Bobby Watson
| Bobby Watson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Michael Watson, Jr. |
| Born |
September 23, 1953 Lawrence, Kansas, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, educator |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Labels | Blue Note, Columbia, Palmetto |
| Associated acts | Art Blakey, Curtis Lundy, Victor Lewis |
| Website |
www |
Bobby Watson (born August 23, 1953, in Lawrence, Kansas) is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator.
Music career
Watson grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended the University of Miami at the same time as Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, and Bruce Hornsby. He graduated in 1975, moved to New York City, and became music director for the Jazz Messengers from 1977–1981. After leaving the band, he was productive as a session musician, recording with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Max Roach, Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and Carmen Lundy.
He formed the band Bobby Watson & Horizon with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis, with whom he played throughout the 1980s and '90s.[1] In addition to his work as leader of Horizon, Watson led a group known as the High Court of Swing (a tribute to the music of Johnny Hodges), the Tailor-Made Big Band (16 pieces), and is a founding member of the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet, an all-horn, four-piece group with alto saxophonist Ed Jackson, tenor saxophonist Rich Rothenberg, and baritone saxophonist Jim Hartog. Watson also composed an original song for the soundtrack of the movie A Bronx Tale (1993).
A resident of New York for most of his professional life, Watson served as a member of the adjunct faculty and taught saxophone privately at William Paterson University from 1985 to 1986 and the Manhattan School of Music from 1996 to 1999.[1] He is also involved with the Thelonious Monk Institute's annual "Jazz in America" high school outreach program.
In 2000, he was approached to return to his native midwestern surroundings on the Kansas-Missouri border. Watson was selected as the first William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri, Distinguished Professorship in Jazz Studies.[2] The past fifteen years he has served as the director of jazz studies at the University of Missouri–Kansas City Conservatory of Music, although he still manages to balance concert engagements around the world with his teaching responsibilities. Watson's ensembles at UMKC have garnered several awards and national recognition.[3]
Discography
As leader
- 1978: Estimated Time of Arrival (Roulette)
- 1979: All Because of You (Roulette)
- 1983: Live in Europe - Perpetual Groove (Red)
- 1984: Advance (Enja)
- 1985: Round Trip (Red)
- 1986: Love Remains (Red) with John Hicks, Curtis Lundy, Marvin "Smitty" Smith
- 1987: Beatitudes (New Notes) with Curtis Lundy as co-leader
- 1987: The Year of the Rabbit (Evidence) with Art Baron, Mulgrew Miller
- 1990: Post-Motown Bop with Horizon (Blue Note)[4]
- 1991: Present Tense (Columbia)
- 1993: This Little Light of Mine (Red)
- 1993: Midwest Shuffle (Columbia) with Victor Lewis
- 1995: Urban Renewal (Kokopelli)
- 1998: Quiet as It's Kept (Red)
- 1998: The Bobby Watson/Curtis Lundy Project
- 2000: In the Groove (Challenge)
- 2002: Live & Learn (Palmetto)
- 2004: Horizon Reassembled (Palmetto)
- 2006: Soulful Serendipity (We Always Swing) with James Williams as co-leader
- 2008: From the Heart (Palmetto)
- 2009: Everlasting (Red)
- 2010: The Gates BBQ Suite (CD Baby) with the UMKC Concert Jazz Orchestra
- 2013: Check Cashing Day (CD Baby) with the I Have a Dream Project
As sideman
With the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet
- Pointillistic Groove (Osmosis, 1984)
- The Real Deal (New Note, 1987)
- Underground (Antilles, 1991)
- Milano New York Bridge (Red, 1993)
With Kamal Abdul-Alim
- Dance (Stash, 1983)
With Art Blakey
- Gypsy Folk Tales (Roulette, 1977)
- In My Prime Vol. 1 (Timeless, 1977)
- In My Prime Vol. 2 (Timeless, 1977)
- In This Korner (Concord Jazz, 1978)
- Reflections in Blue (Timeless, 1978)
- Night in Tunisia: Digital Recording (Philips, 1979)
- One by One (Palcoscenico, 1979 [1981])
- Live at Montreux and Northsea (Timeless, 1980)
- Art Blakey in Sweden (Amigo, 1981)
- Album of the Year (Timeless, 1981)
- Straight Ahead (Concord Jazz, 1981)
With Horizon
- No Question About It (Blue Note, 1988)
- The Inventor (Blue Note, 1989)
- Post-Motown Bop (Blue Note, 1991)
- Gumbo (Evidence, 1994)
With John Hicks
- Naima's Love Song (DIW, 1988)
With the Jazz Tribe
- The Jazz Tribe (Red, 1990)
- The Next Step (Red, 1999)
- Everlasting (Red, 2008)
With Sam Rivers
- Colours (Black Saint, 1982)
With Superblue
With the Tailor Made Big Band
- Tailor Made (Columbia) with Steve Turre, Robin Eubanks, Jon Faddis
- Live at Someday in Tokyo (2000) with Tokyo Leaders Big Band
References
- 1 2 Skelly, Richard. "Bobby Watson: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
- ↑ "People : Faculty Directory : Bobby Watson, Jr.". UMKC. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
- ↑ Burnett, Chris (2003-10-02). "Bobby Watson's Kansas City Big Band: Part 1-2". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
- ↑ "Bobby Watson & Horizon | Album Discography | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ↑ "Superblue - Superblue | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 November 2016.