Diz and the Doormen with special guest Charlie Hart
Schedule
Sat, 25 Apr, 2026 at 07:30 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Ashburton Arts Centre | Newton Abbot, EN
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A New Orelans-style party night, starring Diz Honeybear Watson, legendary boogie pianist and singer, celebrating the launch of his new album DizConnected. See full biog below.Diz Watson leads this star-studded band:
Rick Rockin’ Worthy guitar
Dick Jude drums
Dave Hatfield double bass
with guests:
Charlie Hart accordion (Kilburn & the high roads, Ronnie Lane – see charliehart.com)
Andy Williamson �tenor saxophone
Diz Watson
A biography, by Rick Worthy
Taking as his prime influence the piano style of New Orleans, a potent gumbo of barrel house, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and boogie woogie, Diz ‘Honeybear’ Watson is now one of it’s quintessential exponents.
This amalgam of styles reached its apotheosis in the late 40s and early 50s with the playing of Archibald, Fats Domino, Huey “Piano” Smith and more contemporary musicians Dr. John and James Booker and the greatest of them all Professor Longhair A.K.A. Henry Roland Byrd, he being Diz’s heaviest inspiration.
Diz was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in l948, and at the age of 12 the family moved back to Yorkshire, England. Diz formed a friendship with the legendary “Champion” Jack Dupree, who had settled in Halifax a town not far away. “Jack really inspired me to the more prehistoric rolling sound of the piano and also the way to phrase the blues poetry.”
When he left school Diz joined the Merchant Navy as a navigator travelling the globe. Five years later he settled in Plymouth where he studied the piano, having watched his mother playing years before. Diz perfected his style in various combos: Juice on the Loose and The Barrel House Shufflers before forming the Doormen, a flexible entity, the nucleus of which was the great Kieran O’Connor on drums, Pete Scott, bass and Pete Thomas on saxophone.
Diz and the Doormen, Bluecoat Man record cover
Diz and The Doormen record cover Bluecoat Man
ln November 1981 Diz and the Doormen recorded Bluecoat Man for Ace Records, London. This record received rave reviews from both sides of the Atlantic and the session included Fats Domino sideman Walter Kimble, Roger Lewis and King of them all Lee Allen, who after the session said Diz is one of the “rockinest piano players in the world”.
Throughout the early 80s the band performed with many artists such as Alexis Korner, Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Big Jay McNeely, Chas and Dave and opened for the Rolling Stones at the request of Ian Stewart (piano man and road manager for The Stones).
Dr John Such A Night live in London Album Cover
Dr John Such A Night Live in London, link to album on Spotify
In 1983 the band became temporarily Dr John and the Night Trippers when they toured the UK and headlined the Glastonbury C.N.D. Festival with Dr John culminating in a live album called Such a Night, recorded at the Albany Empire, London, for Spindrift Records.
Before disappearing to Europe in 1985, another album Rhumbalero was recorded for Ace Records, using a smaller line-up, more of a showcase for Diz.
Since Then Diz has heen living in Europe but has just returned home to Halifax and is making the occasional visit to the Caribbean & the U.S A. ant to Ireland. “They like the humour,” says Diz, “especially when I do some of those old Cousin Joe tunes like Juice on the Loose and Evolution”
Diz-Connected on The Last Music Company Album CoverDiz’s latest release is DIZ-CONNECTED. His label, The Last Record Company says:
Diz Watson is the Guv’nor when it comes to British boogie woogie piano — he’s spent more than half a century singing funky blues, his left hand ensuring people dance. On Diz-Connected — his first new album in thirteen years — he mixes original compositions with the songs he loves. He’s backed by a superb Danish band, British horn players Nick Pentelow and Nick Payn and his longtime percussionist, 95-year old Tony Uter. Tony’s Jamaican-Cuban rhythms link Watson to Errol Dixon, Professor Longhair, Ruben Gonzalez and other legendary piano pioneers of the Caribbean world. Diz-Connected is a celebration of music and life. ENJOY!
Doors and bar open at 7pm
Tickets £16 full price, £12 or £8 if you prefer. Please pay what you can. Book at wegottickets.com/ashburtonarts (+10% fee) or email [email protected] to reserve and pay on the door.
Ashburton Arts Centre: always three prices – please pay what you can.
See Access, Tickets & Finding Us for more about why there are three ticket prices, plus other useful info about coming to events at Ashburton Arts Centre:
https://ashburtonarts.org.uk/access-booking-tickets-parking-finding-us/
Level access from street
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Ashburton Arts Centre, Newton Abbot, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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