Bobby Watson - Perpetual Groove (1993/2025) [Official Digital Download]

In the early 1980s, jazz entered a fluid phase: established stylistic eras–from New Orleans to fusion–had lost their guiding luminaries, and audiences struggled to spot a new dominant trend. Instead, a revival of hard bop emerged, led by returning veterans like Dexter Gordon and Chet Baker and epitomized by Wynton Marsalis and his "young lions," who championed a polished, retrospective sound even as they claimed to reject later developments.
Yet beyond this mainstream renaissance, avant-garde research persisted–more international in scope and increasingly egalitarian. European artists, long imitators of an American art form, now stood as true peers, catalyzing fresh dialogues with U.S. innovators.
Perpetual Groove captures this moment through saxophonist Bobby Watson Jr., fresh from his role as soloist and musical director with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Steeped in Charlie Parker's legacy, Watson anchors the album with two bebop tributes–Cherokee and Blue 'n' Boogie–but also honors Sonny Rollins (Oleo) and John Coltrane (Mr. P.C.). His alto and soprano lines remain faithful to bop's core, yet each track brims with modern twists: a playful siren-like motif, a free soprano/drums duet, polytonal shifts in Oleo.
At its center, the title piece is a solo-sax tour de force: "perpetual" via circular breathing, "groove" from deep African-American roots, and echoes of Roland Kirk, Roscoe Mitchell, minimalism, and industrial sonorities. Watson's parallel work with Sam Rivers and the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet underscores his experimental drive.
Joining Watson are three Italian talents–Piero Bassini, Attilio Zanchi, and Giampiero Prina–whose provincial origins belie their cosmopolitan artistry. Together, they embody jazz's global, boundary-crossing spirit. Though Watson reconvened them on later Red Records projects, Perpetual Groove remains singular in its vibrant blend of tradition, innovation, and international collaboration.

TRACKLIST

1. Bobby Watson - Cherokee (2025 Remastered)
2. Bobby Watson - Mr. P.C. (2025 Remastered)
3. Bobby Watson - Perpetual Groove (2025 Remastered)
4. Bobby Watson - Oleo (2025 Remastered)
5. Bobby Watson - Blue 'N' Boogie (2025 Remastered)



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