Charlie Watts RIP

[sidewinder]

Sad news, just heard it announced on the radio news.

[mjazzg]

Oh no!  I knew he was ill.

The Stones have never meant much to me but I went to see them 5 years ago with my partner who loves them. Charlie was an absolute star, drumming for two hours+ and hardly seeming to break a sweat. Modtastic in his late 70s

Edited August 24, 2021 by mjazzg

[sidewinder]

Yes, it was only a week ago that it was announced that he would not be participating in their forthcoming tour. Sounded ominous at the time but I was just hoping it was just a break for a routine op.

Saw him just the one occasion about 30 years ago, with the Stones at a North American gig (huge crowd). He looked in good enough shape and enjoying it playing on that fairly recent Jazz 625 tribute on BBC4, about 2 years ago.

Edited August 24, 2021 by sidewinder

[JSngry]

When I started playing pop gigs, Charlie Watts was my role model for onstage demeanor. Didn't always go over well for a horn player, but fuck it, who you gonna listen to, some goofyass coverband leader or Charlie Watts?

Very much love him for getting Sonny on Tattoo You. That was a major creduse.

The reality is that, just as Ringo had the pocket for The Beatles, Watts had the pocket for the Stones.

Like mjazzg, they never meant much to me, not overall, but.. I give them credit for, no matter how much they stole, how much they posed, they always had the balls to do it like it was them doing them. Not everybody can do that.

RIP, and the sequence on the Stones in Rock Dreams continues to haunt.

 

[Hardbopjazz]

Big loss. RIP, Charlie. 

[Brad]

Very, very sad news. RIP. 

Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones Drummer and Inimitable Backbone, Dead at 80

[Mark Stryker]

The last time the Stones played Detroit, the band's longtime tenor saxophonist Tim Ries -- a native of metro Detroit broadly defined, who most of you will recognize as a terrific jazz musician -- organized a side gig for his Rolling Stones Project. This was Tim's band that played jazz and jazz-related covers of Rolling Stones songs and some other material too.  At one point, Tim announced there was a young drummer in the house looking for a break so they were going to let him play a couple tunes. That was Charlie's cue to come out from backstage. He played on "All or Nothing at All" (medium Latin/swing the bridge) and "For All We Know" (ballad, brushes all the way). Sounded terrific -- musical and solid. He brought those same qualities to the Stones. No coincidence that perhaps the two best rock bands of the '60s, the Beatles and the Stones, had the two drummers that the FELT the best. Here's 30 second snippets of Charlie on that gig with with Ries. Bernard Fowler is the vocalist, Daryl Jones the bassist.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Mark Stryker

[clifford_thornton]

Sad news. He and Brian Jones were the most interesting aspects of that band, I thought. RIP.

[brownie]

Vers sorry to learn this.

Gréât musician.

Was impressed  when I read several  years ago that Frank Butler was  his favorite drummer.

[sidewinder]

There’s also that big band he put together which recorded ‘Live at Fulham Town Hall’, packed with British jazz talent. Plus his tribute book project in memory of Charlie Parker. He was a dedicated jazz enthusiast, especially bop, by all accounts.

[clifford_thornton]

yeah, the big band is something I had been thinking I needed to check out.

[mjzee]

I think at some point in every Stones gig, Jagger made a point of saying “Charlie sounds good tonight, don’t he?”  A major loss; a long life lived well.  R.I.P.

[Dan Gould]

I can't say I enjoyed his jazz efforts all that much (I recall having the Bird recording but not keeping it long) but I certainly respected him a lot and you knew his commitment was serious and heartfelt.  I also enjoyed the general contrast of Mick doing his thing and Charlie doing his.  RIP.

[Bluesnik]

Oh, that is a big letdown.  Only heard a couple of weeks ago he wasn't playing with the Stones anymore. Saw them on their 82 European tour with the Start me up hit, when I was 19.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Bluesnik

[sidewinder]

46 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said:

yeah, the big band is something I had been thinking I needed to check out.

Somehow that big band LP has eluded me too, need to put that right.

I have his ‘Return of Jazz 625’ recorded off of the TV - a good evening to watch it again I think. Nice small group performance in B&W (original atmosphere recreation) featuring Jean Toussaint.

Here’s a bit of film of him perusing the LP racks at the old ‘Ray’s Jazz’ In London. Ray and Charlie were old friends I believe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GTwLagDmL0

 

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by sidewinder

[soulpope]

R.I.P ....

[danasgoodstuff]

I was a huge Stones fan back in the day, my late brother and I spent many pleasant hours listening to them (on record) in SK and the guys they listened to (Chuck Berry, Muddy, Wolf, etc.).  We particularly enjoyed Charlie's work on the Howlin' Wolf London Sessions.  RIP.  I think it was Charlie's idea to get Sonny Rollins on Tattoo You, love that too.

Edited August 24, 2021 by danasgoodstuff
clarity

[Larry Kart]

3 hours ago, Mark Stryker said:

The last time the Stones played Detroit, the band's longtime tenor saxophonist Tim Ries -- a native of metro Detroit broadly defined, ho most of you will recognize as a terrific jazz musician -- organized a side gig for his Rolling Stones Project. This was Tim's band that played jazz and jazz-related covers of Rolling Stones songs and some other material too.  At one point, Tim announced there was a young drummer in the house looking for a break so they were going to let him play a couple tunes. That was Charlie's cue to come out from backstage. He played on "All or Nothing at All" (medium Latin/swing the bridge) and "For All We Know" (ballad, brushes all the way). Sounded terrific -- musical and solid. He brought those same qualities to the Stones. No coincidence that perhaps the two best rock bands of the '60s, the Beatles and the Stones, had the two drummers that the FELT the best. Here's 30 second snippets of Charlie on that gig with with Ries. Bernard Fowler is the vocalist, Daryl Jones the bassist.

 

 

Tim is indeed a fine player.

[Bluesnik]

4 hours ago, JSngry said:

and the sequence on the Stones in Rock Dreams continues to haunt.

Do you mean the illustrated book? Because yes, there are some drawings of the Stones that are near frightening. One with Jagger as a woman IIRC:

Edited August 24, 2021 by Bluesnik

[medjuck]

Friend of mine who collects jazz films had a visit from Watts who requested to see footage  of Big Sid Catlett.

First saw The Stones in 1966.  I think I was the oldest person in the audience. 

Edited August 24, 2021 by medjuck

[JSngry]

28 minutes ago, Bluesnik said:

Do you mean the illustrated book? Because yes, there are some drawings of the Stones that are near frightening. One with Jagger as a woman IIRC:

Yeah, that's the one. It shows them advancing in age, dropping off one by one, I think that Jagger was the last one left, which may or may not be how it plays out in real life.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

The Sirius/XM Jazz channel has been playing several of Watts' Jazz recordings. The stuff with the Danish big band was just OK. The quintet stuff was a little better.

[sgcim]

Although I liked some of the earlier Stones things, and I always thought CW was a good rock drummer, I never realized he had jazz chops until I was gigging with the late, great Keith Copeland.

KC had done the tour with Stevie Wonder and the Stones, and he told us the story of the time that the two bands had a big jam session. He said that other than Charlie Watts, none of the Stones could play worth a damn, and he had developed a friendship with CW as a result of that tour. That was enough for me.

RIP, Mr. Watts, you were a class act.

[EKE BBB]

R.I.P.

[Teasing the Korean]

Our pad is pretty much a rock-free zone and has been for many years.  If I'm going to listen to any "rock," it will be interpretations by aging jazz and easy listening artists turning on and tuning in to the sounds of today.

But about five or six years ago, Ms. TTK wanted the Stones in Mono box set, so I gave it to her for Christmas.  

While I don't really spin any rock at all, I play at least once a year Aftermath.  I don't know what it is about that album.  I don't think the Stones ever topped it.  

There was enough Aftermath material for two LPs, between US and UK versions, singles, B-sides, and a couple of strays that ended up on Flowers.  So I sequenced a playlist with four sides, each clocking in at around 18 minutes.  It is my preferred version of Aftermath.

Brian Jones was the magic, and the group was never as good after he was canned.  

RIP Charlie.  

Edited August 25, 2021 by Teasing the Korean