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French horn in jazz
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French horn in jazz
While the French horn is primarily used in classical music pieces, in the mid-20th century it broke into the jazz world. While the instrument remains relatively rare, the role of the French horn in jazz has developed from its beginnings in the 1940s through to the 2010s. Note that the expression "horns" in jazz is often used colloquially to refer to all wind instruments used in jazz (e.g., trumpet, sax, trombone, etc.)
The Claude Thornhill Orchestra was the first group to incorporate the French horn into a jazz ensemble. In early 1940, the Claude Thornhill Orchestra had moved out to southern California. During this time, the Thornhill band was moving jazz in an entirely new direction, creating an entirely new sound. Thornhill's original band comprised twelve musicians, all playing traditionally "jazz" instruments. When Thornhill hired Bill Borden as an arranger, they created a group with a more orchestral style. Their new sound involved using instruments that were not typical to jazz and mixing unusual instrument voicing.
Around the same time, Julius Watkins joined a six-member jazz band playing French horn. Watkins had previously worked and toured with Ernie Fields' band for three years, only playing extra trumpet parts as needed. The band played together for a short while, about a year, and then dissolved in 1943. After playing in dance bands for a few years, Watkins was offered to play in Milt Buckner's jazz band in Detroit. He then found himself in high demand, as the only jazz French horn player in the Midwest. Watkins played not only with Buckner's band on recording dates but also with Milt Jackson's small group. He recorded his first featured solo tune with Buckner's band in 1949, a song titled Yesterdays.
In the 1950s, hearing the French horn in jazz was not as common as one might think, even though bands had been using them for almost a decade already. Lionel Hampton's band rather haphazardly picked up Willie Ruff on French horn in 1954. After Hampton's band played on The Ed Sullivan Show, Ruff called his friend Ivory Mitchell, the group's pianist, who convinced Ruff to come play with the group for a gig the following evening. Immediately after the group finished the performance, Hampton hired Ruff into the group.
After the French horn found a home in larger ensembles, many players were frustrated with being stuck in a supporting role. Many notable French horn musicians struck out in smaller groups, giving the instrument a headliner role in jazz combos. A good account of the presence of the French horn in jazz is Ronald Sweetman's study, A Preliminary Chronology of the Use of the French Horn in Jazz, Further Rev. 1991 Text, Montréal Vintage Society, 1991, ISBN 1-895002-05-2.
In 1950, Watkins moved to New York City to study at the Manhattan School of Music. While working with Milt Buckner’s group, Watkins felt that he wasn't integrated properly into the group with respect to Buckner's arrangements. He continued recording with notable artists like Thelonious Monk but was not satisfied being a sideman anymore. In July 1954 the Julius Watkins Sextet was born. The team comprised Watkins on French horn, Frank Foster on tenor saxophone, Perry Lopez on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums and George Butcher on piano. Together the sextet recorded nine tracks on two albums. Watkins himself wrote six original compositions featured on those albums.
Ruff and Ivory Mitchell struck out to form the Mitchell-Ruff Duo after leaving Lionel Hampton’s band. As it turns out, Ruff and Mitchell played together when they were stationed at Lockebourne Air Base outside of Columbus, OH. The first time around the duo starred Mitchell on piano and Ruff on bass, which he picked up to play a gig at Mitchell’s request. This time Ruff played French horn, occasionally bass, and Mitchell piano. They worked tirelessly and played opposite a number of popular groups, performing during intermission at Café Bohemia for Max Roach, Stan Getz, Horace Silver, J.J. Johnson and Jimmy Smith.
The duo moved from Café Bohemia to Birdland when they were booked as Count Basie’s intermission band. Knowing that they could not compete directly with Basie's hard-swinging blues, the duo capitalized on their contrast from Basie’s sound, playing with a soft and mellow sound. By showcasing their different sound, Ruff and Mitchell continued to get bookings from Birdland to play intermission for other big name groups like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Lester Young, Dinah Washington and others.
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French horn in jazz
While the French horn is primarily used in classical music pieces, in the mid-20th century it broke into the jazz world. While the instrument remains relatively rare, the role of the French horn in jazz has developed from its beginnings in the 1940s through to the 2010s. Note that the expression "horns" in jazz is often used colloquially to refer to all wind instruments used in jazz (e.g., trumpet, sax, trombone, etc.)
The Claude Thornhill Orchestra was the first group to incorporate the French horn into a jazz ensemble. In early 1940, the Claude Thornhill Orchestra had moved out to southern California. During this time, the Thornhill band was moving jazz in an entirely new direction, creating an entirely new sound. Thornhill's original band comprised twelve musicians, all playing traditionally "jazz" instruments. When Thornhill hired Bill Borden as an arranger, they created a group with a more orchestral style. Their new sound involved using instruments that were not typical to jazz and mixing unusual instrument voicing.
Around the same time, Julius Watkins joined a six-member jazz band playing French horn. Watkins had previously worked and toured with Ernie Fields' band for three years, only playing extra trumpet parts as needed. The band played together for a short while, about a year, and then dissolved in 1943. After playing in dance bands for a few years, Watkins was offered to play in Milt Buckner's jazz band in Detroit. He then found himself in high demand, as the only jazz French horn player in the Midwest. Watkins played not only with Buckner's band on recording dates but also with Milt Jackson's small group. He recorded his first featured solo tune with Buckner's band in 1949, a song titled Yesterdays.
In the 1950s, hearing the French horn in jazz was not as common as one might think, even though bands had been using them for almost a decade already. Lionel Hampton's band rather haphazardly picked up Willie Ruff on French horn in 1954. After Hampton's band played on The Ed Sullivan Show, Ruff called his friend Ivory Mitchell, the group's pianist, who convinced Ruff to come play with the group for a gig the following evening. Immediately after the group finished the performance, Hampton hired Ruff into the group.
After the French horn found a home in larger ensembles, many players were frustrated with being stuck in a supporting role. Many notable French horn musicians struck out in smaller groups, giving the instrument a headliner role in jazz combos. A good account of the presence of the French horn in jazz is Ronald Sweetman's study, A Preliminary Chronology of the Use of the French Horn in Jazz, Further Rev. 1991 Text, Montréal Vintage Society, 1991, ISBN 1-895002-05-2.
In 1950, Watkins moved to New York City to study at the Manhattan School of Music. While working with Milt Buckner’s group, Watkins felt that he wasn't integrated properly into the group with respect to Buckner's arrangements. He continued recording with notable artists like Thelonious Monk but was not satisfied being a sideman anymore. In July 1954 the Julius Watkins Sextet was born. The team comprised Watkins on French horn, Frank Foster on tenor saxophone, Perry Lopez on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, Kenny Clarke on drums and George Butcher on piano. Together the sextet recorded nine tracks on two albums. Watkins himself wrote six original compositions featured on those albums.
Ruff and Ivory Mitchell struck out to form the Mitchell-Ruff Duo after leaving Lionel Hampton’s band. As it turns out, Ruff and Mitchell played together when they were stationed at Lockebourne Air Base outside of Columbus, OH. The first time around the duo starred Mitchell on piano and Ruff on bass, which he picked up to play a gig at Mitchell’s request. This time Ruff played French horn, occasionally bass, and Mitchell piano. They worked tirelessly and played opposite a number of popular groups, performing during intermission at Café Bohemia for Max Roach, Stan Getz, Horace Silver, J.J. Johnson and Jimmy Smith.
The duo moved from Café Bohemia to Birdland when they were booked as Count Basie’s intermission band. Knowing that they could not compete directly with Basie's hard-swinging blues, the duo capitalized on their contrast from Basie’s sound, playing with a soft and mellow sound. By showcasing their different sound, Ruff and Mitchell continued to get bookings from Birdland to play intermission for other big name groups like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Lester Young, Dinah Washington and others.