As part of their North American tour, internationally renowned saxophonist Trevor Watts and percussionist Jamie Harris will perform as part of “Jazz & Beyond” at Livingston’s Attic on Thursday, November 9th. Performances will begin at 8pm.
Opening the show will be the Park High Jazz Ensemble, a jazz/poetry set by local poet and performer Marc Beaudin, as well as Park High band leader and percussionist Garrett Stannard and friends. Watts and Harris will also offer master classes that afternoon which are free and open to the public. This special event is made possible with the support of the Park High Music Department and the Murray Hotel.
Watts is a founder of the iconic, London-based, Spontaneous Music Ensemble and of The Drum Orchestra which consisted mostly of musicians from Ghana and toured the world in a collaboration with Venezuela’s Teatro Negro de Barlovento. He is featured in Jazz Brittanica (a BBC4 film on British jazz and improvised music), and is listed in the “Who’s Who” in the World of Music dictionary. He has played major jazz festivals in the UK, US, China, Germany, Mexico and Australia, among other locales, and has performed/recorded with Don Cherry, Archie Schepp, Rashied Ali, Bobby Bradford and numerous other giants of jazz.
Harris has toured the world with Trevor Watts and the Celebration Band. In 2003, Watts and Harris began performing as a duo, taking this project to Mongolia, USA/Canada, Mexico, The Dominican Republic and Brazil among other locations. Since July 2021, Watts, Veryan Weston and Harris formed the group Eternal Triangle, which has played concerts all over the UK and EU performing Trevor’s compositions. In October 2022, Harris began improvising danceable funk jazz with Trevor Watts and Mark Hewins in the group JaMaTre. A French music review says, “Jamie vibrates, at the same time as our eardrums, with a virtuosity to make the most experienced Cuban congueros pale.”
The free classes, “Percussion Master Class & Q&A with Jamie Harris,” from 4–4:45pm, and “Saxophone & Improvisation Master Class & Q&A with Trevor Watts,” from 4:45–5:30pm, will also take place at The Attic, located at 110 N Main St. in Livingston. No advance sign-ups are necessary.
For the performance, doors will open at 7:30pm. The Park High Jazz Ensemble will perform at 8pm, followed by a set of jazz/poetry by Beaudin and Stannard. Watts and Harris will take the stage at 9pm. A suggested donation of $20 is recommended, and proceeds benefit the Park High Music Department. Tickets are available at Whiskey Creek or online at www.theatticmontana.com. •
