| The band was a regular act at The Cellar Door in Georgetown, DC.Clive Davis' Arista Records, which released their debut album, Happy The Man, in 1977 to a much wider audience.Watkins worked closely with Scott as the band's representative in recording and mixing both Happy The Man albums.For Watkins, this was a crash course in recording technique which he later found invaluable in his solo recording endeavors.The two Happy The Man albums found a small but devoted cult audience for the band, but sales of both albums were disappointing, and the band was dropped by Arista in 1978.Concurrently, their drummer was replaced by French percussionist Coco Roussel.Near the end of that year, the British progressive rock band Camel approached Watkins about replacing their keyboardist, Pete Bardens, and he accepted.The remaining members of Happy The Man then disbanded and pursued other interests, but reformed in 2000 with keyboardist David Rosenthal and Joe Bergamini complimenting three founding members; Frank Wyatt, Stan Whitaker and Rick Kennell.He subsequently launched a solo career and recorded his first solo album Labyrinth (with Coco Roussel on drums) in 1980.Watkins released his second album, Frames of Mind, in 1982 with Brad Allen on guitars and vocals.The album was a fun and quirky mix of new wave pop and hybrid world music, recorded at Watkins' home studio in Arlington, Virginia and released on his label, Azimuth Records.The duo created a music video of the song "My Telephone" which was shown throughout the United States on cable television.Azimuth also released demo tapes of Happy The Man produced by Kit Watkins and recorded during its last year, under the title Better late...East Side Digital (ESD) label, and Thought Tones (1990), A Different View (1991), Kinetic Vapors (1993), Holographic Tapestries (1995), and Beauty Drifting (1996) for his Linden Music label.David Borden, Robert Rich, and Jeff Greinke.Roussel recorded his tracks in Los Angeles and then uploaded them by computer to Watkins in Virginia.Watkins has released two DVDs: a hypnotic visual work based on his album This Time and Space (2004); and The Gathering (2005), a live performance, videotaped by his longtime friend and Azimuth Records partner Sally Heldrich.Additionally, Watkins briefly formed an improvisational trio in early 2001 called Tone Ghost Ether with musicians Brad Allen and John Tlusty.The trio focused on recording "live" in Watkins' performance studio, in the tradition of jazz groups of the past, without overdubs (although looping machines were used).His ambient works have become staples on National Public Radio's Hearts of Space.All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.Profile: Kit WatkinsKit Watkins seen with hisElectronic Wind Instrument
Kit Watkins is known largely for his keyboard virtuosity with Camel and
Happy The Man, groups that helped to define the progressive rock genre.After a break from composing and performing, he now looks back on a prolific musical career.The introspective ambient soundscapes of his Thought Tones series realized contemplative music from various forms of feedback.Different View demonstrated Watkins's ability to interpret the classics electronically.And on Azure, progressive traditions met new age aesthetics.Drawing on so many influences, Watkins has been difficult to label.With
each project, Watkins expands into new genres and adds diversity and character to his biography.Unseen
After a few years off from releasing music and 20 years away from the live medium, Kit Watkins was lured away from his quiet home in Virginia to perform at the Gatherings Concert Series in Philadelphia.The concert unfolded in two lengthy sets of music under the theme "Night Music" and ranged from the deep drift stylings of his new CD, Rolling Curve to the progressive electronica of last year's The Unseen.Watkins, "and I can do that very nicely with synthesizers and samplers.The piece was entitled "Music for The End" and incorporated environmental field recordings, synth pads and an electronic wind controller all into a gentle drifting wash.CD of the 11 March 2001 Kit Watkins concert live on STAR'S END was released.Interviewed on 4 February 2001 by STAR'S END host Chuck van Zyl, Kit Watkins spoke of his music, technology and the 10 March 2001 Gathering concert in Philadelphia, which was his return to the live performance environment after a nearly 20 year absence.Many thanks to Art Cohen, Kit Watkins and NothinBut Net for their key efforts in making this interview available from this website.AnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArubaBahamasBarbadosBelizeBoliviaBrazilCayman IslandsChileColombiaCosta RicaCubaDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEl SalvadorFalkland Islands (Malvinas)GrenadaGuadeloupeGuatemalaGuiana (Fr)GuyanaHaitiHondurasJamaicaMartiniqueMexicoMontserratNetherlands AntillesNicaraguaPanamaParaguayPeruPuerto RicoSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and GrenadinesSt.BissauIvory CoastKenyaLesothoLiberiaLibyaMadagascarMalawiMaliMauritaniaMauritiusMoroccoMozambiqueNamibiaNigerNigeriaRwandaSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth AfricaSt.In music, 2007 was a very good year.Check out top ten lists from the Download Music editors and writers in our annual best of 2007 roundup.Avg user rating: Rate this artist!Add to my Watch List
(What's this?User reviews for Kit Watkins
Rate this artist!BORN TO CLASSICAL PIANO TEACHERS in 1953 in Virginia, Kit Watkins studied piano at home from ages 5 through 13.By age 18, he was discovering his own writing abilities.He soon joined up with the band Happy The Man (HTM) which was forming at the local university.During its six years, the band recorded five albums, including two produced by Ken Scott and released on Arista Records.In 1979, Kit then joined the British band Camel for an album produced by Rupert Hine and several tours of the UK, Europe, and Japan from 1980 through 1982.Labyrinth, released on his own Azimuth Records label.The album won him 5th place in Keyboard magazine's Annual Readers' Poll Awards for keyboard album.Coco Roussel during this period.During the 80s, Kit continued to produce solo and collaborative albums, some released on his own label, while others were picked up by larger independent labels.Coupling his abilities on flute with his many influences by horn and reed players, the migration to the electronic wind instrument has been a natural.The Gathering CDs are available at the Kit Watkins CDs, art, merchandise shop.Also in 2001, Kit formed an improvisational ensemble named Tone Ghost Ether.The group was realized through a natural interaction between three musicians (Kit Watkins, Brad Allen, John Tlusty) searching for a common form of expression.The ensemble's pioneering debut CDs are available at the Kit Watkins CDs, art, merchandise shop.Kit Watkins will continue to perform special live concerts.Kit's wide ranging interests in music and sound allow him to change his focus from album to album resulting in a fresh experience for both artist and listener."Visit other CNET Networks sites: Select SiteBNETCHOWCNET.Kit Watkins first came to prominence as part of legendary progressive band, Happy the
Man.Despite disbanding years ago after just a couple albums, Kit still gets questions as
to if and when this band might ever get back together.For me Kit's music is a perfect example of why more artists need to start their own
labels.An
artist on a major label, and even many niche indie labels, must record albums that
basically sound the same from beginning to end and from one album to the next.Also on Cuneiform you'll find Forrest Fang's The Blind Messenger which features Kit in a
guest appearance.Kit Watkins is having a special sale for his catalog.These four titles represent the diversity of Kit's musical abilities.The two had played together previously in the classic progressive
band Happy the Man.After having been out of print for some years now, Kit Watkins has remastered his
classic album Azure.Progressive traditions meet impressionistic aesthetics on
this highly acclaimed album, including beautiful renditions of Jan Hammer's I Remember Me
and Philip Catherine's Nairam.Watkins has written and performed some sensational music...The concert was incredibly well received by the audience.Watkins
had provided an impressive and comprehensive evening of music: spacemusic that was
intelligent and transported the listener inward .The wind instrument gives Kit the opportunity to play more
passionately.Kit can bring into his music.Kit Watkins: synthesizers, electronic wind
controller, electronic drum pads, percussion, audio conjecture, editing.Kit Watkins contains slowly evolving
manipulated images set to the music from the Kit Watkins audio CD of the same name.Copies of the DVD are
autographed by Kit Watkins.This is NOT an ambient CD....Tone Ghost Ether
consists of Kit Watkins, John Tlusty, and Brad Allen.Created in 1982, Frames of Mind signaled a new direction for Kit working in
collaboration with Brad Allen.The CD features four additional tracks not available on
the original LP release (Far From Home, Brad's Spirit, Mandolin Orange, and Pilobolus).KIT WATKINS: vocals, keyboards, drum machines, flute, telephone, pan pipes, autoharp,
percussion.Watkins never lets technical literacy become an end in
itself.Each of his unpretentious songs establishes a distinct atmosphere.Only 30 minutes in length, these ambient pieces each represent
aspects of hope and despair.This collection of ambient and spacemusic compositions was created in
Kit's live performance studio.Each piece is an improvisation created on the spot with
synthesizers, electronic wind instrument, and looping devices.There is an accompanying hourlong DVD of
ambient video that Kit hopes to make available in 2004.Only limited quantities of
this CD will be available.But fortunately they are
available through Musea.Kit Watkins, and reissued with the same art
work that was featured on the original vinyl versions.The muse struck without warning and an ensemble was born.Three new CD's from Kit Watkins capture a rare evening of live performance
of Kit's solo work.Consisting of ambient electronics and environmental night time sounds from
Linden, Virginia, Music for the End will appeal to those fans of such Kit Watkins albums
as Circle, Rolling Curve and Thought Tones 1 and 2.January
through July 1993 at Kit's studio.Recently remastered by Kit Watkins and including mp3 files of each track!Steve Roach and Brad Allen.This is a collection of contemplative piano works, generally mellow in flavor, but ranging
from dark to light.Superb music, suberb artwork, superb release!This one is really
outstanding, I love the acoustic piano and the VL1 parts.I'm struck by perfect
balance of all elements: notes, space, tone color, and ambience.Unpredictable shifts in tempo, lush orchestral textures, and
complicated melodic structures .One of my
favorites of the year.Watkins crafts CDs of gemlike clarity.This album's theme is rhythm and primitive expression.Economically orchestrated, artfully conceived .His influences range far and wide, from classical to ambient and
progressive rock to pop.Many of you have tried to get Kit Watkins Thought Tones Volume 2 only to
find it no longer available.Kit Watkins has finally returned to the
business of making music.As we've come to expect from Kit, this album covers a lot of musical
territory, effortlessly blending progressive with ambient, world music and many other
styles.Satie, Chopin, Khachaturian,
Stravinsky, and others.It's a disarmingly enjoyable album
based on deceptively simple music.These are sparse electronic ambiences from
organic sound sources that create intriguing new worlds for both background and foreground
listening.An album made by human beings for human
beings.Get it for your mobileGreatIndieMusicApple iTunesMusicIsHereBitmunkTradebitPayPlaynotesCREDITS
Kit Watkins: grand piano, VL1 virtual acoustic synthesizer, electric piano, samples, electronics.The key to the success of this album lies in its emotional content, reflected in the compositions, performance and arrangement.All taken, Beauty Drifting seems to be a very appropriate title for the album, yet another in a long line of winners from Watkins.Sensitivity to repetition is equally important.And that is exactly what he has done; eschewing any kind of syrupy sweet melodies, chord progressions or song structures.My only point of dissent would be that I think an acoustic saxophone might have injected a little more venom into it.Kit is quite a prolific composer.Watkins has always had a broad body of work in the electronic realm, but this album is something very different from his last few efforts, ambient or rhythmic.However, this is not your typical new age solo piano album.Some of that is due to the fact that much of the piano is drenched in reverb.Please log in to review this album.Please log in to email this artist.About MP3 downloads at CD Baby)Flying Petals is Kit Watkins' 2004 release of progressive world fusion.Kit Watkins and Amir Baghiri.Former Happy the Man keyboardist Kit Watkins creates an adventurous sonic journey on this disc, which is as intriguing for the depth of compositional talent as it is for beautiful sound design and monster grooves.Kit Watkins seemed to be lost for progressive rock.Most pieces start with complex rhythms of sampled percussion, then build melodic structures over it using keyboard synths, and occasionally guitars and sax as well.Please log in to email this artist.Please refresh the page to fix the problem.Originally issued in 1995, Holographic Tapestries is one of Kit Watkins' more varied albums, essentially alternating between introspective, moody pieces and more upbeat, rhythmically driving...Write a ReviewYour TakeTell the world what you think about Kit Watkins!Kit Watkins
Live at
The Gathering
Saturday, March 10th, 2001
St.Review: The Gatherings with Kit Watkins (a different view)
Funny how things stick in the mind.I'm not so sure why I find comfort in this, except to say it may be in knowing that for the next six months or so, her beauty would be gracing our evening skies.Last night, same bridge, same Gathering approachment, Kit Watkins on the horizon, and Venus, seemingly in the same exact spot, but this time while on her nightly descent, before she passes in the space between the Earth and the Sun in a week or so, is bound for the morning sky.Mary's before the show last night.James Johnson piece quietly settled us in.Kit Watkins' listening experiences were virtually nil before attending last night's event.Kit's talents had been described and promised for his concert appearance.The artist obviously prepared meticulously for this appearance.This guy is smooth onstage, presenting a most quiet, unassuming demeanor.Here is where I was quite surprised.At times, I would close my eyes and swear I was hearing Mark Isham playing his trumpet at his somber best, only with a layered sonic background reaching heavenly levels Isham has never obtained.Three particular instrumental facets came to the
forefront of Watkins performance last night.The bulk of the fine melodies were presented through a wind synthesizer, my first experience here at hearing one of these, and, my oh my...Watkins also relied heavily on an electronic percussion pad during several stimulating and pulsating beat patterns.Thirdly, an entire assortment of acoustic percussion instruments were constantly added to the musical flair.He presented these much in the fashion that Steve Roach does live, switching from one to another, after having layered fine electronic sound sequences.One particular instrument was fascinating, though I'm not sure what to call it (ed.I've gone on here long enough and will leave room for others to add what they may.There was a fine crowd at the church last night.It's so comforting to see the hard work made in preparing these events, by both the Gatherings coordinators and by artists
like Kit Watkins, deservedly rewarded.As Posted to The Spacelist: Sun, 11 March 2001
Review: The Gatherings with Kit Watkins
The concert was fantastic!But Saturday night, something about the whole environment (the acoustics, the lighting effects against the beautiful church sanctuary, Kit's calm manner as he built up the sound, etc.Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Kit.To my mind it was like looking through a magician's props, trying to find out where the magic is kept.Kit has excellent musical tools, but I am far more interested in what he does with them than how he uses them.Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful concert.Zendrum, and anticipate spending the next few years mastering it...Review: The Gatherings with Kit Watkins
Just a note to tell you how much we enjoyed the show at St.Mary's in Philly on Saturday night.Kit is truly an amazing musician.At times, the music reminded me of Weather Report, who's music I was really into in the 70's and 80's.CD set of the 10 March 2001 Kit Watkins concert at the Gathering was released.The CDs are named The Gathering Set 1 and The Gathering Set 2 and are a double album release of the entire performance. |
