And to wrap it all up some interesting sidebars on the Wrecking crew and their modern-day counterparts...
--Mr Bill
--Mr Bill
Super Groups
The Wrecking Crew
The Wrecking Crew is drummer Hal Blaine’s catchall name for the A-list session musicians who recorded pop and rock in Hollywood during the ’60s and early ’70s. They made music for Phil Spector and Brian Wilson, for the Mamas and the Papas and the 5th Dimension, Sonny and Cher, the Tijuana Brass, the Monkees and the Archies and the Partridge Family; for Elvis Presley and Peggy Lee; Frank and Dean and Sammy; for Simon and Garfunkel; for Frank Zappa and Henry Mancini; for Johnny Carson, Andy Williams and the Smothers Brothers. They included: Guitarists Billy Strange, Al Casey, Glen Campbell, Mike Deasy, James Burton, Howard Roberts, Bill Pitman, Dennis Budimir, Tommy Tedesco, Barney Kessel; bass players Carol Kaye, Lyle Ritz, Ray Pohlman, Chuck Berghofer, Joe Osborn; pianists Pete Jolly, Leon Russell, Mike Melvoin, Don Randi, Al DeLory; drummers Hal Blaine, Earl Palmer, Larry Bunker; percussionists Milt Holland, Emil Richards; horn players Steve Douglas, Buddy Collette, Plas Johnson, Jay Migliori (saxophone) and Chuck Findley (trumpet); harmonica player Tommy Morgan and the Sid Sharp Strings.
New Orleans Musicians Association/The Oklahona Mafia
Intersecting the Wrecking Crew were players loosely aligned with the New Orleans Musicians Association and what was called the Oklahoma Mafia. The former group gathered around pianist/organist/saxophonist Harold Battitste, and included Earl Palmer, pianist/guitarist Mac Rebennack (a.k.a. Dr. John); saxophonist Plas Johnson, and guitarist Rene Hall. The latter, composed mostly of Tulsa expats, centered on Leon Russell and included bassist Carl Radle, drummer Chuck Blackwell, guitarists Jesse Ed Davis and Joey Cooper, trumpeter Jim Price and multi-instrumentalist David Gates. Many would work with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, Joe Cocker, Eric Clapton, George Harrison and the Rolling Stones. Also attached to this group were reed player Jim Horn and drummers Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon.
The Laid-Back California Country-Rock 1970s Singer-Songwriter Thing
Associated with James Taylor, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, Crosby & Nash, Warren Zevon, Carly Simon, Randy Newman, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Tom Waits, etc., some of the main players included “The Section” (guitarist Danny Kortchmar, bassist Lee Sklar, pianist Craig Doerge and drummer Russ Kunkel) and various members of Little Feat (including drummer Richie Hayward, keyboardist Bill Payne, bassist Kenny Gradney, guitarists Lowell George and later Fred Tackett). Particularly associated with Zevon and Ronstadt were guitarist Waddy Wachtel (who also wrote the first verse of “Werewolves of London”) and mandolinist/slide guitarist David Lindley. Pedal steel mainstays were “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow and Al Perkins, both veterans of the Flying Burrito Brothers.
The Jazz-Pop Heavyweights
The Jazz Crusaders and the L.A. Express were veritable session supergroups, favored by Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell, and with individual credits stretching from Miles Davis, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Zappa to Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Dolly Parton and Aretha Franklin. The L.A. Express included saxophonist Tom Scott, bassist Max Bennett, drummer John Guerin, pianist Joe Sample and guitarist Larry Carlton, later replaced by Robben Ford; Bennett, Sample and Carlton also played in the Crusaders, with trombone player Wayne Henderson, saxophonist Wilton Felder (tenor saxophone) and drummer Stix Hooper. Percussionist/pianist Victor Feldman, bassist Chuck Rainey and guitarist Dean Parks were often found on the same sessions. A little later came perhaps the ultimate session supergroup Toto, whose members included keyboardist David Paich, bassist David Hungate , guitarist Steve Lukather and drummer Jeff Porcaro; their credits (together and separately) include Steely Dan, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Boz Scaggs, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and others way too numerous to mention.
Good Vibrations: Some Great Sessions:
The Beach Boys, Pet Sounds (1965–66)
Drums: Hal Blaine, Jim Gordon
Fender Bass: Carol Kaye
String Bass: Lyle Ritz, Chuck Berghofer
Guitars: Glen Campbell, Jerry Cole, Barney Kessel, Bill Pitman, Ray Pohlman, Billy Strange, Carl Wilson, Al Casey, Tommy Tedesco
Piano: Al De Lory, Don Randi, Larry Knechtel
Accordion: Carl Fontina, Frank Morocco
Percussion: Frank Capp, Jerry Williams, Julius Wechter, Gary Coleman
Trumpet: Ray Caton
Saxophone: Steve Douglas, Plas Johnson, Jay Migliori, Jim Horn, Bill Green, Len Hartman, Jack Nimitz
Flute: Jules Jacob, Bill Green
French Horn: Alan Robinson
Harmonica: Tommy Morgan
Harpsichord: Mike Melvoin
Organ: Brian Wilson, Larry Knechtel
Theremin: Paul Tanner
Frank Zappa, Lumpy Gravy (1967)
Piano, celeste, electric harpsichord: Paul Smith,
Lincoln Mayorga, Pete Jolly
Drums: John Guerin, Frank Capp, Shelley Manne
Percussion: Emil Richards, Gene Estes, Alan Estes, Victor Feldman
Woodwinds: Ted Nash, Bunk Gardner, Don Christlieb, Gene Cipriano
Guitars: Tommy Tedesco, Al Viola, Dennis Budimir
Bass: Jimmy Bond, Chuck Berghofer, Lyle Ritz
Chet Baker, Blood, Chet and Tears (1970)
Tenor Sax: Buddy Collette, Plas Johnson
Guitar: Al Casey, Mike Deasy, Joe Pass, Tommy Tedesco
Bass: Larry Knechtel, Joe Osborne
Drums: Hal Blaine, Gary Coleman
Strings: The Sid Sharp Strings
Marvin Gaye, Let’s Get It On (1973)
Recorded in Los Angeles and Detroit, mixing local and Motown players. Players included:
Piano: Marvin Gaye, Rene Hall, Joe Sample, Marvin Jenkins, David Van DePitte (arranger, conductor)
Guitar: Melvin “Wah Wah” Ragin, Lewis Shelton, David T. Walker, Robert White, Eddie Willis
Saxophone: Ernie Watts, Plas Johnson
Vibes: Emil Richards, Victor Feldman
Bass: Wilton Felder, James Jamerson
Drums: Paul Humphrey, Uriel Jones
Percussion: Bobbye Hall Porter, Eddie “Bongo” Brown
Steely Dan, Katy Lied (1975)
Personnel included:
Guitar: Dean Parks, Larry Carlton
Piano: David Paich
Bass: Chuck Rainey, Wilton Felder
Drums: Jeff Porcaro, Hal Blaine
Percussion: Victor Feldman
Alto Sax: Phil Woods
Tom Waits, One From the Heart (1982)
Piano: Tom Waits, Pete Jolly, Bob Alcivar
Guitar: Dennis Budimir
Bass: Greg Cohen
Organ: Ronnie Baron
Percussion: Victor Feldman, Emil Richards, Joe Porcaro
Drums: Larry Bunker, Shelly Manne
Reeds: Lanny Morgan, Gene Cipriano, Teddy Edwards
Trumpets: Chuck Findley, Jack Sheldon
Accordion: Pete Jolly
The Contemporaries
The golden age of the session player is long over, but musicians still make a living at it. With apologies to everyone who should be mentioned here and isn’t, a sampling of players who might lately be found at work in the recording studios of Hollywood, along with a smattering of their clients.
GUITARISTS
Rusty Anderson — Paul McCartney, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, Jewel, Lisa Loeb
David Hidalgo (of Los Lobos; also accordion, violin) — Suzanne Vega, Tom Waits, Rickie Lee Jones, the Long Ryders, Crowded House, Elvis Costello
Smokey Hormel — Beck, John Doe, Beth Orton, Johnny Cash, Sam Phillips, Tom Waits
Paul Jackson Jr. — Peabo Bryson, Celine Dion, Herbie Hancock, Julio Iglesias, Michael Jackson, Jewel, Madonna, Luis Miguel, Steely Dan, Luther Vandross
Michael Landau — Christina Aguilera, Michael Bolton, Alanis Morissette, Mariah Carey, Cher, Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor
Wendy Melvoin — Prince, Sheryl Crow, Lisa Marie Presley, Joni Mitchell, Neil Finn
Greg Leisz — Dave Alvin, k.d. lang, Beck, Smashing Pumpkins
KEYBOARD PLAYERS
Jon Brion — Grant Lee Buffalo, Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, Robyn Hitchcock, Mary Lou Lord, Elliott Smith
Lisa Coleman — Joni Mitchell, Neil Finn, k.d. lang
Skip Edwards — Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale, Dwight Yoakam, Rosie Flores, Meat Puppets
Rami Jaffee (of the Wallflowers) — Macy Gray, Grant Lee Buffalo, Minibar, Everclear
Jim Lang — Smokey Robinson, Stan Ridgway, Kenny Rogers, Cher, the Eels
Greg Phillinganes —Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, Anita Baker
Mark Ramos-Ni$#!^a (a.k.a. Money Mark) — Beastie Boys, Los Lobos, Mary Lou Lord, Handsome Boy Modeling School
Benmont Tench (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) — Ryan Adams, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Green Day, Rolling Stones, Rufus Wainwright, Lucinda Williams
Patrick Warren — Michelle Branch, Fiona Apple, Vic Chestnutt, Macy Gray, Shelby Lynne, Natalie Merchant, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Something Corporate, X
BASSISTS
Nathan East — *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Eric Clapton, Mary J. Blige, TLC, Ruben Studdard
Flea (of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) —Johnny Cash, Alanis Morissette, Mick Jagger, Warren Zevon
Randy Jackson — Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion
Justin Meldal-Johnsen — Air, Tori Amos, Beck, Macy Gray, Pete Yorn
STRING PLAYERS
Petra Haden (violin) — Victoria Williams, Everclear, Princess Superstar, Green Day, Beck
Lil Haydn (violin) — Christina Aguilera, Peter Case, Porno for Pyros, Josh Groban, Macy Gray
Larry Corbett (cello ) — Beck, Michael Bolton, David Byrne, Mariah Carey, Cracker, Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Aimee Mann
DRUMMERS and PERCUSSIONISTS
Vinnie Colaiuta — Frank Zappa, Christina Aguilera, Leonard Cohen, Billy Joel, John Wesley Harding, Joni Mitchell, Sting
Steve Ferrone — Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Chris Isaak, Chaka Khan, Teena Marie, Bryan Ferry
Danny Frankel — Shivaree, Mike Watt, The Rentals, Eleni Mandell, Peter Himmelman
Josh Freese (of A Perfect Circle) — Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, Shawn Mullins, 3 Doors Down, Paul Westerberg, Rob Zombie
Stephen Hodges — Afghan Whigs, Mike Watt, Tom Waits, Sam Phillips, Dave Alvin, Wanda Jackson
Abe Laboriel Jr. (also bass) — Paul McCartney, Shakira, Jewel, Liz Phair, Lisa Marie Presley
Joey Waronker — R.E.M., Badly Drawn Boy, Richard Thompson, Johnny Lang, Beck
