Ernie Watts – Biography, Discography & Instruments

Biography

Ernie Watts is a jazz musician who plays saxophone and flute. Ernie Watts was born on 23 October 1945 in Norfolk. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Motown. The discography here lists 11 albums, from “Chariots of Fire” (1982) to “Emirgan” (2014). Honours include Frankfurter Musikpreis (2014).

Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and R&B saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones. He has worked with Charlie Haden's band Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's album The Grand Wazoo, he played the "Mystery Horn", a straight-necked C melody saxophone. Watts also played the saxophone riff on "The One You Love" from Glenn Frey's album No Fun Aloud.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Chariots of Fire 1982

Project: Activation Earth 1989

The Ernie Watts Quartet 1991

[with Gilberto Gil] Afoxe 1991

Reaching Up 1994

Unity 1995

The Long Road Home 1996

The Tenor Trio 1997

Classic Moods 1998

Spirit Song 2005

Emirgan 2014

Also plays on

Albums where Ernie Watts is credited as a sideman

1969	Monk’s Blues — Thelonious Sphere Monk	saxophone
1969	King Kong — Jean‐Luc Ponty	tenor saxophone, saxophone
1969	Collision in Black — Blue Mitchell	flute
1970	A Bad Donato — Donato	reeds
1971	Vital Blue — Blue Mitchell	tenor saxophone
1972	The Grand Wazoo — The Mothers	saxophone
1972	The Black Messiah — Cannonball Adderley	saxophone
1972	Free Again — Gene Ammons	reeds
1972	The Auction — David Axelrod	reeds, flute, tenor saxophone, woodwind
1973	Countdown to Ecstasy — Steely Dan	saxophone
1973	Both Feet on the Ground — Kenny Burrell	woodwind
1974	High Energy — Freddie Hubbard	bass flute, soprano saxophone, flute
1975	Man-Child — Herbie Hancock	flute, saxophone
1975	Well Kept Secret — James Last	saxophone
1975	Linger Lane — Bobby Hutcherson	reeds
1975	Montara — Bobby Hutcherson	tenor saxophone, flute
1975	Marching in the Street — Harvey Mason	piccolo, tenor saxophone
1975	Seriously Deep — David Axelrod	tenor saxophone, flute, alto flute
1976	Caricatures — Donald Byrd	saxophone
1976	Can't Hide Love — Carmen McRae	saxophone
1976	Eternity — Alice Coltrane	cor anglais
1976	First Course — Lee Ritenour	tenor saxophone
1976	Yesterdays Dreams — Alphonso Johnson	tenor saxophone
1976	People Moving — Azar Lawrence	alto saxophone
1977	Free Ride — Dizzy Gillespie	saxophone
1977	Bundle of Joy — Freddie Hubbard	saxophone
1977	Sit on It! — Jimmy Smith	tenor saxophone
1977	From Me to You — George Duke	flute, saxophone
1977	Captain Fingers — Lee Ritenour	saxophone
1977	Down Two Then Left — Boz Scaggs	brass

Awards

2014 Frankfurter Musikpreis

Listen on Spotify

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Ernie Watts play?

Ernie Watts is known for playing saxophone and flute.

When and where was Ernie Watts born?

Ernie Watts was born 23 October 1945 in Norfolk.

What are Ernie Watts's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Chariots of Fire (1982), Project: Activation Earth (1989), The Ernie Watts Quartet (1991), [with Gilberto Gil] Afoxe (1991) and Reaching Up (1994).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.