Max Weinberg

Entering what F. Scott Fitzgerald might term the third act of an already celebrated career, Max Weinberg presents the Max Weinberg Big Band. Building upon his seventeen years as the leader of what Tom Shales, famed TV critic of the Washington Post called, “the best band in late night Television,” the Max Weinberg Big Band is a bold, swinging fifteen piece aggregation that continues the traditions established by Max’s musical heroes—among whom, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa, Doc Severinsen, and Maynard Ferguson lead the pack.

Judging by the crowd’s enthusiastic reaction to the Max Weinberg Big Band’s debut performance at the Fontainbleu Hotel in Miami Beach during Christmas Week of 2009 their approach to the hard-driving instrumental jazz that was a staple of television variety shows in the 1960’s and 1970’s has been sorely missed and fulfills a long held dream by Max to bring it back to the world’s stages.

“I’m old enough to remember when “a night on the town” included a great meal at a nightclub in New York City and a performance by entertainers like The Buddy Rich Orchestra, Duke Ellington, Bobby Darin’s Orchestra, Sammy Davis Jr. and so many others who created a golden era of musical variety. I’ve been so fortunate to not only see so many of my favorite legendary performers but, with my work on both the Late Night and The Tonight Show programs, I’ve had the opportunity to perform with such greats as Tony Bennett, BB King, Isaac Hayes (performing a classic “Shaft” with a twenty-five piece orchestra of my own design), grow as a musician, and finally take my act on the road.

Speaking of the road—2010 brings another milestone to Max. His thirty-sixth year performing and recording with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. Referred to by Robert Palmer of The New York Times as “the rhythmic backbone of The E Street Band, Max was featured with the band during the 2009 Super Bowl XLIII from Tampa, Florida which happened to be the largest TV audience in Super Bowl history (over 105,000,000). It was also a great game. Most recently Max was featured with Bruce and The E Street Band on the HBO Special, The Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame 25th Anniversary, which was recorded live at Madison Square garden in October of 2009 and repeatedly broadcast on the network during December of that year. There will be more concerts by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band in the future as their sold out 2008’s Magic Tour and 2009’s Working On A Dream Tour has shown-the group continues to build their audience worldwide.

Performing on the classic album, Born In The USA, put Max and the rest of his E Street cohorts in the record books as having the biggest selling rock album in history. Though citing his work through the years with Bruce and The E Street Band as, “the attainment of everything a twelve year old drummer from the suburbs of Jersey ever dared to dream,” Max has kept himself busy for nearly four decades performing with the likes of Paul McCartney, Sting, Tom Jones, Ringo Starr (on Ringo’s drums!), Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bono of U2, Levon Helm and the Band. Of particular importance and one of Max’s biggest thrills was backing Tony Bennett on television, a venue where Mr. Bennett rarely performed without his own group.

“I think playing with Tony Bennett opened my eyes to what I might actually be able to do if I worked hard at my music to eventually step away from the rock genre. Tony was swingin’ and he told me and my band that we swung him. That was huge for me and I can directly link that first performance in 1997 with sparking my interest in creating my own Big Band.” Hide