Biography
The Gaturs were a New Orleans-based funk and soul group led by veteran session musician Willie Tee (Wilson Turbinton), whose innovative keyboard work and songwriting helped shape the city's musical landscape in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Emerging from the vibrant New Orleans scene, the Gaturs blended jazz-inflected funk with soulful grooves, creating a sound that was both sophisticated and deeply rooted in the city's rhythmic traditions. While their output was limited to a handful of singles, their music remains influential among collectors and aficionados of deep funk.
Willie Tee's leadership brought a distinctive edge to the Gaturs, drawing on his experience as a solo artist and his collaborations with other New Orleans legends. The band was not as widely recognized as contemporaries like The Meters, but their approach to funk was less minimalist and more harmonically rich, incorporating jazz elements and complex arrangements. The Gaturs' recordings, such as "Concentrate," have been sampled by hip-hop artists and continue to be rediscovered by new generations, underscoring their lasting impact on American music.
Despite their relatively brief career, the Gaturs are celebrated for their role in expanding the boundaries of New Orleans funk and soul. Willie Tee's work with the group, as well as his later projects, helped introduce the city's unique musical vocabulary to a wider audience, influencing genres from funk to hip-hop and leaving a legacy that endures in contemporary music.
Fun Facts
- Jazz legend Cannonball Adderley encouraged Willie Tee to record an instrumental album after hearing him perform with the Gaturs in 1968.
- The Gaturs' music has been widely sampled in hip-hop, notably by Sean Combs and Lil Wayne.
- Willie Tee was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2007 for his contributions to the state's musical heritage.
- Willie Tee briefly served as a visiting lecturer at Princeton University after Hurricane Katrina.
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Professor Longhair - Early musical influence on Willie Tee, shaping his approach to rhythm and blues and New Orleans piano style (General stylistic influence) [1950s-1960s]
- John Coltrane - Jazz influence on Willie Tee's harmonic and improvisational style (General stylistic influence) [1960s]
Key Collaborators
- Earl Turbinton - Willie Tee's brother and frequent musical partner, including joint albums and live performances (Brothers for Life (1988)) [1970s-1980s]
- Wild Magnolias - Willie Tee arranged, co-wrote, and led the band on their debut album, introducing Mardi Gras Indian funk to the world (Wild Magnolias (1974), They Call Us Wild) [1970s]
Artists Influenced
- Geto Boys - Sampled Willie Tee's composition for Wild Magnolias in their hip-hop production (Sampled 'Smoke My Peace Pipe') [1990s]
- Sean Combs (Puff Daddy) - Sampled the Gaturs' track 'Concentrate' for his album (No Way Out (1997)) [1997]
- Lil Wayne - Sampled Willie Tee's 'Moment of Truth' for his album (Tha Carter II ('Tha Mobb')) [2005]
Connection Network
Discography
Top Tracks
- Melancholia. Theme (Melancholia. Theme)
- A Day With You. Theme (A Day With You. Theme)
- Opening Eyes. Theme (Opening Eyes. Theme)
- Nostalgia. Theme (Nostalgia. Theme)
- late road - adlib
- Nostalgia. Theme (Nostalgia. Theme)
- Remember Me. Theme (Remember Me. Theme)
- After Years. Theme (After Years. Theme)
- Winter Morning. Theme (Winter Morning. Theme)
- Look Back. Theme (Look Back. Theme)
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Gaturs has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 30, 2025 | 11:21 | Gatur Baitfrom Wasted | New Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams | |
| Nov 11, 2025 | 11:27 | Cold Bearfrom Wasted | New Orleans Music Showw/ Cole Williams |