Photo credit: Rob Blackham/Blackham Images

Having a busy career as a sideman is not always conducive to furthering one’s own solo career as pianist Jim Watson has discovered. An incredibly versatile pianist and keyboard player, Watson has often been lured away with interesting sideman projects working with Kurt Elling, Sting, and Chrissie Hynde among others.

After putting his own career as a jazz pianist on the backburner, his last album under his own name was a trio recording The Loop released way back in 2001. After such a long gestation period, Calling You Home is the album Jim Watson seemed destined to make; a solo piano album that encompasses original compositions, jazz standards and classic pop.

With the pianist’s original take on some familiar material and intriguing original pieces to be heard on his first solo piano recording, Jazz Views invited Jim to select his all time favourite albums, of which he says:

  1. Kellys Blue- Wynton Kelly

My first introduction to the classic flowing lines of be-bop piano. I remember being in awe of Wynton’s playing from a young age, the way he managed to play the changes of the song so individually but still retain a healthy influx of the blues. Great writing too for the ensemble. His solo on On Green Dolphin Street was one of my first ever transcriptions.

  1. Dr John plays Mac Rebennack

I started off very early on trying to play blues piano as it was something I could try and copy as it didn’t have the virtuosic nature of bebop and often had repetitive figures I could eventually work out. This album was a real watershed moment for me, wonderful New Orleans/boogie woogie playing that seemed to take things into a more colourful arena than the players I had first heard. I learnt a few of these pieces with my (at the time) limited ability, fascinated by the shapes and sounds Dr John was playing. Just a good old record of a great talent doing what he does so well.

  1. Kenny Kirkland – Kenny Kirkland

Absolutely loved this record, always been a huge fan of Kennys playing, his individuality and his ability to shine in any stylistic situation i.e. pop/jazz and make each one sound as good as the other made me realise if you open your ears to good music it is just that.. whatever the genre.

  1. We Get Requests – Oscar Peterson trio

Would be remiss of me to not include an Oscar record so ive chosen this one, Oscar at his peak with arguably his best trio playing beautiful versions of classic jazz standards. A benchmark album I think for any budding musician. I remember thinking if I can sound 1/10th as good as he did on that album, I should be ok. I still regularly have the same thought.

  1. Hand Jive – John Scofield

I saw Scofield with this band (minus Eddie Harris) at Leeds Jazz festival in 1995. Another milestone moment in my career. A great album with the legendary Eddie Harris on sax.

It got me into playing organ as well, Larry was playing an old Korg on the gig and I went out and bought the same model later that week.

  1. Inventions and Dimensions – Herbie Hancock

Such a beautiful album, I was knocked out by the way this trio plays with such space, Herbie seems to be floating on top of this relentless percussive landscape using a more modal/ open language. Its groove heavy but never trying too hard.

  1. Friends – Chick Corea

Another classic album, this one features Chick with Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez and Joe Farrell.

Such wonderful interactive playing between the quartet with Chicks beautiful compositions. A real lesson for me as well in the way Chick and Steve comp behind the soloist. Never too much but both totally on the same telepathic wavelength.

  1. The Melody at Night with you- Keith Jarrett

Initially written as a present for his then wife which eventually ended up being released, this album is a masterclass in solo piano. The way the tunes were simply played without the usual virtuosic approach gives them an almost hymn like quality for me. I’ve always been fascinated by pianists who move away from the more usual left hand accompaniment / right hand soloing approach and utilise 3 or even 4 parts simultaneously. Jarrett does this a lot on this record with voice leading and contrapuntal lines. A desert island disc for sure

  1. The Band- The Band

A lovely album. You get the sense they were playing as one which you can only truly achieve from deep understanding of one another and on a practical level simply from playing together all the time, which they did. I loved the way Garth Hudsons keyboards and specifically the Lowry organ weaved its way in between the vocal lines, almost like Lester young would with Billie Holiday.

And Levon Helms backbeat whilst singing! I ended up recording version of “The Weight” on my new album.

  1. Alone – Bill Evans

Another solo piano album, this one by the master Bill Evans. Very reflective and emotive, you get the sense he just came in late one night and recorded it in one go. A sublime version of Johnny Mandels ‘A Time for love’ on it as well. For me he has the kind of emotional honesty that stops time- no rhythm section, no distractions, just his touch and that unmistakable harmonic language.

Jim Watson’s Calling You Home is released on Friday 11th July and is available from Proper Music

For more information visit Jim’s website