Les Jazz Modes - Tell Me About Them.

[Teasing the Korean]

This group seems to be right up may alley, based on what I've heard.  How many albums did they make?  Are some more interesting than others?

[felser]

Good mid-late 50's hard bop, nothing more, nothing less.  Julius Watkins on french horn is the mastermind and the main feature.  Charlie Rouse on tenor.  I'm glad to have it, but haven't listened in years.  2.5 albums on Dawn, and 2 on Atlantic.

[Rooster_Ties]

What’s the story with the half-an-album on Dawn? Leftovers from another session? Was it on an album with one artist on one side, and another artist on the other?

[JSngry]

I remember one of their albums being waaaay too cute, and the others being just fine. Don't ask me which were which, though. It's been a while.

I do like Julius Watkins in general. Quite a bit actually. His was a unique voice. And this is Rouse pre-Monkified, which is interesting in and of itself. 

[Rabshakeh]

I liked the Atlantic self-titled record. A nice example of the sort of "progressive" hard bop that didn't really survive the modal era.

[Teasing the Korean]

1 hour ago, felser said:

Good mid-late 50's hard bop, nothing more, nothing less.  Julius Watkins on french horn is the mastermind and the main feature.  Charlie Rouse on tenor.  I'm glad to have it, but haven't listened in years.  2.5 albums on Dawn, and 2 on Atlantic.

Really? I heard some stuff with wordless female vocals, harp, and Latin percussion.  Did they have multiple incarnations under the one name?

[Larry Kart]

I bave a now apparently o.o.p. 3-CD collection on the Solar label of what must be all of the group's recordings, plus some other Watkins-related material.. I like most of it, except for "The Most Happy Fella" album. And I prefer "pre-Monkified Rouse"  to "Monkified Rouse." He was a good deal lighter on his feet, rhythmically, melodically, and harmonically -- not unlike Paul Quinichette, though without the outright  Prez references. He and Paul made a two-tenor album that I've never heard.  And the Les Jazz Modes' pianist Gilde Mahones was a good player.

Yes, TTK, there was one album that added wordless female vocals, harp, and Latin percussion to the lineup.

 

 

[Teasing the Korean]

10 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

I have a now apparently o.o.p. 3-CD collection on the Solar label of what must be all of the group's recordings, plus some other Watkins-related material...Yes, TTK, there was one album that added wordless female vocals, harp, and Latin percussion to the lineup.

It looks like that Solar collection has been reissued by Essential Jazz Classics.  That may be the way to go.  And it also looks like the wordless vocals/bongos/harp may have appeared on more than one album, in varying ratios.

[Big Beat Steve]

13 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

What’s the story with the half-an-album on Dawn? Leftovers from another session? Was it on an album with one artist on one side, and another artist on the other?

That's it. "Jazzvolle Vol. 1" (Dawn DLP1101 - the other half features the Gene Quill-Dick Sherman Quintet). According to the discographies this was an entire session specifically for this LP and no leftovers. Their full-length LPs (DLP1108 and DLP1117) were made up of subsequent sessions.

[Teasing the Korean]

14 hours ago, JSngry said:

I do like Julius Watkins in general. Quite a bit actually. His was a unique voice. 

Ever hear his album French Horns for My Lady on Mercury?  Quincy - can't call him "Q" anymore - did some of the arrangements.  Parts of it sound like outer space exotica!

[JSngry]

I have heard it. Don't own it.

Julius Watkins was apparently a very interesting person. They called him "The Phantom" because you could only be sure of knowing where he was was at the gig itself. Otherwise, nobody knew where he went or what he did. He just showed up at the gig, played it, and then disappeared again.

Great player, imo. He played a totally jazz language, never allowed the inherent difficulties of the instrument to appear in his playing.

[mikeweil]

I love Watkins' playing. Koch Jazz reissued the two Atlantic albums, Fresh Sound has the two Dawn albums with the half one added to the first as a bonus. The Mercury is nice, if you love french horn. I recently found a pristine copy of it, sounds great. And do not forget his two Blue Note ten-inchers.

Gunther Schuller once said "If anyone can do it on the french horn, it's Julius!"

https://jazzdiscography.com/Leaders/WatkinsJulius-ldr.php

[felser]

Watkins plays to great effect on the Keno Duke Strata East gem 'Reasons in Tonality'  two loooong live cuts with Clifford Jordan, George Coleman, Harold Mabern.  Desperately needs CD release.

[Deadman]

Loved Watkins output on Blue Note is outstanding. Excellent underrated stuff. Regarding his Dawn recordings. I think "Jazzville Vol. 1" is really great. The Watkins side is very good, but the Quill-Sherman side is even better. 

[Brad]

I just listened to this album

and wouldn’t describe them as hard bop at all.  With the French horn and tenor playing in unison, harp and occasional voicings, I’d describe it as more classical with jazz mixed in, more like third stream although there is some straight ahead thrown in  

 

[jazzbo]

I have all their work bought in the 'nineties, because of Charlie Rouse. It varies a bit from album to album.

[Teasing the Korean]

4 minutes ago, Brad said:

I just listened to this album

and wouldn’t describe them as hard bop at all.  With the French horn and tenor playing in unison, harp and occasional voicings, I’d describe it as more classical with jazz mixed in, more like third stream although there is some straight ahead thrown in  

This may be the stuff that I was discussing further upthread. 

[Brad]

13 minutes ago, Teasing the Korean said:

This may be the stuff that I was discussing further upthread. 

Believe it was. 

[clifford_thornton]

On 11/17/2022 at 5:12 PM, felser said:

Watkins plays to great effect on the Keno Duke Strata East gem 'Reasons in Tonality'  two loooong live cuts with Clifford Jordan, George Coleman, Harold Mabern.  Desperately needs CD release.

Those Keno Duke albums deserve a reissue -- excellent music. He was quite a mysterious figure.