Bobby Watson
| Bobby Watson | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Michael Watson, Jr. |
| Born |
September 23, 1953 Lawrence, Kansas, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, educator |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
| Labels | Blue Note, Columbia, Palmetto |
| Associated acts | Art Blakey, Curtis Lundy, Victor Lewis |
| Website | www |
Bobby Watson (born August 23, 1953, in Lawrence, Kansas) is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator.
Watson grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He attended the University of Miami at the same time as Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, and Bruce Hornsby. He graduated in 1975, moved to New York City, and became music director for the Jazz Messengers from 1977–1981. After leaving the band, he was productive as a session musician, recording with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Max Roach, Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and Carmen Lundy.
He formed the band Bobby Watson & Horizon with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis, with whom he played throughout the 1980s and '90s. In addition to his work as leader of Horizon, Watson led a group known as the High Court of Swing (a tribute to the music of Johnny Hodges), the Tailor-Made Big Band (16 pieces), and is a founding member of the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet, an all-horn, four-piece group with alto saxophonist Ed Jackson, tenor saxophonist Rich Rothenberg, and baritone saxophonist Jim Hartog. Watson also composed an original song for the soundtrack of the movie A Bronx Tale (1993).
A resident of New York for most of his professional life, Watson served as a member of the adjunct faculty and taught saxophone privately at William Paterson University from 1985 to 1986 and the Manhattan School of Music from 1996 to 1999. He is also involved with the Thelonious Monk Institute's annual "Jazz in America" high school outreach program.
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Wikipedia