Bob Cranshaw

Bob Cranshaw (b. 1932; real name Melbourne Cranshaw) is a bass player, specializing primarily in jazz, who was part of the original house band on Sesame Street, as formed by Joe Raposo, beginning in 1969. The same year, Cranshaw also appeared in film footage (with Raposo and other Sesame musicians) directed by Jim Henson to demonstrate RCA's Select-a-Vision. Cranshaw plucked his bass to Mancini's "Windmills of Your Mind."

Cranshaw was heard in many Sesame albums through the 1990s. On the concept album Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra, he played for the double bass player character, Vernado Vivaldo. Cranshaw also worked with Raposo on The Electric Company and performed on Saturday Night Live, on many albums with Sonny Rollins, and as sideman to the likes of Buddy Rich, Paul Simon, and George Benson.

Discography

 * The Sesame Street Monsters! (1975)
 * The Count Counts (1975)
 * Merry Christmas from Sesame Street (1975; credited as part of the Sesame Street Festival Orchestra)
 * Big Bird Leads the Band (1977) - Bass
 * Happy Birthday from Sesame Street (1977)
 * In Harmony (1980) - Bass
 * Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra (1981)
 * Elmo's Favorite Sing-Alongs (1993) - Bass
 * Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music (2003)