This is a list of session musicians — professional musicians who perform in individual sessions rather than being a permanent member of an ensemble. The list covers those who are especially notable for such work.
List
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.- Abraham Laboriel Sr., bass guitar
- Airto Moreira, percussion
- Alex Acuña, drums, percussion
- Bernard Purdie, drums
- Bob Babbitt, bass guitar
- Bobbye Hall, percussion — one of the few female session musicians
- Bobby Keys, saxophone
- Carol Kaye, bass guitar — one of the few female session musicians
- David Sanborn, saxophone
- Earl Palmer, drums
- Fred Lonberg-Holm, cello
- Geraint Watkins, accordion, piano
- Hal Blaine, drums
- Jay Graydon, guitar
- Justo Almario, clarinet, flute, saxophone
- Karl Brazil, drummer
- Luis Conte, percussion
- Michael Lang, piano
- Mike Mogis, guitar and other instruments
- Milton McDonald, guitar
- Mitchell Coleman Jr., drums
- Nicky Hopkins, piano
- Paulinho Da Costa, percussion
- Pino Palladino, bass guitar
- Ramon "Ray" Yslas, drums
- Steve Cropper, guitar
- Wayne Jackson, trumpet — a regular house musician for Stax Records
References
- ^ Colin Larkin (2011), The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Omnibus Press, p. 150, ISBN 978-0857125958,
...paid tribute with 'Session Man' from Face To Face.
- ^ The tide was always high : the music of Latin America in Los Angeles. Josh Kun, Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. Oakland, California. 2017. ISBN 978-0-520-29439-4. OCLC 974992156.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Rob Bowman (2003), "Session musician", Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World, vol. II: Performance and Production, pp. 104–106, ISBN 978-0826463227
- ^ Michaelangelo Matos (10 May 2011), "Indie music and the hired gun", The Guardian
- Christopher J. Oglesby (2013), Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air, University of Texas Press, ISBN 978-0292749696,
Bobby Keys is one of the premier rock 'n' roll and R&B saxophone session players.
- ^ Graeme Thompson (14 June 2009), "Pop stars anonymous", The Observer
- Burlingame, Jon (August 5, 2022). "Mike Lang, Leading Jazz and Studio Pianist, Dies at 80". Variety. Retrieved January 5, 2023.