Marzette Watts
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Biography
Marzette Watts, born on March 9, 1938, in Montgomery, Alabama, was a tenor saxophonist of free jazz. He initially studied art at Alabama State College but, inspired by a Sonny Rollins concert in 1957, shifted his focus to music. In 1960, he moved to New York, continuing his studies at New York University and earning a degree in art education in 1962. Watts then studied painting at the Sorbonne in Paris while performing as a street musician. After returning to New York in 1963, he collaborated with figures such as LeRoi Jones, Marion Brown, Archie Shepp, and Byard Lancaster. In 1966, he recorded his debut album Marzette & Company (released 1968 by ESP-Disk), and in 1969 he released The Marzette Watts Ensemble for Savoy Records. Later, he taught at Wesleyan University, explored electronic music, and worked as a sound engineer and experimental composer. Watts died on March 1998.
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