Max Bennett

Jazz bassist who served as a sparkplug for small bebop units, modern big bands, and contemporary fusion groups alike, died at his home in San Clemente, Calif., on Sept. 14. He was 90. Bennett’s storied career as a member of the so-called “Wrecking Crew” of Los Angeles session musicians included work on dozens of 1960s and '70s Top 40 hits. He also spent long periods backing up legendary singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and—as a founding member of the L.A. Express—Joni Mitchell, as well as being a bandleader/composer in his own right.