Doug Watkins

In high demand for studio work on bass, particularly in instances where his cousin by marriage Paul Chambers could not participate, Doug Watkins excelled more as an accompanist than as a soloist. Having honed his skills amid the array of gifted Detroit jazz musicians active locally, he joined James Moody’s tour in 1953 and performed alongside the Barry Harris Trio before establishing himself in New York during 1954. From 1955 to 1956 he belonged to the Jazz Messengers in their initial incarnation, followed by a year in the Horace Silver Quintet, after which he lent his talents freely to numerous hard bop figures such as Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Gene Ammons, Art Farmer, Kenny Burrell, Phil Woods, and Hank Mobley. When Mingus focused temporarily on piano in 1961, he selected Watkins to handle bass in that ensemble. At just 27 years old, Watkins met a tragic end in a car accident. He directed one recording date each for Transition in 1960 and New Jazz that same year, incorporating cello playing on the second of those efforts.