The subject of this particular musing is the extraordinary musician, Bobby Watson. He is indeed one among the premiere American musicians and jazz educators today. His return to the Kansas City area to teach the Jazz Studies Program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music also emphasizes Professor Watson's noble commitment to share his vast knowledge and experience with future generations of jazz musicians.

Yes, Bobby Watson has formed a Big Band from among the best musicians in Kansas City. The significance is relevant in several ways. First, as a gifted composer and arranger (his degree and major at the University of Miami was composition), the new big band provides a vehicle for some of his works to be performed in public. Next, Watson has comprised the band of local artists. Some of these other quality artists who are based out of Kansas City, may receive some well-deserved wider recognition as a result of being heard on this band. And finally, the addition of another professional big band to the list of those already based here in the Midwest is a good sign of the state of the art.

I am personally looking forward to their performance with Patti Austin in Kansas City at the Gem Theatre on Saturday, October 18. Again, a big "THANKS" to Bobby for making time for this two-part article. Part 1 will introduce you to Bobby Watson by way of his biographical narrative. Part 2 is the interview discussion with Bobby about the new big band in Kansas City.

All About Bobby Watson

One of the pre-eminent players of his generation, alto saxophonist-composer Bobby Watson has accumulated an impressive body of work since the early '80s that showcases his undeniable individuality as an artist. Teaming remarkable Bird-like facility and bristling energy with an inherent soulful quality that comes directly out of the church, Watson's recorded output to date covers a wide spectrum of expression in a variety of settings from solo sax to big band as well as a string of adventurous projects with his band Horizon (a quintet he co-led in the '90s with drummer Victor Lewis) and the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet.

Live & Learn

Listen to or samples HERE !

Watson's latest as a leader, Live & Learn, shows the saxophonist probing and pushing the envelope on surging numbers like "Thank You" and "River Jordan" while also delving deeply into his churchy roots with sanctified zeal on the contemporary gospel number "We Fall Down". Accompanied by Orrin Evans on piano, Gregg Skaff on guitar, Montez Coleman on drums and Curtis Lundy on bass, he adopts a decidedly vocal approach to his horn on the soothing title track. As he says of that anthemic piece, "It's sort of a reflection of life. That's what we all have to do. We have to live and learn in order to grow, in order to survive. I think that's the key to what life is about...make mistakes, live and learn. The piece itself comes in layers. The bass part starts with its own pattern and then the piano comes in and states a theme. But when you think you've got the melody then the guitar comes in with another melody. And then the final melody comes in with the saxophone. Basically, I wanted it to progress with every part that came in as complete unto itself. Those individual melodies represent the layers of experience and knowledge. When you think you've heard it all or know it all, there's always more. And that's how that tune feels to me."

Elsewhere on Live & Learn, Bobby embraces the warm heartland harmonies of his own midwestern upbringing on "Landmarks Lost" (his ode to the Twin Towers) and digs into the earthy funk anthem "Stanky P" (written by his wife Pam) with nasty impunity. His intimate duet with guitarist Skaff on the melancholy "Postlude' is tender interlude while the blithely swinging "Faith In Action" is part of an ambitious commissioned work ("The Afroism Suite") that Watson composed in 1994 and has performed in Vienna and Glasgow, Scotland. "That was written for Art Blakey," says the former Jazz Messenger of his onetime mentor. "I wrote pieces for different people on that suite and that was my Art Blakey musical statement because to me he personifies faith in action. And it's also in 3/4 because Art loved to play in three." (That Watson composition was previously recorded on John Hicks' 1996 Landmark album, A Piece For My Peace).

Palmetto Records