Julius Watkins

Julius Watkins earned recognition as essentially the pioneer of French horn in jazz settings. Beginning his engagement with the instrument at nine years old, he nevertheless performed trumpet duties in the Ernie Fields orchestra from 1943 through 1946. During the closing years of the 1940s, French horn features by Watkins appeared on discs credited to Kenny Clarke and Babs Gonzales, while 1949 found him performing in Milt Buckner's large ensemble. Following a three-year period of instruction at the Manhattan School of Music, he participated in various small-group recordings, among them two significant dates directed by Thelonious Monk during 1953 and 1954. Between 1956 and 1959, Watkins shared leadership of les Jazz Modes alongside Charlie Rouse; he also joined Quincy Jones' orchestra for tours spanning 1959 to 1961, contributed extensively to studio sessions such as those involving Miles Davis and Gil Evans, and lent his talents to projects with Charles Mingus in both 1965 and 1971, as well as Freddie Hubbard, John Coltrane's Africa recordings, the Jazz Composer's Orchestra, and additional artists.