Wilton Felder....on bass

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

does anyone know the story of how Wilton Felder started doing gigs w/ people on electric pass in the 70s, i mean i know him primarily as a horn player but he is on fender bass on jimmy smith root down, grant green live at the lighthouse.....others too im sure....whats up w/ that?

[mikelz777]

I think he started playing bass more or less out of necessity since there was an ever changing roster of bass players for the Jazz Crusaders/Crusaders.With Felder playing bass, they'd always have a group member to fill the spot if needed or someone they knew could give them the sound and feel they wanted. From there, I'm guessing that people heard him and liked him and that he was free and willing to play with others perhaps earning a good reputation as a session player. See link for his many bass playing credits.

Wilton Felder credits

Edited May 5, 2012 by mikelz777

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

hes on piano man? lol

[BillF]

Saw him in The Crusaders in the 70s with Bennie Maupin on tenor.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

what what what? you mean wilton on bass and bennie maupin on sax. no disrect to wilton on sax, but: whoaaa!!!

[Harold_Z]

Missing from that AMG list of credits is "I Want You Back" by the J5. Wilton is smokin' on fender bass. BTW - He plays an old style precision - the kind made before the 1957 change to the current precision bass.