Reunald Jones Sr. (December 22, 1910[1] – February 26, 1989),[2] was an American jazz trumpeter, who worked in big bands and as a studio musician. He played lead trumpet with the Count Basie Orchestra (1952–57).[1]

Career

edit

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States,[1] he studied at the Michigan Conservatory and then played with territory bands such as that of Speed Webb.[3] In the 1930s and 1940s, Jones worked with Charlie Johnson, Savoy Bearcats, Fess Williams, Chick Webb (1933–34), Sam Wooding, Claude Hopkins, Willie Bryant, Teddy Hill, Don Redman (1936–38), Erskine Hawkins, Duke Ellington (1946), Jimmie Lunceford, Lucky Millinder and Sy Oliver.[1] He soloed sparingly after his time with Chick Webb.[1]

From 1956–1958, Jones was a member of the Quincy Jones band The Jones Boys, a session conceived by Leonard Feather with musicians named "Jones", though none of them were related.

Beginning in the 1940s, Jones worked as a studio musician. He toured with Woody Herman (1959), George Shearing's big band (1960) and with an orchestra accompanying Nat King Cole (1961–64).[1] He played less from the 1970s. His son, Reunald Jones Jr., played trumpet for Sammy Davis Jr. and James Brown, and his grandson, Renny Jones, is a bass guitarist.

Reunald Jones died in February 1989, at the age of 78.[2]

Discography

edit

As leader

edit

As sideman

edit

With Sammy Davis Jr.

  • At the Cocoanut Grove (Reprise, 1961)
  • Recorded Live (Reprise, 1963)
  • That's All! (Reprise, 1967)

With others

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1319. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ a b "Reunald Jones, 78; Veteran Trumpeter With Basie Band". Los Angeles Times. 28 February 1989. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  3. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Reunald Jones". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 September 2020.