Can a french horn be in a jazz band?

CAN? Yes. Good idea? Not so much. No offense but french horns just don't have that big band sound. It would be hard to find the correct music and give the correct style.

Yes they can! I know a jazz french horn player.. Well i don't know him but I saw him perform. It was great. The average high school or college jazz band would not consider having a french horn in their jazz band, and most of the music would not have french horn parts, but the instrument is still very capable of playing jazz.

You can, but most jazz band arrangements don't have French Horn parts, so be prepared to transpose Tenor Sax or Trombone parts.

Absolutely! I for one, think it could be pretty cool in the right setting.

Like the man said "absolutely" You can listen to a current French player named Tom Varner.Check out his homepage tomvarnermusic.com Also listen to many Henry Mancini Cd's and you will hear how the great Mancini Incorporated French horns in his big band Jazz tunes!!

SURE CAN!!!

There are no "rules" about what instrumentation you can have, only traditions of what sounds 'classic'

I think a French horn would have a nice mellow soud on some smooth pieces.

Yes but rarely used.
To my knowledge, Gil Evans used french horn in his band with all Miles Davis sessions.

no there sound is not meant for jazz band, try trumpet.

Definitely! You might have to learn to transpose a trombone or tenor sax part, but for the most part it shouldn't be that difficult. If you can find a recording of "The Planets" by Gustav Holtz, there is one part of it that has an awesome french horn feauture. I think it's called Eclipse or something. I know that's not a jazzband, but I just thought it might inspire you since you are french horn player.
Good Luck and God Bless

Oh MY GAWD.

You just took me back to high school. I was playing keyboard then and the band director needed a French Horn player so I volunteered... Trouble was, I was also involved in a jazz band and I quickly realized the French Horn had no place playing jazz, so I dropped the French Horn at the end of the school year to concentrate on Keyboard and Guitar.

yes. as a matter of fact, Mingus, Steve Lacy and Charlie Haden, to name but three folks past and present, all used (at one time or another) a French horn in their various ensembles...