Fred Wesley was musical director of The James Brown Band, spin-off group James Brown and The J.B.'s and George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic. He plays The Grand Social, Dublin on 27 March. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Tickets for the gig are priced €35.00 plus booking fees and are available here.
With a band of Fred on trombone, Leonardo Corradi on organ, and Tony Match on drums, Fred returns to Dublin with his award winning project, Generations.
The trio formed for a one-off performance to pay tribute to the soulful jazz of Jimmy Smith and gelled so well, they have continued to play together.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
First of all, I'm musical, anything I hear, anything I do is about music. It’s a natural thing; I can’t hear music without reacting to it. The second thing about me is, I’m old! It’s a miracle I’m able to go full force at my age and that’s because of the whole food diet that I’m on. And, the third thing is, I'm short. I wish I could be taller but I’m of short stature and short people, you know, short people have qualms about being short. Those are the three things that are major in my life.
How would you describe your music?
Funky, if it’s not funky I don’t like it as much. I like all music but my music is funky and thoughtful too, I can’t make music I don’t have any thought about.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I’m inspired by people I’m around; Bootsy {Collins} inspired me a lot, my grandpa Bruce had the groove in his body that I have in mine, we got along real good. Dwyane (Dolphin), he’s a bass player and he comes up with basslines I’d never come up with.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
I went to a gig by Ray Charles, must have been 55/56. It inspired me a lot (wow! - ed).
What was the first record you ever bought?
J is for Jazz by J. J. Johnson.
What’s your favourite song right now?
HA! I don’t know, maybe Chameleon by Herbie Hancock, it’s one of the funkiest songs, it’s a simple song but it hits right in the heart, where it needs to be hit.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"The sea, the sky, my heart and I, We're all an indigo hue without you, It's a blue, blue world" - It's A Blue World by The Four Freshmen.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Chameleon by Herbie Hancock.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Wikipedia, Google, Spotify, all of those music apps and my website.
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