Image: Rob Blackham
One of the most acclaimed pianists who spans both the pop and jazz music spheres, Jim Watson has had a career playing alongside some pretty talented musicians and artists over the years. Playing keys for Sting, Kurt Elling and Paloma Faith has signified more than just a high reputation for his musical skill – it’s also demonstrated his innate ability to adapt to whatever each musical situation has required of him.
But here, the pianist returns to the very roots of how he started: solo piano. Stepping into the spotlight, Calling You Home is an album of organic and personally inspired compositions and covers of songs that remain close to his heart (and one I’ve very much enjoyed listening to). Speaking to me from his sunny countryside home, Jim discussed his illustrious career so far, as well as deep diving into the brand new album…
How did it feel to return to solo piano work after a long period of collaboration?
Well, I've spent a lot of time being busy as a sideman really, with lots of different people and lots of different genres. I still love and enjoy that, and still carry on to this day. But it's always been on my mind to do an album and solo piano is so different. I've not really done any solo gigs to be honest, apart from bits on concerts where I might be doing an introduction or something like that – but not a dedicated solo project. So, it was kind of going back to where it started. It was somewhat of an easy thing for me to go back to playing solo, because it's probably how most pianists start. It felt like a conscious decision to do that, to do something simple, comfortable, and easy for me.
After doing lots of band work, I didn't want to go into the studio and do a big project with four or five people, and then have to lead and direct it. I've been around that environment a lot, and I've seen how complex that can be – how difficult it can be for an artist to manage those things. And then when you actually get down to play the music, you're kind of thinking about ‘are the parts okay’ or ‘is everyone going to turn up at the right time’, and all those practical things. So yes, it was a departure, but it was a decision to do something simple and easy for me, really. It’s also a natural environment, playing solo piano. I think I love it the most out of all my musical situations.
I heard that you wrote six original pieces in just six days before heading into the studio! What kind of creative headspace did you have to create in order to make that happen?
I'm not a very prolific writer, generally. Being a sideman, you play their material and you're hired to just do what you do. I've done quite a bit of composing throughout my career, for commercial projects and library album projects, but it’s not in the same way that you might compose for personal creative output. I had the record dates in mind and was just about to book the studio, but I hadn't written anything then so it was probably not the best position to be in! I sort of put it back and back – although once I get into it I really enjoy it, and it opens up. The thought of doing it, actually just getting behind a piano with a pen and paper is…oh, it's like homework, you know? It sounds terrible, but that's kind of how I am.
Anyway, I went in with my pen and paper, thinking ‘I hope something comes out’, but I got into it, and wrote a tune in a few hours. Went back and tweaked it a bit, and started thinking tonally and musically how to write different tunes, to not go down one route stylistically. It all very quickly just came to fruition which I was really proud of. It made me feel confident, which was a really positive stage to be in before going into the studio. I didn't want to write a whole album of originals, because there's some standards which I really enjoy playing, so I was after a nice balance.
With the songs you cover in the album, what guided your selections? Is there anything that connects these songs?
Well, I wanted to include a few classic jazz pieces, to keep something of the traditional. So I wanted to do ‘Body and Soul’, ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’, ‘’Round Midnight’ and ‘The Nearness of You’, which are classic standards that I love. And as a musician I'm into all kinds of music – I'm not exclusively a jazz musician, and I've always loved lots of styles. So ‘The Weight’ by The Band is sort of a rock tune really, but I'd loved that band from when I was a teenager and always loved that song. So to me, it was sort of like a modern standard: you're using a platform of someone else's music to put your own little stamp on it and have an improvisation. So that one came from my love of more commercial music. ‘Old friends’, the Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel tune, was a similar thing. I've loved that tune for a long time. There was definitely a stylistic intent with the different genres, trying to work them in and put them in a jazz context.
You’ve worked with legends – from Sting to Katie Melua. How has your experience playing alongside these musicians informed your playing?
I think 100% it informed me as a musician. You're in a situation where you have a job to do, and you've got to do it well: sensitively, and respectfully. It becomes less about you and more about the person you're accompanying, so you learn to have a sense of humility and it keeps you grounded. I like to think that across my career those situations have kept me very open-minded and sensitive to musical situations, because you have to be. You have to adapt, you know? I worked with Manu Katché in his band for about ten years, and it was a fantastic experience. We got to play with some great musicians – one of them was Sting. You just have to go in there and up your game; you're kind of like a boxer, just trying to adapt in the moment and respond intuitively from your knowledge.
Those experiences have definitely informed this album, because it's a multitude of styles. It’s trying to be a mix, alluding to some pop tunes from my pop experience and that sort of thing. I'm sure subconsciously, the way I play is informed by other people, and hopefully vice versa. It’s kind of a two-way process, it's conversational - you learn from people, and hopefully they learn from you. So I think all of my musical experiences are somewhere in a big melting pot, and my dream would be that they're all coming out somewhere subconsciously. Everything has enriched everything else, I think.
You’ve spoken about the piece “Midge” being named after your dog and ‘The Vow’ reflects your marriage. How important was it to include these personal stories in the music? Did it come easily?
I think that was quite easy, because the whole title Calling You Home, is kind of alluding to coming full circle through solo piano, where I started. For me, it felt quite homely. It's got that feel to it in a way, which is probably linked with the relaxed life we have up here in the country. I mean, I'm still busy and working, but I think it's a nice snapshot of me at this moment. The dog, we love him to bits, and I got married a couple of years ago which was a big moment. The titles actually came afterwards, but as I came up with some of the ideas and thought about them, it was clear what they were to me. It does feel very homely and natural, and that's what I’m hearing from others who have listened to it. The point I was trying to get across with the album is working which I'm so happy about.
How are you celebrating the album’s release?
There's an album launch gig at the 606 Club in Chelsea on Tuesday 8th July before the official album release on the 11th July. I'm going to be playing pieces from the album, but I'm going to be playing in a piano trio format – so I'll do some pieces solo and some with a trio.
After this solo piano project, what do you see yourself doing next?
Doing this album has given me a bit of drive now; I'm quite excited about the whole process. I mean, I've made albums before but I haven't done one for a while under my own name. So it's made me realise how simple the whole thing is, really. And how exciting it is riding the wave, so it's definitely made me think I'm going to do another one. I wouldn't put a time on it, but definitely I'd try to do one every two years for as long as I have the drive to do it, because it's fun! It's nice to leave a bit of a legacy in some way I think, to have your name on your albums.
I've got some gigs with Guy Barker coming up. I’ve been in his band for probably twenty years and we've got a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in December. I've just started playing in a band with Clare Teal, the jazz singer, who I've known for probably twenty five years. I did play in her band in the early 2000s, and then I pursued other projects. But now I’m back and we’re going to the Buxton Festival at the end of July, we've got a gig in Settle with her in North Yorkshire, and then pretty much every week there's a gig. I also have a studio at home that I use for remote sessions for people who call me up to play some tracks, so I have some of that coming up over the summer too.
Jim Watson Recordings presents Calling You Home for purchase from Friday 11th July 2025.
