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ernie watts

Ernie Watts

b. Ernest James Watts, 23rd October 1945, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.

Ernie Watts is a fine sax player and an in demand session musician as well as an accomplished artist in his own right.

From Los Angeles, Ernie, attended Berklee and became part of Buddy Rich's big band (1966-68) before moving to Los Angeles.

Ernie worked in the big bands of Oliver Nelson and Gerald Wilson, recorded with Jean-Luc Ponty in 1969 and became a staff musician for NBC, performing with the Tonight Show Band on a regular basis.

Through the 70's and '80's, recorded with many artists including Quincy Jones, Sarah Vaughan, Barry White, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Love Unlimited Orchestra, Neil Larsen, Pharaoh Sanders, The Blackbyrds, Donald Byrd, James Ingram, Margie Joseph, Donna Summer, ('State Of Independence'), Randy Crawford, Jean Carne ('Trust Me') and Teena Marie ('My Dear Mr Gaye').

His own recordings include 'Musician' on Qwest, 1985, and 'Look In Your Heart' (Elektra, 1980).

He became a member of The Meeting, a quartet of musicians signed to GRP during the early Nineties.

In 1991, he collaborated with Gilberto Gil on his CTI album Afoxe, an album that featured the vocals of ex Atlantic Starr vocalist, Sharon Bryant on 'You're My Thrill', a track popular on the U.K. dancefloors.

Real Player

Albums:

The Wonder Bag (Vault Records 1972)

Look in Your Heart (Elektra Records 1980)

Chariots of Fire (Qwest Records 1981)

Musician (Qwest Records 1985)

Sanctuary (Qwest Records 1986)

Ernie Watts Quartet: World Class (JVC Records 1987)

Project: Activation Earth (Amherst Records 1989)

Afoxe (CTI Records 1991)

Reaching Up (JVC Records 1993)

Unity (JVC Records 1994)

The Long Road Home (JVC Records 1996)

Four Tune (West Wind Records 2001)

Ernie Watts (Samson Music Records 2001)

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