Charles Waters

Born in 1969 in North Carolina, Charles Waters began his early music training in the Baptist Church singing, playing hand bells and piano.  In school, he played alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones and finally studied clarinet and bass clarinet with Eugene Kavadlo of the Charlotte Symphony.

In 1994, along with drummer Andrew Barker, trumpeter Roger Ruzow, and saxophonist Rob Mallard, Waters formed the experimental jazz group Gold Sparkle Band. The group became an underground sensation, touring and recording extensively during the first four years. During these early years on the road, GSB studied an array of new jazz styles in Chicago and New York.  These two distinct styles were then further blended at home in Atlanta to create the unique telepathic approach the group still uses. 

Since 1998, when Waters and Barker moved to New York City, the group has continued to perform and develop its special approach to vanguard jazz and new music.  Initially working with such avant-garde luminaries as William Parker, Matthew Shipp and Daniel Carter, Gold Sparkle began to fully absorb the fiery free-improvisational styles of late-90’s free jazz in New York City.  By synthesizing the energy music with architextural compositions and counterpoint the group created a sound world of critical renown.

In the last ten years, Waters has composed over one hundred scores and songs for Gold Sparkle.  GSB has recorded seven full-length CD’s as well as numerous side projects.  Waters is also in demand as a clarinetist, recording three CD’s with William Parker’s Little Huey Creative Music orchestra as well as vanguard orchestras of Butch Morris (Conduction #117, Jump Arts Records, 2001) and Assif Tschar’s New York Underground Symphony (The Labyrinth, Hopscotch Records, 2002).

In 1999 Waters helped organize the Williamsburg Chamber Orchestra.  The group premiered his “Symphony in Two Views” in May 1999.  In 2000 along with Chris Jonas, Waters helped organize the Brooklyn Comprovisers Orchestra, which performed at the Brecht Forum.

Waters defines himself as a “composer of place”.  Since 2000, he began a ‘reconstruction’ of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos.  This large body of work in various styles and forms is aptly titles “Williamsburg Concertos” and continues to the present with four of the planned six compositions completed.