SF Funk Fest Review: Fred Wesley & The New JB’s, Lyrics Born Band at Mezzanine, 11.3.12

Fred Wesley, John “Jabo” Starks and Fred Thomas sharing a laugh between moments of funk. All Photos by Jonathan Pirro.

Have you ever felt like you were in on a big secret? And nobody believed you when you told them this secret? Like the one where one of the most influential bands of the last 40 years staged a reunion in a 1,000 person night club that, somehow, didn’t sell out in 30 seconds? Because on this unseasonably warm November night, the good people of San Francisco got to experience something that we haven’t seen in 13 years. Fred Wesley was James Brown’s trombonist and band leader during the classic 70’s funk era. Although he’s been recording and touring with a band called “Fred Wesley & The New JB’s,” this was the first time in many, many years that he’s played with any of the players that recorded those classic songs with James Brown.

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