Pamela Baskin-Watson

Ms.Watson, raised in Kansas City, Kansas, recently moved back home in September of 2002. Ms. Watson studied piano during her high school years at the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri under Mr. George Salisbury. She attended Kansas City, Kansas Community College for 2 years on full piano scholarship, then transferred to the University of Miami at Coral Gables of 2 years on partial scholarship as a piano major, with an emphasis on accompanying.
As an accompanist: Upon moving to New York City in 1976, she established a notable reputation as a freelance accompanist that was in constant demand because of her high level of musicianship and her ability to play many styles of music. Ms. Watson also served as accompanist for the Vocal College Prep Program, as well as vocal musicianship teacher at the Harlem School of the Arts for many years. She worked closely with voice teachers Yvonne Hatchett and Diane Randolph, accompanying many of their students for lessons, concerts, competitions, and auditions. In addition, she worked with Ms. Hatchett as accompanist/teacher at many New York City grade and middle schools in their quest to build young choruses. Ms. Watson has served as accompanist for the Omega Psi Phi Arts Competitions from 1999-2001 and accompanist/ teacher for the Voices of Henry Street Childrens’ Chorus at the Abrons Arts Center in NYC from 09/00-12/01. She has been pianist/accompanist for many choruses, (both church and secular), club dates, recitals, and auditions.
Since moving to Kansas: Ms. Watson accompanied students of Dr. Anne DeLauney at UMKC and served as accompanist/coach for a 2002 production of Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors” for Opera Kadopera Opera Company. Fall semester of 2003, Ms. Watson was accompanist for the studio of Dr. Susan Buehler at Baker University and accompanied Dr. Buehler’s students at the NATS competition on October31-November 1, 2003. Presently, she is the accompanist for the Shawnee Mission East High School Choral program and serves as choir director/.accompanist St. Matthew A.M.E. Zion.
As choral conductor/teacher: founded and directed the Harlem School of the Arts Vocal Jazz Ensemble from 1991-2000served as choral conductor for legendary jazz bassist Reggie Workman’s “John Coltrane Africa Brass Project” performance at University of Massachusetts/ Amherst in 02/1999. served as choir director/accompanist for the East Village Gospel Choir at Middle Collegiate Church from 02/1999-12/2001, just to name one of the many churches she served at during her stay in New York.
As a vocalist: Ms. Watson has worked with the Bill Saxton Group, Bobby Watson’s Horizon, James Williams’ Intensive Care Unit, and Jack Walrath’s’ “Charles Mingus Project”, where Ms. Watson was one of five vocalist to perform and record Mr. Walrath’s work with the West Deutche Radio Jazz Orchestra in Koln, Germany. Ms. Watson was also a member of a musical performance trio called ‘The New Renaissance’, where she performed accompanist/vocal duties with vocalists Lisa Polite (lyric soprano) and Yvonne Hatchett (mezzo-soprano). The groups’ repertoire includes African folk songs, opera, spirituals, gospel, jazz and musical theater.
Since moving to Kansas: Ms. Watson was cast as vocalist/spoken word performer along with David Basse in the premier of Dan Jaffe’s “When You Let Love Loose” on April 24th, 2004. The work is a combination of Mr. Jaffe’s poems and jazz music. Ms. Watson has also worked at various clubs in the area, such as The Blue Room, Oak Bar and Jardines.
As composer/arranger: A number of Ms. Watson’s compositions and arrangements have been recorded by major jazz musicians such as Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, vocalist Betty Carter, saxophonist Bobby Watson, The 29th St. Saxophone Quartet, The Bluenote Superblue Big Band, Bobby Watson’s Tailor-Made Big Band, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, drummer Victor Lewis, trumpeter Terrell Stafford and vocalist Kevin Mahogany, just to name a few.
As choral arranger and/or lyricist: Ms. Watson has offerings on the following recordings: James Williams’ ‘Attitudes of an Everyday Man’ featuring the Boys’ Choir of Harlem, The Boys’ Choir of Harlem Christmas Album, Victor Lewis’ ‘Family Portraits’ and Kevin Mahogany’s ‘Another Time, Another Place’ album. Ms. Watson also has a book of choral arrangements entitled ‘Spirituals and Gospels’ published by Advance Music in Germany. She also has vocal jazz, small group, and big band arrangements that are published by Second floor Music and distributed by Hal Leonard Publications.Ms. Watson was commissioned by Opera Ebony of New York City to write a musical theater piece based on the Langston Hughes short story “Mother and Child”. The piece “The Meetin’” was premiered in November of 1998 at Aaron Davis Hall at the University of the City of New York and performed again in August of 2001. The piece is written for female 8 voices and the style is classical, infused with jazz and a little gospel. The libretto and the piano/vocal score was written by Ms. Watson and orchestrated by her husband, renowned saxophonist/composer/arr. Bobby Watson.