Toph-E and the Pussycats

w/ Chris Parker, Will Lee, Ralph MacDonald, Clifford Carter, and Dave Mann
(Sponsored by WAER-FM)

Drawing heavily on Funk, Soul, R&B, Bop and numerous other genres, Toph-E and the Pussycats’ repertoire is heavily eclectic, with the band passionately performing everything from Miles Davis’ “All Blues” and Duke Ellington’s “Rockin’ In Rhythm” to Jazz and Pop classics made famous by Les McCann and Grover Washington Jr.

Pussycats (and Jimmy Buffett Coral Reefer Band) percussionist Ralph MacDonald co-wrote the smash hit “Just the Two of Us,” for Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers, a chart that has become a staple of Toph-E’s set list at gigs. And the quintet’s high-powered, anti-war version of the Gene McDaniels/Eddie Harris/Les McCann Soul-Jazz classic “Compared to What?” never fails to get festival audiences up and dancing.

The Pussycats include drummer/bandleader Chris Parker, (Late Show with David Letterman) bassist Will Lee, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, keyboardist Clifford Carter and saxophonist Dave Mann.

Between them, Toph-E and The Pussycats have recorded and toured with artists such as Natalie Cole, James Taylor, Paul Simon, James Brown, Rosanne Cash, Martin Sexton, Joan Armatrading, Bette Midler, Art Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Ferry, The Four Tops and Steely Dan. They’ve also appeared on countless platinum, gold and Grammy-winning albums by artists such as the original Brecker Brothers, Cher, Donald Fagen, Ashford and Simpson, Freddie Hubbard, Salt n’ Pepa, Miles Davis, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Joe Cocker and Boz Scaggs. Not to mentions stints with the SNL Band, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Band, and Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra

Drummer Chris Parker has helmed Toph-E and The Pussycats since its inception a decade ago in New York City. He began his career touring with Paul Butterfield, before accepting a gig for NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live. He has also played with Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, James Brown and Aretha Franklin, among others. Parker’s current musical endeavors include work with the Pussycats and, Funkasaurus Rex, and Stuff.

While bassist Will Lee has played with a similarly wide-ranging list of artists from Frank Sinatra to Hiram Bullock, he remains best known as an original member of the Late Night with David Letterman house band. Native Detroiter David Mann played lead tenor for Tower of Power, and has appeared with Luther Vandross, Pat Metheny and Bob James. Cliff Carter has played with Natalie Cole, Michael Franks and Herbie Mann, and Ralph MacDonald, arguably the best-known percussionist in the world, has worked with Harry Belafonte, Carole King, George Benson, and Quincy Jones to name a few.