On first glance,
Charlie Watts would seem to be a funny choice to include in a jazz book for he is the longtime drummer of
the Rolling Stones. However, jazz was
Watts' first love and in the 1980s he toured worldwide with a huge big band that included many of England's top musicians (giving one a chance to hear
Evan Parker play "Lester Leaps In!"). In 1991, he organized an excellent bop quintet (featuring altoist
Peter King) that paid tribute to
Charlie Parker, justifying
Watts' place in any jazz history book. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide