Fred Wesley

Bio

Fred Wesley (born July 4, 1943) is an American trombonist and composer best known for his work with James Brown’s bands in the late 1960s and 1970s. As musical director of the J.B.’s, he co-wrote and arranged many of Brown’s signature funk hits, including “Pass the Peas,” “Doing It to Death,” and “The Payback.” Beyond his tenure with Brown, Wesley performed and recorded with George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective and later led his own groups, such as the Fred Wesley Band and the New JBs. His distinctive trombone style and rhythmic arrangements helped define the sound of funk and continue to influence jazz-funk and acid-jazz musicians.