California State University, Northridge’s Jazz “A” and “B” Bands will be performing with saxophonist and jazz and R&B legend Ernie Watts Thursday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m. at CSUN’s Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts.

CSUN’s Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts is located at 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge.

“Ernie Watts is one of the most prolific and varied tenor saxophonists of our times,” said Tina Raymond, director of CSUN’s Jazz Studies program. “It’s difficult to pinpoint his major accomplishments, because you could go in several directions and spend a lot of time detailing his vast work. Students will be on stage interacting with one of the greatest saxophonists of his generation.”

Grammy award winning Watts toured with Buddy Rich in the 1960’s after graduating college and can be heard on the live album, “Big Swing Face.” He was a long-time member of Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, and is featured on over 500 recordings with a variety of artists including Cannonball Adderely and Frank Zappa.

The CSUN Jazz “A” Band is considered as one of the leading college jazz bands in the nation. It is regularly invited to perform at music festivals, including the Monterey and Reno Jazz Festivals. The Jazz “B” Band is equally acclaimed. Its performances highlight a variety of repertoire and perform with guest artists each semester.

The Jazz Studies program, part of CSUN’s Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication, provides students with a progressive education and inclusive mentorship, as well as opportunities to compose and engage with critically acclaimed professional musicians.

For more information about the performance, visit https://news.csun.edu/event/jazzcsun-jazz-a-and-b-bands-march2025/