Waymon Reed

Who was Waymon Reed?

Waymon Reed was an American jazz trumpeter. While he was principally a bebop soloist, he also did work in R&B.

Reed attended the Eastman School of Music and then played R&B with groups such as that of Ira Sullivan. He joined James Brown's band from 1965–69, where he played on hits such as "It's a Man's Man's Man's World". Following his tenure with Brown he joined Count Basie's band from 1969 to 1973. In 1968, Reed's daughter, Keelon, was born in Houston, Texas. Following the birth of his daughter, Reed worked with the big bands of Frank Foster and Thad Jones-Mel Lewis. He returned to play with Basie again in 1977-78. He married Sarah Vaughan and worked with her extensively in 1978-80, but shortly afterward they divorced. He played on B.B. King's album There Must Be a Better World Somewhere in 1981. Reed died of cancer in 1983.

His one album as leader features tenor-saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bobby Durham.