Stuart Watkins, A Master Of Musical Forms – Electric Bass And Backup Vocals
Stuart Watkins’ talents span the global musical spectrum. He has worked with Hip Hop artists in Los Angeles and studied Mblalax music in Senegal (a popular dance music that is a fusion of jazz, soul, Latin and rock, merged with sabar traditional drumming) that emerged in the 1970’s. He played reggae for a decade, not to mention Bhangra (Indian pop), tango, Latin, Jazz as well as folk and rock.
Watkins teaches performance at Carleton University to bass guitar students – which involves some strategic logistical planning since he tours the world with the best: artists like David Foster, Paul Anka, Peter Gabriel, New York’s East Village Opera Company and The Canadian Tenors.
When invited by Sapounidis to join Ouzo power, he, not surprisingly, jumped at the chance to stretch his musical horizons even further and learn the challenging signatures and rhythms of a music with Byzantine roots.
“George is the most eclectic artist I have ever worked with,” Watkins says. “He charms audiences wherever he goes. He knows how to tap into what resonates with them. He brings the Midas touch to everything he does.”