Fred Wesley (born July 4, 1943) is an American

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

who worked with

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

in the 1960s and 1970s and

Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...

in the second half of the 1970s.

Biography

Wesley was born the son of a high school teacher and

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

leader in

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it o ...

, and raised in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth-most-populous city in Alabama ...

. As a child he took piano and later trumpet lessons. He played baritone horn and trombone in school, and at around age 12 his father brought a trombone home, whereupon he switched (eventually permanently) to trombone. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was a pivotal member of

's bands, playing on many hit recordings including " Say it Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud," "

Mother Popcorn "Mother Popcorn (You Got to Have a Mother for Me)" is a song recorded by James Brown and released as a two-part single in 1969. A #1 R&B and #11 Pop hit, it was the highest-charting of a series of recordings inspired by the popular dance the Pop ...

" and co-writing tunes such as "

Hot Pants Hotpants or hot pants are extremely short shorts. The term was first used by ''Women's Wear Daily'' in 1970 to describe shorts made in luxury fabrics such as velvet and satin for fashionable wear, rather than their more practical equivalents th ...

." His slippery riffs and pungent, precise solos, complementing those of saxophonist

Maceo Parker Maceo Parker (; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many o ...

, gave Brown's R&B,

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

, and

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...

tunes their instrumental punch. In the 1970s he also served as

band leader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues ...

and

musical director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the di ...

of Brown's band the J.B.'s and did much of the composing and arranging for the group. His name was credited on 'Fred Wesley & the J.B.'s' recording of "

Doing It to Death "Doing It to Death", also known as "Gonna Have a Funky Good Time", is a funk song recorded by The J.B.'s featuring James Brown. A 10-minute, two-part version of "Doing It to Death" was included on a J.B.'s album of the same name. The complete ...

," which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a

gold disc Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

by the R.I.A.A. in July 1973. He left Brown's band in 1975 and spent several years playing with George Clinton's various

projects, even recording a couple of albums as the leader of a spin-off group,

The Horny Horns The Horny Horns were a horn section associated with Parliament-Funkadelic and Bootsy's Rubber Band led by trombonist Fred Wesley. The group also featured saxophonist Maceo Parker and Rick Gardner and Richard "Kush" Griffith on trumpets. While ...

. Wesley became a force in jazz in 1978 when he joined the

Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 – April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...

Orchestra. He released his first jazz album as a leader, ''To Someone'' in 1988. It was followed by ''New Friends'' in 1990, ''Comme Ci Comme Ca'' in 1991, the

live album An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records c ...

''Swing and Be Funky'', and ''Amalgamation'' in 1994. In the early 1990s Wesley toured with his colleagues from the James Brown band,

Pee Wee Ellis Alfred James Ellis (April 21, 1941 – September 23, 2021), known as Pee Wee Ellis due to his diminutive stature, was an American saxophonist, composer, and arranger. With a background in jazz, he was a member of James Brown's band in the 19 ...

and Maceo Parker, as the

JB Horns The J.B.'s (sometimes punctuated The JB's or The J.B.s) was the name of James Brown's band from 1970 through the early 1980s. On records the band was sometimes billed under alternate names such as Fred Wesley and the JBs, The James Brown Soul ...

. With the departure of Ellis the band became The Maceo Parker Band. Wesley was featured trombonist with Parker until 1996 when he formed his own band, The Fred Wesley Group, now known as Fred Wesley and the New JBs. Wesley recorded an album with San Diego soul-jazz luminaries The Greyboy Allstars in 1994 called West Coast Boogaloo, and toured with the band in 1995, 1996 and again in 2012 Fred wesley-02

Wesley's 35-year career includes playing with and arranging for a wide variety of other artists including

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader. Hampton worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles ...

Randy Crawford Veronica "Randy" Crawford (born February 18, 1952) is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a solo artist. However, she has ap ...

Vanessa Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She resign ...

, The SOS Band, Cameo,

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

Socalled Joshua Dolgin (born December 28, 1976), better known by his stage name Socalled, is a Canadian rapper and record producer, known for his eclectic mix of hip hop, klezmer, and other styles such as drum & bass and folk music. A pianist and accordio ...

and rappers

De La Soul De La Soul () is an American hip hop trio formed in 1988 in the Amityville area of Long Island, New York. They are best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternati ...

, to name a few. Many other artists have

sampled Sample or samples may refer to: Base meaning * Sample (statistics), a subset of a population – complete data set * Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal * Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of so ...

his work. In 2002 Wesley wrote ''Hit Me, Fred: Recollections of a Sideman'', an autobiography about his life as a

sideman A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform live with a solo artist, or with a group in which they are not a regular band member. The term is usually used to describe musicians that play with jazz or rock artists, whether solo ...

. Also in 2002 he recorded an album entitled ''Wuda Cuda Shuda.'' Wesley served as an adjunct professor in the Jazz Studies department of the School of Music at the

University of North Carolina at Greensboro The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand- ...

from 2004 to 2006, and now works with students as a visiting artist at numerous other schools including Berklee College of Music and Columbia College of Chicago. In addition to performing with his own band, he tours as part of a collaboration called Abraham Inc. along with

Klezmer Klezmer ( yi, קלעזמער or ) is an instrumental musical tradition of the Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. The essential elements of the tradition include dance tunes, ritual melodies, and virtuosic improvisations played for l ...

artist David Krakauer and Klezmer/hip-hop artist

. In 2007, Wesley accepted an invitation to contribute to '' Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino'' (

Vanguard The vanguard (also called the advance guard) is the leading part of an advancing military formation. It has a number of functions, including seeking out the enemy and securing ground in advance of the main force. History The vanguard derives f ...

). He participated with

Lenny Kravitz Leonard Albert Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter. His style incorporates elements of rock, blues, soul, R&B, funk, jazz, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, pop and folk. Kravitz won the Grammy Award for Best Male R ...

, the Rebirth Brass Band, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews,

and

to contribute their version of Domino's "Whole Lotta Lovin'." In 2010, Wesley contributed to ''Kings'' (Freestyle Records), the fourth album by Israeli

and

groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station ...

ensemble, The Apples. Specific sessions on the album were dedicated to working with Wesley, one of the group's heroes. Wesley contributes to several tracks.

Discography

As leader

*''Damn Right I Am Somebody'' (1974) * ''Breakin' Bread'' (1975) * ''

A Blow for Me, a Toot to You ''A Blow for Me, a Toot to You'' is a 1977 album by funk musician Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns featuring Maceo Parker. Reception The album contains heavy participation by the P-Funk musical collective, including Garry Shider, Michael Hamp ...

'' (Atlantic, 1977) * ''

Say Blow by Blow Backwards ''Say Blow by Blow Backwards'' is the second and last album by Fred Wesley and the Horny Horns featuring Maceo Parker. The album was released in August 1979 by Atlantic Records and was produced by George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley ...

'' (Atlantic, 1979) * ''House Party'' (RSO, 1980) * ''Blow Your Head'' (Urban, 1989) * ''To Someone'' (Hi Note, 1990) * ''New Friends'' (Minor Music, 1990) * ''Comme Ci Comme Ca (Antilles 1991) * ''Swing & Be Funky'' (Minor Music, 1993) * ''Amalgamation'' (Minor Music, 1994) * ''The Final Blow'' (Sequel, 1994) * ''Full Circle'' (Victor, 1998) * ''Wuda Cuda Shuda'' (Hip Bop Essence, 2003) * ''It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing'' (Sons of Sound, 2006) * ''Funk for Your Ass'' (Columbia, 2008) * ''With a Little Help from My Friends'' (BHM, 2010) * ''Studio Live Session'' (LoEnd, 2018)

As sideman

With

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...

* ''

Good King Bad ''Good King Bad'' is the thirteenth studio album by American guitarist George Benson featuring performances recorded in 1975 and released by CTI Records in 1976.Payne, DCTI Records discographyaccessed February 24, 2012 Reception The Allmusic revi ...

'' (CTI, 1976) * ''

Pacific Fire ''Pacific Fire'' is an archival studio album by George Benson released in 1983 by CTI Records. This album consists of unreleased tracks recorded during the 1975 '' Good King Bad'' sessions. It is credited as the final release for CTI before the ...

'' (CTI, 1983) * ''

Space Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consi ...

'' (CTI, 1978) With

* ''Say It Loud I'm Black and I'm Proud'' (Polydor, 1969) * ''Sex Machine'' (Polydor, 1970) * ''Funky Drummer'' (King, 1970) * ''It's a New Day So Let a Man Come In'' (King, 1970) * ''Hot Pants'' (Polydor, 1971) * ''Love Power Peace'' (Polydor, 1971) * ''Soul Power'' (Polydor, 1985) * ''CD of JB'' (Polydor, 1985) * ''In the Jungle Groove'' (Polydor, 1986) * ''CD of JB II'' (Polydor, 1987) * ''Motherlode'' (Polydor, 1988) * ''Slaughter's Big Rip-Off'' (P-Vine, 1990) * ''Star Time'' (Polydor, 1991) * ''The Payback'' (Polydor, 1993) * ''Get On the Good Foot'' (Polydor, 1993) * ''Revolution of the Mind'' (Polydor, 1993) * ''Hell'' (Polydor, 1995) * ''Reality'' (Polydor, 1996) * ''Funk Power 1970: A Brand New Thang'' (Polydor, 1996) * ''Make It Funky'' (Polydor, 1996) * ''Say It Live and Loud (08.26.68 Live in Dallas)'' (Polydor, 1998) * ''Get On Up The James Brown Story'' (Polydor, 2014) * ''Get Down with James Brown: Live at the Apollo Volume IV'' (Polydor, 2016) * ''Live at Home with His Bad Self'' (Republic/UMe 2019) * ''Live at Home with His Bad Self: The After Show'' (Republic/UMe 2019) With George Clinton * ''Computer Games'' (Capitol, 1982) * ''You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish'' (Capitol, 1983) * ''R&B Skeletons in the Closet'' (Capitol, 1986) * ''Hey Man...Smell My Finger'' (Paisley Park, 1993) With

Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...

* ''Stretchin' Out in Bootsy's Rubber Band'' (Warner Bros., 1976) * ''Ahh...the Name Is Bootsy, Baby!'' (Warner Bros., 1977) * ''Bootsy? Player of the Year'' (Warner Bros., 1978) * ''This Boot Is Made for Fonk-n'' (Warner Bros., 1979) * ''Ultra Wave'' (Warner Bros., 1980) * ''F-Encounter'' (Warner Bros., 1980) * ''The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away'' (Warner Bros., 1982) * ''What's Bootsy Doin'?'' (Columbia, 1988) * ''Jungle Bass'' (4th & Broadway, 1990) * ''Blasters of the Universe'' (Rykodisc, 1993) * ''Fresh Outta 'P' University'' (Black Culture/(WEA, 1997) * ''Live in Louisville 1978'' (Disky, 1999) * ''Christmas Is 4 Ever'' (Shout! Factory, 2006) * ''Tha Funk Capital of the World'' (Mascot, 2011) With

Hank Crawford Bennie Ross "Hank" Crawford, Jr. (December 21, 1934 – January 29, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist, arranger and songwriter whose genres ranged from R&B, hard bop, jazz-funk, and soul jazz. Crawford was musical director for Ray Charl ...

* ''

Hank Crawford's Back ''Hank Crawford's Back'' is the seventeenth album led by saxophonist Hank Crawford and his sixth for the Kudu label which was released in 1976.Payne, DKudu Records discographyaccessed October 9, 2015 Reception AllMusic awarded the album 3 stars. ...

'' (Kudu, 1976) * '' I Hear a Symphony'' (Kudu, 1975) * ''Cajun Sunrise'' (Kudu, 1978) With

Deee-Lite Deee-Lite was an American house and dance music group formed in New York City. The group's best-known single is "Groove Is in the Heart", which was released in 1990 from their debut studio album ''World Clique'' (1990), and was a top-ten hit i ...

* ''World Clique'' (Elektra, 1990) * ''Infinity Within'' (Elektra, 1992) * ''Sampladelic Relics & Dancefloor Oddities'' (Elektra, 1996) With

* ''A New Shift'' (Minor Music, 1996) * ''What You Like'' (Minor Music, 1997) * ''Live and Funky'' (Skip, 2001) * ''The Spirit of Christmas'' (Minor Music, 2013) With J.B. Horns * ''

'' (1973) * ''Pee Wee, Fred & Maceo'' (Gramavision, 1990) * ''Funky Good Time/Live'' (Tokuma, 1992) * ''I Like It Like That'' (Soulciety, 1993) * ''Bring the Funk On Down'' (ZYX Music, 1999) With

* ''Roots Revisited'' (Minor Music, 1990) * ''For All the King's Men'' (4th & Broadway, 1990) * ''Mo' Roots'' (Verve, 1990) * ''Life On Planet Groove'' (Minor Music, 1992) * ''Horn Riffs for DJ's'' (Tuff City, 1992) * ''Horn Riffs for DJ's Volume 2'' (Tuff City, 1993) * ''Southern Exposure'' (Minor Music, 1993) * ''Maceo'' (Minor Music, 1994) * ''Funkoverload'' (ESC, 1998) * ''My First Name Is Maceo'' (Minor Music, 2003) * ''Live in Funky Good Time'' (Sounds of Ordinary Madness, 2008) * ''Roots Revisited The Bremen Concert'' (Minor Music, 2015) * ''Life On Planet Groove Revisited'' (Minor Music, 2018) With

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

* ''Mothership Connection'' (Casablanca, 1975) * ''The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein'' (Casablanca, 1976) * ''Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome'' (Casablanca, 1977) * ''Live'' (Casablanca, 1977) * ''Motor Booty Affair'' (Casablanca, 1978) * ''Trombipulation'' (Casablanca, 1980) * ''Tear the Roof Off 1974–1980'' (Casablanca, 1993) * ''Mothership Connection Newberg Session'' (P-Vine, 1995) * ''Dope Dogs'' (Fonomusic, 1995) With

Bernie Worrell George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Rol ...

* ''All the Woo in the World'' (Arista, 1978) * ''Blacktronic Science'' (Gramavision, 1993) * ''Pieces of Woo: The Other Side'' (CMP, 1993) With others *

10,000 Maniacs 10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band that was founded in 1981. They have released nine studio albums, six EPs, and five live albums. They achieved their most significant success between 1987 and 1993, when they released four album ...

, ''Our Time in Eden'' (Elektra, 1992) *

Gerald Albright Gerald Albright is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014 and has been nominated for New Beginnings in 2008 and for Sax for Stax in 2009. Biography Born in Los Angeles, Albright grew up in its ...

, ''Pushing the Envelope'' (Heads Up, 2010) * The Apples, ''Kings'' (Freestyle, 2010) *

Susanne Alt Susanne Alt (born 1978) is a German jazz saxophone player and composer based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Biography Susanne Alt was born in Würzburg, Germany, in 1978, to Hans-Joachim and Maria Alt. Hans-Joachim is a composer, poet and piano te ...

, ''On Track'' (Venus, 2009) *

Allan Barnes Allan Curtis Barnes (September 27, 1949 – July 25, 2016) was an American jazz musician, based in Detroit for the majority of his career. Early life Barnes was born in Detroit, Michigan, on September 21, 1949. He received his first musica ...

, ''The Caretaker'' (Riza, 1986) *

Scott Bomar Scott Bomar (born June 15, 1974) is a Memphis-based musician, Emmy Award-winning film composer, Grammy-nominated music producer, and recording engineer. Scott Bomar's songs are represented by Downtown Music Publishing. Early years A native of ...

, ''Dolemite Is My Name'' (Netflix/Masterworks/Milan, 2020) *

Bonerama Bonerama is a brass funk rock band from New Orleans. Bonerama was formed in 1998 by trombone players Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, who, from 1990

, ''Live from New York'' (Mule Train Music, 2004) *

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on No ...

, ''34th N Lex'' (ESC, 2002) *

The Brides of Funkenstein The Brides of Funkenstein were an American Soul and Funk girl band, originally composed of singers Dawn Silva and Lynn Mabry. History Previously background singers for Sly Stone, singer of Sly and the Family Stone, Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva joi ...

, ''Live at the Howard Theatre 1978'' (Sequel, 1994) * Tom Browne, ''S' Up'' (Cheetah 2010) * Vernon Burch, ''Steppin' Out'' (Chocolate City 1980) *

Bobby Byrd Bobby Howard Byrd (August 15, 1934 – September 12, 2007) was an American rhythm and blues, soul and funk singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, bandleader and talent scout, who played an integral and important part in the development ...

, ''Finally Getting Paid'' (Rhythm Attack, 1988) *

David Byrne David Byrne (; born 14 May 1952) is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of ...

, ''Music for the Knee Plays'' (ECM, 1985) *

Terry Callier Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Life and career Callier was born in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in the Cabrini� ...

, ''Turn You to Love'' (Elektra, 1979) * Cameo, ''Machismo'' (Atlanta Artists, 1988) *

Jean Carn Jean Carn, also spelled Jean Carne (born Sarah Jean Perkins; March 15, 1947) is an American jazz and pop singer. In mid career, she added a final ''e'' to her name. Carn is a vocalist credited with a five octave vocal range. Biography Carn was ...

, ''Trust Me'' (Motown, 1982) *

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to success in the mid-1970s as an R&B singer with the h ...

, ''Dangerous'' (ATCO, 1985) *

Color Me Badd ''Color'' Me Badd is an American contemporary R&B group that was formed in 1985 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by lead singer Bryan Abrams (born November 16, 1969), tenor Mark Calderon (born September 27, 1970), second tenor Sam Watters (born July 23 ...

, ''Time and Chance'' (Giant, 1993) *

Carla Cook Carla Cook is a Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist. Biography Cook was drawn to a life of music at an early age. As a student at Cass Technical High School she played string bass in the school orchestra, studied piano and voice on weekends, and ...

, ''Dem Bones'' (Maxjazz, 2001) *

, ''Naked and True'' (WEA, 1995) *

Brian Culbertson Brian Culbertson (born January 12, 1973) is an American smooth jazz/ R&B/funk musician and producer. His instruments include the synthesizer, piano and trombone. Early life and career Culbertson was born in Decatur, Illinois. As a child, he wa ...

, ''Brnging Back the Funk'' (GRP, 2008) *

Dazz Band The Dazz Band is an American R&B/funk band most popular in the early 1980s. Emerging from Cleveland, Ohio, the group's biggest hit songs include " Let It Whip" (1982), "Joystick" (1983), and "Let It All Blow" (1984). The name of the band is a ...

, ''On the One'' (Motown, 1982) *

Karl Denson Karl Denson (born December 27, 1956) is an American funk and jazz saxophonist, flutist and vocalist from Santa Ana, California. He was a member of Lenny Kravitz's band and has co-founded and led The Greyboy Allstars. Denson has recorded with ...

, ''The Bridge'' (Relaxed, 2002) *

Digital Underground Digital Underground was an American alternative hip hop group from Oakland, California. Their personnel changed and rotated with each album and tour. Digital Underground's leader and mainstay was Gregory " Shock G" Jacobs (also known as Humpty H ...

, ''This Is an E.P. Release'' (Attic, 1991) *

Dr. John Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B. Active as a session musician from ...

, ''Creole Moon'' (Blue Note, 2001) *

Candy Dulfer Candy Dulfer (born 19 September 1969) is a Dutch jazz and pop saxophonist. She is the daughter of jazz saxophonist Hans Dulfer. She began playing at age six and founded her band Funky Stuff when she was fourteen. Her debut album '' Saxuality'' ...

, ''What Does It Take'' (N-Coded, 1999) *

Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, pioneered the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, Bush. Funkade ...

, ''First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate'' (C Kunspyruhzy, 2014) * Gap Band, ''Gap Band V Jammin' '' (Total Experience, 1983) *

Earth, Wind & Fire Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, big band, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million reco ...

, ''Faces'' (ARC/Columbia, 1980) * Flakes, ''Flakes I 1980'' (Magic Disc, 1980) *

General Caine General Kane (known as General Caine before 1986) was an American music group fronted by Mitch McDowell (born Mitchell Leon McDowell on June 29, 1954, in San Bernardino, California; died January 22, 1992, in San Bernardino). Overview McDowell to ...

, ''Girls'' (Tabu, 1982) * Godmoma, ''Here'' (Elektra, 1981) *

Larry Goldings Lawrence Sam “Larry” Goldings (born August 28, 1968) is an American jazz keyboardist and composer. His music has explored elements of funk, blues, and fusion. Goldings has a comedic alter ego known as Hans Groiner. Life and career Golding ...

, ''Whatever It Takes'' (Warner Bros., 1995) * Gov't Mule, ''The Deepest End'' (Evangeline/ATO, 2003) *

Greyboy Allstars The Greyboy Allstars are an American soul-jazz band from San Diego, California, United States, whose current members include Karl Denson on Saxophone, Robert Walter on Keys, Mike Andrews (under the pseudonym Elgin Park) on guitar, Chris Still ...

, ''West Coast Boogaloo'' (Greyboy, 1994) *

Groove Collective Groove Collective is an American band. In 2007 they were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year for the release ''People People Music Music'' on the Savoy Jazz label. Style Groove Collective was formed in 1990 ...

, ''People People Music Music'' (Savoy, 2005) *

Michael Henderson Michael Earl Henderson (July 7, 1951 – July 19, 2022) was an American bass guitarist and vocalist. He was known for his work with Miles Davis in the early 1970s and on early fusion albums such as '' Jack Johnson'', '' Live-Evil'', and '' Ag ...

, ''Bedtimes Stories'' (EMI, 1986) *

Martha High Martha High (born Martha Harvin in 1945, Victoria, Virginia) is an American female vocalist. Harvin grew up in Washington, D.C., attending Roosevelt High School and singing in Trinity AME Zion Church. She began singing in The Four Jewels (whose ...

, ''It's High Time'' (Diaspora Connections, 2009) * Hocus Pocus, ''Place 54 Onandon'' (Motown, 2007) *

Javon Jackson Javon Anthony Jackson (born June 16, 1965) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist, bandleader, and educator. He first became known as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1987 until Blakey's death in 1990. and went on to release 22 rec ...

, ''Easy Does It'' (Palmetto, 2003) *

Milt Jackson Milton Jackson (January 1, 1923 – October 9, 1999), nicknamed "Bags", was an American jazz vibraphonist, usually thought of as a bebop player, although he performed in several jazz idioms. He is especially remembered for his cool swinging so ...

, ''Milt Jackson + Count Basie + the Big Band Vol. 1'' (Pablo, 1978) * Milt Jackson & Count Basie, ''Milt Jackson + Count Basie + the Big Band Vol. 2'' (Pablo, 1978) *

Jazzkantine Inspired by Guru's Jazzmatazz project, the German formation Jazzkantine was founded in 1993 in Braunschweig. Their first album ''Jazzkantine'' won them the " Echo Award" in 1996,Jonathan Jeremiah Jonathan Jeremiah is a British singer-songwriter from North London. He has released five studio albums. Career Jeremiah's debut album, ''A Solitary Man'', was released in 2011 on Island Records, followed by his second album, ''Gold Dust'', in ...

, ''A Solitary Man'' (Island, 2011) *

Jestofunk Jestofunk are an Italian acid jazz musical group, formed in 1992 by DJ MozArt (Claudio Rispoli) and DJ Blade. They collaborated with American musician CeCe Rogers on their 1995 début album, '' Love in a Black Dimension'', as well as later project ...

, ''The Remixes'' (Irma, 1997) * Jestofunk, ''Universal Mother'' (Dance Pool, 1998) * Nils Landgren, ''5000 Miles'' (ACT, 1999) *

Frankie Lee Frankie Lee (December 31, 1911 – July 29, 1970), was an American child actor. He appeared in 56 films between 1916 and 1925. Best remembered in the 1919 film '' The Miracle Man'', he was the little boy on crutches healed by the phony fait ...

, ''Face It!'' (Demon, 1985) * Webster Lewis, ''Let Me Be the One'' (Epic, 1981) *

Material Material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their geolo ...

, ''The Third Power'' (Axiom, 1991) *

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for his work as a bassist. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandros ...

, ''M2'' (Telarc, 2001) * Mop Mop, ''Isle of Magic'' (Agogo, 2013) *

Jamie J. Morgan Jamie Morgan is a British photographer, filmmaker, and former musician. Music career Morgan formed half of the duo Morgan-McVey''Hitlåtens historia'', "Neneh Cherry - Buffalo Stance", Sveriges Television, 3 January 2012. who released just one ...

, ''Walk On the Wild Side'' (Tabu, 1990) *

Idris Muhammad Idris Muhammad ( ar, إدريس محمد; born Leo Morris; November 13, 1939 – July 29, 2014) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He had an extensive career performing jazz, funk, R&B, and soul music and recorded with musicians such a ...

, ''House of the Rising Sun'' (Kudu, 1976) *

New Birth Born again, or to experience the new birth, is a phrase, particularly in evangelicalism, that refers to a "spiritual rebirth", or a regeneration of the human spirit. In contrast to one's physical birth, being "born again" is distinctly and sep ...

, ''Platinum City'' (Ariola, 1979) *

P-Funk All Stars Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive f ...

, ''(Urban Dancefloor Guerillas'' (CBS, 1983) * Parlet, ''Pleasure Principle'' (Casablanca, 1978) * Parlet, ''Play Me or Trade Me'' (Casablanca, 1980) *

Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...

, ''For All We Know'' (Kudu, 1976) *

St. Clair Pinckney St. Clair Pinckney (September 17, 1930 – February 1, 1999) was an American saxophonist who performed with James Brown as a member of the James Brown Orchestra and The J.B.'s. He played tenor and baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a ...

, ''Private Stock'' (Ichiban 1989) * Rad, ''Getting Down Is Free'' (7 Bridges/P-Vine, 2009) *

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

, ''Freaky Styley'' (EMI, 1985) * Terry Reid, ''Seed of Memory'' (ABC, 1976) *

The S.O.S. Band The S.O.S. Band (sometimes written as S.O.S. Band; abbreviation for Sounds of Success) is an American R&B and electro-funk group who gained fame in the 1980s. They are best known for the songs "Take Your Time (Do It Right)", "Just Be Good to M ...

, ''S.O.S.'' (Tabu, 1980) * The S.O.S. Band, ''The S.O.S. Band Too'' (Tabu, 1981) * Oumou Sangare, ''Seya'' (World Circuit, 2009) *

Poncho Sanchez Poncho Sánchez (born Filoberto Sanchez, October 30, 1951) is an American ''conguero'' ( conga player), Latin jazz band leader, and salsa singer. In 2000, he and his ensemble won the Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album for their work on the ...

, ''Out of Sight'' (Concord, Jazz/Elemental Music 2015) *

, ''Ghettoblaster'' (Bleu Electric, 2006) * Socalled, ''Peoplewatching'' (Dare to Care, 2015) *

Soulive Soulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans (Hammond B3 organ, bass keys, clavinet). Althoug ...

, ''Doin' Something'' (Blue Note, 2001) * Soulive, ''Steady Groovin' '' (Blue Note, 2005) * James Taylor Quartet, ''Wait a Minute'' (Polydor, 1988) * Hans Theessink, ''Call Me'' (Blue Groove, 1992) *

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

, ''Surface Thrills'' (Motown, 1983) * Robert Trowers, ''Point of View'' (Concord, 1995) *

Phil Upchurch Philip Upchurch (born July 19, 1941) is an American jazz and blues guitarist and bassist. Career Upchurch started his career working with the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels, before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, an ...

, ''Whatever Happened to the Blues'' (Go Jazz, 1992) *

Marva Whitney Marva Whitney (born Marva Ann Manning; May 1, 1944 – December 22, 2012) was an American funk singer commonly referred to by her honorary title, Soul Sister #1. Whitney was considered by many funk enthusiasts to be one of the "rawest" and "brass ...

, ''Live and Lowdown at the Apollo'' (King, 1969) * Larry Williams, ''That Larry Williams'' (Fantasy, 1978) *

Lenny Williams Leonard Charles Williams (born February 16, 1945)"Biography by Alex Henderson"
AllMus ...

, ''Changing'' (Rocshire, 1984) *

, ''The Right Stuff'' (Polydor, 1988) *

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing gui ...

, ''The Poet II'' (Beverly Glen Music, 1984) * Stevie Woods, ''The Woman in My Life'' (Ariola, 1982) *

Nanette Workman Nanette Joan Workman (born 20 November 1945, Brooklyn, New York, United States) is a singer-songwriter, actress and author, who has been based in Quebec, Canada, during much of her career. She holds dual citizenship of both the United States an ...

, ''Nanette Workman'' (Pacha 1977) *

Michael Wycoff Michael Wycoff (January 1, 1956 – March 13, 2019) was an American R&B singer. He scored several hits on the US R&B chart during the 1980s. Biography Wycoff attended Wilmington Junior High School and Phineas Banning High School in Wilmington ...

, ''Love Conquers All'' (Big Break, 2008) *

Young Disciples Young Disciples was a British / American acid jazz band, formed in London in 1990 by Carleen Anderson ( vocals and keyboards), Marco Nelson (bass, guitar and organ) and Femi Williams (percussion and programming). Their most famous hit was th ...

, ''Road to Freedom'' (Talkin' Loud, 1991)

Biography

Discography

As leader

As sideman

Bibliography

References

External links