magic (illusion), magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is ...
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
on American television. During the Carson era, the band was always billed as "The NBC Orchestra" (not to be confused with the
NBC Symphony Orchestra
The NBC Symphony Orchestra was a radio orchestra conceived by David Sarnoff, the president of the Radio Corporation of America, especially for the conductor Arturo Toscanini. The NBC Symphony performed weekly radio concert broadcasts with Tosca ...
) and sometimes "Doc Severinsen and the NBC Orchestra".
History
Just as ''Tonight! Starring Steve Allen'' was a continuation of the local New York ''
Steve Allen Show
''The Steve Allen Show'' was an American variety show hosted by Steve Allen from June 1956 to June 1960 on NBC, from September 1961 to December 1961 on ABC,
'' (which had gone on the air in late July 1953), the first Tonight Show Band was an expansion of the small band on the Allen show that had been led by swing era trombonist Bobby Byrne (and, significantly, included trumpeter
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''.
Early life
Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) a ...
). But when the program went onto the NBC network, September 27, 1954, pianist Skitch Henderson was brought in as leader of a still-smallish ensemble band including Severinsen (who played the program's closing theme, a melody of Allen's entitled "Tonight"; he played that solo not once but three times every night to accommodate the various affiliate stations that left the broadcast at different times: midnight, 12:30, and 1:00 AM Eastern time.) The opening theme also was written by Allen, "Mister Moon". The band also included, among others, trombonist Lou McGarity and two french horns (Henderson's fondness for french horns can be gleaned from the fact that when Allen added a Sunday night prime-time series on NBC in June 1956, the orchestra included four French horns). The band functioned mostly as a backdrop for Allen's vocalists from the local New York show, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme. When the program went network, female vocalists Pat Marshall and Pat Kirby were added, along with
Andy Williams
Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified. He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hos ...
. Usually two of the singers would appear on each program. ''Tonight's'' producer,
William O. Harbach
William Otto Harbach (October 12, 1919 – December 18, 2017) was an American television producer, director and author. He won four Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award Harbach also produced and directed special events, including eight ASCAP cele ...
had worked with Williams in the late 1940s when he was part of a nightclub act centered around Kay Thompson. ''Tonight!'' thus was the first national exposure for Williams, Lawrence, and Gorme. Though Henderson would continue as Allen's conductor on the prime-time show through 1959, the Henderson-led Tonight! band ended when Steve Allen stepped down as host at the end of January 1957. During the ''Tonight! America After Dark'' period from February through June 1957, a string of short-lived bandleaders (
Lou Stein
Lou Stein (April 22, 1922 – December 11, 2002) was an American jazz pianist.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Stein joined Ray McKinley's band in 1942. He played with Glenn Miller when the latter was stateside during World War II.
Afte ...
,
Mort Lindsey
Mort Lindsey (born Morton Lippman; March 21, 1923, Newark, New Jersey – May 4, 2012, Malibu, California), was an orchestrator, composer, pianist, conductor and musical director for Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Pat Boone, Jack Narz, and Merv Gr ...
and
Johnny Guarnieri
John Albert Guarnieri (March 23, 1917 – January 7, 1985) was an American jazz and stride pianist, born in New York City.
Career
Guarnieri joined the George Hall orchestra in 1937. He is possibly best known for his big band stints with Ben ...
) led either a trio or quartet of musicians as the show's house band.
José Melis
José Melis Guiu (February 27, 1920 – April 7, 2005) was a Cuban-American bandleader and television personality.
Biography
Melis was born in Havana, Cuba. He studied at the Havana Conservatory of Music and a Cuban government scholarship enabled ...
, a friend of
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American talk show host, author, radio and television comedian, and film actor. He was the second host of ''The Tonight Show'' from 1957 to 1962. ''Time'' magazine's obituary of Paar repo ...
, took over as bandleader when Paar became the host later in 1957. Melis made The Tonight Show Band part of the show's comic ensemble, utilizing his improvisational comedy skills: in the "Telephone Game," he would write songs on the spot about four-digit telephone numbers given to him by audience members, while "Stump the Band" would have him improvise songs with titles given by audience members (these would usually be names of real, but obscure, novelty songs that Melis did not recognize). "Stump the Band" would remain a staple of ''Tonight'' and other late-night shows (including the '' Late Show'') long after Melis's departure.
Henderson returned in 1962 with a 16-piece band—which on occasion would be expanded with additional personnel such as string players (for backing such singers as Eydie Gorme) and extra percussionists—as
Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
took over from Paar. Carson increased the band's budget, and many of the players were veterans of the prime-time Steve Allen Show band, such as Severinsen. Other notable members of the trumpet section included
Clark Terry
Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator.
He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...
, Bernie Glow, Yank Lawson, and Jimmy Maxwell, along with saxophonists Hymie Shertzer, Walt Levinsky, and Al Klink. Saxophonist-arranger Tommy Newsom joined the band in the second year. Legendary swing era bassist
Bob Haggart
Robert Sherwood Haggart (March 13, 1914 – December 2, 1998) was an American dixieland jazz double bass player, composer, and arranger. Although he is associated with dixieland, he was one of the finest rhythm bassists of the Swing Era.
Music c ...
often anchored the rhythm section and Gene Bertoncini alternated on guitar with Bucky Pizzarelli. The drum chair tended to alternate between
Bobby Rosengarden
Robert Marshall Rosengarden (April 23, 1924 – February 27, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A native of Elgin, Illinois, United States, he played on many recordings and in television orchestras and talk show bands.
Rosenga ...
Ross Tompkins
Ross Tompkins (May 13, 1938 – June 30, 2006) was an American jazz pianist who was a member of ''The Tonight Show'' Band.
Biography
Tompkins attended the New England Conservatory of Music, then moved to New York City, where he worked with Kai W ...
and baritone sax player Don Ashworth moved to California with the program in 1972. After Rosengarden left the band to become the conductor on ABC's
Dick Cavett
Richard Alva Cavett (; born November 19, 1936) is an American television personality and former talk show host. He appeared regularly on nationally broadcast television in the United States for five decades, from the 1960s through the 2000s.
In ...
Show, Grady Tate became a frequent presence in the drum chair.
In 1966, Henderson (and Severinsen) left the show as the conductor from the original NBC late-night show from 1951, Broadway Open House, Milton Delugg came in for one year. In 1967 Severinsen returned, this time as conductor, and with basically the same personnel nonetheless inaugurated a somewhat more aggressive sound (using, for example, an electric bass, and a brassier version of the "Here's Johnny" theme). In Burbank, for Carson's last two decades as host, the Severinsen-led band included the core that had moved from New York along with such noted jazz players as saxophonists Ernie Watts, Pete Christlieb, and Bill Perkins; trumpeters Conte Candoli and John Audino; guitarist
Bob Bain
Bob Bain (26 January 1924 – 21 June 2018) was an American guitarist mainly known for his film music contributions, including “Dr. Zhivago” (1965), where he played the balalaika in the score for certain scenes where “Lara’s Theme” is h ...
, and bassist Joel Di Bartolo. Occasionally, renowned drummer
Louie Bellson
Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...
would sit in for Shaughnessy. When
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir Leno (; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and actor. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show'' from 1992 to 2009. Beginning in September 2009 ...
replaced Carson in 1992, he ended the tradition of a large in-house orchestra.
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...
became musical director, and a smaller band was formed. Marsalis was succeeded in 1995 by
Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer. He was the leader of The Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short lived ''The Jay Le ...
.
In June 2009,
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for having hosted late-night talk shows for almost 28 years, beginning with ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' (19 ...
became the host, and
Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg (born April 13, 1951) is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' a ...
Max Weinberg and The Tonight Show Band
Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band was the house band for Conan O'Brien's late-night talk show '' Conan'' from its debut on November 8, 2010 to the final episode of its 60-minute format October 4, 2018. Guitarist and arranger Jimmy Vivino is th ...
. Eubanks and his band migrated to ''
The Jay Leno Show
''The Jay Leno Show'' is a talk show created and hosted by Jay Leno. Premiering on NBC on September 14, 2009, the program aired on weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ET/ PT through February 9, 2010. The program was modeled upon the format of a late ...
'' in September 2009 as the Primetime Band. When Conan O'Brien left ''The Tonight Show'' in February 2010, Leno returned as host, bringing back Kevin Eubanks, who took a more limited role. Eubanks announced his departure from the show in February 2010; his last show was May 28, 2010.
On June 7, 2010, Rickey Minor became the bandleader and wrote the theme song.
When
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...
became the host in 2014, the show returned to New York City and
The Roots
The Roots are an American hip hop band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The Roots serve as the house band on NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy F ...
became the house band, migrating from their role as house band on ''
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
''Late Night with Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by comedian Jimmy Fallon. About pag ...
Questlove
Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American musician, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thou ...
noted, "You can't be ''The Tonight Show'' without a horn section".
Tonight Show Band lineups
Additional former members of the New York Tonight Show Band from 1962 onward include:
* Bass:
Eddie Safranski
Eddie Safranski (December 25, 1918 – January 10, 1974) was an American jazz double bassist, composer and arranger who worked with Stan Kenton. He also worked with Tony Bennett, Charlie Barnet, Benny Goodman and Bobby Darin. From 1946 to 1953 h ...
,
Bob Haggart
Robert Sherwood Haggart (March 13, 1914 – December 2, 1998) was an American dixieland jazz double bass player, composer, and arranger. Although he is associated with dixieland, he was one of the finest rhythm bassists of the Swing Era.
Music c ...
, Julie Ruggiero, Bill Takis,
* Drums: Grady Tate,
Bobby Rosengarden
Robert Marshall Rosengarden (April 23, 1924 – February 27, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. A native of Elgin, Illinois, United States, he played on many recordings and in television orchestras and talk show bands.
Rosenga ...
Arnie Lawrence
Arnold Lawrence Finkelstein (July 10, 1938 in Brooklyn, New York – April 22, 2005 in Jerusalem, Israel) was an American jazz saxophonist.
Career
Lawrence studied clarinet in his youth before switching to saxophone. He played from age 12 in clu ...
, Bobby Tricarico,
Deane Kincaide
Robert Deane Kincaide (March 18, 1911 – August 14, 1992) was an American jazz reedman.
Kincaide was born in Houston, Texas, United States, but raised in Decatur, Illinois, and began playing professionally and working as an arranger in the early ...
Hymie Schertzer
Herman "Hymie" Shertzer or Schertzer (April 22, 1909 – March 22, 1977) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, best known for his long-term association with Benny Goodman.
Shertzer was born in New York City, United States, began playing violi ...
Walt Levinsky
Walt Levinsky (April 18, 1929 – December 14, 1999) was an American big band and orchestral player, composer, arranger, and bandleader. While many of his big band assignments were as lead alto sax player, his favorite instrument was the clarin ...
* Trombone: Bob Alexander, Buddy Morrow, Dick Lieb, Herb Wise, Paul Faulise,
Sonny Russo
Santo J. "Sonny" Russo (March 20, 1929 – February 23, 2013) was an American jazz trombonist.
Russo grew up in a musical family; both his father and grandfather were professional horn players. He first played piano and violin, and played w ...
, Sy Berger,
Will Bradley
Wilbur Schwichtenberg (July 12, 1912 – July 15, 1989), known professionally as Will Bradley, was an American trombonist and bandleader during the 1930s and 1940s. He performed swing, dance music, and boogie-woogie songs, many of them written b ...
,
Willie Dennis
Willie Dennis (née William DeBerardinis, January 10, 1926 – July 8, 1965) was an American jazz trombonist known as a big band musician but who was also an excellent bebop soloist.
Career
After working with Elliot Lawrence, Claude Thor ...
Clark Terry
Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator.
He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...
, Dick Perry,
Jimmy Maxwell James Maxwell may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*James Maxwell (actor) (1929–1995), American-British actor and theatre director
*Jim Maxwell (commentator) (born 1950), Australian sports commentator
*Jimmy Maxwell (bandleader) (born 1953), mu ...
, Joe Ferrante, John Frosk, Mel Davis, Snooky Young,
Yank Lawson
John Rhea "Yank" Lawson (May 3, 1911 – February 18, 1995) was an American jazz trumpeter known for Dixieland and swing music.
Born John Lausen in 1911, from 1933 to 1935 he worked in Ben Pollack's orchestra and after that became a founding ...
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''.
Early life
Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) a ...
,
Tommy Newsom
Thomas Penn Newsom (February 25, 1929 – April 28, 2007) was a saxophone player in the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', for which he later became assistant director. Newsom was frequently the band's substitute dir ...
Ernie Watts
Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and rhythm and blues saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's ...
, John Bambridge, Pete Christlieb, Tom Peterson, Tommy Newsom,
Donald Ashworth
Donald William Ashworth (born March 16, 1931) is a musician who was a member of ''The Tonight Show Band'' for thirty years before retiring in 1995. Ashworth played woodwind instruments with the group starting from Johnny Carson's first week as ...
, Lew Tabackin, Dick Spencer
* Trumpet and Flugelhorn:
Allen Vizzutti
Allen Vizzutti (born September 13, 1952) is an American trumpeter, composer and music educator.
Biography
Born and raised in Missoula, Montana, Vizzutti learned the trumpet from his father, Lido Vizzutti. At age 16, Vizzutti won the concerto co ...
,
Chuck Findley
Charles B. Findley (born December 13, 1947 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) is an American trumpet player known for his diverse work as a session musician. He also plays other brass instruments such as flugelhorn and trombone. His technical abilities ...
, Conte Candoli, Doc Severinsen, Frank Szabo, John Audino, Maury Harris,
Clark Terry
Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator.
He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...
* Trombone: Bruce Paulson, Ernie Tack, Gil Falco, Mike Daigeau,
Hal Crook
Hal Crook (born 28 July 1950 in Providence, Rhode Island) is a jazz trombonist. He has a degree from the Berklee College of Music and is considered to be a leading teacher and author in the field of jazz improvisation.
Hal was a professor at Berk ...
* Piano:
Ross Tompkins
Ross Tompkins (May 13, 1938 – June 30, 2006) was an American jazz pianist who was a member of ''The Tonight Show'' Band.
Biography
Tompkins attended the New England Conservatory of Music, then moved to New York City, where he worked with Kai W ...
Herb Ellis
Mitchell Herbert Ellis (August 4, 1921 – March 28, 2010), known professionally as Herb Ellis, was an American jazz guitarist. During the 1950s, he was in a trio with pianist Oscar Peterson.
Biography
Born in Farmersville, Texas, and raised ...
, Mitch Holder, Peter Woodford,
Tony Mottola
Anthony C. Mottola (April 18, 1918 – August 9, 2004) was an American jazz guitarist who released dozens of solo albums. Mottola was born in Kearny, New Jersey and died in Denville.
Career
Like many of his contemporaries, Mottola began ...
Jack Sperling
Jack Sperling (August 17, 1922 – February 26, 2004) was an American jazz drummer who performed as a sideman in big bands and as a studio musician for pop and jazz acts, movies, and television.
Career
In 1941 he played with trumpeter Bunny Be ...
,
Louie Bellson
Louie Bellson (born Luigi Paulino Alfredo Francesco Antonio Balassoni, July 6, 1924 – February 14, 2009), often seen in sources as Louis Bellson, although he himself preferred the spelling Louie, was an American jazz drummer. He was a composer, ...
,
Shelly Manne
Sheldon "Shelly" Manne (June 11, 1920 – September 26, 1984) was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, s ...
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...
,
Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer. He was the leader of The Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short lived ''The Jay Le ...
Kenny Kirkland
Kenneth David Kirkland (September 28, 1955 – November 12, 1998) was an American pianist and keyboardist.
Biography Early life
Born in Brooklyn, New York, United States, Kirkland was six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years ...
* Percussion/Vocals:
Vicki Randle
Vicki Randle (born December 11, 1954)Hillgirlz, the les ...
* Saxophone:
Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist
The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...
Max Weinberg
Max Weinberg (born April 13, 1951) is an American drummer and television personality, most widely known as the longtime drummer for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and as the bandleader for Conan O'Brien on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' a ...
,
Jimmy Vivino
Jimmy Vivino (born January 10, 1955) is an American guitarist, keyboard player, singer, producer, and music director. He is best known as having been the leader of Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band, the house band for the TBS late night ...
* Bass:
Mike Merritt Michael Merritt may refer to:
* Mike Merritt (musician)
Michael Monroe Merritt (born July 28, 1955) is an American bassist best known for playing with the Conan O'Brien house bands: The Max Weinberg 7 on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' in New ...
James Wormworth
James Wormworth is an American drummer and percussionist. Wormworth is a member of Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band on the TBS (U.S. TV channel), TBS Late-night talk show, late night comedy program, ''Conan (talk show), Conan''. Wormworth oft ...
* Flute: Jerry Vivino
* Guitar: Jimmy Vivino,
Mark Pender
Mark "The Loveman" Pender (born August 21, 1957 in Kansas City, Missouri) is a trumpet player and vocalist who has played with Southside Johnny, Little Steven and Bruce Springsteen. Since 1993 he has performed on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' ...
* Keyboards: Scott Healy
* Percussion: James Wormworth, Ronnie Gutierrez
* Saxophone: Jerry Vivino
* Trombone:
Richie "La Bamba" Rosenberg
Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg is an American trombonist originating from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a former member of the house band on Conan O'Brien's late-night talk shows.
Early life
Rosenberg became a trombonist when his junior high ins ...
* Trumpet: Mark Pender
* Vocals: Mark Pender
With Jay Leno (second tenure)
* Bandleader: Rickey Minor
* Bass: Rickey Minor
* Drums:
Teddy Campbell
Glendon Theodore "Teddy" Campbell, Sr. (born February 24, 1975) is a gospel drummer & singer. He was the drummer on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno''. He is the lead singer for the Soul Seekers.
Biography
Christian Youth M.B. of Chicago, is ...
* Guitar:
Paul Jackson Jr.
Paul Milton Jackson Jr. (born December 30, 1959) is an American fusion/urban jazz composer, arranger, producer and guitarist. He was born and raised in Los Angeles. Jackson knew by the age of fifteen that he wanted to become a professional musi ...
* Keyboard: J. Wayne Linsey, David Delhomme
* Percussion: Kevin Ricard
* Saxophone: Randolph Ellis, Miguel Gandelman
* Trombone: Garrett Smith
* Trumpet: Raymond Monteiro
* Vocals: Dorian Holley
With Jimmy Fallon
* Bandleader:
Questlove
Ahmir Khalib Thompson (born January 20, 1971), known professionally as Questlove (stylized as ), is an American musician, record producer, disc jockey, filmmaker, music journalist, and actor. He is the drummer and joint frontman (with Black Thou ...
* Bass: Mark Kelley
* Drums: Questlove
* Flute:
Ian Hendrickson-Smith
Ian Hendrickson-Smith is an American jazz saxophonist. He is best known for being a former member of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings from 2004 to 2010 and playing with The Roots on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon''.
Early life
Hendrickson-S ...
* Guitar:
Captain Kirk Douglas
"Captain" Kirk Douglas (born September 30, 1973) is an American guitarist and singer who performs with the hip hop band The Roots. He joined The Roots in 2003. His first album with The Roots was 2004's ''The Tipping Point'', where he split gui ...
* Keyboards: James Poyser, Kamal Gray
* Percussion: Stro Elliot
* Saxophone: Ian Hendrickson-Smith
* Sousaphone: Damon "Tuba Gooding Jr." Bryson
* Trumpet: David Guy
* Vocals: Black Thought
Discography
With Skitch Henderson and "The Tonight Show" Band
* ''Skitch...Tonight!'' (Columbia, 1964)
* ''More Skitch Tonight!'' (Columbia, 1965)Mort Goode, liner notes to Columbia LP, CL 2450
With
Doc Severinsen
Carl Hilding "Doc" Severinsen (born July 7, 1927) is an American retired jazz trumpeter who led the NBC Orchestra on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson''.
Early life
Severinsen was born in Arlington, Oregon, to Minnie Mae (1897–1998) a ...
and "The Tonight Show" Band
* ''The Tonight Show Band'' (Amherst, 1986)
* ''The Tonight Show Band Vol. II'' (Amherst, 1987)