Derek Watkins (trumpeter)
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Derek Watkins (born Reading, Berkshire 2 March 1945) is a British trumpeter and session musician renowned for his mastery of the trumpet and flugelhorn. He is best-known for his signature high-note "screamers" on the James Bond themes.
Born into a musical family, Derek's great-grandfather was a brass player in Wales with the Salvation Army, while his grandfather taught brass at Reading University and became a founder member and conductor of the Spring Gardens Brass Band in Reading, until succeeded by Derek's father. Derek was initially taught to play the cornet by his father at the age of 4, and went on to play that instrument in the brass band, winning several awards. He also played with his father's dance band until he turned professional at the age of 17.
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[edit] Recording career
Derek rose through the ranks of dance bands to become one of the most sought-after session players in the UK. He has recorded and worked with a wide range of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones, Count Basie, John Dankworth, Stan Tracey, the Ted Heath Orchestra, Benny Goodman, Henry Mancini, Maynard Ferguson, Kiri te Kanawa, the London Symphony Orchestra, Oasis, Robbie Williams, James Last, Leonard Bernstein, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, The Beatles, Elton John, Natalie Cole, Kenny Wheeler, Eric Clapton, and Kylie Minogue among others.
Derek became acquainted with Dr Richard Smith - Doctor of Acoustics, at Boosey & Hawkes where Derek had an association with them with regard to the manufacture of their instruments. Following this period, Richard and Derek went on to set up their own manufacturing company, Smith-Watkins Instruments,where they initially manufactured and supplied both trumpets and cornets to the specific requirement and need of each individual. Their association has lasted many years and has resulted in many of the top flight players both in the studio world and also in the Brass Band and Military world using the Smith-Watkins instruments. Derek plays exclusively on his Smith-Watkins trumpet.
[edit] Film scores
Derek has also played key roles in many film scores, including Mission Impossible, The Mummy, Basic Instinct, Indiana Jones, Gladiator, Johnny English, Superman 1 & 2, Bridget Jones's Diary and Chicago, where his trumpet solo opens the movie.
[edit] James Bond themes
Derek has the unique distinction of having played on every one of the James Bond films, his high-note "screamers" being especially notable in Goldfinger (which Watkins recorded at the age of 19).
[edit] Compositions and teaching work
Derek has recently branched out into composition, in collaboration with Colin Sheen and Jamie Talbot, and their work can be heard in the incidential music for the TV series Midsomer Murders and library music for KPM Music.
Derek is currently Visiting Professor for trumpet to the Royal Academy of Music, lead trumpet of the BBC Big Band, and gives master class clinics at music colleges around Europe.
