By John Stoddart

Charlie Watts has been a Member of the Rolling Stones since 1962.

His personal tastes focus on jazz; in the late 70s, he joined fellow-Stone Ian ‘Stu’ Stewart in the back-to-the-roots boogie-woogie fun band Rocket 88, which featured many of the UK's top jazz, rock and R&B musicians.

In the 1980s, he toured worldwide with a big band that included such names as Evan Parker, Courtney Pine, and Jack Bruce, who was also a member of Rocket 88.

In 1991, he organized a jazz quintet as another tribute to Charlie Parker.

Watts' latest solo outing in 2004, Watts At Scott's, was recorded with his group, The Charlie Watts Tentet, at the famous jazz club in London, Ronnie Scott's.