Wikipedia

Ernie Watts

For other people named Ernie Watts, seeErnie Watts (disambiguation).

Ernest James Watts(born October 23, 1945) is a Grammy-winning American jazz and R&Bsaxophonistwho playssoprano,alto,andtenor saxophone.He has worked withCharlie Haden'sQuartet Westand toured with theRolling Stones.OnFrank Zappa's albumThe Grand Wazoohe played the "Mystery Horn", a straight-neckedC melody saxophone.Watts also played the notable sax riff on "The One You Love"fromGlenn Frey's albumNo Fun Aloud.

Ernie Watts
Ernie Watts in 2008 Photo by Bob Travis
Ernie Watts in 2008
Photo by Bob Travis
Background information
Birth nameErnest James Watts
Born(1945-10-23)October 23, 1945(age 79)
Norfolk,Virginia, U.S.
GenresJazz,rhythm and blues
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Saxophone, flute, clarinet
Years active1960s–present
LabelsMotown,Tamla,Atlantic,Warner Bros.,A&M,CBS,Qwest
Websiteerniewatts

Biography

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Watts atGreat American Music Hall,San Francisco, California, 1987

Watts was born inNorfolk,Virginia, and began playing saxophone at 13. After a brief period atWest Chester University,he attended theBerklee College of Musicon aDown Beatmagazine scholarship.

He toured withBuddy Richin the late 1960s, occupying one of the alto saxophone chairs, and visited Africa on a U.S. State Department tour withOliver Nelson's group.

Watts played alto saxophone withThe Tonight Show BandunderDoc Severinsenfor 20 years and was a member ofBarry White'sLove Unlimited Orchestra.He was a featured soloist on many ofMarvin Gaye's albums onMotownduring the 1970s, as well as on many other pop and R&B sessions during his 25 years as astudio musicianin Los Angeles. He has won twoGrammy Awardsas an instrumentalist.

Watts was added to the lineup of backing musicians on the fifth show ofthe Rolling Stones American Tour 1981and was with them until the end of that tour. Throughout the tour, Watts's influence on the Stones' live performance grew significantly, with the Stones jamming longer and longer over tracks such as "Just My Imagination"andLet Me Go".Watts can be heard onStill Life,the live album recorded during the tour.

In the mid 1980s, Watts decided to rededicate himself to jazz. He recorded and toured with German guitarist and composerTorsten de Winkel,drummerSteve Smith,and keyboardistTom Coster.He was invited to joinCharlie Haden's Quartet West; the two met backstage one night after Haden heard Watts play "Nightbird" byMichel Colombier.

Watts also played on soundtracks for the moviesGreaseandThe Color Purpleand on the theme song for the TV showNight Court.[1]In 1982, his version of "Chariots of Fire" was featured in the Season 4 episode ofWKRP in Cincinnati( "The Creation of Venus" ). He was featured on one ofWindows XP's sample tracks,
"Highway Blues" by New Stories.[2]

In 1986, Watts visited South America with the Pat Metheny Special Quartet alongside Charlie Haden and Paul Wertico, playing at Shams in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In 2008, his albumAnalog Manwon the Independent Music Award for Best Jazz Album.[3]He played on Kurt Elling's albumDedicated to You,which won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2011.

Discography

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As leader

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  • Planet Love(Pacific Jazz,1969)
  • The Wonder Bag(Vault, 1972)
  • Look in Your Heart(Elektra,1980)
  • Chariots of Fire(Qwest,1982)
  • Musician(Qwest, 1985)
  • Sanctuary(Qwest, 1986)
  • The Ernie Watts Quartet(JVC,1987 [1991])
  • AfoxewithGilberto Gil(CTI,1991)
  • Reaching Up(JVC, 1994)
  • Unity(JVC, 1995)
  • Long Road Home(JVC, 1996)
  • Classic Moods(JVC, 1998)
  • Reflectionswith Ron Feuer (Flying Dolphin, 2000)
  • Alive(Flying Dolphin, 2004)
  • Spirit Song(Flying Dolphin, 2005)
  • Analog Man(Flying Dolphin, 2006)
  • To The Point(Flying Dolphin, 2007)
  • Four Plus Four(Flying Dolphin, 2009)
  • Oasis(Flying Dolphin, 2011)
  • A Simple Truth(Flying Dolphin, 2014)
  • Wheel of Time(Flying Dolphin, 2016)
  • Home Light(Flying Dolphin, 2018)

WithKarma

  • Celebration(Horizon/A&M, 1976)[4]
  • For Everybody(Horizon/A&M, 1977)[5]

As a member

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The GRP All-Star Big Band

The Super Black Blues Band
(WithT-Bone Walker,Otis SpannandJoe Turner)

Sergio Mendes
Also, he played saxo in albumConfetti(1983)

As sideman

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References

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  1. ^"Watts, Ernie (James Ernest) – Jazz | Jazz Music – Jazz Artists – Jazz News".Jazz. October 23, 1945. Archived fromthe originalon November 8, 2013.Retrieved2014-07-17.
  2. ^"The official home page for Ernie Watts".ErnieWatts.RetrievedJuly 17,2014.
  3. ^[1]ArchivedMarch 6, 2009, at theWayback Machine
  4. ^Karma - Celebration (LP liner notes). Horizon/A&M Records. SP-713
  5. ^Karma - For Everybody (LP liner notes). Horizon/A&M Records. SP-723
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