Wilton Felder appreciation thread

[bottomzone]

Wilton Felder was a bass beast! I see parallels with Wilton and Gerald Albright. Wilton was a fantastic sax player and also was a session bassist. Gerald is a fantastic sax player and is a session bassist.

 

[Bass Boy]

He did play on these albums, but not on all tracks. On C&S he played on Free Man In Paris and People’s Parties; and on Hissing of Summer Lawns he played on Edith And The Kingpin and Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow. Max Bennett played most of the remaining songs on those albums, with Jim Hughart playing Trouble Child on C&S. Not to take away from Wilton, he’s one of my favorite bassists.

Just heard "Free Man in Paris" this am after dropping the wife off at work! Forgot it was Felder!

I have had soooo many conversations with guys about Felder:

"I love Jamersons bassline on _____________."
Thats actually Felder
"Who's that? I think you are wrong"

Every conversation starts like that!

 

[kobass]

A guitarist I used to work with gave me a copy of a CD he had-Grant Greene Live. I think it was recorded in NYC. Wilton is introduced "on Fender bass, Wilton Felder."

 

[G On Bass]

Joni Mitchell's and Spark and Michael Franks' The Art of Tea are two of my all-time favorite favorite records that I still listening to, in their entirety, several times a year. He has been a far bigger influence on me than most if not all of the uber-famous players like Jamerson, Jaco, etc...

 

[Bunk McNulty]

This is Wilton, too:

 

[Crispus]

Felder is my favorite bassist of all time. I love his playing on these songs.






I wish there was footage or more pictures of him. He also didn’t really seem to have many interviews. I know he was more famous as a saxophonist but I think he was a great musician in general and an awesome bassist.

Please share any of his bass lines that you love or any info about him that you can share with me.

Do I hear some pick playing in some of this? I imagine he would play whatever was called for... Such a great musician! Great thread!

 

[markjazzbassist]

huge fan here, i also love his stuff with marvin gaye, jimmy smith (rootdown, what an album!), crusaders, and other soul-jazz artists. that tele bass got a workout!

 

[steubig]

He did play on these albums, but not on all tracks. On C&S he played on Free Man In Paris and People’s Parties; and on Hissing of Summer Lawns he played on Edith And The Kingpin and Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow. Max Bennett played most of the remaining songs on those albums, with Jim Hughart playing Trouble Child on C&S. Not to take away from Wilton, he’s one of my favorite bassists.

.

yes. i know, i figured the op could look to see if he was interested.

also showed his range.

 

[berlihe]

For me, the first thirty seconds of Jimmy Smith's "Root Down" is the funkiest stretch of music ever captured on tape.

Grant Green's "Live at the Lighthouse" is one of my favorite albums of all time, thanks in large part to Felder's bass (though everyone was on fire that night). He mostly just lays down wonderful grooves, and then once in a while throws in a fill that shows you just how much he had in reserve:

 

[Fire-Starter]

I remember him from the Crusaders. I think he play on some of Bobby Womack's stuff too. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

[bassliner50]

I'm all on board with Wilton Felder. Great lines!

 

[bradd]

I'm working through the available clips of Solomon Burke's Electronic Magnetism on youtube. There's some great playing on it, including an Elton John medley.

 

[wraub]

Don Peake and Wilton Felder, on a Jackson 5 1972 studio session

unknown

 

[Dr. Cheese]

View attachment 4008740

Don Peake and Wilton Felder, on a Jackson 5 1972 studio session



View attachment 4008742

unknown

You can see that Wilton was playing a Telecaster bass. That single coil pickup gave him a slightly different tone than all of the guys on split coil Precision’s.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Phil Upchurch is another great bassist most famous as a non-bassist. He is a contemporary if Wilton Felder too.

 

[Killing Floor]

 

[Killing Floor]

What's not to love? He was groovin' all day. If I had to single out something special about his playing, he brought a little bit of uptown rhythm, so smooth and en pointe. I like him a ton with Grant Green because, let's be honest, jazz can distill into wankery in about 30 seconds if the bassist isn't secretly calling the shots. He drove the train no matter who was in the boxcars.

 

[berlihe]

The Cruasders "The 2nd Crusade" from (1973) is essential and Wilton played bass on every track. Here's a sample (no pun intended):



Seriously, if you're a fan of Wilton Felder's bass playing, you must check out this album.

- Steve

Wow, somehow I had never heard this Crusaders album, and it has instantly become my favorite.

 

[JTE]

Do I hear some pick playing in some of this? I imagine he would play whatever was called for... Such a great musician! Great thread!

Nope. I wrote to him when there was a protracted discussion (probably on The Bottom Line, maybe here on TB) about ,"I Want You Back" with many saying it had to be a pick. The response was "No, never a pick, always finger"

The single coil pickup has a critical difference compared to a Jazz or split-coil Precision, the single magnet pole per string. That gives it a very different attack.

 

[wraub]

According to this- Incredible Bongo Band - Wikipedia

Felder may have played on this-



(apparently, it's him or Jerry Scheff, both played on the sessions for the album)



edit- This site- The Incredible Bongo Band - Who Were They?

says Felder played on the song Bongo Rock, Scheff played the rest of the album...if so, then Felder played on this-