Kevin Eubanks Jumping Ship From THE TONIGHT SHOW

Kevin Eubanks is the latest fallout from NBC's late night mess. Reportedly, Kevin Eubanks wanted to have a deal similar to that of Max Weinberg, who could takes leaves when he wanted to play with Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band. However, it looks like leaving THE TONIGHT SHOW a few weeks after it debuts after the Winter Olympics is the course that Eubanks will take, while a replacement is found for him.

Eubanks often makes a great comic foil for the antics of Jay Leno, so someone able to have a comic presence might well be an important qualification. With Conan O'Brien, Max Weinberg had one of the best deadpan comics personas of anyone. And, Paul Shaffer from THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN had some great comic moments on the old SNL program some years back.

Kevin Eubanks is a serious musician who hasn't been able to record an album since 2006 because THE TONIGHT SHOW schedule was so demanding. Leaving the show will allow him to concentrate on other musical ambitions.