Synopsis

Bootsy Collins leads a high-energy television performance of "Stretchin' Out (In a Rubber Band)," turning the funk classic into an extended showcase for groove, personality, and musicianship. Dressed in his unmistakable flamboyant style, Collins handles vocals and bass while the backing band locks into the song's elastic rhythm. Host David Sanborn joins on alto saxophone, adding a jazz-inflected counterpoint to the P-Funk foundation. The performance captures Bootsy's playful stage presence and the loose, collaborative spirit of late-1980s music television.

Factoids & Trivia

• The performance comes from the eclectic NBC music program *Night Music*, originally known as *Sunday Night*. The series ran for two seasons between 1988 and 1990 and was hosted by saxophonist David Sanborn.

• Sanborn does not merely host the segment: he joins Collins on alto saxophone. The performance also features the program's house musicians, including Hiram Bullock, Omar Hakim, Philippe Saisse, Tom Barney, and Don Alias.

• The song originated on *Stretchin' Out in Bootsy's Rubber Band*, Collins' 1976 debut album with Bootsy's Rubber Band. The television version revisits the track more than a decade later in a looser live setting.

• The episode also included appearances by Pretty Fat, Carla Bley, Steve Swallow, Allen Toussaint, and Karen Mantler and her band, reflecting *Night Music*'s unusually broad mix of funk, jazz, soul, and experimental music.

• The clip remains popular among bass players because Collins' animated delivery puts equal emphasis on showmanship and the physical presence of his bass playing.