Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Watts. Them and their team share their story with us below:
B.A.C Trumpet Artist/Tejano Trumpet Artist and owner of Greater Houston Brass Choir, Jennifer Watts Has a very pleasing harmonious, structured melody trumpet player with harmonized vision. Deliver a big musical tone.
Houston the “Space City” is a large metropolis in Texas, extending to Galveston Bay. Houston is the most diverse city in Texas with Museum District, Theater District, Music, and much more. Houston is very diverse in its music and musicals. Music from Tejano, Mariachi, County, Rock to Opera Music, Jazz, and much more; from playing at the House of Blues, Miller Outdoor, Hobby Center, Houston Grand Opera, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and much more. Growing up Jennifer absorbed these regional styles and drew inspiration from a wide spectrum of additional genres from Tejano to Mariachi; 80s to oldies; Musical to Jazz. These influences would be distilled into her playing.
Since the age of eight, Ms. Watts has danced on stage with Tejano band “Tony Guerrero de La Sombra”; was influenced by her cousin George Martinez who is the sound engineer from “La Mafia”; La Mafia is a legendary Tejano group that has won several Grammy’s, sat with many “KQQK Tejano” radio DJ’s from the ’80s & ’90s. As Ms. Watts got older she would soon be influenced by her other Cousin Pete Espinoza who was the front-man of the legendary group La Fiebre. He was named Tejano Roots Hall of Fame Inductee and has won a few Grammys. Jennifer has now put all her influences and playing into her Tejano trumpet playing. As Ms. Watts learn and study more about trumpet playing. She soon started
playing with a Cumbia band called “Kingz1” this band was started by original members of the legendary band called “Kumbia Kings.” Plus Jennifer started writing horn charts for a lot of Tejano bands/artists. Jennifer has performed at the Astros games with the Houston Pride Band, Hobby Center Theater, Fanfair, and much more. Ms. Watts dreams of playing on bigger stages. Ms. Watts was also apart of an nonprofit organization Semper Fi Three where she plays Taps for Marine Corps Funeral Details.
Later in the years, Jennifer had a vision of becoming a music educator. The vision of becoming a music educator would be her destiny, Ms. Watts enrolled in college. Ms. Watts is now is a freelance music teacher giving Trumpet, Piano, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba lessons, and Music Theory at the local music store “ Music&Art’s with over 30 students she teaches. She dreams of one day opening her own studio soon to give music lessons in a studio she can call her own. She also started a music business
called “Jwatts & Trompeta,”making Trumpet/Piano and music shirts.
Late on in life, Ms. Watts started a brass band called “Greater Houston Brass Choir,” which got to perform for Vice President Mike Pence of the United States of America and Congressman Ted Poe. The Greater Houston Brass Choir also performed for Nathan Felix a famous composer “6-Pianos in Surround Sounds,” by Nathan Felix “Nathan Felix was nominated for an award for a few of his piano pieces.”The Greater Houston Brass Choir is a band made of two trumpets, one french horn, one trombone, and one tuba. Jennifer also re-arranges or composes a lot of what her brass quartet performs. You can find some of Ms. Watts work on Sheetmusicplus.com or Musicdirect.com
Ms. Watts is working on publishing a trumpet book called “Trumpet 101;” and a practice book log called “The Music Diary.”
Emerging trumpet player, she didn’t wait to be found. In Texas, she learns to network herself. She started playing in different churches and from there joined different bands/Orchestras,“ Houston Pride Band, Houston Civic Symphony, The Billie Ledbetter Jazz Orchestra, Tejano Artist Pete Espinoza, Tejano Artist Magali Delarosa, and Kingz1, Tejano Artist Madison Pulido” just to name a few. While playing in Tejano Artist Magali Delarosa band, Ms. Watts had the opportunity to play for Brandon Figueroa “Brandon Heartbreaker Figueroa,” famous boxer.
Now as Jennifer is networking her way around the Tejano music industry, not only does she play trumpet but she was part of the new Tejano radio station “Tejano Y Mas 101.7fm and 1540am.” back in 2018- 2019. She also has a few TikTok/Facebook views/fans and plans to keep the trumpet music going.
Influences; her cousin Pete Espinoza was the front-man/lead singer for La Fiebre, and her cousin George Martinez the Sound Manager for La Mafia, Juan Gabriel, Ana Gabriel, Gloria Estefan, Kiku Colins, and Alison Balsom. She got to meet a lot of Tejano artists as a kid, always backstage and watching her cousins singing or doing sounds. She saw how much fun it look and wanted to be just like them.
She started learning piano at the age of eight then from there learned trumpet, guitar, organ, and handbells from church, singing alto from the church choir, french horn, trombone and tuba by helping out at band camps for kids, percussion, and much more.
“I want to show that girls can do music also, that not only guys can play trumpet,” said Jennifer. I have goals, to open my own music studio where I give music lessons of all kinds to anyone who wants to learn rather you are 4 years old to 99 to bring Tejano music back, and much more. I hope I can teach, touch,
and tell stories thru my music rather it’s in Spanish or English; rather it’s with words or just musical notes. I hope my music can motivate someone to give 100 percent to believe.
Ms. Watts was featured in an article called ” OutSmart Magazine.” Here is the article if you would like to read it.
http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2018/08/out-houston-artist-jenny-watts-wants-girls-to-know-the- trumpet-isnt-just-for-boys/
Ms. Watts was also featured in a Houston Magazine called VoyageHouston.com
Jennifer Watts is now a Trumpet Artist for B.A.C Musical Instruments “Best American Craftsmen.” You may find out more about these instruments by going to their website http://www.coolisbac.com
Jennifer is now a member of the Houston Professional Musicians Association, BMI, ASCAP, and the Latin Grammys.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
When I started my Brass Band, it was a struggle to find musicians that wanted to join my band. After my bass trombone player left me for a rock band to play his bass guitar, I had to start over and find new musicians. I now have all new Musicians.
In Tejano, it was kind of smooth but you have to network and work hard on your craft. You have to know who to trust in the Tejano Music industry. Working in the music industry will never be a smooth road. There is always something good or bad that comes out of it; Other than that this has been the best ride and it can be smooth at times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a trumpet player and trumpet artist. I have composed, rearranged, and written out horn charts for all styles of music. I composed or rearrange music for my brass band. In the Tejano Music Industry, I always write out horn charts for different artists or myself. I have written out a practice book for each one of my brass students for they to keep a practice log book for them to know what they need to practice on.
One of my most proud moments was when my brass band “Greater Houston Brass Choir,” played for Senator Ted Poe’s Veteran event he had hosted. For that event, he had a special guest with us that show up to speak a few words for us all at the event. Vice President Pence shows up at Ted Poe Veteran event. To have Vice President Pence show up and say a few words and then hear your Brass Band play was a moment in history I will never forget. What sets me apart from others is that I can play over about 10 different instruments.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trumpetgirl.wixsite.com/jwatts
- Instagram: @Thatchicatrompeta
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thatchicatrompeta
- Other: www.greaterhoustonbrass.wixsite.com/ghbc
Image Credits
Monica Barahona
