Biography
Born in London in 1971, Watkis drew his earliest keyboard inspiration from Chick Corea, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Wynton Kelly, Mulgrew Miller, Bud Powell and McCoy Tyner. Professional engagements on piano began for him in 1987, and two years afterward he enrolled at Berklee College of Music. While there and during visits to Harvard University he occasionally performed alongside Antonio Hart, Lalah Hathaway, Joshua Redman and Mark Turner. Returning to Britain, he quickly established himself as a sought-after pianist and composer, collaborating over the ensuing years with both resident and visiting artists in the capital such as Gary Bartz, Kenny Garrett, Eddie Henderson, Tony Kofi, Courtney Pine, Ernest Ranglin, Jean Toussaint and Stanley Turrentine. He was also among the founding members of Gary Crosby’s Tomorrow’s Warriors and Nu Troop. Appearances at major London clubs and subsequent national tours expanded his profile, and on those tours he conducted educational workshops in schools across the country. In 1998 he served as pianist and arranger for the European run of the stage production Dancing & Singing The Blues.
Watkis is the younger brother of vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, the two having intentionally adopted different spellings of the family name. He has sustained an active presence in the United States, most notably in New York City, where his 2007 debut album was captured with Darren Barrett on trumpet, Steve Wilson on saxophone, Reuben Rogers on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. Much of his material is self-composed, including the pieces “Apartment 17,” “Fuchsia Song,” “Second Chance Encounters,” “Summer Evening Dream,” “What It Is Was” and “Khadijah’s Peace.” Additional New York associations have included work with Winard Harper and James Spaulding. Beyond clubs and recording studios, he has written and performed for film, radio and television; among his screen credits is the 2004 feature De-Lovely, in which he provided accompaniment for Natalie Cole and Elvis Costello.
Watkis is the younger brother of vocalist Cleveland Watkiss, the two having intentionally adopted different spellings of the family name. He has sustained an active presence in the United States, most notably in New York City, where his 2007 debut album was captured with Darren Barrett on trumpet, Steve Wilson on saxophone, Reuben Rogers on bass and Lewis Nash on drums. Much of his material is self-composed, including the pieces “Apartment 17,” “Fuchsia Song,” “Second Chance Encounters,” “Summer Evening Dream,” “What It Is Was” and “Khadijah’s Peace.” Additional New York associations have included work with Winard Harper and James Spaulding. Beyond clubs and recording studios, he has written and performed for film, radio and television; among his screen credits is the 2004 feature De-Lovely, in which he provided accompaniment for Natalie Cole and Elvis Costello.
Albums