Trevor Watkis

Trevor Watkis (born 1971) is a British jazz pianist, composer and arranger.

Biography

Watkis was born in London in 1971.[1] His older brother is vocalist Cleveland Watkiss.[2] Trevor's "early influences on piano included Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Kelly, Mulgrew Miller, Bud Powell and McCoy Tyner".[1] In 1989 he went to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.[1]

Watkis later performed with many musicians from a variety of countries, including Gary Bartz, Eddie Henderson, Courtney Pine and Stanley Turrentine.[1]

In the spring of 2007 Watkis released his debut album on the independent BlueSoundScape Music label entitled, Straight Ahead...Ride For Tone![3] 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.[4]

In a review for the London Evening Standard, Jack Massarik described Watkis as a "British pianist-composer of unusual warmth, touch and taste".[5]

References
  1. "Trevor Watkis". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  2. John Fordham, "Trevor Watkis, Straight Ahead ... Ride for Tone" (review), The Guardian, 3 August 2007.
  3. "Jazz Times review: Straight Ahead...Ride For Tone!"
  4. "BBC Jazz Line-Up", 27 October 2007.
  5. Jack Massarik, "JAZZ: Trevor Watkis, Straight Ahead ... Ride for Tone! (review), Evening Standard, 20 April 2007.
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