Jeff "Tain" Watts
Jeff "Tain" Watts | |
|---|---|
 Watts performing with Wynton Marsalis in JazzFest 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | January 20, 1960 Easton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Origin | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, actor |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Labels | Dark Key Music |
| Associated acts | Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Kevin Eubanks, The Tonight Show Band |
| Website | tainish |
Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others.
Biography[]
Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny Kirkland when they were on tour in Florida and drove past a Chieftain gas station.[1] He was given a Guggenheim fellowship in music composition in 2017.[2] Watts attended Berklee College of Music, where he met collaborator Branford Marsalis.[3]
Discography[]
As leader[]
- Megawatts (Sunnyside, 1991)
- Citizen Tain (Columbia, 1999)
- Bar Talk (Columbia, 2002)
- Detained at the Blue Note (Half Note, 2004)
- Watts (Dark Key Music, 2009)
- And to the Republic with ELEW (Sunnyside, 2016)
- Detained in Amsterdam (Dark Key Music, 2018)
As sideman[]
With Paul Bollenback
- Double Gemini (Challenge, 1997)
- Soul Grooves (Challenge, 1999)
- Double Vision (Challenge, 2000)
- Dreams (Challenge, 2001)
With Conrad Herwig
- Osteology (Criss Cross, 1998)
- Unseen Universe (Criss Cross, 2000)
- Land of Shadow (Criss Cross, 2002)
- Reflections (Criss Cross, 2016)
With David Kikoski
- The Maze (Criss Cross, 1999)
- Almost Twilight (Criss Cross, 2000)
- Combinations (Criss Cross, 2001)
- Surf's Up (Criss Cross, 2001)
- The Five (DIW, 2002)
- Mostly Standards (Criss Cross, 2009)
- Consequences (Criss Cross, 2012)
With Branford Marsalis
- Scenes in the City (Columbia, 1984)
- Royal Garden Blues (CBS, 1986)
- Random Abstract (1988)
- Trio Jeepy (Columbia, 1989)
- Crazy People Music (Columbia, 1990)
- Mo' Better Blues (Columbia, 1990)
- The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born (Columbia, 1991)
- I Heard You Twice the First Time (Columbia, 1992)
- Bloomington (Columbia, 1993)
- The Dark Keys (Columbia, 1996)
- Requiem (Columbia, 1999)
- Contemporary Jazz (Columbia, 2000)
- Footsteps of Our Fathers (Rounder/Marsalis Music, 2002)
- Romare Bearden Revealed (Rounder/Marsalis Music, 2003)
- A Love Supreme Live (Rounder/Marsalis Music, 2004)
- Eternal (Rounder, 2004)
- Braggtown (Rounder/Marsalis Music, 2006)
- Metamorphosen (Marsalis Music, 2009)
With Wynton Marsalis
- Wynton Marsalis (Columbia, 1982)
- Think of One (CBS, 1983)
- Hot House Flowers (Columbia, 1984)
- Black Codes (From the Underground) (Columbia, 1985)
- J Mood (Columbia, 1986)
- Marsalis Standard Time, Vol. I (Columbia, 1987)
- The Wynton Marsalis Quartet Live at Blues Alley (CBS, 1988)
- Standard Time, Vol. 2: Intimacy Calling (Columbia, 1991)
- Thick in the South: Soul Gestures in Southern Blue, Vol. 1 (Columbia, 1991)
With Courtney Pine
- The Vision's Tale (Antilles, 1989)
- Within the Realms of Our Dreams (Antilles, 1991)
- Underground (Talkin' Loud, 1997)
With others
- Claudia Acuna, Rhythm of Life (Verve, 2002)
- Ron Affif, 52nd Street (Pablo, 1996)
- Geri Allen, The Nurturer (Blue Note, 1991)
- India Arie & Joe Sample, Christmas with Friends (Motown, 2015)
- Victor Bailey, Bottom's Up (Atlantic, 1989)
- John Beasley, Letter to Herbie (Resonance, 2008)
- John Beasley, Positootly! (Resonance, 2009)
- Terence Blanchard, Terence Blanchard (Columbia, 1991)
- Michiel Borstlap, Gramercy Park (EmArcy, 2001)
- Robi Botos, Movin' Forward (A440, 2015)
- Don Braden, The Fire Within (RCA Victor, 1999)
- Michael Brecker, Two Blocks from the Edge (Impulse!, 1998)
- Michael Brecker, Time Is of the Essence (Verve, 1999)
- Donald Brown, Early Bird (Sunnyside, 1988)
- Joey Calderazzo, Simply Music (Lost Chart, 1997)
- Joey Calderazzo, Joey Calderazzo (Columbia, 2000)
- Billy Childs, The Child Within (Shanachie, 1996)
- Betty Carter, It's Not About the Melody (Verve, 1992)
- Steve Coleman, Weaving Symbolics (Label Bleu, 2006)
- Alice Coltrane, Translinear Light (Impulse!, 2004)
- Ravi Coltrane, Moving Pictures (BMG, 1998)
- Harry Connick Jr., When Harry Met Sally... (CBS, 1989)
- Danish Radio Big Band, The Impaler (Red Dot Music, 2010)
- Barbara Dennerlein, Outhipped (Universal, 1999)
- Doky Brothers, 2 Blue Note Medley (EMI, 1997)
- Chris Minh Doky, Cinematique (Blue Note, 2002)
- Kurt Elling, The Questions (Okeh, 2018)
- Kevin Eubanks, East West Time Line (Mack Avenue, 2017)
- Robin Eubanks, Different Perspectives (JMT, 1988)
- Charles Fambrough, The Proper Angle (CTI, 1991)
- Charles Fambrough, The Charmer (CTI, 1992)
- Antonio Farao, Black Inside (Enja, 1999)
- Joe Ford, Today's Nights (Bluemoon, 1993)
- Ricky Ford, Hard Groovin' (Muse, 1989)
- Sonny Fortune, From Now On (Blue Note, 1996)
- Kenny Garrett, Simply Said (Warner, Bros., 1999)
- Kenny Garrett, Songbook (Warner, Bros., 1997)
- Joe Gilman, Treasure Chest (Timeless, 1992)
- Paul Grabowsky, Tales of Time and Space (Warner, 2004)
- Jimmy Greene, Forever (Criss Cross, 2004)
- Jimmy Greene, Flowers Beautiful Life Vol. 2 (Mack Avenue, 2017)
- David Gilmore, Unified Presence (RKM Music, 2006)
- David Gilmore, Numerology Live at Jazz Standard (Evolutionary Music, 2012)
- Lalah Hathaway, A Moment (Virgin, 1994)
- Robert Hurst, Robert Hurst Presents: Robert Hurst (Columbia, 1993)
- Rodney Jones, Dreams and Stories (Savant, 2005)
- Marlon Jordan, For You Only (Columbia, 1990)
- Ronny Jordan, A Brighter Day (Blue Note, 2000)
- Stanley Jordan, Cornucopia (Blue Note, 1990)
- Stanley Jordan, Live in New York (Blue Note, 1998)
- Kenny Kirkland, Kenny Kirkland (GRP, 1991)
- Azar Lawrence, The Seeker (Sunnyside, 2014)
- Mark Ledford, Miles 2 Go (Verve Forecast 1998)
- Bill Lee, Do the Right Thing (Columbia, 1989)
- Buckshot LeFonque, Buckshot LeFonque (Columbia, 1994)
- Joe Locke, Beauty Burning (Sirocco, 2000)
- Joe Locke, Storytelling (Sirocco, 2001)
- Brian Lynch, Spheres of Influence (Sharp Nine, 1997)
- Russell Malone, Heartstrings (Verve, 2001)
- Rick Margitza, This Is New (Blue Note, 1991)
- Rene Marie, Vertigo (Maxjazz, 2001)
- Delfeayo Marsalis, Pontius Pilate's Decision (Novus, 1992)
- Ellis Marsalis Jr., Ellis Marsalis Trio (Somethin' Else, 1991)
- Ellis Marsalis, Whistle Stop (CBS, 1994)
- Hector Martignon, Refugee (Zoho, 2007)
- Pat Martino, Undeniable: Live at Blues Alley (HighNote, 2011)
- Mingus Big Band, Tonight at Noon... Three or Four Shades of Love (Dreyfus, 2002)
- Mingus Big Band, Mingus Big Band Live at Jazz Standard (Mingus, 2010)
- Harry Miller, Open House (Optimism, 1989)
- Bill Mobley, New Light (Space Time, 2008)
- Charnett Moffett, Music from Our Soul (Motema, 2017)
- Big Nick Nicholas, Big and Warm (India Navigation, 1983)
- Greg Osby, Art Forum (Blue Note, 1996)
- Greg Osby, Channel Three (Blue Note, 2005)
- Makoto Ozone, Live & Let Live Love for Japan (Verve, 2011)
- Makoto Ozone, My Witch's Blue (Verve, 2012)
- Odean Pope, Odeans List (In+Out, 2009)
- Danilo Perez, Panamonk (Impulse!, 1996)
- Danilo Perez, Central Avenue (Impulse!, 1998)
- Eric Revis, Tales of the Stuttering Mime (11:11, 2004)
- Jim Snidero, Mixed Bag (Criss Cross, 1988)
- Gary Thomas, Seventh Quadrant (Enja, 1987)
- Jean Toussaint, Blue Black (Space Time, 2001)
- Renee Rosnes, Life On Earth (Blue Note, 2001)
- Sonny Rollins, Falling in Love with Jazz (Milestone, 1989)
- Stephen Scott, Something to Consider (Verve, 1991)
- Lew Soloff, Rainbow Mountain (Enja, 1999)
- Robert Stewart, In the Gutta (Qwest, 1996)
- Robert Stewart, The Force (Qwest, 1998)
- T. K. Blue, Eyes of the Elders (Arkadia, 2001)
- Take 6, Join the Band (Reprise, 1994)
- Alex Sipiagin, Steppin' Zone (Criss Cross, 2001)
- McCoy Tyner, Double Trios (Denon, 1986)
- McCoy Tyner, Quartet (Half Note, 2007)
- Manuel Valera, Urban Landscape (Destiny, 2015)
- Sadao Watanabe, Parker's Mood (Elektra, 1985)
- Sadao Watanabe, Tokyo Dating (Elektra, 1985)
- Mark Whitfield, True Blue (Verve, 1994)
- James Williams, Meet the Magical Trio (EmArcy, 1989)
- Larry Willis, Heavy Blue (SteepleChase, 1990)
- Warren Wolf, Black Wolf (M&I, 2009)
- Warren Wolf, Convergence (Mack Avenue, 2016)
- Ben Wolfe, No Stranger Here (Maxjazz, 2008)
- Chihiro Yamanaka, Outside by the Swing (Verve, 2005)
Awards and honors[]
Grammy Awards[]
| Year | Category | Title | Genre | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | Black Codes From the Underground | Jazz | Won | with Wynton Marsalis |
| 1986 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | J Mood | Jazz | Won | with Wynton Marsalis |
| 1987 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | Marsalis Standard Time - Vol. 1 | Jazz | Won | with Wynton Marsalis |
| 1992 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | I Heard You Twice the First Time | Jazz | Won | with Branford Marsalis |
| 1990 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | Crazy People Music | Jazz | Nominated | with Branford MArsalis Quartet |
| 1999 | Best Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group | Requiem | Jazz | Nominated | with the Branford Marsalis Quartet. |
| 2000 | Best Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group | Contemporary Jazz | Jazz | Won | with the Branford Marsalis Quartet. |
| 2004 | Best Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group | Eternal | Jazz | Nominated | with the Branford Marsalis Quartet. |
| 2010 | Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album | Mingus Big Band Live at the Jazz Standard | Jazz | Won | with the Mingus Big Band |
Source:[4]
References[]
- ^ From an interview with Kevin Le Gendre for Jazz On 3 on BBC Radio 3.
- ^ 2017 Guggenheim Fellow
- ^ Milkowski, Bill. "Jeff "Tain" Watts: The Reign of "Tain"". JazzTimes. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ grammy.com. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jeff "Tain" Watts. |
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Categories:
- 1960 births
- Living people
- American jazz drummers
- African-American drummers
- Musicians from Pittsburgh
- Columbia Records artists
- Berklee College of Music alumni
- The Tonight Show Band members
- American session musicians
- 20th-century American drummers
- American male drummers
- Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania
- 20th-century American male musicians
- American male jazz musicians
- Branford Marsalis Quartet members
- Sunnyside Records artists