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A
saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator, Bobby Watson trained formally at
the University of Miami and then earned his “doctorate” as musical director of
Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the ultimate “postgraduate school” for ambitious
young players. Along the way, he worked with such notable jazz artists as Max
Roach, Louis Hayes, George Coleman, Sam Rivers and Wynton and Branford Marsalis,
as well as vocalists Joe Williams, Dianne Reeves, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, and
Carmen Lundy. Later, in
association with bassist Curtis Lundy and drummer Victor Lewis, Watson launched
the first edition of Horizon, his acoustic quintet. He has also led the High
court of Swing (a tribute to the music of Johnny Hodges), The Tailor-Made Big
Band and is a founding member of the highly acclaimed 29th Street Saxophone
Quartet. Watson also wrote original music for the sound track of Robert Deniro’s
directorial debut “A Bronx Tale”. |
In 2001, Bobby was awarded the
first; “William and Mary Grant/Missouri Professor of Jazz” endowed professorship
in jazz and serves as the director of jazz studies at the University of
Missouri/Kansas City, Conservatory of Music. |
