Author Topic: Wilton Felder R.I.P. (Read 255 times)

jazzyvee · « **on:** September 28, 2015, 01:26:06 PM »

http://www.houstonpress.com/music/legendary-crusaders-sax-man-wilton-felder-passes-away-7800449

Such a sad loss. He was one of my favourite saxophonists and also a great bass player too.

ed_zeppelin · « **Reply #1 on:** September 28, 2015, 02:18:56 PM »

What a fantastic musician. He played bass on everything from Seals and Crofts' Diamond Girl and Billy Joel's Piano Man to my favorite Joni Mitchell album; the Hissing Of Summer Lawns.

Here' something interesting, though not necessarily a worthy tribute to such a great musician: Wilton Felder's isolated bass track from I Want You Back by the Jackson 5:

http://youtu.be/z91l_lPz1oc

The full song:

http://youtu.be/s3Q80mk7bxEl

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** September 28, 2015, 02:20:55 PM »

Thanks Jazzyvee; that's a nice video cut.

JuancarlinBass · « **Reply #3 on:** September 28, 2015, 07:13:19 PM »

My first introduction to the Crusaders, when I was a little kid toddling my first forays into jazz-funk, was Keep that same old feeling from the These Southern Knights album. Oh man, how I loved that sound! That album had a lot of play in my little record player (and whenever Dad was not around, on his Stereo!). Then it came Street Life and I was hooked for life. Absolutely classy!. RIP Wilton..

David Houck · « **Reply #4 on:** September 28, 2015, 07:28:10 PM »

I have the Crusaders' CD Healing the Wounds from 1991. Here is Wilton Felder featured on Mercy, Mercy, Mercy from that album. The bass player on this album is Marcus Miller. And of course the piano here is the late Joe Sample. Beautiful tune.

jazzyvee · « **Reply #5 on:** September 29, 2015, 05:00:24 AM »

The first track of theirs I heard was Spiral. When I was just starting out as a guitarist, I was talking to one of the elder musicians in my area, ha, was probably in his early 20's, anyway I was curious as to what kind of music I could learn from. He pushed the album Those Southern Knights in my hands said, learn the solo on Spiral.
That was my first introduction to The Crusaders and have been a big fan ever since. I saw them in concert three times here in the UK. I think once was before street life and got to meet the band by the stage entrance and got their autographs. I always remember Wilton's signature because he did the W on it's side, a bit like a number 3 which I thought was really cool. I'll see if I can find the picture.

edwin · « **Reply #6 on:** September 29, 2015, 07:31:59 PM »

Oh man. What a great musician. Of course, my introduction to his work was via the Crusaders, but he's done so much more than that. Are there even musicians like this any more, who can do so much for so many different kinds of artists, now that the studio/record company paradigm has collapsed?

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2015, 01:32:02 PM »

His solo on Street Life is epic