Wilton felder biography

Home » Jazz Musicians » Wilton Felder. Unlike many fusion bands, The Crusaders never lost their blues and soul roots, which was one key to their success. Another was the fact that each musician had a definite style on their instrument, and it was a pleasure to listen to each of them play.

Wilton Lewis Felder (August 31, –

The Crusaders met in Houston while still at high school. Felder studied music at Texas Southern University. The group moved to Los Angeles in the late fifties and there became the nucleus of The Jazz Crusaders, the band who pioneered jazz fusion for an entire listening generation. Felder was one of the in-house bass players for Motown Records.

Throughout this time Felder continued to work as a sideman, most notably as a member of the Love Unlimited Orchestra. In addition, he enjoyed considerable solo success. Felder passed in at his home in Whittier, California from multiple myeloma. He was Wilton Felder, a founding member of the legendary Jazz Crusaders, presents his trademark smooth jazz sounds with a satisfyingly funky touch and laid-back soulfulness on Let's Spend Some Time.

This rocking set reveals the origins and many directions this multifaceted band took during the musically tumultuous '60s. Listening to Andrew Hovan November 7, You would think that in this day and age of compact disc reissues and with many years of activity under our belts that just about everything worthy of release has at one time or another made it to the stores.