Actually, Branford, There <i> Was</i> a Real ‘Tonight Show’ Band

I read the article about Branford Marsalis and his experiences on “The Tonight Show” (“Call It a Commercial Break,” Calendar, May 22) and, while I found it interesting, some of it was totally erroneous and other parts created false impressions. Please note, I find Branford Marsalis to be a truly outstanding and wonderful musician, and his band to be very musically adept. However, I would like to correct and rebut some impressions that Marsalis’ statements might have left in people’s minds.

His assessment that “Stump the Band” was “corny” is to miss the point and the comic gifts of a real pro, Johnny Carson. To assume that we as musicians were demeaned by playing “Stump the Band” overlooks the fact that it was a light segment enjoyed by millions of Americans for many years. We were simply having fun. Not a bad thing to do, by the way.

At another point, he implies that our musicians were “ . . . day players (working as needed on a daily rate).” Quite the contrary, our musicians were steady employees of the show and treated well financially without complaint. He also says, in referring to his band, he “treat(s) them with respect. That was something new, because the guys on the show before didn’t have anybody really looking out for their interests, and it was unfortunate.” This would imply that I did not look out for my musicians’ interests and had no respect for them. I think you could ask any one of the former “Tonight Show” orchestra musicians and find this implication is patently untrue. Not only did I treat them with respect, Carson (who made it possible for all of us, including Marsalis and Jay Leno) treated the musicians with the utmost personal, professional and financial respect.

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In addition, Marsalis speaks as though top-notch musical artists only discovered the joy of working with “The Tonight Show” band after he arrived. In fact, artists of immense talent and diversity discovered the joy of working with Carson and his “Tonight Show” band long before Marsalis’ arrival: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Placido Domingo, Tony Bennett, the Allman Brothers, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand, to name only a fraction.

It should be made clear that these artists were not there to jam with Doc Severinsen. They were there to guest with the host of the show, and while I and the orchestra were delighted to work with artists of this caliber, they were there to appear on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” The privilege was ours.

Marsalis also quoted me as saying “ . . . it’s not about music around here. You just have to put up with this crap and make them pay you enough so that you don’t mind.” Having read Marsalis’ take on his role on “The Tonight Show,” I think he’s quoting himself. He’s definitely not quoting me. Quite the contrary, I always had a great feeling of joyfulness at that job and a great respect for it, and was, to the end, grateful to be there. Working for Johnny Carson was an honor and standing in front of that band was a privilege.

At other points, Marsalis suggests that the band was “playing for a wedding.” I take exception to this. Furthermore, our music was much more than what Marsalis suggests was “three inches of sausage” and our “spirit” was not “demeaned.” These are Marsalis’ conflicts. They were never ours.

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Additionally, Calendar writer Don Heckman offered the opinion: “Marsalis’ presence seemed to guarantee an improvement in both the quality and the quantity of music on the show.” While the quantity of music might at times have been in question, I disagree that the quality ever was.

As a minor point, Marsalis reports, “A couple of guys on the old ‘Tonight Show’ told me, ‘Oh, this is the greatest gig ever, man. You go to the golf course in the morning, and then you come to work.’ ” Marsalis’ reaction when he heard that was to ask, “At what point in your life did you stop being a musician?” My question to Marsalis is, at what point in your life did you come to believe that a musician (or any human being, for that matter) cannot enjoy golf, tennis, horseback riding, automobile racing or any pleasure-inducing activity of choice, and not be true to one’s own art or vocation?

In closing, I can only wish Marsalis and his splendid group of musicians the best and hope they learn to enjoy the gift as much as we did. We honored the tradition of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” for 30 years, we respected what we were doing, and we respected ourselves.

Not a bad thing to do, by the way.