He established his position in the broadly defined funk jazz genre as a long-time horn section leader and key arranger for "Mr Dynamite" James Brown. In close association with him, Wesley sent funk travelling. He soon had the best reputation as the funkiest trombonist. The list of collaborations in which Wesley refined the horn section ranges from Count Basie, Ray Charles, George Benson, Oskar Peterson, Whitney Houston to De La Soul. At the beginning of the 1970s, he founded the glorious JBs. After more than 50 years, they are still sparkling. Wesley, also the last active member of Brown's Horns, has now re-formed and rejuvenated the JBs. And the band works on beat and cue. Precisely placed, dry groove, as an iridescent energiser. The bass hurled out hooklines at will. In fine-tuning with the precision beat from the drums, which boosts the back beat full of odd accentuations. Additional, propulsive chord sequences from the guitar constantly push their way into the action. Razor-sharp, precise brass sections dance over it in staccato mode. Off-beat extravaganzas play out with incomparable ease. Arranged with that unmistakable funkiness of Wesley. In all this collective texture, sparkling solos also radiate their luminosity. The formula once apostrophised by another famous "Funkian" - James "Blood" Ulmer - "Jazz Is The Teacher, Funk Is The Preacher" undoubtedly goes back to Fred Wesley. (Hannes Schweiger)