William Frank Reichenbach Sr. (December 18, 1923 – May 16, 2008) was an American

jazz drummer Jazz drumming is the art of playing percussion (predominantly the drum kit, which includes a variety of drums and cymbals) in jazz styles ranging from 1910s-style Dixieland jazz to 1970s-era jazz fusion and 1980s-era Latin jazz. The techniques an ...

and percussionist, who co-developed the jazz-samba drumming style. He was the father of trombonist Bill Reichenbach Jr. and the singer Kurt Reichenbach.

Life and career

Reichenbach started his musical career even before he graduated from the McKinley Tech High School. During World War II, he played in a band of the

Navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

before he toured with the big bands of

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...

Jimmy Dorsey James Francis Dorsey (February 29, 1904 – June 12, 1957) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards " I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary Peopl ...

, and

Art Mooney Arthur Joseph Mooney (February 11, 1911 – September 9, 1993) was an American singer and bandleader. His biggest hits were " I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover" and " Baby Face" in 1948 and " Nuttin' For Christmas," with Barry Gordon, in 1955. ...

. Later he worked in the jazz clubs of his hometown, where he accompanied

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), better known by her stage name Patti Page, was an American singer. Primarily known for Pop music, pop and Country music, country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and b ...

Teddy Wilson Theodore Shaw Wilson (November 24, 1912 – July 31, 1986) was an American jazz pianist. Described by critic Scott Yanow as "the definitive Swing music, swing pianist", Wilson's piano style was gentle, elegant, and virtuosic. His style was high ...

, and

Zoot Sims John Haley "Zoot" Sims (October 29, 1925 – March 23, 1985) was an American jazz saxophonist, playing mainly tenor but also alto (and, later, soprano) saxophone. He first gained attention in the "Four Brothers" sax section of Woody Herman's big ...

Charlie Byrd Charlie Lee Byrd (September 16, 1925 – December 2, 1999) was an American jazz guitarist. Byrd was best known for his association with Brazilian music, especially bossa nova. In 1962, he collaborated with Stan Getz on the album '' Jazz Samba' ...

hired Reichenbach as an additional drummer for the

Stan Getz Stan Getz (born Stanley Gayetski; February 2, 1927 – June 6, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist. Playing primarily the tenor saxophone, Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, with his prime influence being the wis ...

album ''

Jazz Samba ''Jazz Samba'' is a bossa nova album by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd released by Verve Records in 1962. ''Jazz Samba'' signaled the beginning of the bossa nova craze in America. Stan Getz was the featured soloist and the tracks were arranged by C ...

'', which was recorded in 1962 and which provoked a wave of enthusiasm for Bossa Nova in the United States. In the course of 1962, he replaced Buddy Deppenschmidt in the trio of Byrd, of which he was a member for twelve years. Then he returned to work in Washington D.C., as the house drummer at the Blues Alley. Reichenbach died following a series of

stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...

s in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 84.

Discography

With

* '' Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros'' (Riverside, 1962) * ''

'' (Verve, 1962) * '' Byrd at the Gate'' (Riverside, 1963) * '' Once More! Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova'' (Riverside, 1963) * '' Byrd Song'' (Riverside, 1964) * ''Latin Impressions'' (Riverside, 1965) * ''Byrdland'' (Columbia, 1966) * ''Brazilian Byrd'' (Riverside, 1969) * ''Byrd Man with Strings'' (Riverside, 1969) * ''Let Go'' (Columbia, 1969) * ''The Stroke of Genius'' (Columbia, 1971) * ''For All We Know'' (Columbia, 1971) * ''Crystal Silence'' (Fantasy, 1973) * ''Latin Byrd'' (Milestone, 1973) * ''In Greenwich Village'' (Milestone, 1978)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reichenbach Sr., Bill 1923 births 2008 deaths Drummers from Washington, D.C. American jazz drummers Mainstream jazz drummers United States Navy personnel of World War II 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians