Monty Waters

Who was Monty Waters?

Monty Waters was an American jazz saxophonist, flautist and singer. Waters received his first musical training from his aunt and first played in the church. After his education in college, he was a member of a Rhythm & Blues band. In the late 1950s he worked with musicians like BB King, Lightnin' Hopkins, Little Richard and James Brown on tour. In San Francisco he played with King Pleasure and initiated in the early 1960s, a "Late Night Session" at Club Bop City. There he came into contact with musicians such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Red Garland and Dexter Gordon, who visited this club after their concerts. In addition, he and Pharoah Sanders, Dewey Redman and Donald Garrett formed a big band. In 1969 he moved to New York and went with Jon Hendricks on a concert tour. During the 1970s he participated in the "Loft Jazz" scene. Like many other jazz musicians, he moved in the 1980s to Paris, where he worked with Chet Baker, Pharoah Sanders and Johnny Griffin. With Mal Waldron and Marty Cook, he came to Munich and continued to work with musicians such as Götz Tangerding or Joe Malinga.