Reunald Jones

Reunald Jones Sr. (December 22, 1910{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1319}} – February 26, 1989),{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-28-mn-325-story.html|title=Reunald Jones, 78; Veteran Trumpeter With Basie Band|date=28 February 1989|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=18 September 2021}} 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).

Career

A native of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, he studied at the Michigan Conservatory and then played with territory bands such as that of Speed Webb.{{cite web |last1=Yanow |first1=Scott |title=Reunald Jones |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/reunald-jones-mn0000542020/biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=22 September 2020 }} 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. He soloed sparingly after his time with Chick Webb.

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). 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.