6 replies to this topic

[harrycarayhere]

Name's Justin. I'm from Northern Indiana and...yeah, I'm new.

So check it out, I just recently got out of the army as a trombone player and am waiting until fall to go to school. I live in Fort Wayne Indiana and am planning to enroll at Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne.

My friend Sean and I had, just the day before, been talking about Tom "Bones" Malone, the trombone player/arranger for the Blues Brothers films, because he and I are both Frank Zappa Fans *Tom Malone played trombone for Mr. Zappa for some time*.

He comes home the next day and says "Guess who's coming to play with the IPFW Jazz Band...Tom Malone!"

I said "Tom Malone is playing with the jazz band and I'm not it it?...oh HECK no."

So I went down to the college the next week and basically invited myself into a Jazz Band rehearsal. Everyone was a little baffled with my simply walking in, but when Dr. Vernon saw that I could play...lol.

The concert, my friends, was just a couple of nights ago. Here's the low-down:

I went over to the University around noon to help set up. The jazz combo rehearsed as I took a little video footage. Tom, once he got to the school, was to play with both the Jazz Combo and the Jazz Ensemble/Big Band.
Dr Vernon (our director) and Mr. Malone were late, therefore we decided to do a little rehearsing of our own.

Soon after we finished our little practice session Dr. Vernon and a tall, mustache-less man with slicked back hair in a T-shirt and jeans came walking down the steps to the auditorium. I quickly started up my little hard-disk cam-corder.

First off, just let me say that some guys who have made it to the big-time can be real schmucks when rehearsing with a band. Not at all true with Mr. Tom "Bones" Malone, who in his more than 30 years giging has performed with some of the greatest musical acts all over the country, shared the stage (or sound stage) with more big name artists/groups *Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd are just a couple to come to mind* than you can shake a stick at, was the music director for SNL during the Dan Aykroyd/ John Belushi years (long before G.E. Smith would take over that role), composed/arranged almost all of the music for the Blues Brothers (not to mention, was IN it), and has spent almost 15 years playing with Paul Schaffer on Late Night with David Letterman.
He was very quick to compliment the other players on their abilities and was quite amused with my Steve Turre-esqu (the trombone player who took his place on SNL) Conch Shell playing.

We, as a band, even figured out the Blues Bros theme as his intro for the show, lol. I shouted out "This is the part where Mr. Malone starts dancing like Danny Aykroyd". Much to our amusement he struck an Elwood J. Blues pose.

I had a chat with him about many things before I took off to go home, pick up my Army Class A pants (since I don't have a tux yet), and grab a bite to eat. Among other things, we talked about his experience touring with Frank Zappa (one of the greatest musical minds of the 20th century), trombones, Steve Turre (my personal favorite trombone solo artist and whom, as I found out, went to school with Mr. Malone), and a couple of Letterman's recent musical guests. The latter actually sprang from him jokingly asking me what time it was when he saw I was wearing SIX watches, which is something I lifted off of Tom Waits from his legendary 80s concert film "Big Time". Mr. Waits was on the show (for at least the sixth time) a couple of months ago.

I returned to Neff Hall in my uniform about an hour before the show. Mr. Malone proceeded to change into a BRIGHT GREEN blazer with striped tie. I half expected him to just perform in casual clothes, lol.
Anyway, about 2-3 minutes before the show starts Dr. Vernon comes up and says "Could I get you to do a REALLY big favor? Since you're in uniform/ nicer dress attire, would you mind going out with the combo and introducing Tom?" Well naturally I said.

The combo got ready while I fumbled with the mic, which never ended up coming on. I said something along the lines of...(keep in mind this was all off the top of my head)

"(Said with loud talking voice) Well I'll just forget about the mic for now. Laddies and gentlemen, please bear with me, I was told TWO minutes ago that I was going to be doing this. We've got a GREAT show lined up for you. You probably know our guest tonight from the CBS Late Night Orchestra and the hit movie The Blues Brothers. This man has contributed...I don't know...hundreds...I'm sure THOUSANDS of arrangements and compositions to the numerous groups he's played with. We'll be starting out with a few songs by the IPFW jazz ensem...excuse me..........jazz COMBO and then move into our show with the jazz ensemble or big band. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome one of my personal heroes...the VERY talented, Mr. Tom Malone." [Much Applaus]

I went back stage while he played with the combo. I don't need to really elaborate on the combo's performance...it was good, lol. Mr. Malone tore up some improv and sounded great.

He left stage while we, the big band, got set up; we played a Maynard chart called Humbug; then Dr. Vernon introduced Bones again while we played the Blues Bros theme, and he came out once again to the stage.
The show was indeed great. We played the Brecker tune "Sponge" arranged by Mr. Malone, in which "Bones" and I both played trombone solos, and I played a Conch Shell solo; then another Maynard arrangement called "On Green Dolphin Street".

That was followed by "When a man loves a woman" lol, which he also arranged and performed with us. We did a Buddy Rich tune called Dancing Men, and the night ended with one more of his arrangements...a little piece called SWEET HOME CHICAGO. During this blues jam he played the melody and proceeded to switch instruments every other solo (playing the trumpet, the TUBA, the piccolo, and the baritone sax). I naturally got footage of all this. Once it's edited together I'll post it for all of you to see.

After that, we cleaned up the stage while he sign people's programs and chatted with various audience members. I, likewise, got a few pictures with him. He then changed while we all took off for Club Soda (the local jazz club in Fort Wayne). He and Dr. Vernon were to meet there later.

The house was packed downtown, but we managed to get them to put several tables together for us. Dr. Vernon and Mr. Malone showed up together once we'd already be situated in front of the house band.

Most of us know that Dan Aykroyd has retired from acting (for the most part) in order to pursue fine wines and spirits. Likewise we heard him discuss Tequila on the radio show in which he spilled the beans about Ghostbusters 3. Well I overheard a couple of my friends discussing Patron and taking shots. I told them the deal with Aykroyd and they,naturally, thought that was pretty cool. Anyway, I decided (since I enjoy fine sipping drinks) to order some on the rocks.

While I waited for my drink I had the waiter bring me four *overpriced* cigars: 2 Partagas, a Cohiba XV, and an Arturo Fuente 8-5-8. I walked over to Mr. Malone's part of the table and awarded him the 8-5-8, an industry standard, for which I payed 15 bucks. After cutting it for him and handing him a book of matches I didn't stand around to be flooded with compliments (as if I'd been fishing for them), but returned to my part of the table to light my own stick and order dinner (which would turn out to be a VERY delicious duck breast).
My tequila eventually showed up. I tried it. Much to my surprise, I LOVED it.

I'm am NOT a fan of tequila, but as Mr. Aykroyd himself put it "...I wasn't a big tequila fan until I tried it...it has more the qualities of a fine scotch..." (paraphrase). How true, how true.

I soon went back over to Mr. Malone's seat and stooped down. "Mr. Malone, have you ever tried Patron?... (I already assumed he had---I was looking for an excuse to talk about Dan Aykroyd, lol!)...I know Danny Aykroyd goes around peddling it now......" , said I.

"Oh yeah!" he said. "Yeah, you know I was at the PARTY where Danny introduced it to everyone."

"RRREALLY!" I said. (at this point I must have looked like General Jack D. Ripper from Dr. Strangelove...what, with my military-though Army not Air Force- Class A dress jacket undone, tie hanging out, and a cigar and drink in the same hand).

"Yeah, he invited me to this dive back-alley joint. You know...give the password, all that. You'd expect there to be like...15 people there or something, but no...HUNDREDS. Just PACKED. So there we were having a tequila party in the middle of this packed joint where the people from the Toronto Film festival were getting together. Hot, blonde, wanna-be movie stars/ models everywhere!" he said.

No fellas, I did not ask him about some hypothetical Blues Brothers 3, lol

I went back to my table and chatted with my friends while eating the best tasting thing I've had in a LONG time and trying my hardest not to fall out of my chair from all the Gin and Tonic followed by a glass of Tequila.

Once again I returned to Mr. Malone's side and said to the table (Mr. Malone, Dr. Vernon, and a couple other musicians) "Gentlemen, I'd like to propose a quick toast..." "What are we toasting?" Says Dr. Vernon.

"To Danny Aykroyd and the future of fine spirits!" said I.
It was followed by a quick "Oh I'll DRINK TO THAT!" from Mr. Malone and a cacophonous sound of affirming sentiments.

After the room cleared out a bit I got up and sat in an empty spot next to Dr. Vernon, across from "Bones". They convinced him to go get his axe while one of our trumpet players coaxed *though it didn't take much* the band playing to let Mr. Malone sit in.

I think the highlight of the evening was probably listening to the singer in this other band introduce, all the way from New York City, Tom Malone of the Letterman CBS orchestra and the Blues Brothers to this little club in my home town of Fort Wayne, Indiana. The crowd was more than a little surprised. I tell ya, watching him play was such fun. A guy from the big time shows up and, with no sign of ego, politely asks if it'd be alright if he sits in. All of us at the table couldn't help but crack up just thinking about it. What a great guy. What a great player. A true performer. A real down-to-Earth, in no way arrogant, nice chap. All around.

We all, the remaining four or five of us that is, walked out to the parking lot to say thanks again and wish him luck. I told him that as a musician AND a fan of great films, it had been a thrill. He asked us to send him any copies of pictures we'd taken WITH him as keep-sakes. I told him I'd send him not only the pictures I'd gotten, but a copy of the DVD I'll be making once the footage is edited. He gave us all hugs and wished us the best of luck in our future prospects.

So there you have it. Music, cigars, and drinks with the great Tom Malone: a world class musician, arranger, film and TV composer, and the man who brought wonderful music to a film we all love. Much more than ANY of that, a hellova nice guy.

Mr. Malone, from all of us here with the Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne Jazz program...and your friends on the web at BluesBrothersCentral.com, thank you for all you've done for the industry and thank you for the many years of great music you've brought us. Cheers!

For everyone with fuzzy memories...
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Here are just a few shots for now. I'll post some screen grabs from the footage I've got later.
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[ChiTownJohn]

Hello HarayC' H',

Welcome to the site, great story, Great how some professional musicians are not full of them selves. Now rock stars and solo acts. I consider those types usualy not like Professional Musicians, these guys gotta work w/ other musicians often, cant be professional and have an overgrown head, right!

Well anyway congradulations! your a lucky guy, sounds like a great night, Cheers!

[ElwoodJones]

y'know.. i saw him and schaffer on David Letterman last night... he was wearing that same green blazer....hmmm...
either way.. it looks like you had an amazing time man.. thats what its all about!

EJ

[Cropper Classic]

Outstanding! To that I give a BOOYAH!

[harrycarayhere]

Here it is boys. Video I shot and edited of our show with Tom "Bones" Malone. Lemme know what you think.

[alabamablues]

WOW, what a great story man...I had the chance to hang out and perform Soul Man along with my Brother with Steve Cropper about 6 weeks ago and had the same experience...These guys are absolutely down to earth and really alot nicer than what people make these high profile musicians out to be...
Great story and Cheers to you as well!

Justin
www.TheAlabamaBluesBrothers.com

[Kellieblues]

Sounds like you had a wonderful evening with the great one, Tom Malone! Duck breast and tequila, and that cute little green suit of yours...well I am just blown away!