Julius Watkins - What is Your Assessment?

[chitownjazz]

I stumbled onto a copy of Les Modes' (a.k.a. The Jazz Modes) Mood in Scarlet CD. I have to say, I'm not at all impressed with Julius Watkins' French horn playing. I know he was an innovator as a jazz French hornist, but was any of his playing actually any good?

By the way, Charlie Rouse is terrific on this CD.

[robviti]

i much prefer this recording:

[HolyStitt]

i much prefer this recording:

I will give another to the Conn that featured both volumes of this. I never fell for the The Jazz Modes recordings as much as the two Blue Note ten inches.

[fasstrack]

Excellent musician. Everything I ever heard by him swung and was musical. I was friendly with a guitarist named Les Spann and he had a record called Gemini where he played guitar and flute and Julius got some nice space on that. I believe he's on Phil Woods' the Rites of Swing too. Not sure of that, though.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

this is only one of 4 mobley recordings i dont have, and not its oop and i never see it like i used to-- GGRRRRRR!AAAGGRGRJG!@U8

[Sundog]

Some nice Julius Watkins on this one.

[Niko]

Some nice Julius Watkins on this one.

this record is great + you have another French horn player (David Amram) on it and can figure out if you have difficulties with the French horn as a solo instrument in jazz (my tendency) or with Watkins as a player.

Just heard Watkins' short solo on Our Delight from Tadd Dameron's The Magic Touch and thought that this was a place where maybe a French horn solo was really more fitting than a trumpet or trombone or ... solo; still I don't think there are many

[mikeweil]

"If anybody can do it on the French horn, it's Julius!" (Gunther Schuller)

I love Julius Watkins' music! One of the few I collect. The classical touches about the Jazz Modes discs may be irritating to some, but why not? The peculiar sound and intonation of the French horn is something to get used to, I reckon - but the various colors are far more than on any trumpet or trombone.

Watkins deserves credit for being among the bebop pioneers (he was on 1949 dates by Milt Jackson and Babs Gonzales). And he was one of the mainstays of the Gil Evans Orchestra until 1970 (he died in 1977). Every French horn player in jazz that came after him either took lessons with or was heavily influenced by him, Amram included!

[JSngry]

What is my assessment?

Cat was a helluva player, that's my assessment.

[mailman]

What is my assessment?

Cat was a helluva player, that's my assessment.

I've got the Blue Note Conn and the session with Curtis Fuller and Hampton Hawes. Love them both. Julius Watkins is an excellent player-not that I'm an expert on the art of French Horn playing or anything like that. I just know what I like, and I like Watkins.

[(BB)]

I've got the Blue Note Conn and the session with Curtis Fuller and Hampton Hawes. Love them both. Julius Watkins is an excellent player-not that I'm an expert on the art of French Horn playing or anything like that. I just know what I like, and I like Watkins.

[BruceH]

i much prefer this recording:

I don't have this and really, REALLY wish I did. Missed it when it was out, and it's turned out to be the hardest to find of all the OOP Conn 10" doubles.

...But I like what I've heard of Watkins.

Edited July 3, 2006 by BruceH

[B. Clugston]

Watkins turns up on The Fugs classic, Golden Filth. He might even have a short solo on that one.

I've always enjoyed his work, from Monk to the Blue Notes.

[White Lightning]

The 10"s Conn is being played in my house very often. It's a great CD.

I also think that anyone who loves Curtis Fuller's sound should listen to Watkins. He's a major influence on Fuller's sound

[chitownjazz]

No, I don't have any problem with jazz French horn, I really like Tom Varner's stuff. Just not impressed with Watkins on this CD. Interesting to hear others' comments though.

[JSngry]

Julius Watkins is an excellent player-not that I'm an expert on the art of French Horn playing or anything like that. I just know what I like, and I like Watkins.

Well yeah, exactly. "French horn" ain't got nothin' to do with it. The guy was a player, period. Wouldn't matter if he played buttcrack.

[Big Al]

No, I don't have any problem with jazz French horn..... Just not impressed with Watkins on this CD. Interesting to hear others' comments though.

My sentiments exactly.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Excellent musician. Everything I ever heard by him swung and was musical. I was friendly with a guitarist named Les Spann and he had a record called Gemini where he played guitar and flute and Julius got some nice space on that.

That Gemini LP is a mixed bag....kinda grows on ya. Great lineup but I'm not sure that Julius adds alot to it. IMO, he sounds okay on the more relaxed tracks like 'Stockholm Sweetnin' and 'Con Alma' but trying to keep up with Spann's pickin during the 'Q's Dues Blues' intro sounds a bit ridiculous AFAIC... otherwise a decent track including his solo a bit later. I think he sounds best on 'Blues for Gemini' (Sam Jones too!!!) -- best number on the LP imo. BTW, do you still have the LP? Sounds like a left channel drop out (Spann) about 1 minute into 'Con Alma'??