Charlie Haden Quartet West with string orchestra

Haden's Quartet West at Jazz Baltica, Salzhau June 2000 with "Here's Looking at you" Ernie Watts (tenor) Alan Broadbent (pno) Haden on bass and Lawrence Marable on drums. Beautiful. Does Watts have one of the most distinctive tenor sounds in jazz?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Jazz
• Haden
• Broadbent
• Watts
• Marable

[hafuchie]

Still makes my lip quiver and my heart skip a beat, and I've listened to it dozens of times.

My goodness can that Ernie Watts blow the sax with that distinctive, heart-stopping voice on tenor. What a gift he is to music.

Thank you so much for posting this. Please post others like it if you can. So many of us love it.

[donnythejazz]

I posted this because I personally thought it was an exquisite piece of music making. I am thrilled that so many people agreed with me. Just four master musicians with a lovely string orchestra playing a lovely arrangement of a superb melody.

Watts is just superb, one of the most distinctive and emotive tenor sounds ever in jazz and I've been listening for 60 years..

[donnythejazz]

No, that was the late Roland Kirk.

[pong224]

what song is this?

[donnythejazz]

Come on pong224. Not only did I put the info about the tune at in the box next to the video, it actually tells you what the tune is about 30 seconds in to the video. Have you actually watched it?

[vegandragon]

Ernie is ok but Grover could blow him out in a Heatbeat....RIP Grover

[donnythejazz]

Oh, here we go. My tenor player is better than yours.

I'm sure that Grover was great (although his playing hardly rocked my boat) but Watts is just sublime in SO MANY settings.

I thought that I put this video up to give pleasure to music lovers. I didn't realise that it was a competition.

[badbirch4]

he'll kick your ass, that for sure.

[tvorchestvo2008]

-does Watts have one of the most distinctive tenor sounds in jazz? -yeah!

[lushlife4]

This guy has an amazing sound on alto too.

[SaXDuDe17]

I tried to hate Watt's tone.... For some reason it reminded me of bad 80's pop saxophone. But here I stand naked , without preconceptions, loving a modern tenor giant. Seriously though my tenor player is like 20 times better than yours.

[casch0101]

Ernie Watts is one of the truly great jazz musicians, one of the best tenors. His improvised lines flows like liquid in the aire with a wonderful sound. (An anecdote: He finished the 4-yr Berklee studies in only 2!. Unlike highly appraised Joe Lovano (also from Berklee), who owns a you-have-to-get-to-accept-it-d­espite-it-is-not-good sound and voice in the tenor, Ernie onws a beautiful sound at all registers.

[benjamintrb]

If you like this come check him out live when the University of Wisconsin- River Falls features him for the 2011 Jazz Festival we put on. February 25th @ 7:30 is the Jazz Matinee with Faculty and Ernie jazz combo, along with the UWRF Jazz-tet and Plus 1 Trio. February the 26th @ 7:30 we feature him with the UWRF Jazz Ensemble, playing some tunes written and arranged by and for Ernie. Should be some incredible live music that weekend.

[peppersax]

Ernie Watts continues to move upward. Great album. I'm definitely picking this up. 5 stars!!!

[mpcguy]

ernie watts has a remarkable ability to draw you into his sound and music. he has the magical quality of emotive singing tone with more technique than anyone needs and a distinct sense of when to use it and when to loose it. this is great from so many angles.... wonderful post ernie is the man!!!

[mikeos1]

I saw the Quartet West at the Nice festival in the 1980s. Got it on tape, maybe I'll put it up on Dimeadozen one day.

[RadicalRaul]

I have seen Ernie Watts perform many times, and each time was a jaw dropping experience.

Hopefully this phenomenal saxophonist will get the recognition he deserves.

[7passerby]

Man, you sound like on alto sometimes - awesome! I'm gonna cry...