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Ken Watters
Lately, trumpeter Ken Watters is moving in a different direction than anyone (even Ken) expected... His newest project is called RIYEL (pronounced ree- YELL / meaning "alleyway," or "backstreet" in Haitian Kreyol) & features, among others, Haitian bassist extraordinaire YVES ABEL (Tabou Combo, Beethove Obas, Emeline Michel, etc), trombonist ANDRE ATKINS (Aretha Franklin, Steve Coleman, Soulive, etc) & a supporting cast of some of Haiti's finest & most creative musicians on the world music scene... The octet's debut CD will be released this spring on Summit Records & will be distributed worldwide, including extensively throughout the French Caribbean. RIYEL has already created such a "buzz" that the band has received numerous invitations to perform at some of the better-known jazz festivals throughout the Caribbean. Recently, three of RIYEL's new songs were featured on Radio Metropole's Saturday Morning Jazz Show in Port-au- Prince, Haiti. Before the first track was over, the show's host reported that a new record had been set for in-studio call-ins inquiring about the band... Hopefully, this is a harbinger of things to come — who knows? Regardless, the music performed by RIYEL is Haitian-inspired, real, improvised, challenging & original JAZZ. This is not a group that calls itself a jazz group simply because there is no singer — on the contrary, this is a jazz group because the ensemble performs jazz, pure & simple. With a strong Haitian (at times Voodoo-flavored) twist... BIO: Jazz trumpeters who have struck Watters the hardest stylistically are Kenny Wheeler, Woody Shaw, Tim Hagans, Lester Bowie, Terrell Stafford, Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Olu Dara, Wynton Marsalis, Greg Gisbert, Miles Davis, & Mike Thomas (his longtime mentor from Huntsville, AL). His compositional style is strongly influenced by Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter, Al Green, Rickie Lee Jones, Jimmy Webb, Brian Blade, Nickel Creek, Chris Potter, Willie Nelson, Bill Frisell, John Lennon / Paul McCartney / George Harrison, Joe Henderson & countless others. Ken has performed, toured with, or recorded with Frank Sinatra, Marc Anthony, Natalie Cole, John Abercrombie, Terry Gibbs, Ravi Coltrane, Mingus Big Band, Kelis, Roger Hawkins, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Gregg Allman, Fred Wesley, Roland Vazquez, Richie Cole, Dave Valentin, Mike Stern, Bill Goodwin, Anthony Jackson, Chris Potter, Little Milton, Dan Penn, Steve Coleman, Gene Perla, David Liebman, Harry Connick Jr., Eartha Kitt, Peter Bernstein, The Fifth Dimension, Philip Harper, Petula Clarke, Russell Malone, Herbie Mann, Gregory Hutchinson, Tabou Combo, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Steel Pulse, Walt Disney World, The Manhattans, The Platters, Marilyn McCoo, Phyllis Diller, David Holland, Larry Goldings & many other icons of the music world.
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Watters / Felts Project: Watters / Felts Project
by Jack Bowers
On The Watters / Felts Project, Ken Watters, a fine trumpeter, and his quintet are confined for the most part to escorting singer Ingrid Felts as she wends her way through five present-day compositions, Billie Holiday's Fine and Mellow" and the standard I'll Be Seeing You." Is it a good idea? That depends in part on one's response to Felts' casual, blues-based vocal style. The opinion here is that her performance is for the most part adequate but no more ...
read moreTake Five With Ken Watters
by AAJ Staff
Meet Ken Watters:Atlanta-based trumpeter Ken Watters has performed, toured, or recorded with Frank Sinatra, Marc Anthony, Natalie Cole, Mingus Big Band, Kelis, Gregg Allman, Bonnie Bramlett, Chris Potter, Harry Connick Jr., Reuben Studdard, Eartha Kitt, The Fifth Dimension, Angela & Zack Hacker, Petula Clarke, Tabou Combo, Steel Pulse, Marilyn McCoo, Phyllis Diller, Dave Holland, The Muscle Shoals Horns, and is house trumpeter for high-profile R&B producer Dallas Austin, among many other credits.Ken is a SESAC-affiliated jazz ...
read moreAn Interview With Ken Watters
by AAJ Staff
Few debut recordings are capable of generating justifiable and genuine excitement amongst jazz enthusiasts. However, the collaborative release by Ken and Harry Watters, the suitably entitled Brothers (Summit Records), would appear to be one of those recordings. Since it's release earlier this year, Brothers has drawn an unusual degree of attention from AAJ contributors. Unusual not only for the amount of coverage (four reviews, and a biographical sketch in the March edition) but also for the universally positive ...
read moreKen and Harry Watters: Brothers III
by C. Michael Bailey
While his brother Harry was serving in the armed forces, Ken Watters produced the exceptional Southern Exposure . Now Harry is back and Brothers III has crested the horizon. Brothers and Brothers II established the trumpet/trombone front line in the band, characterized buy a fluid, vibrato-less tone. This gives the group a shimmering sound that is at once plush and edgy. The most of the tunes are originals and are rhythmically challenging without being unlistenable. Harry comes back with fine ...
read moreKen & Harry Watters: Brothers III
by Jim Santella
Their most adventurous album to date places the Watters brothers in a position to lead. Today’s jazz world contains many directions all at the same time, and its umbrella continues to grow. However, the spirit that drove Buddy Bolden will not fade.
Ken & Harry Watters ensure that tradition remains a clear and central part of their plan. Their compositions contain the foundation that has served jazz for over a century. Syncopation, improvised expression, exotic impressions, and plaintive cries weave ...
read moreThe Ken Watters Group: Southern Exposure
by Jack Bowers
Southern Exposure is trumpeter Ken Watters' first recording for Summit without his brother, trombonist Harry, in the starting lineup, but Ken has found an able replacement on the front line in friend and former Big Apple roommate Joel Frahm. Frahm is a fast""rising post""bop saxophonist, and it's a pity he's not used more often; as it is, he's heard only on Watters' compositions April Third (tenor) and Pathfinder (soprano) and the Allman Brothers' Jessica (again on soprano). Watters makes up ...
read moreKen Watters Group: Southern Exposure
by C. Michael Bailey
Sans Brother Harry, Trumpeter Ken Watters steps out with his working quartet and burns his way through a collection of originals, standards, and some surprises.
After two recordings with trombonist brother Harry, Trumpeter Ken Watters brings his working quartet into the studio, where he produces his strongest musical statement yet. The previous Watters' offerings, Brothers (Summit 234) and Brothers II (Summit 266), made with brother Harry, revealed Ken Watters as a composer and arranger of great depth, breadth, and sense ...
read moreWatters Brothers (Ken & Harry Watters) Sign on as Newest Jupiter Artists
Source:
All About Jazz
AUSTIN, TEXAS October 29, 2008 Musicians and brothers, Harry and Ken Watters, have signed on as artists and clinicians for Jupiter. Playing the trombone and trumpet, respectively, the Watters brothers are key educators who will provide clinics at schools and universities with a portion of their fee paid by Jupiter through the artist program. They are frequently asked to perform guest solos with ensembles, including winds, jazz, and orchestra. It is truly an honor to be a member of the ...
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Ken Watters' New Haitian Jazz Group Riyel to Perform at 2nd Annual Haitian Jazz Festival
Source:
All About Jazz
During the 1st week of March, Ken Watters' new Haitian jazz octet RIYEL will give several performances at various venues throughout Port-au-Prince, Haiti. RIYEL (meaning backstreet" or alleyway" in Haitian Kreyol) is made up of several of the country's foremost musicians, including Yves Abel (bass), Ralph Conde (guitar), Robenson Jean-Baptiste (drums) & several others. Sharing the front line alongside trumpeter Ken Watters is trombonist & trilingual vocalist Andre Atkins. Atkins' performance/recording credits include Aretha Franklin, Tabou Combo, Soulive, Spoon, David ...
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Ken Watters Group @ Kokopelli's in Savannah, Georgia March 9-10
Source:
All About Jazz
Ken Watters Group will perform at Kokpelli's in Savannah, GA on March 9 & 10. Showtime begins each night at 9PM.
Kokopelli's website URL: http://www.kokopellisjazz.com
Members include: Bryan Leitch - guitar Robert Dig" Dickson - acoustic bass Marlon Patton - drums Ken Watters - trumpet / flugelhorn
This is Summit Recording artist Ken Watters' first Atlanta-based quartet. The group plans to release their first CD (featuring this new lineup) within ...
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Jazz Musicians' Protocol Site by Ken Watters
Source:
All About Jazz
Jazz trumpeter / Summit Recording artist & Conn-Selmer artist Ken Watters has written & published (online) a website entitled Jazz Musicians' Protocol" (see link below). The site can apply to musicians of all genres, but is more conciously geared toward aspiring jazz musicians. The site began in 2000) as a short webpage and was born of sheer frustration with the way that gigs and jam sessions that he found himslef taking part in were routinely run. It has developed much ...
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Ken Watters / Will Scruggs / Wes Funderburk with Natalie Cole...
Source:
All About Jazz
Ken Watters Quartet Every Tuesday in Dacula, GA
Source:
All About Jazz
To Atlanta, Georgia area jazz fans:
Every Tuesday night from 7 - 10PM, there is a new open jazz jam session at The Fieldhouse in Dacula, Georgia.
The event is hosted by Ken Watters Quartet.
Members are:
Kevin Bales: piano Robert Dig" Dickson: acoustic bass) Justin Varnes: drums Ken Watters: trumpet/flugelhorn)
All area jazz musicians are strongly encouraged to stop by and do some playing with some of the finest jazz musicians in Atlanta.
The Fieldhouse ...
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"The music performed by Ken & Harry Watters is immediately accessible & listenable — the effect is stunning" - C. Michael Bailey / All About Jazz "Brothers Ken & Harry Watters are a class act. Superb musicianship, sparkling treatments of Twentieth Century classics, and exceptional original compositions. Their recordings are splendid & extremely gratifying — highly recommended." - Amazon.com “Ken Watters is without a doubt one of the finest trumpet and flugelhorn performers in jazz today as well as one of the leading composers. Each solo performance is both impeccable and full of energy.” - The Jazz Review "Harry Watters is a great young trombonist with breathtaking technical assurance." - The Washington Post "The Watters Brothers have scored my 'Rave of the Year' twice with their 'Brothers' & 'Brothers II' CDs
Primary Instrument
Trumpet
Clinic/Workshop Information
"Jazz Musicians' Protocol" (General guide, based on personal experience, to the "ins & outs" of making the transition from student, amatuer or part-time jazz player to full-time professional musician.)