After two decades in the music industry, saxophonist, composer and producer Kim Waters has established himself as a major heavyweight in smooth jazz. As one of the top five best-selling instrumentalists in the genre, he’s collaborated with a list of notable artists including Phyllis Hyman, Isaac Hayes, Kenny Lattimore, Teddy Riley, among many others. Additionally, the Baltimore native has had 13 #1 singles and over 20 Top Ten hits throughout his career.
Now, Waters is gearing up for the release of his newest album, This Heart of Mine.
The AFRO spoke to Waters about his newest release, his philanthropy and the smooth jazz genre.
AFRO: How did you get your start in music?
Kim Waters: I started playing the violin at age 8 and then I switched to the saxophone at 11 or 12. My family was musical, so my dad brought his music to the house and we learned how to play it. Then, as a teenager, I formed my own band with me, my brother Eric, my brother James and a well-known Baltimore keyboard player named Cyrus Chestnut. Then, from there, we just broadened our horizons. We started doing hotels and casinos. When I was about 19 or so, I moved into the New York area and got my name in the circuit as a sax player. From there, I just got bigger and bigger and I finally got a record deal.
AFRO: You often hear artists say that smooth jazz gets overlooked. What are your thoughts on that?
Kim Waters: I had a problem when they first invented the name, “smooth jazz.” When my first CD came out, there was no smooth jazz. The bulk of our airplay—guys such as myself, Gerald Albright and Grover Washington—was mainly R&B radio. That’s what paved the way for us. We were doing big tours with people like Freddie Jackson and Luther Vandross. Then, when they invented smooth jazz, it closed the window to other opportunities. , I’m not saying that I’m happy that it’s going away, but it opens up the door for us to get back where we came from.
AFRO: How does it feel to be one of the top five best-selling instrumentalists in jazz?
Kim Waters: It’s definitely an honor. It’s a blessing to have been in this business for this long, because I’ve seen it go through changes. I feel that if you’re a true player and you stay true to what you do, you can somehow succeed in the long run.
AFRO: What can listeners expect from your latest album, This Heart of Mine, and how is it different from your other releases in the past?
Kim Waters: I think that with this album, I stepped more towards R&B with a jazz flavor. I have a great young vocalist by the name of Calvin Richardson that’s singing on the R&B single called “Am I a Fool” Also, I have a lot of background vocals, compared to my other records.
AFRO: Switching gears, you’re involved in the Nourished the Children Foundation. Why was this something that you wanted to participate in?
Kim Waters: I really liked the organization because in most fundraising situations, they asked you to send money. I don’t really feel comfortable doing that because you don’t know where your money is going. But for this organization, you actually go to the site, pay for the bag of food and that food is shipped to someone who is need. I feel like with that, you know exactly what you’re giving right there.
AFRO: You’ve already achieved a high degree of success in your career, is there anything that you would like to do that you haven’t already accomplished?
Kim Waters: Now, I’m trying to get into film scoring and movie soundtracks. I had a song in the Larry Crown movie that just came out over the summer. People have asked me to do acting roles, but I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to go that route—but we’ll see! .
Kim Waters’ This Heart of Mine will be released on Oct. 25. For more information, visit: www.kimwaters.net.
