Trevor Watts
Encyclopedia
Trevor Charles Watts is an English
jazz
and free-improvising
alto and soprano saxophonist. He is largely self-taught, having taken up the cornet at age 12 then switched to saxophone at 18. While stationed in Germany with the RAF
(1958–63), he encountered the drummer John Stevens
and trombonist Paul Rutherford
. After being demobbed he returned to London. In 1965 he and Stevens formed the Spontaneous Music Ensemble
, which became one of the crucibles of British free improvisation
. Watts left the band to form his own group Amalgam in 1967, then returned to SME for another stretch that lasted till the mid-1970s. Another key association was with the bassist Barry Guy
and his London Jazz Composers' Orchestra, an association that lasted from the band's inception in the 1970s up to its (permanent?) disbandment in the mid-1990s.
Though he was initially strongly identified with the avant-garde, Watts is a versatile musician who has worked in everything from straight jazz contexts to rock and blues. His own projects have come increasingly to focus on blending jazz and African music, notably the Moiré Music ensemble which he has led since 1982 in configurations ranging from large ensembles featuring multiple drummers to more intimate trios. He has only occasionally recorded in freer modes in recent years, notably the CD 6 Dialogues, a duet album with Veryan Weston (the pianist in earlier editions of Moiré Music). A solo album, World Sonic, appeared on Hi4Head Records in 2005.
Watts has toured the world over numerous times, run workshops, received grants and commissions, and he has collaborated with some of the great jazz musicians including Archie Shepp
, Steve Lacy
, Don Cherry
and Jayne Cortez
. As of 2011, he continues to travel and will tour North American with Veryan Weston in the summer.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and free-improvising
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
alto and soprano saxophonist. He is largely self-taught, having taken up the cornet at age 12 then switched to saxophone at 18. While stationed in Germany with the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(1958–63), he encountered the drummer John Stevens
John Stevens (drummer)
John William Stevens was an English drummer. He was one of the most significant figures in early free improvisation, and a founding member of the Spontaneous Music Ensemble .-Biography:Stevens was born in Brentford, the son of a tap dancer...
and trombonist Paul Rutherford
Paul Rutherford (trombone player)
Paul William Rutherford was an English free improvising trombonist.-Biography:Born in Greenwich, South East London, Rutherford initially played saxophone but switched to trombone...
. After being demobbed he returned to London. In 1965 he and Stevens formed the Spontaneous Music Ensemble
Spontaneous Music Ensemble
The Spontaneous Music Ensemble was a loose collection of free improvising musicians convened beginning in the mid-1960s by the late South London-based jazz drummer/trumpeter John Stevens and alto and soprano saxophonist Trevor Watts...
, which became one of the crucibles of British free improvisation
Free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any rules beyond the logic or inclination of the musician involved. The term can refer to both a technique and as a recognizable genre in its own right....
. Watts left the band to form his own group Amalgam in 1967, then returned to SME for another stretch that lasted till the mid-1970s. Another key association was with the bassist Barry Guy
Barry Guy
Barry John Guy is a British composer and double bass player. His range of interests encompasses early music, contemporary composition, jazz and improvisation, and he has worked with a wide variety of orchestras in the UK and Europe...
and his London Jazz Composers' Orchestra, an association that lasted from the band's inception in the 1970s up to its (permanent?) disbandment in the mid-1990s.
Though he was initially strongly identified with the avant-garde, Watts is a versatile musician who has worked in everything from straight jazz contexts to rock and blues. His own projects have come increasingly to focus on blending jazz and African music, notably the Moiré Music ensemble which he has led since 1982 in configurations ranging from large ensembles featuring multiple drummers to more intimate trios. He has only occasionally recorded in freer modes in recent years, notably the CD 6 Dialogues, a duet album with Veryan Weston (the pianist in earlier editions of Moiré Music). A solo album, World Sonic, appeared on Hi4Head Records in 2005.
Watts has toured the world over numerous times, run workshops, received grants and commissions, and he has collaborated with some of the great jazz musicians including Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp
Archie Shepp is a prominent African-American jazz saxophonist. Shepp is best known for his passionately Afrocentric music of the late 1960s, which focused on highlighting the injustices faced by the African-Americans, as well as for his work with the New York Contemporary Five, Horace Parlan, and...
, Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy , born Steven Norman Lackritz in New York City, was a jazz saxophonist and composer recognized as one of the important players of soprano saxophone....
, Don Cherry
Don Cherry (jazz)
Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
and Jayne Cortez
Jayne Cortez
Jayne Cortez is an American poet, and performance artist.-Biography:She grew up in California. She is the author of ten books of poems and performer of her poetry with music on nine recordings. Her voice is celebrated for its political, surrealistic, dynamic innovations in lyricism, and visceral...
. As of 2011, he continues to travel and will tour North American with Veryan Weston in the summer.
Selected discography
- 1969: Amalgam: "Prayer for Peace": Transatlantic Records
- 1971: Spontaneous Music Ensemble: "So, what do you think?": Tangent
- 1971: Spontaneous Music Ensemble: 1.2. Albert Ayler: Affinity
- 1974: Amalgam: Innovation: Tangent
- 1976: Amalgam: "Another Time": FMR Records
- 1977: With John Stevens: No Fear: Spotlite
- 1977: Amalgam: Deep: Vinyl
- 1978: "Cynosure": Ogun
- 1979: Amalgam: Over the Rainbow; ARC
- 1981: With Katrina Krimsky: Stella Malu: ECM
- 1985: Moiré Music: Trevor Watts' Moiré Music; ARC
- 1987: Moiré Music Sextet: Saalfelden Encore; Cadillac
- 1988": Moiré Music: "With One Voice": FMR
- 1989: With The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra: Harmos: Intakt
- 1989: With The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra: Double Trouble: Intakt
- 1990: Moiré Music Drum Orchestra: Live In Latin America Vol.1: ARC
- 1991: With The London Jazz Composers' Orchestra: Theoria: Intakt
- 1991: Trevor Watts Moiré Music Group: "Live in Latin America, Vol. 1" ARC
- 1994: Trevor Watts Moiré Music Group: "A Wider Embrace": ECM
- 1995: Trevor Watts Moiré Music Group: "Moiré Music Trio": Intakt Records
- 2000: Trevor Watts Moiré Music Group: "Live a the Athens Concert Hall": ARC
- 2001: 'Trevor Watts and The Celebration Band' : ARC
- 2002: Trevor Watts & Veryan Weston: "6 Dialogues": Emanem
- 2004: Amalgam: "Semanna": FMR
- 2005: Trevor Watts: "Rest of the Spotlight Sessions": Hi4Head (UK)
- 2005: Trevor Watts: World Sonic: Hi5Head (UK)
- 2006: Trevor Watts & Jamie Harris: "Live in Sao Paulo, Brasil": Hi4Head
- 2007: Trevor Watts & Jamie Harris: "Ancestry": Entropy Stereo
- 2008: The Original Trevor Watts Drum Orchestra: "Drum Energy!": High Note
- 2008: Trevor Watts & Peter Knight: "Reunion Live in London": Hi4Head (UK)