Wess & The Airedales

about

"Doug Fowlkes formed Wess & The Airedales in 1961 as the Airedales. In the mid-60s the band ended up in Italy due to a military tour of duty where they added singer and bassist Wess Johnson who took over the band. For generations the music and influence of black America has penetrated the ears of music lovers all over the world. During the ‘60s and ‘70s, as radio & TV communications and record distribution improved, more people than ever before were able to groove to the jazz of Blue Note, the soul of Motown, and the funk of James Brown… It wasn’t just the head-nodders and dancers that would get down to these exciting new American exports. Singers and musicians on all six continents, having only been exposed to traditional or classical music, would listen with a keen ear to draw much-needed inspiration. The many styles of funk, soul, jazz and rock pouring out from the US during the incredibly fertile ‘60s period meant that there was a LOT of music to be inspired by, but as you can imagine the biggest and the best were the ones who made their point most known – in the case of Italian Soul band Wess & the Airedales, the tremendous power of James Brown’s trademarked production, arrangement and instrumentation was a major influence. The many incarnations of Wess & the Airedales started in the US, in the year of 1961 when founder Doug Fowlkes fronted his Airedales band, recording a solitary 45 on the Viva label. More recordings followed with singer Rocky Roberts at the helm, a

top songs

albums

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That's what friends are for

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The Beat, The Shake And The Lounge Vol. 1

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Aquarium Drunkard Presents :: DJ Soft Touch, A Mixtape

The Sound Of Soul

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Clifton's Corner :: Volume 11 - Wess & The Airedales

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Vehicle

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Invasion Funk Master

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Clifton's Corner :: Volume 19 - Vintage Soul & Funk 45s

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Invasion Funk Masters

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J Rocc V Jazzman Records

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Funk City Rock: The Best of Wess & The Airedales

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Got The Go!!! 2

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