Bobby Watson playing Jazz Live San Diego Tuesday, May 11, 2010 8-10PM PT. Hear it LIVE on Jazz 88.3 FM KSDS San Diego or Webcast at http://Jazz88.org.
Live chatting during the show...chat verification required...
Wish I could embed a stream of posts to the Jazz 88 Facebook wall...posts made by listeners of Jazz Live who wanted to post something about the show in progress...that would be cool! Maybe a list of Twitter @Replies to @Jazz88 or Tweets using the #jazzlive tag. I want to put together the places that listeners already post to...make JLSD viral! Where does Re-Tweeting come in play here?
Also, coming...photos from JAzz Live....embedded photoset slideshow...that's it...coming...
Here's some of the info I've pulled together for the interview with Bobby...
We are at Jazz Live San Diego with Bobby Watson. Thanks for being with us tonight.
Please tell us about the band you’ve brought to Jazz Live tonight?
Is
2008 “From The Heart” – recorded with your “Live and Learn” band in 2007. It changes up the familiar Horizon-band format to add Vibes, but seems to be built upon principles you picked up during your time with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and applied to your well-known Horizon band formed in the 80s, including young up and comers who bring charts and originals for the band to record.
- Can you tell us what you were trying to get to with From The Heart?
- Does it reflect any certain ideas about you as a player or leader at this point in your career?
- Other than the obvious differences in players, are there any particular differences in the makeup of players, instrumentation, or repertoire from your Horizon band or even the Jazz Messengers that you were involved with?
8/23/53 Born in
- How were you introduced to Jazz?
- How did the musical history impact you and your approach to music and Jazz?
Trained at
1977-1981: Jazz Messengers. Recorded 13 albums with the band. Ended up as musical director.
- Can you tell us how you first met Art Blakey and how you got the gig with the Messengers?
- Do you remember who’s place you took in the band?
- Who was the musical director previous to you?
- How did your time with the band end?
- Do you have a favorite disc or two of your recorded time with the band?
Quite a bit of work with Jazz Vocalists, including Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Better Carter, Carmen Lundy. You often hear about pianists working with Jazz Vocalists, but not as much Saxophonists. Is there something special that you as a horn player need to do when working with a vocalist (as opposed to sitting in with other instrumentalists?)
1983 - 2004: First work with Horizon released (according to the Horizon discography). There has been some writing about the similarities between the Jazz Messengers and Horizon. 2004 – “Horizon Reassembled”
- How did this band come together?
- Where there particular characteristics of Jazz Messengers that you wanted to stay close to? Get away from?
- Are you still playing with this band and when might there be a new Horizon recording?
Written and recorded over 100 original compositions, many compositions and arrangements played by high school and college bands. How important has composition been to you as a Jazz artist?
1986 “Love Remains”: Penquin Guide to Jazz “Core Collection” (must have)
2005 “Live and Learn” / 2006 “Horizon Reassembled”
1985-86: Adjunct Faculty/Private Lessons, William Patterson U
1996-99:
2000, moved back to
- Can you tell us a little about the UMKC Jazz Studies program, such as mission, number of students, types of degrees or concentrations and your responsibilities related to that?
- Why is music education important to you?
- What are some of the challenges that you see in educating young people about Jazz? Do you see some of those in particular even in
- You’ve become familiar with some of Jazz 88’s education programs such as Music Matters, High School / Middle School Jazz Festival. What about those programs do you think might be applicable to other locations, such as
Artistic Director, Thelonious Monk Institute “Jazz In
