Bobby Watson

[Lazaro Vega]

Drummer Matt Kane's new album "Acknowledgement" includes several Bobby Watson compositions. On top of that, seeing Watson live from the East Room of the White House on International Jazz Day made me realize it was time to feature his music in the first part of each hour during Jazz From Blue Lake. Here's a link to our 5 hour broadcast: www.bluelake.org/ondemand (Photo By Lafiya Watson.)

[danasgoodstuff]

I saw Bobby Watson & Horizon twice in quick succession in the Twin
Cities roughly 25 years ago, Bobby & the rest were great.

[HutchFan]

Hooray for Bobby Watson!  

[sidewinder]

8 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

I saw Bobby Watson & Horizon twice in quick succession in the Twin
Cities roughly 25 years ago, Bobby & the rest were great.

Same here - it was the lineup with Melton Mustapha, Essiet Essiet and Victor Lewis as they were touring across North America. Superb stuff !  Around the time that Horizon's fine run of Blue Note albums came out. Very impressed with Bobby's band leading ability.

[felser]

wish someone would reissue those Roulette sides he did (and Blakey's "Gypsy Folk Tales").  Love his earliest stuff, especially the writing.  "Time Will Tell" especially.

[soulpope]

A good one (IMO) ....

[kh1958]

Gypsy Folk Tales was reissued in Japan in the last few years (expensive now).

http://www.amazon.com/Gypsy-Folk-Tales-Blakey-Messengers/dp/B005V4GONW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1464961919&sr=1-1&keywords=Art+blakey+gypsy+folk+tales

 

[jazzbo]

Too bad as it was a 9 dollar or so Japan price reissue when it was released five years ago.

[kh1958]

I'm glad I picked up a copy, as it is a good one.

I've seen Bobby Watson a few times--most memorably with Horizon in Vancouver in the early 1990s. I'm recalling one other time with him as leader at Sweet Basil, a more electric group with Rachel Z. Then a few years ago leading a Jazz Messengers reunion at Iridium. He's been a pleasure every time.

[sidewinder]

4 hours ago, kh1958 said:

I've seen Bobby Watson a few times--most memorably with Horizon in Vancouver in the early 1990s. 

That must have been on the same tour I saw him on - your gig was probably the next stop !

 

[HutchFan]

5 hours ago, felser said:

wish someone would reissue those Roulette sides he did (and Blakey's "Gypsy Folk Tales").  Love his earliest stuff, especially the writing.  "Time Will Tell" especially.

I agree with you, felser.  Along with Gypsy Folk Tales, Blakey's records on Timeless and Concord are often overlooked. Bobby's "fingerprints" are all over them -- and I mean that in a good way!

[Hot Ptah]

Bobby Watson has been a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for many years and often plays live in Kansas City. I just looked it up and he moved here in 2000 and took the job at the University. Those of us who live in Kansas City have so many opportunities to see him perform each year that we get almost jaded about it. Sometimes his local performances are at a very high level.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Hot Ptah

[danasgoodstuff]

He's on New York Stories, a Blue Note all-star thingy notable for the presence of Danny Gatton.

[Tom in RI]

Regarding New York Stories, evidently Gatton's leads were all done after the tracks were recorded.

https://www.vintageguitar.com/2813/danny-gatton/

according to Ed Eastridge, Gatton's preferred engineer.

[danasgoodstuff]

7 hours ago, Tom in RI said:

Regarding New York Stories, evidently Gatton's leads were all done after the tracks were recorded.

https://www.vintageguitar.com/2813/danny-gatton/

according to Ed Eastridge, Gatton's preferred engineer.

Weird, but makes sense if he was a perfectionist and, apparently, he was.