Felton Crews

Felton Crews is a Chicago bassist whose versatile playing has bridged jazz, blues, R&B, funk and soul. A native of Chicago, Crews began performing professionally while still in high school and quickly became part of the city’s vibrant music scene. His career took a major turn when Miles Davis invited him to New York to record The Man with the Horn (1981), making Crews part of the group of young Chicago musicians who helped Davis launch his post-hiatus career. He later toured with Davis in 1986, appearing at major festivals including Montreux and the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Crews has also been a major presence in Chicago blues, recording and touring with artists including Otis Rush, Otis Clay, Junior Wells, Son Seals, Billy Boy Arnold and Charlie Musselwhite. His playing appears on numerous blues recordings, including Chicago Blues: A Living History, which received a 2010 Grammy nomination.

Known for his melodic, open and highly adaptable bass style, Crews continues to be associated with Chicago’s jazz and blues traditions.

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