Tom “Bones” Malone is certainly deserving of the often misused epithet of “legend.” His trombone playing has graced hundreds of albums, thousands of radio and television commercials, thousands of television shows and concerts. Not long after leaving North Texas State University for gainful employment in Woody Herman’s jazz orchestra in 1969, he moved to New York City and became a fixture on the busy jazz and pop scenes there.

Career highlights are many, but a few surely include the following. Malone had a 15-year association with the great jazz man Gil Evans, their time together covering seven records and tours of Europe and the Far East, etc. In recent years, he has been part of the posthumous Gil Evans Legacy Band. Malone was an original member of the Saturday Night Live Band—the hip pop-r&b band unique to the vastly popular NBC comedy show–from 1975 to 1985; in addition to performance and arranging duties, he was musical director there for a four year stretch starting in 1981. When SNL comedians-blues lovers John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd launched their high-profile Blues Brothers act in the late-1970s, Malone was enlisted for the horn section; he made important contributions to the Blues Brothers’ films and records. Early in the 1990s, Malone hooked up with Paul Schaffer’s house band at The Late Night Show with David Letterman, playing trombone as well as contributing arrangements.

A versatile musician’s musician also excelling on trumpet, flutes and several types of saxophones, Malone has been sought out to serve many top jazz musicians on live performances and record dates. In addition to Herman and Evans, and to name just a few: Count Basie, Duke Pearson, Louis Bellson, Doc Severinsen, Hank Crawford, City Boys Allstars Lew Soloff and Lou Marini (on various projects), and jazz-rock’s Frank Zappa and Blood, Sweat & Tears. In the pop limelight: Marvin Gaye, George Benson, Al Green, B. B. King, James Brown, the Band, Van Morrison, Steely Dan, John Mayer, CeeLo Green, the list goes on and on. Malone has recorded two albums of his own: Soulbones and his Jazz Septet’s Standards of Living (both released in the 1990s).