DRUMMER CAFE

[shameless plug alert on]
When I was on the show in 1996 with the Bottle Band (www.bottleband.org  ). . .
[shameless plug alert off]

. . . we arrived at the studio around 10:00am.  The Late Show band was already there rehearsing.  They played until about 11:00 or 11:30 while we got settled, and then they took a break.  While they were off we did our staging rehearsals, camera rehearsals, and stood in place on stage while the lighting and audio guys set their stuff.  We finished our rehearsal about 1:00pm, after which we took a break.  We were back by 4:30pm for a 5:30pm taping.

For our return visit for New Years Eve in 1998, they taped two shows that day.

im not so sure how musically repetitive it is. maybe the themes intro and outro. but they all seem to wail on all kinds of different stuff every night. most of which you don't hear on tv because they play during the commercials.

when they back guests, it's all different stuff.

no doubt about it, any tv talk show music gig has got to be sweet, anything from emeril's cooking show on up to the tonight show thing.

they can leave the equipment set up. no loading in and out. perfect sound every time. done by 6 or 7pm at the latest, should anyone have a night gig. insurance.

in other words, just like a regular job! branford marsalis must have been nuts to be so unhappy with it.

Yes, that was the point I made in post one.
They were wailing enthusiastically over the end credits, a piece they must have played hundreds of times.