Jeff "Tain" Watts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jeff "Tain" Watts
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Watts performing with Wynton Marsalis in JazzFest 2007
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| 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 |
Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a famous American jazz drummer. He is known for his powerful and creative drumming style. He has played with many top jazz musicians and bands. Some of these include Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, and Betty Carter.
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About Jeff "Tain" Watts
Jeff Watts got his cool nickname "Tain" from his friend Kenny Kirkland. They were on tour in Florida when they saw a gas station called Chieftain. Kenny thought "Tain" would be a great nickname for Jeff!
Watts is not just a drummer; he also composes music. In 2017, he received a special award called a Guggenheim fellowship. This award helps talented people in arts and sciences to work on their creative projects. Jeff Watts studied music at Berklee College of Music. There, he met Branford Marsalis, who he would later play with a lot.
Music Albums by Jeff Watts
Jeff "Tain" Watts has released many albums as the main artist. These albums show off his unique drumming and musical ideas. Here are some of his albums:
- Megawatts (1991)
- Citizen Tain (1999)
- Bar Talk (2002)
- Detained at the Blue Note (2004)
- Watts (2009)
- Folks Songs (2011)
- Family (2011)
- Blue, Vol. 1 (2015)
- Blue, Vol. 2 (2018)
- Detained in Amsterdam (2018)
Playing with Other Musicians
Jeff Watts is also a very popular "sideman." This means he plays drums on other musicians' albums and tours. He has worked with many famous jazz artists. He played on many albums with Branford Marsalis and Wynton Marsalis. He also played with Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, and Ravi Coltrane. His drumming has added a special touch to countless jazz recordings.
Awards and Achievements
Jeff "Tain" Watts has won several Grammy Awards for his amazing musical work. A Grammy Award is one of the highest honors in the music industry.
Grammy Awards Won
| Year | Category | Title | Result | Notes |
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| 1985 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | Black Codes From the Underground | Won | with Wynton Marsalis |
| 1986 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | J Mood | Won | with Wynton Marsalis |
| 1987 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | Marsalis Standard Time - Vol. 1 | Won | with Wynton Marsalis |
| 1992 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | I Heard You Twice the First Time | Won | with Branford Marsalis |
| 2000 | Best Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group | Contemporary Jazz | Won | with the Branford Marsalis Quartet |
| 2010 | Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album | Mingus Big Band Live at the Jazz Standard | Won | with the Mingus Big Band |
| 2023 | Best Opera Recording | Fire Shut Up in My Bones (Blanchard) | Won | with the Metropolitan Opera |
| 2024 | Best Opera Recording | Champion (Blanchard) | Won | with the Metropolitan Opera |
Grammy Nominations
Jeff Watts has also been nominated for several other Grammy Awards, showing his consistent excellence in jazz music.
| Year | Category | Title | Result | Notes |
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| 1990 | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group | Crazy People Music | Nominated | with Branford Marsalis Quartet |
| 1999 | Best Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group | Requiem | Nominated | with the Branford Marsalis Quartet |
| 2004 | Best Jazz Instrumental Album by an Individual or Group | Eternal | Nominated | with the Branford Marsalis Quartet |
| 2025 | Best Jazz Performance | Phoenix Reimagined (Live) | Nominated | Lakecia Benjamin ft Randy Brecker, Jeff Tain Watts and John Scofield |
