The great Fred Wesley, trombonist for James Brown and Parliament and many other acts, turns 83 years old tomorrow, 4 July. Happy birthday to Funky Fred.
Parliament’s sumptuously arranged The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein (1976) was the second to feature Fred Wesley after the trombonist’s long spell with James Brown. The horn arrangements were credited to one of Wesley and Bernie Worrell track-by-track, but George Clinton recalled in his memoir that they would arrange a separate part of every song. ‘Children of Production’ was credited to Fred, and has one of the most hummable horn lines in Parliament’s vast discography.
It’s just as catchy as the vocal melodies, which veer from slightly haunting (“We are deeper than abortion”, and “We’re gonna blow the cobwebs out your mind” with the comedy-horror melody to match) to the more carefree (“We’re children of production / Produced in conjunction with the urgency of our Dr. Funkenstein”). Is there any other band that could be so wordy while still full of hooks?
As well as beautifully arranged, Clones is impeccably played. Bootsy Collins, bassist on this track, wanders away from his main line with nods to the vocal melodies, and at other times almost completely lays out (as in the bridge following the first chorus). He sprinkles in sliding notes and harder thumps when the energy picks up, and elsewhere knows that two simple notes played along with the snare will do (2:35).
From that point forward, after a couple more vocal lines, it’s the horns’ time to shine. Fred, saxophonist Maceo Parker, and trumpeters Richard Griffith and Rick Gardner close the show with a joyous section in an album full of joy. A foreboding, Mothership-esque bridge part leads back to the main hornline; then staccato notes arrive on offbeats, jumping away from Bootsy's bass.
Fred was asked to compare his playing with Clinton and his time with Brown, and said, “James did it kinda up and George did it laid-back!”
Those vague descriptions are seemingly fitting of Fred’s philosophy of not overthinking. He didn’t even claim to know much about the One, perhaps the most crucial ingredient in both Brown’s and Parliament’s music. No matter how little Fred sweated over theory, it seems that everything he did worked.
Clinton wrote in his memoir that it was “unbelievable” what Parliament could do with Fred, who was encouraged to hop on the Mothership by Bootsy, and Fred’s fellow hornsters Maceo and the Brecker Brothers (Michael and Randy).
As much as Clinton appreciated what Wesley brought, the two disagreed over the importance of horns. Fred told Red Bull Music Academy, “[George] didn’t see the horn parts as being as important as the vocals and the rhythm. And I agree, they’re not as important. But they are important!” Fred left and joined the the Count Basie Orchestra. That kickstarted a decades-long jazz career, during which Wesley released several solo albums – including the beautiful and funky Amalgamation (1994).
In his eighties, Fred still puts on a great live show. Last year he toured much of Europe, and this month he’s back: Fred’s playing France, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
Edge of the Line wishes Fred a very happy birthday. Brown once said, “To me, happiness is Fred Wesley playing his horn.”