Labels Dark Key Music Role Musical performer | Instruments Drums Name Jeff Watts Movies Mo' Better Blues | |
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Born January 20, 1960 (age 64) ( 1960-01-20 ) Origin Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US Occupation(s) Musician, bandleader, actor Albums Detained at the Blue Note, Bar Talk, Citizen Tain, Simply Music, Four MFs Playin' Tunes |
Modern drummer festival 2011 jeff tain watts
Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, David Gilmore, Ravi Coltrane and others.
Contents
- Modern drummer festival 2011 jeff tain watts
- Jazz drummer q tip lick of the week jeff tain watts
- Biography
- As leader
- As sideman
- Grammy Awards
- Songs
- References

Jazz drummer q tip lick of the week jeff tain watts
Biography
Jeff "Tain" Watts holds the unique distinction of being the only musician to appear on every Grammy Award-winning jazz record by both Wynton and Branford Marsalis.

He got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny Kirkland when they were on tour in Florida and drove past a Chieftain gas station.

Watts has worked in the film and television industry as both a musician on the The Tonight Show with Jay Leno for three years and as an actor, playing Rhythm Jones in Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues. Watts performed and recorded with the Branford Marsalis Quartet from 1985 to 2009. He currently performs with his own groups The Watts Project and the Jeff "Tain" Watts Quartet, as well as with McCoy Tyner, The George Cables Project, and Geri Allen. In 2007 Watts started his own record label, Dark Key Music, releasing Folk's Songs in 2007, Watts in 2009 and Family in 2011. Terence Blanchard won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Solo for Dark Key Music's "Dancin' 4 Chicken". Watts writes most of the compositions on his own albums.
Watts is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and can be seen on the album cover of Branford Marsalis's Braggtown with a Terrible Towel.
As leader

As sideman
Grammy Awards
Songs
Mona Lisas
Mo' Better Blues
Another Day
Harlem Blues
Music Evolution
Some Cow Fonque
Vodville
Mr JJ
The Blossom of Parting
The Mighty Sword
Better Than I Am
Farley Strange
Brainlifter
Blues for Mr Charley
Flip & Dip
Driva Man
May 15 - 2011
Wry Koln
Faux Paul
The Impaler
Goldaze
JC is the man
Almost Twilight
Positootly!
My Witch's Blue
Blutain's Big Adventure
Sigmund Groid
MLK Shake-Up Call
Steppin' Zone
Blutain - Jr
Land of Shadow
Osteology