The CBS Orchestra BIO 2

July 2012
THE CBS ORCHESTRA

ALAN CHEZ
(Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Valve Trombone and Percussion, CBS Orchestra, LATE
SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
Alan Chez joined the CBS Orchestra on Feb. 3, 1997 after years of sitting in on
trumpet and flugelhorn with "Late Night with David Letterman" and the LATE SHOW.
Chez started his extensive music career at the age of 9 when he joined his father's local
drum corps, the Saints. Chez still donates his time to drum corps activity, working with many
DCI and DCA corps as well as BOA bands. Chez conducts brass music clinics, marching band
clinics and performances throughout the country.
In 1979, he joined forces with Jon Bon Jovi to create the band the Atlantic City
Expressway, which played New Jersey shore clubs for five years. Chez has also played with
such artists as Tower of Power, Robert Cray Band, Spyro Gyra and Bon Jovi. He has performed
at such events as the Presidential Inauguration, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, John
Lennon's 50th birthday celebration, the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies,
the Concert of the Century, the Concert for New York and the Very Special Christmas Concert.
Chez also has a newly formed band, "Al Chez & The Brothers of Funk Big Band," a big
band playing rock and soul music with a big horn sound and they will be on tour in 2013.
Chez was born in Jersey City, N.J., on July 7. He and his wife, Cat, six kids, three dogs
and two cats, continue to live in the great state of New Jersey.
*
BRUCE KAPLER
(Musician, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)

Bruce Kapler joined the CBS Orchestra on Nov. 1, 1993. He plays many instruments, including
soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass sax, flute, clarinet, recorder, keyboards and
percussion, and is a vocalist as well. Kapler became affiliated with David Letterman on "Late
Night with David Letterman" in 1988 as a musician and arranger. He made more than 30
appearances on the program and was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Musical
Arranger for "Late Night with David Letterman's Tenth Anniversary" primetime special.
Kapler's birth date is July 3.
*
FELICIA MICHELE COLLINS

(Guitarist, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
Felicia Michele Collins is the only member of the CBS Orchestra who has performed
solely on the LATE SHOW. She joined the CBS Orchestra on Aug. 30, 1993, on its premiere
broadcast. Aside from being a versatile guitarist, she is also known for her extraordinary vocal
skills. She has recorded with such artists as Billy Bob Thornton, Whitney Houston, George
Clinton and P-Funk, Cyndi Lauper and N'Dea Davenport. She recorded and toured the world
many times with singer Al Jarreau as his lead guitarist and featured vocalist. During that time,
she took several months off to form OUTLOUD with Nile Rodgers and Philippe Saisse and to
record a CD with the same title. It was at the close of Cyndi Lauper's Hat Full of Stars tour in
the summer of 1993 that Paul Shaffer called to ask Collins if she would be interested in joining
the CBS Orchestra. Now, she and her band, Felicia Collins & the Life, are knocking 'em dead in
live venues. Her latest CD, Strings Attached, features Willie Nelson, Valerie Simpson, and
members of the CBS Orchestra.
*
ANTON FIG
(Percussionist, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
Anton Fig joined Paul Shaffer in 1986. Aside from playing in the CBS Orchestra and
providing drum rolls and rim shots for David Letterman's antics, Fig has also appeared in
comedy sketches on the show. Over the years, he has performed and recorded with Bob Dylan,
Mick Jagger, Madonna, Kiss, Paul Simon and Booker T. & the MGs. His first solo album,
Figments, is available at www.antonfig.com. Fig was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and
lives in New York. His birth date is Aug. 8.
*
WILL LEE
(Bassist, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
GRAMMY Award-winning Will Lee holds the distinction of playing with Paul Shaffer
on both "Late Night with David Letterman" and the LATE SHOW longer than any other member
of the CBS Orchestra. Although Lee is proficient on several instruments and often provides
backup vocals, his primary instrument is bass. He has toured with Bette Midler, Barry Manilow,
Horace Silver and the Brecker Brothers. Lee has recorded with Mariah Carey, Carly Simon,
Steely Dan, Cat Stevens, Michael Bolton, Ringo Starr, Frankie Valli, Laura Nyro, Spyro Gyra,
Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine, Nancy Wilson, Luther Vandross, Cyndi Lauper,
Chaka Khan, James Brown, George Benson, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow, Cher, D'Angelo,
Michael Franks, Weather Report, Al Green, the Brecker Brothers, Frank Sinatra, Barbra
Streisand, Diana Ross, David Sanborn, Ricky Martin, Natalie Cole and Gato Barbieri. He has
also performed with three members of The Beatles and travels around the world with his Beatles
tribute band, The Fab Faux. Along with LATE SHOW drummer Anton Fig and guitarist Oz Noy,
he performs most Mondays at NYCs Bitter End and can often be found around the world
playing with original "Late Night with David Letterman" guitarist Hiram Bullock, and many
others.
Lee is an inductee in the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, and has a permanent
display there. He released a CD of his own, Oh!, and a jazz album, BirdHouse, with his father,
Bill. He was born in San Antonio, Texas, on Sept. 8. He lives in New York. Follow him on
Twitter at @Willbassboy.
*
TOM "BONES" MALONE

(Musician, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
Tom "Bones" Malone, who joined the CBS Orchestra on Nov. 1, 1993, plays trombone,
trumpet, bass trombone, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, flute, piccolo and alto flute and has
contributed more than 400 arrangements to the LATE SHOW. His feature film credits include
"The Blues Brothers," "The Last Waltz" and "Blues Brothers 2000." He played in the original
Saturday Night Band on "Saturday Night Live" for 10 years and was its musical director from
1981 to 1985. He has also performed and recorded with James Brown, Frank Zappa, Blood,
Sweat & Tears, the Band, Miles Davis and Steve Winwood. As a studio musician, he has been
heard on more than 1000 records and in more than 3000 radio and television commercials.
Malone has also played themes for "CBS This Morning," "Murder, She Wrote" and the 1992
Olympic Winter Games, all on CBS. His solo album, Soul Bones, features guest appearances by
Paul Shaffer and Blues Traveler's John Popper. Malone is originally from Sumrall, Miss., and
lives in New York.
*
SID McGINNIS
(Guitarist, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
Sid McGinnis joined "Late Night with David Letterman" in 1984 as guest guitarist of the
week and remained as a permanent guitarist with Letterman ever since. He has toured with
Barry Manilow, Peter Gabriel, Carly Simon and Laurie Anderson, and recorded with such
diverse artists as Dire Straits, Ashford & Simpson, David Lee Roth, Bob Dylan and David
Bowie. McGinnis was born in Pittsburgh and lives and rebuilds his guitar amplifiers in the New
York area. His birth date is Oct. 6.
*
PAUL SHAFFER
(Musical Director, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)
Paul Shaffer has been David Letterman's musical director and sidekick for more than 30
years.
He began his career in 1972 as musical director of the Toronto production of "Godspell."
He played piano in "The Magic Show" on Broadway in 1974, then spent the next five years with
the original "Saturday Night Live," where he played keyboards, composed special musical
material and, in 1980, became a featured performer.
In 1977, he took a brief break from the show to star in the CBS comedy series "A Year at
the Top," produced by Norman Lear and Don Kirshner. After his return to "Saturday Night
Live," he collaborated with Gilda Radner on the songs for her Broadway show, in which he also
appeared. He served as musical director for the Blues Brothers John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd
for their double platinum album and national tour. He has also guest starred in the television
series Ed, The Sopranos and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
In addition to recording his own albums, Coast to Coast (1989) and The World's Most
Dangerous Party (1993), Shaffer recorded with such diverse artists as Diana Ross, Yoko Ono
and Robert Plant's Honeydrippers. He composed the LATE SHOW theme song and, with Paul
Jabara, wrote the #1 '80s dance hit "It's Raining Men," performed by the Weather Girls and rerecorded by Geri Halliwell for the "Bridget Jones's Diary" soundtrack, topping the British pop
charts in 2001. In 2002, he received his first GRAMMY Award, Best Country Instrumental,
for the Earl Scruggs and Friends album. He co-produced an avant-garde jazz album for his
mentor, Tsziji Munoz, released on Dreyfus Records.
His feature film roles include Artie Fufkin in Rob Reiner's "This Is Spinal Tap." He also
appeared in the Mike Nichols-directed "Gilda Live," the Bill Murray movie "Scrooged," and
with John Travolta in "Look Who's Talking Too." He is heard as the voice of Hermes in Disney's
animated feature "Hercules" and the television series based on the film. He produced the goldselling soundtrack for and appeared in "Blues Brothers 2000", and composed original songs for
the movie "Strangers with Candy."
Shaffer has served as musical director and producer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
induction ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria since its inception in 1986. He led the band for the
"We Are the World" finale of Live Aid. Shaffer hosted CBS's 1994 New Year's Eve special from
New York's Times Square and was musical director of the closing concert at the 1996 Olympic
Games. He appeared with the Blues Brothers at the 1996 Super Bowl halftime show and was
musical director of the 1999 Concert of the Century at the White House, featuring Eric Clapton,
B. B. King, Gloria Estefan, 'N Sync and others, to aid music programs in public schools. He was
the musical director of Paul McCartney's "Concert for New York" and appeared with Faith Hill
on the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon, both of which honored and raised money for
victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Paul Shaffers This Day in Rock, is a daily interstitial feature nationally syndicated by
Envision Radio. His best-selling memoir, published in October 2009 by Doubleday/Flying
Dolphin, a division of Random House, is entitled Well Be Here For The Rest of Our Lives.
Shaffer holds two honorary doctorate degrees, was recently inducted into the National
Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame and was awarded a star on Canadas Walk of
Fame. In 2008, Shaffer received the Order of Canada, Canadas highest civilian honor.
Currently, he is the National Spokesperson for Epilepsy Canada. He lives in the New York area
with his wife and two children. Follow him on Twitter at @paulshaffer.
*

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July 2012

THE CBS ORCHESTRA

(Musician, CBS Orchestra, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN)

FELICIA MICHELE COLLINS

TOM "BONES" MALONE

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