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Tony Reedus

Tony Reedus was born in Memphis in 1959, took up drums at age 14, and soon after started playing with his school band. Inspired by his uncle, veteran Jazz Messenger pianist James Williams, Reedus became interested in playing jazz and began developing his conceptions in high school through private studies and analysis of the styles of personal influences such as Chick Webb, Art Blakey, Louis Hayes, Max Roach, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams and Victor Lewis.

After high school graduation, he enrolled at Memphis State University in 1978. In addition to music studies, he worked in local clubs with saxophonist Herman Green and numerous other Memphis musicians. Also during this period Reedus performed with stellar New York musicians such as Milt Jackson, Slide Hampton and Frank Foster. During an appearance at Memphis' Blues Alley, Woody Shaw showed up, and was impressed enough to ask the drummer to audition for him in New York. After a successful tryout, Reedus left college in 1980 to join Shaw's group, which also featured Steve Turre, Mulgrew Miller and Stafford James. In 1981, he made his recording debut on Shaw's United, and proceeded to tour the world with the trumpeter's band. He remained with the group until it disbanded in 1983.

Since then, Reedus has shared the bandstand in the New York area and around the world with The Mercer Ellington Orchestra, Art Farmer, Bobby Hutcherson, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Garrett, Mulgrew Miller, George Coleman, Benny Golson, Joe Lovano, Phineas Newborn, Jr. and many others. He has also recorded three CDs as a leader; Minor Thang released in July 1996, Incognito and The Far Side.

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Liner Notes

Joe Magnarelli: Hoop Dreams

Read "Joe Magnarelli: Hoop Dreams" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


As Duke Ellington would often remind us, music comes in two varieties, that which is good and that which is bad. This suggests that genre and category are really of little concern and that overall quality is really the defining factor in considering the validity of any musical expression. Taking this axiom one step further, let me suggest that good music comes in assorted varieties. On one end of the spectrum you have music brimming with complex structures and technical ...

290
Album Review

Joe Magnarelli: Hoop Dreams

Read "Hoop Dreams" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Over the past dozen years trumpeter Joe Magnarelli has gradually transformed a bebop-derived vocabulary into a highly personal style. Utilizing a full-bodied tone that never turns strident, Magnarelli invites the listener to focus on the substantive dimensions of his playing, rather than drawing attention to technique, velocity and influences. Beautifully crafted melodies spring from his horn in varying shapes and sizes. Sometimes he'll sustain a chain of thought for several measures; in other instances he'll parcel out a complete idea ...

392
Rhythm In Every Guise

Tony Reedus

Read "Tony Reedus" reviewed by David A. Orthmann


Since he arrived in New York City in 1980 to take over the drum chair in Woody Shaw’s band, Tony Reedus has demonstrated the ability to shape the music of a variety of mainstream ensembles by executing variations in dynamics, touch, and degrees of activity. Treating the drum set as an instrument of kindred components, Reedus moves freely between the polarities of bold self-assertiveness and restrained support. He is capable of directing a band’s progress by employing hard, snapping accents, ...

142
Album Review

Walt Weiskopf: Anytown

Read "Anytown" reviewed by C. Andrew Hovan


Although popularity and critics polls speak much to the contrary, saxophonist and composer Walt Weiskopf is one of the most artistic and exceptional jazz musicians around. That he's gone as long as he has without receiving much notice by the jazz press or public at large is undeniably inexplicable. This fact is made even more confounding when one considers that the cerebral and explorative style he has pursued has made other men, such as Joe Lovano and Chris Potter, household ...

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162

Event

Drummer Tony Reedus to be Honored at Memphis Celebration and Benefit

Drummer Tony Reedus to be Honored at Memphis Celebration and Benefit

Source: Michael Ricci

Drummer Anthony “Tony" Reedus, will be honored posthumously in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee during a special event hosted by Strictly Jazz Entertainment, LLC in conjunction with “Sax on Sunday" on August 9 that will feature local artists and guest performances.

Tony Reedus (1959-2008), who was born and Raised in Memphis, broke onto the international jazz scene after being discovered by late trumpeter Woody Shaw in 1980 during one of Shaw's visits to the Memphis area. Reedus joined Shaw's group ...

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Obituary

Tony Reedus, 49, Top Jazz Drummer

Tony Reedus, 49, Top Jazz Drummer

Source: All About Jazz

A man with a big heart and a big beat, drummer Tony Reedus cared for other people the way he cared about making a band swing. “He was true blue, he'd do anything for you," said pianist Mulgrew Miller, who knew Mr. Reedus as a youth in Memphis, where the drummer was born, and later employed him in his trio in the late 1980s and early 1990s. “He was supersensitive," said his wife, violinist Jenise Grice-Reedus. “He'd see a person ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Hoop Dreams

Criss Cross
2006

buy

Minor Thang

Criss Cross
1999

buy

Anytown

Criss Cross
1999

buy

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