Fred Wesley Biography

"We speak of love and happiness: For me,happiness is Fred Wesley playing his horn." - James Brown "[Fred Wesley is] one of the mostinfluential instrumentalist/composer/arrangersin the annals of R&B, soul-jazz, and hop-hop. . .[and] one of the most sampled musicians in theworld today." - Billboard Magazine One of the music world's most-sampled artists thanks to his work with theGodfather of Soul James Brown, Fred Wesley is one of the key architects offunk music. Born in Mobile, Ala., he began his professional career as a teenagetrombonist with Ike and Tina Turner. He was music director, arranger, trombonistand a primary composer for James Brown from 1968-1975, then arrangedand played for Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy's Rubber Band. Hehas played with and arranged for a wide variety of other artists including RayCharles, Pancho Sanchez, New York Voices, Slide Hampton, Van Morrison,the SOS Band and Cameo, to name a few. Scores of other artists includingJanet Jackson ("That's the Way Love Goes") and Nas ("Nastradamus") havesampled his work. After a stint with the Count Basie Orchestra, he's nurtured adevotion to jazz – playing, recording, writing and promoting it. His solo jazz recordingsinclude "To Someone," "Amalgamation," "Comme Ci Comme Ca," "FullCircle" and "Wuda Cuda Shud.” TROMBONE PLAYER: Fred Wesley has no equals in American music. Whether it’s jazz, funk, R&B, blues or other, his solos are always hot. BANDLEADER: From his direction of James Brown’s fabled JBs to today’s Fred Wesley Group, he knows how to choose the best musicians and meld them into tight units that generate mad heat. ARRANGER AND COMPOSER: Some of funk music’s biggest hits by James Brown, the JBs, Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy’s Rubber Band are living testaments to his skill, as are his soulful jazz compositions such as “For the Elders,” “La Bossa” and “No One.” SIDE MAN: The reliability and fire he’s contributed to bands ranging from the Count Basie Orchestra to the American Idol Band, make him a sure bet in any setting. AUTHOR: His half-century career is a treasure trove of stories, some of which fill the pages of his compelling memoir “Hit Me, Fred: Recollections of a Side Man.” MUSICOLOGIST AND EDUCATOR: Wesley shares his wealth of musical knowledge and experiences through liner notes, articles and interviews, and with young musicians in settings including classrooms, band rooms and recital halls at colleges and universities worldwide. Book Fred Wesley for shows and concerts at Heavy Rotation booking agency. Worldwide Bookings with HR Booking. Fred Wesley Booking, Book Fred Wesley. Book artists like Fred Wesley, Fred Wesley booking agent, contact Fred Wesley email, Fred Wesley manager, Fred Wesley management for concerts, bookings, biography, pictures, videos. Fred Wesley may be available for your club shows, private party, festivals or other events.