Bobby Watson

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bobby Watson "Made in America" ​​at the INNtöne Jazzfestival 2018.

Robert "Bobby" Watson (* 23. August 1953 in Lawrence , Kansas ) is an American post-bop - alto saxophonist , composer , producer and university professor.

Live and act

Bobby Watson 2007

Bobby Watson comes from a family of musicians and grew up in Kansas City . His mother taught him to play the piano, his father to play the clarinet and saxophone. He gained his first experience in gospel bands and rhythm and blues formations.

Watson graduated from the University of Miami . After graduating in 1975, he went to New York City and began his musical career in formations around Curtis Fuller . From 1977 to 1981 he was the musical director of Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers . After this time, Watson worked with Max Roach , Louis Hayes , George Coleman , Branford Marsalis , Sam Rivers , Wynton Marsalis and in Charlie Persip's Superband, as well as accompanying singers such as Joe Williams , Dianne Reeves , Lou Rawls , Betty Carter and Carmen Lundy .

Following the example of the Messengers , Watson founded the formation Horizon with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis . The quintet recorded several albums for Blue Note Records and Columbia Records . In addition to his work with Horizon , he led a big band called Taylor Made (the album of the same name was intended as a tribute to the music of Johnny Hodges ). From 1985 Watson played in the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet , together with alto saxophonist Ed Jackson, tenor saxophonist Rich Rothenberg and baritone saxophonist Jim Hartog . In 1990 he founded the formation The Jazz Tribe with percussionist Ray Mantilla . In 2007 Watson appeared in the formation The Leaders with Chico Freeman and Buster Williams . From the 2000s, Watson continued to work with Will Calhoun , Vince Ector , Benjamin Koppel , Carmen Lundy , Matt Savage , Rufus Reid , as well as with the Clint Ashlock Big Band, Ralph Peterson & The Messenger Legacy and in the formation The Jazz Tribe (with Jack Walrath , Xavier Davis , Curtis Lundy , Victor Lewis , Ray Mantilla). In the field of jazz he was involved in 182 recording sessions between 1977 and 2018, according to Tom Lord .

Watson taught saxophone at William Paterson University from 1985 to 1986 and at the Manhattan School of Music from 1996 to 1999. He also works at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in the annual Jazz in America high school program. Since 2000, Watson has been director of jazz studies at the University of Missouri in Kansas City.

Watson has made records as a sideman with Art Blakey, Sam Rivers, George Coleman , Lou Rawls , Rufus and Chaka Khan , Carmen Lundy, Bob Belden , John Hicks , Joe Williams and Wynton Marsalis.

Selection discography

As a leader
With Horizon
  • The Inventor (Blue Note, 1989)
  • Post-Motown Bop (Blue Note, 1990)
With The Jazz Tribe
  • The Jazz Tribe (Red, 1990)
  • The Next Step (Red, 1999)
With the Twentynineth Street Saxophone Quartet
With the Taylor Made Big Band

Lexical entry

Web links

Commons : Bobby Watson  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, accessed November 21, 2019)
  2. ↑ The Jazz Tribe , with co-leaders Bobby Watson and Ray Mantilla, is basically the “house band” of the jazz label Red Records . Similar to the formation Red Records All Stars , of which Bobby Watson also belongs. Quoted from Morton / Cook
personal data
SURNAME Watson, Bobby
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Watson, Robert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American jazz saxophonist
DATE OF BIRTH 23rd August 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH Lawrence , Kansas