Paul Shaffer+ Doc Severinsen Tonight Show Horns DAVID LETTERMAN THEME

1.25.90 Paul Shaffer Band + Doc Severinsen & Tonight Show Horn Section!
"(THEME FROM)Late Night with David Letterman"
The Merging for the Ages.

[@barrybrown9104]

The Tonight Show Starring David Letterman - what could have been

[@feggyduss6463]

The original Letterman theme was even better with horns and the Great Doc Severinsen!

[@BillBurcham]

Paul Shaffer and Doc Severinsen. Holy cow yes!!

[@jnadle1]

But don't forget, whenever Paul and his regulars have a horn section such as George Clinton's P-Funk Horns, Tower of Power, The Uptown Horns, or the horn section from 10,000 Maniacs, they play it like this.

[@artvandelay8090]

Did you see how Doc pegged the crap out of that high A at the end and Sid McGinniss heard that, turned his head and looked at him as if to say, "HOLY SHIT?" Doc is the man, that's all there is to it.

[@marcchervin8905]

Big time! I was just going to say that why even give the guy a microphone? He's louder than the whole band WITHOUT ONE!! 😯

[@QuantumOfSolace1]

My goodness - we only hear the opening section of this theme song - but the whole thing - what a power house of a tune.

[@johnsjohnson448]

The beginning of the "Passing of the Torch." In so many ways, Paul's CBS Orchestra became the modern version of Doc and the NBC Orchestra. As Johnny would say, "Good Stuffff." Thanks for sharing!

[@ssnoc]

Shaffer is an awesome musician and Doc incredible, but this entire band kicks ass and all top shelf players 👍

[@ScoopNemeth]

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson was done at NBC Burbank LA, and that was where Doc Severinsen was the bandleader. The show that followed (Late Night with Letterman) was done at NBC 30 Rockefeller Center New York, and that was where Paul Shaffer was Late Night's bandleader. Two bandleaders from NBC Late Night performing together...badass! Where 30 Rock meets Burbank

[@soonerdad8356]

Remember when late night talk shows were FUN, and had incredible bands?

[@mattdavis3347]

Gotta love Pete Christlieb on Tenor Sax. What a great soloist. There is a reason Steely Dan would hire him along with Tom Scott and Michael Brecker to play on their records.

[@RoeLuv1]

So many memories hearing this theme.

[@WTFG78]

That syncopated chord progression at 1:44… [chef’s kiss]

[@patton303]

Johnny and Dave's bands were unbeatable.

[@SandSpock33]

glad you caught it before taken down by the Letterman Channel. they removed 95% of my old clips.Oh, wait, this isn't the Letterman show! guess it'll stay up a little longer. from the days I used to record audio off tv!

[@kgoerbig]

Man, Doc's double A Natural at the end (B above High C), was sizzling!

[@jimcozine4945]

I am truly sad about how much I took Paul, Anton, Will and Sid (not necessarily in that order) for granted. They were/are virtuosos!!!! I can watch this over, and over, and over, and over, and over………………

[@SandSpock33]

for the band, I never missed the show.

[@natsirt69]

Woah, iirc the only version of this duet (so to speak) was a low-quality VHS capture. Sounds 100% better!

[@bmla88]

This is f**king incredible

[@ryanhallwrites]

FWIW, I still believe this should've been how the Tonight Show theme should have sounded in the 90s through the early 2000s...

[@mikedemenchuk7717]

This is pretty much the last arrangement they used on The Late Show, isn't it?

[@lmiddleman]

One of the best Pete Christlieb.

[@dondahlberg8844]

Doc Severinsen, the greatest trumpet player to ever walk the face of the earth. Most people acknowledge him for his undisputed versatility, great sound, great range, great technique, great interpretation, but he's not nearly as heralded as he deserves to be for his improvisation ability. Listen to him solo on this tune, IN THE KEY OF B NATURAL, no less. Louis Armstrong couldn't do anything even remotely close to this, he's not even in the same universe. Doc was no spring chicken on this performance, he pegs the high A at the beginning of that ending lick from a cold start, and then he kills the high B at the end after already climbing up to the F and F# and holding them. Just incredible playing.

[@Richard-lu8ck]

Agreed.. People talk about Maynard, but all he seemed capable of was screaming. Doc could do anything.

[@perfectlycalm3635]

Louis Armstrong was a beautiful musican, a true innovator and the first great jazz soloist. Doc is an amazing trumpet player. Why tear down Louis Amstrong in Doc's name? Side note: lol at being amazed how he's playing in "THE KEY OF B NATURAL"...wtf?

[@moaningpheromones]

@@perfectlycalm3635 B major? because these people are either young or stupid. or obnoxious.

[@foleynj86]

Don't forget Doc's great suits.

[@jnadle1]

This is how anniversary shows might sound for Letterman or special on-location shows on NBC.

[@josephlama4097]

Best top instrumental band ever

[@josephlama4097]

My inspiration Anton fig on the drums

[@RaginRonic]

He might've done swing music for his paycheck from Johnny, but this shows that Doc could rock his trumpet if he needed to. That's versatility at it's best. =)

[@TheInvincibleViolet]

YEAHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@chillbuddy4178]

❤️❤️

[@philliptarver8197]

What a jam!

[@WTFG78]

3:26 Paul literally throwing it to Anton.

[@billbryant1288]

The horns can play in any key. Tune is in sharp keys so guitars don't get left out.

[@hankkingsley2976]

Mr. Excitement

[@rtmairose7945]

That’s Jay Leno & the TS, from Hollywood. (Really Burbank).

[@RageTVHTX]

Kinda sounds like what became the theme for the CBS show

[@hankkingsley2976]

early letterman was so cool and funny. then it fell apart.

[@randomx7526]

When Paul plays piano it looks like the video is on 2x speed lol

[@JSYBen]

Paul Shaffer is a master on the keyboard, but that Hammond Organ sound has really aged hasn't it? Compared to the rest of the sound, which still sounds fantastic, I find the Hammond organ a little harsh these days. Fantastic track though :)

[@ryanhallwrites]

I'm with you. I'm a huge B3 fan. The tone has no real body. Paul plays the hell out of it, but the tone is kinda harsh.

[@Jayhawk84]

What about Tommy Newsome? Couldn't they have saved a few bars for him?

[@philliptarver8197]

KILL-ER! #eastmeetswest

[@ricknoe942]

Onnly 67 LIKES??? GTFO!!!

[@Bartimaeusify]

Once again, another Trumpet player blowing his butt off, and the sound man should be fired! This is Letterman's professional sound??????? Sad. Leno was a jerk, cause he never let the House Band play for the T.V. viewing audience! (only for in-house audience) Good riddance to both of them.

[@thesaxguy6125]

+C. Bart Typical useless TV mix - all rhythm section and no horns. They just don't get it.

[@mikedemenchuk7717]

I'm pretty sure this clip is from the Carson Tonight Show, Leno guest-hosting days. It's Johnny's set.

[@JuanSAS12]

@@mikedemenchuk7717 confirmed, this was filmed on Johnny's studio in Burbank