Mercury Records Collection: Philips PHS 600-001: French Horns For My Lady

PHS 600-001: French Horns For My Lady / Julius Watkins

Label Type :	black rainbow Philips
Matrix Number :	SIDE-A	PHS600002A M1 A1 I
	SIDE-B	PHS600002B M1 A1 I

Comments

with original Philips inner sleeve.

Inside The Groove

Not so jazzy, but comfortable catchy listening kind, played by a scarce big french-horn section...

Personal Impression (and brief notes)

Julius Watkins tried to adapt an scarce instrument French Horn to modern jazz field - it's sceptical whether his attempt was a success or not. But just because of the special instrument, Julius Watkins' name is worth being quite common among us Jazz fans.

This session was made in a very scarce setting - unique ensemble by as much as five French Horns and a tuba. Not so “easy-listening” kind, nor also jazzy. But backed up with rhythmic percussions, the entire impression is “very enjoyable music”.

You may notice the name of Eddie Costa, a great pianist who died early and still been loved by many fans, plays piano and vibraphone on this session. Unfortunately, he only plays a kind of easy-listing touch piano (and vibes) on this album.

Strictly Personal Rating (to what extent I could enjoy this album)

6 out of 10

Track Listing

SIDE-A
A-1	PB4421/PS1811 (21168)	Temptation (Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed)	3:10
A-2	PB4416/PS1808 (21161)	Claire De Lune (adapted by Bill Byers)	2:56
A-3	PB4417/PS1814 (21159)	September Song (Maxwell Anderson & Kurt Weill)	2:52
A-4	PB4419/PS1809 (21160)	Catana (Alfred Newman & Eddie De Lange)	2:55
A-5	PB4414/PS1804 (21148)	I'm A Fool To Want You (Jack Wolf, Joel S. Herron & Frank Sinatra)	3:00
SIDE-B
B-1	PB4420/PS1810 (21167)	Speak Low (Ogden Nash & Kurt Weill)	4:08
B-2	PB4419/PS1807 (21160)	Nuages (Django Reinhardt)	3:42
B-3	PB4414/PS1812 (21169)	The Boy Next Door (Ralph Blane & Hugh Martin)	3:10
B-4	PB4415/PS1813 (21170)	Mood Indigo (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills & Albany Bigard)	3:15
B-5	PB4413/PS1803 (21147)	Home (When Shadows Fall) (Peter Van Steeden, Harry Clarkson & Jeff Clarkson)	2:57

Personnel

Personnel/recorded date/master numbers confirmed with the Ruppli's discography.
(“The Mercury Labels - A Discography” by Ruppli and Novitsky, Greenwood Press, 1993)

Roger “King” Mozian (tp), Julius Watkins (frh), Gunther Schuller (frh), Bob Northern (frh),
Jimmy Buffington (frh), John Barrows (frh), Jay McAllister (tuba), unknown (fl, woodwinds),
Eddie Costa (p, vib), George Duvivier (b), unknown (ds), unknown (perc), Ray Barretto (conga),
Martha Zena Flowers (vo on A-4 and B-2).
Arranged and conducted by Billy Byers.
Directed and produced by Quincy Jones.
Recorded in New York City in January 1962.