As part of Riverlife’s Shore Thing Grand Opening Weekend, Riverlife invites you to experience Pittsburgh’s newest river spot in action! Come celebrate the rivers with free programming that brings together art, movement, and community in the heart of the Sister Bridges.
Reggie Watkins – From Wheeling WV and a long time Pittsburgh resident the trombonist, pianist and band leader has released four recordings as leader and has appeared on many others. From 1999 to 2006 he served as trombonist and musical director for trumpeter and band leader Maynard Ferguson and later with singer-songwriter Jason Mraz from 2008 to 2013. In 2003 Watkins was chosen as a semi-finalist in the “Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.” Watkins has performed and recorded with many great artists from various genres including Aretha Franklin, Dave Matthews, Dianne Schuur, Jose Feliciano, Willie Nelson, Arturo Sandoval, Dianne Reeves, Warren Haynes, Trombone Shorty, Scott Bradley’s Postmodern Jukebox, The Temptations, and The O’Jays. Currently, in addition to leading his own groups that perform Watkins’ original music, he is also a member of the 3X Grammy nominated Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band, The Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra and a founding member of The Keystone Jazz Collective and Steeltown Horns.
“Reggie Watkins manages to improvise with an originality and creativity avoiding clichés and predictable phrases in an entirely distinctive trombone style.” – Hot House Magazine
“Modern jazz for the open-eared, Watkins’ agenda is to push the future of jazz..” – Midwest Record
