Jail Weddings drummer Brian Watson started the 13-piece cinematic jazz band Watts Ensemble after one of those wouldn’t-it-be-cool-if? barstool conversations that almost never go anywhere. With no formal compositional training, he brute-forced the music from his mind and assembled a band out of professional musicians captured on Craigslist. Their first album Crime & Time is out now. This interview by Chris Ziegler.

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Jazz arkestra Watts Ensemble’s Crime & Time introduces itself with a ringing in your ears not unlike a gentler version of post-concert hearing loss—either as a disclaimer or an aural warm-up to the 13 musicians and 18 or so instruments they play (which grace the album cover in a stylish Blue Note-esque portrait) all about to drop in on your party with the most delicious 31-layer dip that you’ve ever tasted.

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