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On the schedule

Fred Wesley Tour Dates & Tickets

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Inside the performance

Sound, stage & company

Onstage company

Documented collaborators

Frederick Wesley is a towering figure in the world of funk and soul, celebrated for his high-energy trombone solos and sharp horn arrangements. A longtime member of James Brown's bands, he later led The Horny Horns and co-wrote and performed on major hits like Hot Pants and Doing It to Death. Wesley’s career spans solo projects and collaborations with legendary artists, earning him recognition in the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and a Gold-certified single. This page covers his rich biography, key discography moments, and 2025 tour news as he brings his signature horn sound to stages across the U.S. and Europe with The New J.B.’s.

Onstage company

Documented collaborators

Born in Alabama, Fred Wesley crafted a sound that shaped funk, R&B, soul, and soul jazz. His work with George Benson, Hank Crawford, Bootsy Collins, and De La Soul showcases versatility, from tight horn lines to improvisational prowess. In 2015 he was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a true innovator. As of 2023, his latest studio project with The New J.B.’s is From the Blues and Back, underscoring his roots in traditional funk while pushing into blues-inflected territory. For fans, that means more chances to catch his dynamic live performances in venues worldwide. Secure your seats and keep an eye on official channels for the latest tour updates.

The essentials

Quick Facts About Fred Wesley

  • Key figure in James Brown’s bands (JB’s) and later leader of The Horny Horns; co-wrote and performed on major funk hits like Hot Pants and Doing It to Death.
  • Genres: Funk, P-Funk, soul, R&B, and soul jazz; renowned for horn arrangements and high-energy trombone solos.
  • Awards/achievements: co-performer on a gold-certified single (Doing It to Death, RI AA, 1973) and induction into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (2015).
  • Discography spans solo leader projects and prolific sideman work with George Benson, Hank Crawford, Bootsy Collins, De La Soul, and more; latest studio album as of 2023 is From the Blues and Back (Fred Wesley & The New J.B.’s).
  • 2025 touring includes dates in the U.S. and Europe with The New JB’s (e.g., Martha High’s Funky Divas with Fred Wesley & The New JBs in Oakland, The Freight; Newcastle The Cluny; Dresden; Utrecht; London Union Chapel listings).

The records

Fred Wesley Discography

  • From the Blues and Back
    2023 · LoEnd Records
  • Studio Live Session
    2018 · LoEnd
  • With a Little Help from My Friends
    2010 · BHM
  • Funk for Your Ass
    2008 · Columbia
  • It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
    2006 · Sons of Sound
  • Wuda Cuda Shuda
    2003 · Hip Bop Essence
  • Full Circle
    1998 · Victor
  • Amalgamation
    1994 · Minor Music
  • The Final Blow
    1994 · Sequel
  • Swing & Be Funky
    1993 · Minor Music
  • Comme Ci Comme Ca
    1991 · Antilles
  • New Friends
    1990 · Minor Music
  • To Someone
    1990 · Hi Note
  • House Party
    1980 · RSO
  • A Blow for Me, a Toot to You
    1977 · Atlantic
  • Say Blow by Blow Backwards
    1979 · Atlantic
  • Breakin' Bread
    1975
  • Damn Right I Am Somebody
    1974

The hits

Top Fred Wesley Songs

  • Doing It to Death
    1973 · Hot 100: 22; Soul: 1
  • Up For The Down Stroke
    1977 · US: 93
  • Hot Pants (She Got to Use What She Got to Get What She Wants)
    1971 · Hot 100: 15; R&B: 1
  • Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud
    1969 · Hot 100: 53; R&B: 6

Born in Alabama, Fred Wesley crafted a sound that shaped funk, R&B, soul, and soul jazz. His work with George Benson, Hank Crawford, Bootsy Collins, and De La Soul showcases versatility, from tight horn lines to improvisational prowess. In 2015 he was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, cementing his status as a true innovator. As of 2023, his latest studio project with The New J.B.’s is From the Blues and Back, underscoring his roots in traditional funk while pushing into blues-inflected territory. For fans, that means more chances to catch his dynamic live performances in venues worldwide. Secure your seats and keep an eye on official channels for the latest tour updates.

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