Specializing in Media Campaigns for the Music Community, Artists, Labels, Venues and Events

Crusaders Sax Man Wilton Felder Passes | Houston Press






Crusaders Sax Man Wilton Felder Passes | Houston Press


 
BY WILLIAM MICHAEL SMITH SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2015 

LEGENDARY CRUSADERS SAX MAN WILTON FELDER PASSES AWAY

Promotional shot of Wilton Felder, saxophonist for the Crusaders

Promotional shot of Wilton Felder, saxophonist for the Crusaders

Photo courtesy of MCA Records

Houston and the world lost a giant today with the passing of Wilton Felder, saxophonist for the fabled Crusaders. Mr. Felder was 75. Word of his passing reached the internet via longtime collaborator Ray Parker, Jr.’s Facebook page around 2 p.m. today.

Felder’s passing comes only a year after the death of his lifelong friend and fellow Crusader Joe Sample. Crusaders trombonist Wayne Henderson died in April, 2014, which now leaves drummer Nesbert “Stix” Hooper as the only living Crusader from the original four. Felder, Sample, and Hooper met early in life and formed their first band while attending Phillis Wheatley High School in the Fifth War. They added Henderson and took the name Jazz Crusaders while attending Texas Southern University, but they left school without graduating in 1959 and moved to Los Angeles. They quickly made a name for themselves in the West Coast bebop scene and recorded ten albums in the hard bop style of the day.. 

But the huge success of the band would wait ten years until 1971 when they dropped one of the first jazz-rock records to cross over into popular music culture, Pass the PlatePass the Plate put them on everyone’s radar; they received letters from the Beatles — they famously covered "Eleanor Rigby"—  and garnered a slot opening for a Rolling Stones tour. They also were one of the headliners at the Rumble in the Jungle heavyweight championship fight  in Zaire in 1974 between Muhammad Ali and Houstonian George Foreman. 

 

But by the mid-70s, the individual members of the Crusaders had moved outside the band to work as session musicians and as producers. Felder became a house bass player for Motown’s West Coast studio operation, but he also worked with a number of pop acts like America and Seals & Croft. He was one of three bassists on Randy Newman’s milestone album Sail Away. He also played on Billy Joel’s Piano Man and Streetlife Serenadealbums, Joan Baez’s Diamonds and Rust, and John Cale’s Paris 1919.

Felder recorded his debut solo album, Bullitt, in 1970, and followed with We All Have a Star in 1978. He would go on to release seven more albums. His 1985 album Secrets, with Bobby Womack as primary vocalist, made it into the UK Albums chart and the single “No Matter How High I Get (I’ll Always Be Looking Up at You)” became a minor hit.

As of this posting, no official word has been released regarding Mr. Felder’s cause of death. 

<<It should be noted that there has been no official announcement of Mr. Felder's passing as yet.>>

 
 

Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services T: 845-986-1677 E-Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com

HAVE A JAZZ EVENT, NEW CD OR IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE JAZZ COMMUNITY YOU WANT TO PROMOTE? CONTACT JAZZ PROMO SERVICES FOR PRICE QUOTE.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO




Leave a Reply

Call Now Button