Frederick (Freddie) Waits; Percussionist

Frederick (Freddie) Waits, 49, a drummer who toured with Mercer Ellington, recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, played with Milt Jackson and taught and gave concerts at many New York penitentiaries. A multi-percussionist, Waits studied flute before concentrating on drums, and he began accompanying such blues singers as Ivory Joe Hunter and Percy Mayfield. After moving to Detroit, he recorded regularly for Motown with the Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas and Stevie Wonder. In New York, he played in many clubs and became an original member of the New York Jazz Sextet and helped popularize M’Boom, the percussion group. In New York City on Saturday of kidney failure.