Fred Wesley: 'Recollections of a Sideman'

Thanks to our groove master in Copenhagen, Tom Petruso,  for this hot tip:

Trombone star Fred Wesley, Jr. is best known for his work as a sideman with James Brown in the 1960s and 70s, when he helped move BrownÂ’s sound from soul to funk. But Wesley is also a legendary R&B, soul and funk veteran, whose musical career spans five decades. He's made major musical contributions to acts and artists such as the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, George Clinton's Parliment/Funkadelic, Maceo Parker and Pee Wee Ellis.

In an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep, Wesley recalls the twists and turns of a long and storied career, which he explores in an autobiography called Hit Me, Fred, and subtitled "Recollections of a Sideman." And Wesley brings along his trombone to illustrate the music he was playing at different points in his career.

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"I don't suppress the funk"

                                         Fred Wesley