David Watson (born 1960) is a musician originally from New Zealand. Watson has lived and worked in New York City since 1987. Originally known as a guitarist, since 1991 Watson's work has also featured new music for the Highland Bagpipes.
Before moving to New York, while in New Zealand in the 1980s, Watson co-founded Braille Records to document the local experimental music scene. He organized national improvisation festivals (Off the Deep End, in 1984 and 1985) and in 2001 started the Artspace/alt.music festival to present new experimental music in Auckland.
Watson's work includes regular performances with MacArthur Award winner John Zorn; ongoing recording projects with Lee Ranaldo and Christian Marclay; a premier performance of a Robert Ashley work in New York; performances in Europe with rock-minimalism pioneer Rhys Chatham ; recording project with downtown drum legend Jonathan Kane; performances with Zeena Parkins at Brooklyn Academy of Music and a score for Jeremy Nelson Dance.
Watson released his disc “Throats” - with vocalists Makigami Koichi and Shelley Hirsch - on Ecstatic Peace; and a double CD “Fingering an Idea,” on Phill Niblock's XI records to critical acclaim. Together with Tony Buck and Ranaldo he formed the band Glacial.