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FRED WESLEY
& THE NEW JB HORNS
BIO
Fred Wesley is the trombonist, composer,
arranger, bandleader and author known
worldwide as one of the architects of funk
music. Fred's work with Godfather of Soul
James Brown in the 1970s established him
as the world's funkiest trombone player.
Today he fronts his own jazz-funk band, the
New JBs, passes his expertise along to
students and younger musicians around the
world, and lends his fire to assorted artists
across a broad musical spectrum.
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.
Born in Mobile, Ala., Fred Wesley began his professional career as a teenage trombonist with
Ike and Tina Turner. He was music director, arranger, trombonist and a primary composer for
James Brown from 1968-1975, then arranged and played for Parliament-Funkadelic and
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Bootsy's Rubber Band. He has played with and arranged for a wide variety of other artists
including Ray Charles, Pancho Sanchez, New York Voices, Slide Hampton, Van Morrison, the
SOS Band and Cameo, to name a few. Scores of other artists including Janet Jackson and Nas
have sampled his work. Since his stint with the Count Basie Orchestra, he has maintained a
focus on jazz – playing, recording, writing and promoting it. His solo jazz recordings include "To
Someone," "Amalgamation," "Comme Ci Comme Ca," "Full Circle" and "Wuda Cuda Shuda."
Line-Up: Fred Wesley trombone & voclas
Bruce Cox drums
Dwayne Dolphin bass
Peter Madsen piano & keyboards
Reggie Ward guitar
Phillip Whack saxophone
Gary Winters trumpet
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This is a multimedia document - copyright © 2012 Basitours, All rights reserved.