Saxophonist-composer-producer-educator
Bobby Watson is proud to release, Check Cashing Day, the second self-produced
recording on Watson's label, Lafiya Music. The project, which honors the March
on Washington's 50th anniversary and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic
"I Have A Dream" speech, is now available digitally (August 28, 2013)
and will be released physically on November 12, 2013.
As
Watson reflects, Check Cashing Day serves as "a commentary on where we've
been, where we are, and where we need to go as a people, as a country, and as a
global community." Instead of focusing on the iconic "I Have A
Dream" aspect of Dr. King's speech, Watson chose to concentrate on another
very significant part: the reason why over 300,000 people, black and white,
gathered in Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963. Dr. King spoke of coming to
Washington to cash a 100 year old check, a moral check that the founding
fathers wrote into the Declaration of Independence, but to this day, the check
keeps coming back marked 'insufficient funds.' "This, being the year of my
60th birthday, I sadly understand that Dr. King's dream has not been fully
realized and the struggle continues," says Watson.
Introducing
poet and spoken word artist Glenn North from Kansas City, MO, Check Cashing Day
is a concept recording with 15 tracks portrayed in the vein of musical theatre.
"I asked Glenn to put some poetry, from his perspective, to several of my
compositions, as well as one written by vocalist Pamela Baskin-Watson and two
by bassist Curtis Lundy," comments Watson. "It was my desire with
this project to produce poetry that would in some ways cleanse the soul,"
notes North. In addition, Watson's release features trumpeter Hermon Mehari,
pianist Richard Johnson, drummer Eric Kennedy, flutist Horace Washington, and
trombonist Karita Carter.
With
Watson's commentary on the ongoing struggle of todays racial inequalities
spotlighted on compositions such as the title track "Check Cashing Day
(For Ms. Trudy)" and "MLK on Jazz (Love Transforms)," he offers
a recording that provokes positive conversation and continued movement towards
Dr. King's 'dream,' so that the 'dream' becomes a reality in today's world.
"The result is something more powerful and thought provoking than I could
have imagined," concludes Watson.
The
first "William D. and Mary Grant/Missouri, Distinguished Professor in Jazz
Studies at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance," saxophonist, composer,
producer and educator, Bobby Watson grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and trained
formally at the University of Miami studying with Dr. Clifton Williams,
receiving a B.M. in Music Theory and Composition in 1975. After graduating, he
proceeded to earn his "doctorate" - on the bandstand - as musical
director of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers from 1977-1981. In addition to his
work as leader of the Grammy® Award-nominated quintet Horizon, Watson also led
a group known as the High Court of Swing (a tribute to the music of Johnny
Hodges), the Grammy® Award-nominated Tailor-Made Big Band, and is a founding
member of the highly acclaimed 29th Street Saxophone Quartet. Watson also wrote
original music for the sound track of Robert DeNiro's directorial debut "A
Bronx Tale."
Since
2000 he has served as director of Jazz studies at UMKC Conservatory of Music
and Dance, and is also, currently Artistic Director for the Thelonious Monk
Institute's "Jazz in America" Informance program, annually presenting
dozens of informational concerts and jazz workshops around the nation. In 2010
Bobby released his self produced CD, "The Gates BBQ Suite" which went
to #4 on the National Jazz airplay charts. In 2011, Bobby was inducted into the
Kansas Music Hall of Fame and in 2013 he received the "Benny Golson Jazz
Masters" award from Howard University. To date; Bobby has made 37
recordings as a leader and he appears on over 100 other recordings.
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