Acclaimed pianist, keyboardist and composer Jim Watson unveils his new solo piano album, Calling You Home, a personal and expressive collection that brings together six original compositions with imaginative interpretations of classic pop and jazz standards.
Combining artistry, warmth and emotional depth, Calling You Home showcases Watson’s nuanced approach to the piano. His original compositions range from the rhythmically intense ‘Darkstar Sky’ to the effortlessly intricate ‘Tetrad’. The lyrical ‘The Vow’ is a heartfelt tribute to his marriage, while the delicately woven waltz ‘Terzetto’ and the spirited ‘Midge’ – named after his dog – add contrast and charm. The title track, a gospel-tinged piece named by Watson’s wife, forms the emotional core of the album.
Alongside these originals, Watson offers innovative arrangements of beloved standards, including Hoagy Carmichael’s ‘The Nearness of You’, Thelonious Monk’s ‘Round Midnight’ and ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’ by Rodgers and Hart – the latter featuring a gentle nod to the stride piano style that influenced Watson’s early years. His interpretation of Paul Simon’s ‘Old Friends’ and a moving rendition of The Band’s ‘The Weight’ reflect Watson’s wide-ranging musical influences. Jazz classics such as ‘Body and Soul’ and ‘Round Midnight’ are treated with sensitivity, highlighting the timeless beauty of their melodies.Calling You Home is a musical homecoming – a return to the origins of Jim Watson’s creative journey. Drawing on memories of playing the piano alone as a child, the album is steeped in intimacy, spontaneity and a sense of artistic freedom. “It’s how I began playing as a child – how we all start,” says Watson. “I just wanted to go in and do something that felt easy and natural – a return to where it all started, the place I feel most happy.”
Album Launch:
Tuesday 8th July
606 Club, London
Calling You Home is released on Jim Watson Recordings in association with ECN Music. Recorded at Quiet Sound Studios on 17 & 18 February 2025; mixed and mastered by James McMillan. Watson is a Nord recording artist.
A graduate of Leeds College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Jim Watson has toured and recorded extensively with the likes of Katie Melua, Manu Katché and Grammy Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling, as well as appearing live with Sting and regularly performing with Chrissie Hynde’s Valve Bone Woe project. Watson’s wide-ranging career has seen collaborations with an extraordinary array of talents, including Richard Bona, Meshell Ndegeocello, Seal, Paloma Faith, Lalo Schifrin, Cat Stevens, and Jill Scott. His previous work includes The Loop (2001), a critically acclaimed piano trio album, and his electronica project Rodeo Dancers.
