Tom Malone

Early life

Malone was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father, Odie Malone, was a U.S. Navy pilot who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Malone graduated from North Texas State University with Lou Marini, who would also become a member of the Blues Brothers band. Both were members of the One O'Clock Lab Band at North Texas.

Career

He began playing professionally as lead trumpeter for Brenda Lee at a club in Jackson, Mississippi while enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi. In response to a call from Warren Covington, leader of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, he began contracting musicians. After transferring to North Texas State University, Malone continued working as both a player and a contractor for groups.

After graduation, Malone worked in bands of Woody Herman (1969), Duke Pearson (1970), Doc Severinsen (1971), Louie Bellson (1972), Frank Zappa (1972), and Blood, Sweat & Tears (1973). In 1973, Malone began a close, fifteen-year association with Gil Evans, whom he has called a mentor. He recorded albums with Evans and toured Europe, Japan, and the Far East. In 1975 Malone toured with Billy Cobham and in 1976 with the Band. He also contributed to the band Blood, Sweat & Tears on their album No Sweat.

After he was heard performing with Ten Wheel Drive and Genya Ravan, he received a call from Saturday Night Live a late-night comedy television program. From 1975 to 1985 he worked as arranger for Saturday Night Live and from 1981 to 1985 as musical director. He wrote the chart for the skit that introduced John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as the Blues Brothers. He appeared in the movie version and in 1993 reunited with Paul Shaffer, who worked for Saturday Night Live, and Will Lee, who was a member of the CBS Orchestra. Malone was on the Letterman Show from 1993 until 2015 and contributed more than 2,500 arrangements to the Late Show with David Letterman.

He worked on the film score for Blues Brothers 2000.

As a studio musician, he has been heard on more than 1,500 records, more than 3,500 radio and television commercials, and over 4,500 live television shows. He has played themes for CBS This Morning, Murder, She Wrote, and the 1992 Winter Olympics. His solo album, Soul Bones, includes guest appearances by Paul Shaffer and John Popper of Blues Traveler. Additional film credits include The Last Waltz and Sister Act.

In 2007, Malone was invited by music director Geoffrey Moull to arrange and perform a concert with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. In 2011, Malone was guest artist with the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.

Malone currently appears with Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi Blues Brothers Band and Lou Marini's Original Blues Brothers Band.

Discography

As leader

Standards of Living (Big World Music, 1991)

As a member

Blood, Sweat & Tears

No Sweat (Columbia, 1973)

With The Blues Brothers

Briefcase Full of Blues (Atlantic, 1978)

The Blues Brothers (Atlantic, 1980)

Made in America (Atlantic, 1981)

Blues Brothers 2000 (Uptown/Universal, 1999)

As a sideman

With Gil Evans

The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix (RCA, 1974)

There Comes a Time (RCA, 1976)

Live at Sweet Basil (King/Electric Bird, 1985)

Live at Sweet Basil Vol. 2 (King/Electric Bird, 1986)

With Woody Herman

Heavy Exposure (Cadet, 1969)

Double Exposure (Chess, 1976)

With Spyro Gyra

Morning Dance (Infinity, 1979)

Catching the Sun (MCA, 1980)

Carnaval (MCA, 1980)

Freetime (MCA, 1981)

With Frank Zappa

Zappa in New York (WEA, 1977)

Leatherette (Lunar Toones, 1978)

Imaginary Diseases (Zappa, 2006)

Wazoo (Zappa, 2007)

With others

Jan Akkerman, Jan Akkerman 3 (Atlantic, 1979)

Average White Band, Warmer Communications (Atlantic, 1978)

The Band, Islands (Capitol, 1977)

The Band, The Last Waltz (Warner Bros., 1978)