[Dixielandjazz] Randy Reinhart was easiest instrument

[Stephen Barbone]

Don Ingle wrote about Randy Reinhardt:

"I would suggest that maybe the trombone is the easiest to master, based
on the experience of one Randy Reinhardt, a friend I've had the pleasure
to work with a number of times. When Alan Vache joined the Jim Cullum
band, he learned that Jim would have an opening coming up for trombone.
Alan was a long time buddy of Randy and called him to tell him that if
he could master the trombone he might be able to get the gig.

Randy, as most know, is one of the better cornet/trumpet players around,
and in school had learned to play the basic trombone as most music
students are required to learn some piano, some violin, etc. So Randy
woodshedded on trombone, and a short time later -- just a matter of
weeks -- auditioned for Cullum and got the gig. He worked with Jim for
several years on trombone and also playing second cornet as well as
cornet solos on some of the band's Oliver-styled charts.

I met and heard him play shortly after he'd joined Jim, was blown away
at how fine a player, and hot, he was on trombone. At the Bix Brithday
bash in Libertyville, IL about eight years ago, Randy was on cornet and
I on valve trombone with the Sons of Bix, and on one number Randy
grabbed my valve bone and handed me his cornet  and said you take the
lead on this one (Da Da Strain) and let me use your horn. I have it on
tape and while my trombone chops required a little muscle shuffle going
back to the smaller cornet mouthpiece, Randy ripped off some of the best
V bone this side of Brad Gowens. The lad is truly a wizard in matters of

brass. That it took him just weeks to reach the status of player he had
achieved still amazes me."

Don & List Mates:

Randy is a special musician. I have been fortunate enough to work with
him a few times also. The most astounding time was with Glenn Dodson on
TBone, Randy on Cornet and me. We were playing "At The Jazz Band Ball".
Randy took the first solo on Cornet, then Glenn handed him his Tbone and
he took the second solo on Bone, and then I handed him my clarinet and
he took the third solo on clarinet. One right after the other. Wonderful
solos on each instrument.

He also used to do a Sop Sax duet with Bobby (Lips) Levine years ago
before Bobby passed. Easy for him, difficult for the rest of us mortals.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone