Reunald Jones

Who was Reunald Jones?

Reunald Jones Sr., was a jazz trumpeter who worked both in big bands and as a studio musician.

Jones was born in Indianapolis. He studied at the Michigan Conservatory, and then played with territory bands such as that of Speed Webb. In the 1930s and 1940s Joes worked with musicians such as Charlie Johnson, the Savoy Bearcats, Fess Williams, Chick Webb, Sam Wooding, Claude Hopkins, Willie Bryant, Teddy Hill, Don Redman, Erskine Hawkins, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Lucky Millinder and Sy Oliver. He soloed sparingly after his time with Chick Webb.

He played lead trumpet with the Count Basie Orchestra, which gave him some fame due to his "one-handed" solo style of playing, but Jones was rarely featured.

However, Jones was featured as a member of the Quincy Jones group, "The Jones Boys", a session conceived by Leonard Feather featuring a number of musicians named "Jones," though none of them were related.

From the 1940s Jones did extensive work as a studio musician. He toured with Woody Herman, George Shearing's big band and with an orchestra accompanying Nat King Cole. He played less from the 1970s. His son, Reunald Jones Jr, played lead trumpet many years for Sammy Davis Jr & James Brown, and his grandson, Renny Jones, is an accomplished bass guitar player.