The 1950s R&B scene was rife with fire-breathing tenor sax honkers. Noble "Thin Man" Watts was one of the most incendiary. Watts enrolled at Florida A&M University in 1942 (his mates in the school marching band included future jazz luminaries Nat and Cannonball Adderly). The Griffin Brothers, one of Dot Records' top R&B acts hired young Noble Watts after he got out of college.
Watts joined baritone saxist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams in 1952, recording with him for Jax and taking sax solos behind Dinah Washington, Amos Milburn, and Ruth Brown on the groundbreaking mid-'50s TV program Showtime at the Apollo. Later, there was a stint with Lionel Hampton. Watts' own discography commenced in 1954 with a tasty coupling for DeLuxe ("Mashing Potatoes"/"Pig Ears and Rice").
A 1956 single for Vee-Jay with Williams' band ("South Shore Drive") came just prior to Watts' salad days on the New York-based Baton label. With his band the Rhythm Sparks in support, Watts wailed "Easy Going," "Blast Off," "Shakin'," "Flap Jack," and quite a few more searing instrumentals for Baton from 1957 to 1959, the biggest of all being "Hard Times (The Slop)," which propelled the saxist onto the pop charts in December of 1957.
Guitar twanger Duane Eddy must have dug what he heard: he covered the grinding shuffle for Jamie a few years later. That wasn't Noble Watts' only connection to rock & roll. He played behind Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, and many more on various late-'50s package tours. From http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wattss-mn0000408965
I'm glad you liked it @Sid_Bonkers & @Axol :) Haha no I'm not doing a week of beaver jams, I have another jam with a rodent in the title coming up soon though :)
10 Comments (since 12 Aug 2014)
music_xplosion
The 1950s R&B scene was rife with fire-breathing tenor sax honkers. Noble "Thin Man" Watts was one of the most incendiary. Watts enrolled at Florida A&M University in 1942 (his mates in the school marching band included future jazz luminaries Nat and Cannonball Adderly). The Griffin Brothers, one of Dot Records' top R&B acts hired young Noble Watts after he got out of college.
music_xplosion
Watts joined baritone saxist Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams in 1952, recording with him for Jax and taking sax solos behind Dinah Washington, Amos Milburn, and Ruth Brown on the groundbreaking mid-'50s TV program Showtime at the Apollo. Later, there was a stint with Lionel Hampton. Watts' own discography commenced in 1954 with a tasty coupling for DeLuxe ("Mashing Potatoes"/"Pig Ears and Rice").
music_xplosion
A 1956 single for Vee-Jay with Williams' band ("South Shore Drive") came just prior to Watts' salad days on the New York-based Baton label. With his band the Rhythm Sparks in support, Watts wailed "Easy Going," "Blast Off," "Shakin'," "Flap Jack," and quite a few more searing instrumentals for Baton from 1957 to 1959, the biggest of all being "Hard Times (The Slop)," which propelled the saxist onto the pop charts in December of 1957.
music_xplosion
Guitar twanger Duane Eddy must have dug what he heard: he covered the grinding shuffle for Jamie a few years later. That wasn't Noble Watts' only connection to rock & roll. He played behind Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, and many more on various late-'50s package tours. From http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wattss-mn0000408965
Sid_Bonkers
Great jam... Er, is it #Beaverweek ?
Sid_Bonkers
ps. great information too
Axol
@Sid_Bonkers eh... it is always #Beaverweek. thanks also @music_xplosion for the information.
DavidShepherd
Nice Beaver!
music_xplosion
I'm glad you liked it @Sid_Bonkers & @Axol :) Haha no I'm not doing a week of beaver jams, I have another jam with a rodent in the title coming up soon though :)
music_xplosion
Thank you @DavidShepherd !