Since I have moved to the United States in 2022 I have been studying jazz on the French Horn, and it has been surprising how many people have never seen this instrument in that setup. Many people find themselves surprised, stating that they never heard French horn in jazz before and that they are excited to know how it sounds.
However, some instruments of its family such as the alto horn and the coralto have been there since the beginning of jazz, in the bands of Lieut. James Reese Europe. The French horn had its participation in bebop as well. The movement that started in the 1940s with Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, had the presence of the horn in the Claude Thornhill band, but the parts were previously arranged, meaning that the horns did not improvise.
One of the earliest names of jazz horn is John Graas, from Dubuque, Iowa. With early interest in jazz, he joined the Claude Thornhill band in 1942, and had also performed in the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as well as the Cleveland Orchestra. He was also a composer and arranger and produced records with the horn in jazz such as "Coup de Graas". His career as a classical musician was very productive until his early death in 1962.
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