Reuben Reeves
Reuben "River" Reeves (October 25, 1905 in Evansville, Indiana – September 1975 in New York City) was an American jazz trumpeter and bandleader. Reeves started out playing locally in the Midwest; he moved to New York City in 1924 and then to Chicago in 1925. In 1926 he joined Erskine Tate's orchestra, then played with Fess Williams and Dave Peyton (1928–1930). While in Chicago, he took lessons from a German trumpet player, Albert Cook, who played in the Chicago Symphony. While playing at the Regal Theater in 1929, Peyton featured Reeves, his hot trumpet player, on a night where Louis Armstrong, who had a gig across the street at the Savoy, performed as a guest. The "vicious" gesture from Peyton in an attempt to intimidate Armstrong did not work as the audience begged Armstrong to play five encores. He signed to Vocalion and recorded as a bandleader with his groups the Tributaries and the River Boys; among his sidemen were his brother, trombonist Gerald Reeves, and clarinetist Omer Simeon (20 sides were recorded in 1929). He played under Cab Calloway in 1931-32, and recorded again with the River Boys in 1933. He toured as a leader from 1933–35, then played freelance through the late 1930s. During World War II, he led an Army band called the Jungleers. Stationed at the Army Jungle Training Center on the northeast coast of Oahu, they were popular participants in Battle of the Band competitions that were an integral part of the "extraordinary music scene in Hawaii during the war." After the war, he played in Harry Dial's Blusicians in 1946. Reeves' entire output as a bandleader has been released to a single compact disc by RST Records. |
Birth and Death Data: Born October 25, 1905 (Chicago), Died September 1, 1975 (New York City)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1929 - 1950
Roles Represented in DAHR: trumpet, leader, composer, cornet
Notes: Sometimes listed as Reuben "River" Reeves.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OKeh | W401958 | 10-in. | 5/22/1929 | Bugle call rag | Ed Lang Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | composer | |
Brunswick | E36212 | 10-in. | 3/3/1931 | Minnie the moocher | Cab Calloway Orchestra | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, trumpet | |
Brunswick | C3532 | 10-in. | 5/23/1929 | River blues | Reuben “River” Reeves and his Tributaries | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3584 | 10-in. | 6/10/1929 | Parson blues | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3605 | 10-in. | 6/17/1929 | Papa “Skag” stomp | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3697 | 10-in. | 6/25/1929 | Bugle call blues | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with vocal duet | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3919 | 10-in. | 7/22/1929 | Low down rhythm | Hollywood Shufflers | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
Brunswick | C3943 | 10-in. | 7/25/1929 | Blue sweets | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3963 | 10-in. | 7/29/1929 | Texas Special blues | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3964 | 10-in. | 7/29/1929 | Texas Special blues | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader, composer | |
Brunswick | C3989 | 10-in. | 8/5/1929 | Head low | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with vocal quartet | leader | |
Brunswick | C4029 | 10-in. | 8/13/1929 | (What did I do to be so) Black and blue | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | leader | |
Brunswick | C4079 | 10-in. | 8/15/1929 | Moanin’ low | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | leader | |
Brunswick | C4131 | 10-in. | 8/18/1929 | Head low | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with vocal | leader | |
Brunswick | C4318 | 10-in. | 9/8/1929 | Have you ever felt that way? | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | leader | |
Brunswick | C4403 | 10-in. | 9/12/1929 | Do I know what I’m doing (While I'm in love) | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | leader | |
Brunswick | C4404 | 10-in. | 9/12/1929 | Shoo shoo boogie boo | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo | leader | |
Brunswick | C4745 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Tiger rag | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
Brunswick | C4746 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Shine | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
Brunswick | C4747 | 10-in. | 11/25/1929 | Tiger rag | Reuben Reeves ; River Boys | Jazz/dance band | leader | |
Decca | 75848 | 2/9/1950 | Prince's boogie woogie | Blusicians ; Harry Dial | instrumentalist, trumpet | |||
Decca | 75849 | 2/9/1950 | Diddy we Diddy | Blusicians ; Harry Dial | instrumentalist, trumpet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Reeves, Reuben," accessed November 4, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110953.
Reeves, Reuben. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/110953.
"Reeves, Reuben." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Reuben Reeves
Discogs: Reuben Reeves
Allmusic: Reuben Reeves
Grove: Reuben Reeves
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Reeves, Reuben - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no98055304
Wikidata: Reuben Reeves - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1583816
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/162431643
MusicBrainz: Reuben Reeves - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/a9f077d5-18dd-44f3-bf30-ace2e85a596d
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