Trevor Watkis

Trevor Watkis is a British jazz pianist, composer and arranger, born in London, United Kingdom.

Biography

Watkis started playing the piano in his late teens with encouragement and the influence of his older brother, vocalist Cleveland Watkiss. Trevor initially took up music playing the guitar, prompted by his other guitar-playing brother and inspired by the music he heard at home. Later, after hearing the playing of Mulgrew Miller, Julian Joseph and Donald Brown, Watkis made the transition to piano. In 1989 he went to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

Watkis later performed with many musicians from a variety of countries, including Stanley Turrentine, Gary Bartz, Courtney Pine and Betty Carter.

In the spring of 2007 Watkis released his debut album on the independent BlueSoundScape Music label entitled, Straight Ahead...Ride For Tone![1] Recorded in New York, the CD featured mainly compositions by Watkis, with a band of New York musicians: Steve Wilson (alto and soprano saxophones), Darren Barrett (trumpet), Reuben Rogers (bass), and Lewis Nash (drums).[2] Watkis was interviewed about the album on the BBC Radio 3 show Jazz Line-Up.[3]

In a review for the London Evening Standard, Jack Massarik described Watkis as a "British pianist-composer of unusual warmth, touch and taste".[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Jazz Times review: Straight Ahead...Ride For Tone!"
  2. ↑ John Fordham, "Trevor Watkis, Straight Ahead ... Ride for Tone" (review), The Guardian, 3 August 2007.
  3. ↑ "BBC Jazz Line-Up", 27 October 2007.
  4. ↑ Jack Massarik, "JAZZ: Trevor Watkis, Straight Ahead ... Ride for Tone! (review), Evening Standard, 20 April 2007.
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