Jeff Reynolds

[tbdana]

I just want to celebrate this man while he's still here. Jeff Reynolds is of course a wonderful bass trombonist with the L.A. Philharmonic for 42 years in what I think is one of the best trombone sections ever. Additionally, Jeff is an accomplished chamber musician, playing with California Brass Quintet, the Summit Brass, the LA Philharmonic Institute, and more. He also taught students who have become some of the best out there, so he has quite a legacy. He's a prolific writer of trombone music from instruction books to duets to trombone multi-choirs, and every chart is excellent. And he's a great music historian and a national treasure for historic sacred music. Jeff created, managed, and conducted The Moravian Trombone Choir of Downey. Also he's as good a person as he is a musician.

Jeff just emailed me a recording of him playing a piece called "Harlequin" by Larry Lipkis for Bass Trombone, Saw, and Orchestra performed in 1997 with the L.A. Phil. Man, that dude had some chops! I wish I could share the recording here, but he emailed it to only a few people, so it probably isn't for general consumption. But the performance is impressive. It goes from a double-pedal A to a high D, with use of multiphonics, huge interval jumps at speed, and a lot of other impressive gymnastics that Jefe executes flawlessly. But the most impressive part is a ballad-like adagio which he plays "subtle and soulful" and quite beautifully.

He's not active anymore so we tend to forget about him. But Jeff has been a major player in the trombone world for a very long time, and his influence lives on in two generations of great bass trombonists.

I'm privileged to play with Jefe regularly and to call him a friend. The day he hangs it up for good is the day music will suffer a loss. So I just wanted to give him a shout-out, in order to keep him fresh in people's minds.

Anyone have any stories to share about or involving Jeff?

[baBposaune]

Too many to list here but I can try...

Jeff was my teacher in college and has probably had the most impact on my playing than anyone I ever studied bass trombone with. He was a firm believer in the basics, learning fundamentals like Sigmund Hering Etudes, Rochut, Remington style warmups and exercises before moving into the more flashy technical stuff.

I learned a TON of how to play musically and in an ensemble (stylistically, balancing, etc.) in the Moravian Trombone Choir. So much information during those rehearsals. How to play Gabrieli canzonas, "Ping and fade, like playing Stravinsky." I learned (as we all did) about texture and line and when to play "transparently." When to play with a big, dark sound and when to play with "Cut through 20 string basses edge." He said he stole Zubin Mehta's baton technique and it sure works for him. (Jeff likes to say "stick" and not baton, btw.)

He was tireless in building the MTC library and collecting and commissioning custom horns for the group. When it was time to start Sunday afternoon rehearsals at the Moravian Church in Downey for an upcoming concert he would call each and every trombone player to get them on board.

He told great stories about the LA Phil, Roger Bobo, Ralph Sauer, Sonny Ausmann, Byron Peebles. Whenever a mute would hit the stage in rehearsals, members of the orchestra would automatically exclaim, "Byron!"

Jeff would have parties for his trombone students at his house. He demonstrated his Alphorn for me on his pool deck. He play tested the Conn 62H I had in college and said, "This horn will make you a lot of money."

Once he had to reschedule a lesson due to an all night recording session with the Phil and the only time he could fit me in was at 7am at his house. I had to play the "Hary Janos" excerpt for him.

Jeff ran the brass ensemble for a while at Cal State Fullerton and one of the more jaded composition profs, Lloyd Rogers said that symphony orchestras were a "Dinosaur." Without missing a beat Jeff said, "I'm gonna ride this Dinosaur until it drops dead!"

There are many more stories but this is a good place to pause.

[heldenbone]

I met and had the benefit of Jeff's direction at several Moravian Music Festivals. One of the sweetest sounds I recall is Jeff playing F contra. It was so refined, with every note exquisitely shaped and in tune. From the podium, he was an exemplar of class and grace while still demanding from each player the best of which they were capable.

[MahlerMusic]

Are you sure it was an F Contra and not his Great G Contra.

[elmsandr]

Just a note for those that may not be a part…. He is active on Facebook “bass trombone appreciation society” page sharing stories occasionally. A handful in a row in the last month. Check them out to hear them in his own words.

Cheers,
Andy

[baBposaune]

Are you sure it was an F Contra and not his Great G Contra.

I can pretty much confirm that Jeff always played on one of his Minick G contrabass trombones, never an instrument pitched in F. Jeff found the BB-flat Mirafone with double slide to be too cumbersome and thought it was more of a double for a tubist.

You can hear Jeff playing his G contra on the Hollywood Trombones Christmas album on some of the tunes.

[jonathanharker]

Interesting interview with Jeff Reynolds on episode 30 (June 2024) of the Trombone Corner Podcast. My bass trombone teacher Gus Browne was one of his students, and introduced me to the Minick L mouthpiece which I still use (when I'm not using the Minick LS).

[Schultz]

Here's a photo of Jeff i took in 1999 with his BBb contra.

[Kbiggs]

Jeff’s brother James taught high school in Arcata CA, across the bay from Eureka CA. I was a sophomore in HS at the time. One of the music profs at Humboldt State Univ. knew both Jeff and James, and eventually HSU invited Jeff up for master classes.

A couple of students played, and Jeff coached them with their pieces. He also introduced the audience to Ralph Sauer’s F.A.R.T. tube (Focused Air Resistance Tube).

Then he played some excerpts to demonstrate various aspects of the trombone, including the descending passage in the 1st movement of Tchaik 6, the one that ends on a low E ffff (maybe it’s fffff?). I had never heard anything from a wind instrument that was so loud and so beautiful. That’s when I knew I wanted to play bass.

[baBposaune]

Jeff just had a pacemaker "installed" this past week after he was short of breath on his daily hike with his wife, Jean. The way she told the story sounds "so Jeff" I have to repeat it here.

On their walk when Jeff was getting winded so they went back home. As Jean tells it, "Once a trombone player always a trombone player." Jeff practiced for about 20 minutes and said, "It's not my lungs."

Long story short, Jefe got checked out and his son, Matt took him to Sacramento where they put in the pacemaker due to his heart rate being in the 20-30 BPM range.

He is doing fine now. Must've been feeling better already on Friday as he asked me "How's the MTC Library project coming along?"

[tbdana]

I'm surprised. He hasn't really been telling many people about that. I didn't think it was common knowledge.