Track 8 on this CD is named Circle of Friends; this is also the best description of the Ernie Watts Quartet. Watts has been playing with these musicians so long that they maintain their musical connection effortlessly. They often don’t need to communicate in words. Watts first played with Bob Leatherbarrow over 20 years ago, and David Witham more than 15. Bruce Lett, the relative “new guy,” was added to the Quartet 14 years ago. And all these people have personal as well as musical ties—they are a family to each other, which adds another dimension to the music.

As Ernie says, "We have history. When you play with the same people for a long time, the music evolves organically into a group voice, rather than four separate voices. Instead of playing music together, we become music together. This is a real band."

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