An extensive jazz catalog from late Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts titled Anthology has just been released on June 30. Watts is known for his iconic work with The Rolling Stones, but not many people realize how skilled the musician was when it comes to jazz.
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The album consists of two LPs with four sides in total, while the CD features a few more tracks than the set of LPs. Among the tracks included on the CD that are not featured on the LPs are versions of “Rockhouse Boogie,” “Ain’t Nobody Minding Your Store,” and “Swindon Swing.” Anthology will also showcase liner notes made by music journalist Paul Sexton.
A press statement for the album reads, “Available both in double vinyl and double CD editions, Anthology is a monument to the “other” musical identity of the giant who underpinned the Rolling Stones for 58 years. It draws on a near 20-year period in his substantial catalog of jazz recordings in various configurations, including quartet, quintet, tentet, and orchestra. The collection is both the perfect memento of a unique artist for longtime devotees and the perfect introduction for new admirers.
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“Anthology is a celebration of the faultlessly tasteful and inventive playing of a true inspiration to millions, who generously diverted the spotlight onto his brilliant, hand-picked collaborators. Across Anthology, these include such greats as his lifelong friend and double bass stalwart Dave Green, saxophonists such as Peter King, Evan Parker and Courtney Pine, trumpeter Gerard Presencer, fellow drum titan Jim Keltner and vocalist and Rolling Stones live band member Bernard Fowler.”
The jazz catalog will span many years, beginning in 1986. The album will feature songs that appeared on earlier albums from Watts and his Quintet, including From One Charlie (1991), A Tribute to Charlie Parker with Strings (1992), Warm and Tender (1993), Long Ago and Far Away (1996), and Charlie Watts – Jim Keltner Project (2000), among others.
Charlie Watts, unfortunately, passed away on August 24, 2021, at the age of 80. Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones revealed Watts’ cause of death in March 2022, which was throat cancer. Watts suffered from the disease since 2004.
Years ago, Watts discussed how he didn’t let the disease interfere with his passion for performing, revealing, “We’ve got a tour, and I didn’t know if I could get through a song. You can’t stop once you get going, if you’re a drummer… I didn’t know if I could make it… but it’s amazing how quickly your body heals.”
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