On December 3, 2025, Steven Lee Cropper died aged 84. He was musician, songwriter, record producer and actor, known as “The Colonel”. He was the guitarist of the “Stax Records” house band, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, which backed artists such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, and Johnnie Taylor. He was also member of the Blues Brothers Band, and recorded and performed with many other artists including Alabama, Jimmy Barnes, William Bell, Barbi Benton, Big Star, Stephen Bishop, Frank Black, Bobby and the Midnites, Booker T. & MG.’s, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Burnette, Brian Cadd, Cate Brothers, Chicago, David Clayton Thomas, A. J. Croce, Patti Dahlstrom, Delaney & Bonnie, Ned Doheny, Yvonne Elliman, Jose Feliziano, Eddie Floyd, Peter Frampton, Richie Furay, Art Garfunkel, Cyndi Grecco, Levon Helm, Chris Hillman, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Etta James, Wynonna Judd, Albert King, B.B. King, Al Kooper, John Lennon, Ann Margret, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Craig Morgan, Aaron Neville, Wayne Newton, Harry Nilsson, John Oates, Nigel Olsson, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Wilson Pickett, Michel Polnareff, John Prine, Otis Redding, Bruce Roberts, Leon Russell, Sanford & Townsend, Leo Sayer, Poncho Sanchez, Guy Sebastian, Neil Sedaka, Paul Shaffer, Paul Simon, Percy Sledge, Broderick Smith, The Soul Children, The Staple Singers, Mavis Staple, Ringo Starr, Rod Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Carla Thomas, Mickey Thomas, Wendy Waldman, Tower of Power, The Manhattan Transfer, Dale Watson and Jerry Lynn Williams. Magazine “Rolling Stone” ranked him 36th on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists”. Cropper won two “Grammy Awards”, and as leader or co-leader Cropper released 13 albums.
Tag Archives: Michel Polnareff
Jaco Pastorius
On September 21, 1987, John Francis Anthony “Jaco” Pastorius III died aged 35. He was a musician (bass), a member of Weather Report (1976 – 1981). Regarded as one of the best world bass players, he worked and recorded with Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock, Randy Bernsen, Little Beaver, Ira Sullivan, Albert Mangelsdorff, Ian Hunter, Airto Moreira, Tom Scott, Flora Purim, Cockrell & Santos, Michel Colombier, Manolo Badrena, Michel Polnareff, Bob Mintzer, Brian Melvin, Jimmy Cliff, Brian Melvin Trio, and Mike Stern. In 2006 Pastorius was voted “The Greatest Bass Player Who Has Ever Lived” by readers in Bass Guitar magazine, and was inducted in the Down Beat “Hall of Fame”. During his lifetime Pastorius released four albums as a leader.
CAB: Theatre de Marionnettes
October 20, 2009, “Brunel Music” label released “Theatre de Marionnettes”, the fourth CAB studio album. It was recorded in 2008, at 2008 at “Gigi Studios” in Laguna Niguel, California, “North Allen Studio” and “Gildon Studios” in Hollywood, and was produced by Bunny Brunel and Tony MacAlpine.
Personnel:
- Tony MacAlpine– guitar, keyboard, mixing
- Freddie Fox – guitar
- Bernard Torelli – guitar, mixing, mastering
- Patrice Rushen– clavinet, keyboard, piano
- Bunny Brunel– keyboard, bass, mixing
- Sandeep Chowta – keyboard
- Chick Corea– electric piano
- Michel Polnareff– piano
- Brian Auger– Hammond organ
- Virgil Donati– drums
- Jeff Elliott – trumpet
- Doug Webb– saxophone
- Tyrone Fernandes – mastering
Track listing:
- The Prankster – Bunny Brunel, Sandeep Chowta
- Katputli – Bunny Brunel
- The Sultan of Brunel – Sandeep Chowta
- Purple Mars – Tony MacAlpine
- The Ventriloquist – Tony MacAlpine
- Just Do It – Bunny Brunel
- Rain – Bunny Brunel
- The Pub – Tony MacAlpine
- Another Day – Bunny Brunel
- Jaco Rocco Circus – Bunny Brunel
- Theatre de Marionnettes – Bunny Brunel
High Cloud – Bunny Brunel
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