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Artist
Bob Cranshaw
12+ albums
funkjazzacid jazz
about
Bob Cranshaw (December 10, 1932 - November 2, 2016) was an American jazz bassist. Born Melbourne R. Cranshaw in Evanston, Illinois, USA, his career spans the heyday of Blue Note Records to his recent involvement with the Musicians Union. He is perhaps best known for his long association with Sonny Rollins. Cranshaw has been in Rollins's working band on and off for over five decades, starting with a live appearance at the 1959 Playboy jazz festival in Chicago and on record with the 1962 album The Bridge. Some of Cranshaw's best-known performances include on Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder and Grant Green's Idle Moments. Cranshaw also served as the sole session bassist to Sesame Street and The Electric Company songwriter and composer Joe Raposo, and played bass guitar on all songs, tracks, buttons and cues recorded by the Children's Television Workshop during Raposo's tenure. In addition, he was the bass player for Saturday Night Live from 1975 to 1980 and musical director and bassist for Dick Cavett's talk show in the early 1980s. He has played in pit orchestras for numerous Broadway shows including Jesus Christ Superstar, Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band: The Musical and many more. He has done innumerable recording dates for television shows, films and jingles. He is among the most frequently recorded bassists in history. Cranshaw has performed and recorded with a wide range of leading jazz artists, including Tony Bennett, Ella Fit
