April 2009

Trevor Watkis
Straight Ahead ... Ride for Tone!
BlueSoundScape

By Bill Milkowski

Londoner Trevor Watkis exudes a cool, swinging confidence on his first recording as a leader. Alongside a crew of American heavyweights (saxophonist Steve Wilson, trumpeter Darren Barrett, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Lewis Nash) the skilled pianist-composer plays it strictly straight-ahead on his lyrical jazz waltz “Khadijah’s Peace,” the urgent uptempo cooker “Apartment #17” and the mellow ballad “Fuchsia Song.” Watkis has his way with Stevie Wonder’s “Passionate Raindrops” and conjures up a “Poinciana” vibe on his alluring “A Summer Evening Dream.”