I would like to introduce to you the jazz singer David Leshare Watson. Jazz musicians whom David has sung with, say David is a real jazz singer unafraid to sing or scat with any setting. David is comfortable swinging, scatting, the blues and singing ballads as you will hear on this CD. This recording was done at Systems Two Studio, in Brooklyn, NY
When David Leshare Watson was eight year old growing up in Ft Myers Florida, he heard Ella Fitzgerald and what he heard changed his life forever. After leaving Florida at nine he grew up in Philadelphia Pa. His musical career then started in elementary school, singing in talent shows and school concerts. He was singing the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat Cole and Cab Calloway, The Mills Brothers and The Ink Spots, developing the art of scatting, Watson began singing the tunes of Eddie Jefferson, John Hendricks and King Pleasure.
After a serving in the US Army, Watson returned to Philadelphia, and landed a job as a bartender for four years at the world class jazz club, "The Showboat Jazz Theater" was a god sent gift. There he taught himself to play drums and was encouraged by the musicians who played there to pursue his love for singing. Listening to the great singers "Frank Sinatra, Nate "King" Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure and Betty Carter, he pulled a little of each into his singing". Listening to Miles Davis, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young he learned to phrase and color.
A few of the artist Watson has played or sung with
Billy Browning Memorial Big Band,
George Cables, Tee Carson, Richie Cole,
Johnny Coles, Joyce Cooling, John Handy, Eddie Henderson, Joe Henderson,
Michele Hendricks, Jamie Davis, Mary Stalling,
Bobby Hutcherson, Hadley Kaliman, Ed Kelly,
Calvin Keys, Herbie Lewis, Charles McPherson,
Benny Miller, Buddy Montgomery, Bob Cranshaw
Mickey Roker (Watson's cousin), Michael LeDonne
Robert Stewart, Shirley Scott, Harold Jones
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