Charlie Watts RIP

[Michael]

Only saw the Stones once, a few years back at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.   As a fan of the band for years, I enjoyed watching Charlie do his thing without breaking a sweat..  He definitely looked like he was having fun, without trying too hard.  

Listening to "Flowers " (mono/vinyl)  to start the night.

[GA Russell]

RIP.

I think it was Brad who posted that on their first US tour, it was Charlie who did most of the talking to the interviewers.

*****

SYMPATHY FOR THE DRUMMER: Why Charlie Watts Matters by Mike Edison - $16.95
https://www.hamiltonbook.com/sympathy-for-the-drummer-why-charlie-watts-matters-hardbound

$12.95
https://www.hamiltonbook.com/sympathy-for-the-drummer-why-charlie-watts-matters-paperbound

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by GA Russell

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

quote from Karl Denson:

“At rehearsals, he’ll play a perfect Billy Higgins’ ‘Sidewinder’ beat, or a ‘Poinciana’ rhythm.  And when Charlie plays the Stones’ stuff, he does this extremely naïve, beautiful thing. It’s pretty incredible.”

 

RIP

[Brad]

Charlie Watts: A Life in Pictures

[clifford_thornton]

16 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

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.  

Jones and Watts were the best aspects of that band.

[BillF]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/aug/25/beat-lighting-man-exploring-charlie-watts-love-of-jazz

Guardian article on Charlie Watts and jazz with audio clip of a Watts jazz quintet.

IMHO you can tell Charlie isn't a full-time jazz drummer, though he certainly has the right idea!

Lovely quintet they put together for him, with Peter King, Gerald Presencer and Brian Lemon.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

and of of the only rock drummers to hold the sticks the way jazz players do, he and carl palmer are the only two i really know i think maybe bruford sometimes

[Rooster_Ties]

16 minutes ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

and of of the only rock drummers to hold the sticks the way jazz players do, he and carl palmer are the only two i really know i think maybe bruford sometimes

Stewart Copeland…

http://theparadiddler.com/2009/11/02/stewart-copeland-answers-questions-from-the-paradiddler/

 

Long SHF thread on the whole topic…

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/rock-drummers-with-traditional-grip.896418/

Edited August 25, 2021 by Rooster_Ties

[Brad]

10 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:

Jones and Watts were the best aspects of that band.

However, they had little choice in getting rid of Jones.

*****

The Uniform Cool of Charlie Watts

[Gheorghe]

I must admit I maybe was "too young" for the Stones, as some of my a bit older friends said. (born let´s say 1953-55) while I was born 1959. Same with Beatles. Before I got acquaintet with jazz I listened to the usual hit parades with all that early 70´s stuff like "Mexio", "Mama Lou", "Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree" or stuff like that, so I wasn´t really informed about the 60´s rock´n roll bands as a kid. 

But I first read the name of Charlie Watts in DB in an extended interview, he had long hair then, but was very skinny, but I was astonished how much he knows about jazz and jazz drumming and how many name musicians he knew. And I got it confirmed yesterday when it was in the newspaper about his death that they wrote he had been a big jazz fan too.

[mikeweil]

RIP. It is great that he kept his inner jazz connection all the time. But I must admit that I never liked the Stones or listened to what he was playing on their records.

[BillF]

6 hours ago, mikeweil said:

RIP. It is great that he kept his inner jazz connection all the time. But I must admit that I never liked the Stones or listened to what he was playing on their records.

I haven't listened to the Stones for years either, but in 1964, when I was 24 and had been a confirmed jazz listener for 7 years, the choice was between the Beatles and the Stones and the Stones won hands down. As is shown by my occasional choices in the "What are you listening ..." thread, I retain my enthusiasm for Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, etc who were worshipped by the Stones in those days.

I used to hang out with a Leeds blues band called the Blue Sounds who got to play at the Cavern in Liverpool, but never made the big time like the others. Their keyboardist, the late Paul Woodrow, was invited to sit in by a blues band at the Flamingo in London, but the singer said no. The singer was Jagger. This was the Stones before they hit the big time.

[Mark13]

I was never a big Stones-fan but there was something about Watt's playing that got to me. I've tried to figure out what it was in his drumming that brought virtually all the sexiness to the sound of that band, but never quite unravelled the mystery. And I'd like to think that he has taken that secret with him - wherever he's gone.

RIP

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

On 8/24/2021 at 10:16 AM, 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, 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.

 

 

 

he really could do it!  Wish he had more jazz projects in the eye throgh the years, but im sure he got to jam a lot

[sidewinder]

BBC4 had a good tribute programme in memory of him last night. Included an excerpt of that ‘Jazz 625’ tribute show with quartet including Scott Hamilton and Charlie’s old next door neighbour and friend Dave Green on bass, as well as some good vintage Stones performances from OGWT. Plus a fine boogie-woogie performance with, I’m assuming, Axel S. on piano.

Also a clip of Charlie and Dave discussing their old vinyl collections, including Mead Lux Lewis 78rpm, Mingus Bohemia, Parker Massey Hall and Davis ‘Milestones’, with Charlie saying he never managed to find a green shirt as good.

Edited August 28, 2021 by sidewinder

[mjazzg]

If Charlie couldn't find the green shirt it doesn't bode well for me!

Dave Green did a lovely little interview on Today in the week too

[mikeweil]

Interesting post on the busines side of the Rolling Stones:

https://financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/its-all-over-now-lessons-from-the-rolling-stones-school-of-business?

Edited August 28, 2021 by mikeweil

[Teasing the Korean]

On 8/26/2021 at 11:37 AM, BillF said:

I haven't listened to the Stones for years either, but in 1964, when I was 24 and had been a confirmed jazz listener for 7 years, the choice was between the Beatles and the Stones and the Stones won hands down.

The early Stones had beefier guitars, plus Ian Stewart on keys.  It was a much fuller sound than the Beatles or any other British rock group had back then, with the possible exception of the Yardbirds.  The instruments on Stones records were for the most part better recorded than on Beatles records; there is more definition in all of the instruments.  And the Stones' guitar arrangements and interplay were far more interesting than what the Beatles were doing at that time.  IMO.

Edited August 28, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[mjzee]

43 minutes ago, Teasing the Korean said:

The early Stones had beefier guitars, plus Ian Stewart on keys.  It was a much fuller sound than the Beatles or any other British rock group had back then, with the possible exception of the Yardbirds.  The instruments on Stones records were for the most part better recorded than on Beatles records; there is more definition in all of the instruments.  And the Stones' guitar arrangements and interplay were far more interesting than what the Beatles were doing at that time.  IMO.

Yes, but the Stones couldn't play in time, and their harmonies were cringe-worthy.

[Teasing the Korean]

8 minutes ago, mjzee said:

Yes, but the Stones couldn't play in time, and their harmonies were cringe-worthy.

It all came together for Aftermath, which is the only Stones album I care about, and which is the only "rock" album I occasionally return to anymore.  I can't say the same for any Beatles album.  

I much prefer to hear "rock" interpreted with the civility, gentility, and politeness that we associate with jazz.  

 

 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[Rabshakeh]

11 hours ago, mjzee said:

Yes, but the Stones couldn't play in time, and their harmonies were cringe-worthy.

That was always part of the charm for me. The country rock albums they did benefit from being completely ramshackle. Those are some of the only older rock albums that I still listen to, along with the Stooges, and the New York Dolls.

[Brad]

When Charlie Watts Finally Made It to New York City

The author, the former book critic of the New York Times, mentions “Between the Buttons.” That has always been one of my favorites.  Another is The Rolling Stones, Now! because it contains Little Red Rooster (I think still the only blues song to hit number 1 in the UK), Heart of Stone and Mona (the Bo Diddley song, although my favorite version is the Quicksilver Messenger version). 

[Mark Stryker]

Please read saxophonist Tim Ries' remembrance of Charlie that was posted today, So glad NPR (presumably Nate Chinen) asked him to do this.

https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033382555/charlie-watts-jazz-remembrance-rolling-stones

[danasgoodstuff]

4 hours ago, Mark Stryker said:

Please read saxophonist Tim Ries' remembrance of Charlie that was posted today, So glad NPR (presumably Nate Chinen) asked him to do this.

https://www.npr.org/2021/09/02/1033382555/charlie-watts-jazz-remembrance-rolling-stones

Very nice.

[medjuck]

Just skimmed a book about him which seems to say he played with Don Byas!   Long before he played rock'n'roll "In Denmark, Watts would sit at an unfamiliar kit behind fast US saxophonist Don Byas..."