Press Fanatic Magazine October 2015 | Page 13

FEATURED ARTIST SECTION

David Leshare Watson (Doc), Jazz vocalist, leader of "Re-Birthing The Cool, Bebop N Beyond". David is a new resident of the Portland area, coming from here from Hawaii and before that the Bay Area in CA. and his home town of Philadelphia, PA. In the Bay Area David had the honor to play and sing with some of the best Jazz musicians in the country, John Handy, Bobby Hutcherson, Woody Shaw, Eddie Henderson, Shirley Scott, Mark Murphy, Pony Pondexter, Joe Henderson, Eddie Moore, Mickey Roker (his cousin) Bob Cranshaw, Michael LeDonne, Jamie Davis, Pee Wee Elis, Michele Hendricks, Mike White, James Leary, Mark Isham, Mel Martin, Tee Carsen, Buddy Montgomery, Johnny Coles, Joyce Cooling, Hadley Caliman, Donald (Duck) Bailey, Dick Berk, Richie Cole, George Cables and many many more great musicians.

In the Bay Area David booked Jazz in festivals, winerys and was one of the two founders of the Sonoma Valley Jazz Society (now in their 27th or 28th year), also one of three founders a non- profit call Sonoma Vally Jazz Art & Wine that gave over $70,000 to the arts in the Sonoma Valley schools art and music progams in three years. David booked music into and played in these winerys, Bartholomew Park winery, Glen Ellen winery, Matanzas Creek winery, Buena Vista, Gloria Ferrer Chamagne Cellars, Robert Mondavi Winery, Kendall Jackson winery, BR Cohn winery, Copia The American Center For Wine & Arts and other local events. David for 17 years booked the Jazz stage for the Napa Valley Mustard Festival.

David recorded 5 CD's which can be viewed on his website www.sonomajazz.com and played on a number of TV shows.

David's new love is the band Re-Birthing The Cool, Bebop N Beyond which has some of Portland premier player, Alyssa Schwary-McDonald, Lee Wuthernow, Pete Petersen, Mary-Sue Tobin, Stan Bock, Tim Rap, Mark Vehrencamp, Levis Dragulin, Colescott Rubin and Laura Cunard, playing the original music of 'The Birth Of The Cool'.