Alphonso Son “Dizzy” Reece (Born 5 January 1931)
Trumpeter · Composer · Bandleader
Composer of bebop, hard bop, spiritual jazz, and avant-garde music
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Alphonso Son Reece, known professionally as Dizzy Reece, was born on 5 January 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica. He is a trumpeter, composer, and bandleader whose career took him from Kingston to London, Paris, and New York, where he became one of the leading figures of hard bop jazz. He composed prolifically across bebop, hard bop, spiritual jazz, and avant-garde music across more than seven decades. He remains active in performance and composition.
Early Life Reece was born in Kingston on 5 January 1931, the son of a silent film pianist whose musical background provided an early and formative influence on his upbringing. Growing up in a household where music was present in both practice and memory, he was exposed at an early age to melody, rhythm, and performance as part of everyday life. His nickname, “Dizzy” is said to have originated from his restless and adventurous childhood temperament. As a boy, he was known for drifting through Kingston’s social and political life, frequently appearing at public gatherings, political rallies, and street events wherever something of interest was happening, reflecting both curiosity and an early sense of engagement with the world around him. Kingston during the 1930s and 1940s was a vibrant and sonically rich environment. Brass bands animated the streets, American jazz and swing reached the island through radio broadcasts and imported recordings, and a lively network of hotels, clubs, and dance halls sustained continuous live performance. This constant flow of music shaped a generation of young Kingstonian musicians, and Reece absorbed these influences instinctively, developing an early ear for improvisation and phrasing that would later define his work as a jazz trumpeter. Early Music Training Around 1943, at approximately eleven years old, Reece enrolled at the Alpha Boys School, an institution widely regarded as one of the most important training grounds in Jamaican music history. There, he received structured musical instruction within a disciplined environment that emphasized theory, ensemble performance, and instrumental technique. The school had already established a strong legacy of producing influential musicians, including jazz innovators such as Joe Harriott and Wilton Gaynair, along with a wider generation of performers who would later help shape ska, reggae, and Jamaican popular music. At Alpha, Reece began refining his musicianship in a setting defined by rigorous rehearsal schedules and high performance standards, while also forming connections with peers who shared similar musical ambitions. He initially studied baritone horn before switching to trumpet at around fourteen years old, a change that would prove decisive in shaping his artistic direction. This period marked his transition from early musical curiosity to disciplined study, laying the groundwork for his emerging technical command of the instrument and developing a personal style. |
By the time he left school, Reece had already become a full-time working musician. At sixteen, he was performing professionally with Jack Brown’s swing band in Kingston in 1947, gaining practical experience in dance band settings that demanded both versatility and stamina. During these formative years, imported recordings from New York increasingly shaped his musical outlook. Artistes such as Count Basie, Buck Clayton, and Don Byas were among his early influences. These helped to orient and guide him toward modern jazz and the evolving language of bebop.
When he departed Jamaica in 1948, Reece had already absorbed two parallel musical foundations: the disciplined training and ensemble precision of Alpha Boys School, and the harmonic and improvisational vocabulary of contemporary jazz from abroad. Together, these influences positioned him for a broader musical journey beyond the island, fully prepared for the larger international jazz world that awaited him.
Career Life Overseas
Reece left Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation, arriving in London aboard the Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948. Like many Caribbean musicians seeking broader opportunities, he soon looked beyond Britain and spent much of the early 1950s working across continental Europe. Based primarily in Paris, he immersed himself in the city's thriving post-war jazz scene, performing alongside leading American expatriate musicians, including Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Frank Foster, and Thad Jones. From 1950 onwards, his engagements also took him to the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, allowing him to develop both his technical abilities and his reputation on the European jazz circuit. These years proved crucial to his artistic development. Exposure to some of the most accomplished jazz musicians of the era deepened his understanding of bebop and modern jazz, while the diverse audiences and musical cultures of Europe broadened his artistic perspective. By the time he returned to London in 1954, he had evolved into a mature and highly accomplished trumpeter.
Back in England, Reece became a regular performer at the Flamingo Club, the country's premier venue for modern jazz and bebop. His commanding performances quickly attracted attention within London's jazz community and brought him to the notice of Tony Hall, the influential A&R director at Decca Records. Hall had recently assumed responsibility for revitalising Decca's subsidiary Tempo label and recognised Reece's exceptional talent. Beginning in 1955, Hall produced a series of recordings that showcased the Jamaican trumpeter's growing artistry, including A New Star and Progress Report. These releases established Reece as one of the leading voices in British modern jazz and laid the foundation for the international recognition that would soon follow.
In 1958 Hall arranged for Reece’s first Blue Note session. Recorded on 24 August 1958 at Decca Studios in north London, it was one of the few Blue Note recordings of that era made outside the United States. Released in 1959 as Blues in Trinity, the album featured Tubby Hayes on tenor saxophone, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Art Taylor on drums, Terry Shannon on piano, and Lloyd Thompson on bass. Reece composed all of the original material for the session. The resulting album, Blues in Trinity, significantly raised the international profile of the British jazz scene and earned him the admiration of leading American jazz figures, including Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. The album's success was such that Art Blakey considered both Reece and Tubby Hayes for membership in the Jazz Messengers, one of the most influential and respected ensembles in modern jazz. This recognition reflected the high esteem in which Reece was held by many of the era's leading musicians. Although he declined the opportunity to join the group permanently, he later made brief live appearances with the Jazz Messengers and contributed percussion to Blakey's Africaine sessions.
Blue Note signed Reece formally and he relocated to New York City. Between 1959 and 1960 he composed and recorded three further sessions for the label at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Star Bright was recorded in 1959 and released in January 1960, with Reece composing the original material throughout. Soundin’ Off followed in 1960, again with Reece’s own compositions at the centre. Comin’ On! was recorded across two sessions on 3 April and 17 July 1960, with Reece composing the original material, though the album was not released by Blue Note until 1999. He performed at the Village Vanguard, Birdland, and Eddie Condon’s during this period, and his New York appearances brought him into close working contact with Duke Jordan, Hank Mobley, Andrew Hill, Dexter Gordon, Philly Joe Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, and Clifford Jordan.
Recording and Composing
On leaving Blue Note, Reece composed and recorded Asia Minor for the New Jazz Records imprint, recorded on 13 March 1962 at Van Gelder Studio. The album featured Joe Farrell on tenor saxophone and flute, Cecil Payne on baritone saxophone, Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. Reece composed all the original material, including The Shadow of Khan, Yamask, and Spiritus Parkus. Jazz Journal described the recording as modern jazz at a high level. AllMusic awarded it four and a half stars. It is consistently cited as one of his finest sessions.
Through the mid-1960s Reece concentrated on composing and writing rather than recording. In 1966 he completed and registered Contemporary Jazz Drum Suite, a composition and educational text written entirely for percussion, providing rhythmic variations for the contemporary percussionist. He also authored Basic Jazz Bass Rhythm and Blues and other instructional texts during this period. In 1967 he produced a thirty-minute film titled The Pressure Cooker by Night, documenting the night streets of Manhattan and Harlem. His quartet subsequently provided a live soundtrack to the film during performances.
In 1968 Reece composed and recorded Nirvana, a session representing his early experimentation with spiritual jazz. The recordings went unreleased until 2006. That same year he appeared on Dizzy Gillespie’s Reunion Big Band album. In 1969 he contributed to Andrew Hill’s Passing Ships and played on Hank Mobley’s The Flip and on a live concert recording with Philly Joe Jones at Pescara Jazz in Italy.
In October 1970 Reece performed at the Festival de Créteil in Paris with drummer Art Taylor, saxophonist John Gilmore, and French musicians Patrice Caratini on bass and Siegfried Kessler on piano. He composed all the material performed at that concert. The recordings were released as From In to Out on the Futura Records label and stand as documentation of his move into avant-garde and free jazz territory.
In 1972 and 1973 Reece recorded two sessions that were combined and released in 1977 as Possession, Exorcism, Peace on the Honey Dew label, a recording notable for including an interpretation of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells alongside original compositions. In 1978 he composed and recorded Manhattan Project for the Bee Hive label, featuring his longtime collaborator saxophonist Clifford Jordan. Reece composed the majority of the original material on the album, including Con Man, Manhattan Walk, and Yule on the Hudson. AllMusic awarded the album four and a half stars. That same year he co-led a session with fellow trumpeter Ted Curson released as Blowin’ Away on the Interplay label.
Awards and Legacy
From the 1980s onwards, Reece devoted much of his attention to live performance while continuing to compose, write, and contribute as a jazz historian. In 1979, he helped to establish the New York City Jazz Festival and later curated recordings from its performances. Although his recording output became less frequent, his creative activity remained undiminished. In a 2024 interview, he performed several recent compositions and noted that many of his later works remain unreleased. As a jazz historian and critique, Reece’s authored articles on jazz and completed an encyclopedic biographical history of jazz saxophonists, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to documenting and preserving the music he loved.
Recognition of his artistic achievements has grown steadily over time as in 2004, Mosaic Records released Mosaic Select: Dizzy Reece, bringing together his landmark Blue Note recordings, including Blues in Trinity, Star Bright, Soundin' Off, and Comin' On!. Jazz critic Christopher Porter, writing in JazzTimes, described him as one of jazz's finest and most underappreciated trumpeters, while The New York Times referred to him as “the elusive trumpeter,” acknowledging both his remarkable talent and his often-overlooked place in jazz history.
In January 2019, pianist Trevor Watkis presented Routes in Jazz, a retrospective concert of Reece's compositions at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham, highlighting the enduring relevance of his work. Reece received the Award of Recognition from the Festival of New Trumpet Music in 2023, honouring his outstanding contribution to the art of jazz trumpet. Today, his recordings remain essential listening and are regularly cited in critical surveys of hard bop, spiritual jazz, and avant-garde jazz, securing his legacy as one of the most distinctive and influential trumpeters to emerge from Jamaica.
Dizzy Reece built his career across four cities, working and composing in Kingston, London, Paris, and New York across more than seven decades. He composed Contemporary Jazz Drum Suite, an educational work for percussion. He composed for film, authored multiple educational texts on jazz theory, and has continued to compose new material into his nineties. He is part of the Alpha Boys School lineage and part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean musicians who permanently shaped jazz in Britain and beyond. His music has influenced generations of musicians, and his recordings continue to be studied and celebrated internationally.
Written by Apryl Jaye Raymond
Edited by Janine Coombs and Charmaine Limonius
Compositions
Blues in Trinity — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Decca Studios, London, 24 August 1958. Released on Blues in Trinity, Blue Note BLP 4006, 1959. Hard bop. Musicians: Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone), Donald Byrd (Trumpet), Art Taylor (Drums), Terry Shannon (Piano), Lloyd Thompson (Bass).
A New Star — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded London, 1955 to 1956. Released on A New Star, Tempo, UK.
Progress Report — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded London, 1956 to 1958. Released on Progress Report, Tempo, UK. Musicians: Victor Feldman (Vibraphone), Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone).
Star Bright — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1959. Released on Star Bright, Blue Note, January 1960. Hard bop.
Soundin’Off — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1960. Released on Soundin’Off, Blue Note, 1960. Hard bop.
Comin’On! — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 3 April and 17 July 1960. Released on Comin’On!, Blue Note, 1999. Hard bop.
The Shadow of Khan — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 13 March 1962. Released on Asia Minor, New Jazz Records, 1962. Running time 5 minutes 31 seconds.
Yamask — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 13 March 1962. Released on Asia Minor, New Jazz Records, 1962. Running time 5 minutes 40 seconds.
Spiritus Parkus — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 13 March 1962. Released on Asia Minor, New Jazz Records, 1962.
Contemporary Jazz Drum Suite — Instructional composition for solo percussion. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Published 1966. Written to provide rhythmic variations for the contemporary percussionist.
Communion/Contact — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded live, Festival de Créteil, Paris, 23 October 1970. Released on From In to Out, Futura Records, 1970. Avant-garde jazz.
Krisis/Summit — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded live, Festival de Créteil, Paris, 23 October 1970. Released on From In to Out, Futura Records, 1970. Avant-garde jazz.
Con Man — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded 17 January 1978. Released on Manhattan Project, Bee Hive Records, 1978. Running time 8 minutes 55 seconds.
Manhattan Walk — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded 17 January 1978. Released on Manhattan Project, Bee Hive Records, 1978. Running time 7 minutes 59 seconds.
Yule on the Hudson — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded 17 January 1978. Released on Manhattan Project, Bee Hive Records, 1978. Running time 9 minutes 5 seconds.
Discography
1955 to 1956 | A New Star
Format: Studio Session / EP
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Phil Seamen (Drums)
Label: Tempo Records, UK
1956 to 1958 | Progress Report
Format: Studio Session / EP
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Victor Feldman (Vibraphone), Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone)
Label: Tempo Records, UK
1956 | Top Trumpets: Dizzy Blows Bird / Deuchar Plays Deuchar
Format: Split Album
With: Jimmy Deuchar
Role: Trumpet, Composer
Label: Tempo Records, UK
1957 | Changing the Jazz at Buckingham Palace
Format: Studio Album
With: Tubby Hayes
Role: Trumpet
Label: Savoy Records, USA
1958 | Nowhere to Go (Original Film Soundtrack)
Format: Film Soundtrack
Role: Composer, Arranger
Label: Ealing Studios, UK
1959 | Blues in Trinity
Format: Studio Album (recorded 24 August 1958, Decca Studios, London)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone), Donald Byrd (Trumpet), Art Taylor (Drums), Terry Shannon (Piano), Lloyd Thompson (Bass)
Label: Blue Note BLP 4006, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
1960 | Star Bright
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1959, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Blue Note, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
1960 | Soundin’Off
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1960, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Blue Note, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
1962 | Asia Minor
Format: Studio Album (recorded 13 March 1962, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Joe Farrell (Tenor Saxophone, Flute), Cecil Payne (Baritone Saxophone), Hank Jones (Piano), Ron Carter (Bass), Charlie Persip (Drums)
Label: New Jazz Records, USA
1968 | Nirvana: The Zen of the Jazz Trumpet
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1968)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Jazz Vision Records. Released 2006.
1970 | From In to Out
Format: Live Album (recorded 23 October 1970, Festival de Créteil, Paris)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: John Gilmore (Tenor Saxophone), Art Taylor (Drums), Patrice Caratini (Bass), Siegfried Kessler (Piano)
Label: Futura Records, France
1977 | Possession, Exorcism, Peace
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1972 and 1973)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Honey Dew Records, USA
1978 | Manhattan Project
Format: Studio Album (recorded 17 January 1978)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Clifford Jordan (Tenor Saxophone)
Label: Bee Hive Records, USA. Reissued Mosaic MD12-261, 2015.
1978 | Blowin’ Away
Format: Studio Album
With: Ted Curson
Role: Co-Leader, Trumpet
Label: Interplay Records, USA
1981 | Dealing Vol. I
Format: Live Album (recorded 1981)
Role: Leader, Trumpet
Label: JazzVision Records. Released 2014.
1982 | Dealing Vol. II
Format: Live Album (recorded 1982)
Role: Leader, Trumpet
Label: JazzVision Records. Released 2014.
1999 | Comin’On!
Format: Studio Album (recorded 3 April and 17 July 1960, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Blue Note, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
2004 | Mosaic Select: Dizzy Reece
Format: 3-CD Compilation
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Compiles: Blues in Trinity (1958), Star Bright (1959), Soundin’ Off (1960), Comin’ On! (1960)
Label: Mosaic Select MS-011, USA
2010 | Jazz Themes From Nowhere to Go
Format: Film Soundtrack Reissue
Role: Composer, Arranger
Label: UK
References
Wikipedia. Dizzy Reece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Reece
Blue Note Records. Dizzy Reece. https://www.bluenote.com/artist/dizzy-reece/
Porter, C. (28 November 2018). Reece: The Kingston-born trumpeter who remains one of bop’s great enigmas, part one. Band on the Wall.
https://bandonthewall.org/2018/11/dizzy-reece-history-part-one/
Porter, C. (28 November 2018). Reece: The Kingston-born trumpeter who remains one of bop’s great enigmas, part two. Band on the Wall.
https://bandonthewall.org/2018/12/dizzy-reece-history-part-two/
Chinen, N. (9 January 2007). Blasts from the bebop past of an elusive trumpeter. The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/arts/music/09reec.html
Carr, R. (October 2013). Dizzy Reece: The Complete Recordings 1954 to 62. Jazzwise.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/dizzy-reece-the-complete-recordings-1954-62
Waring, C. (30 September 2019). Under the radar. Record Collector. https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/radar-4
Waring, C. (16 November 2023). The 50 best jazz trumpeters of all time. uDiscoverMusic.
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-jazz-trumpeters/
Meyer, J. (2024). Episode 183: Dizzy Reece. Sounds Visual Radio.
https://www.soundsvisualradio.com/podcast/episode-183-dizzy-reece/
Mann, I. (29 January 2019). Routes in Jazz: A music retrospective of Dizzy Reece. The Jazz Mann.
https://www.thejazzmann.com/features/article/routes-in-jazz-a-music-retrospective-of-dizzy-reece-cbso-centre-birmingham
AllMusic. Asia Minor review. https://www.allmusic.com/album/asia-minor-mw0000100112
AllMusic. Comin’ On! review. https://www.allmusic.com/album/comin-on-mw0000533603
Wikipedia. Blues in Trinity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues_in_Trinity
Wikipedia. Asia Minor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Minor_(album)
Wikipedia. From In to Out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_In_to_Out
Wikipedia. Manhattan Project. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project_(album)
Festival of New Trumpet Music. Dizzy Reece Award of Recognition, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqZjACZSp2A
Discogs. Dizzy Reece Discography. https://www.discogs.com/artist/Dizzy-Reece
Larkin, C. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music, third edition. Virgin Books.
When he departed Jamaica in 1948, Reece had already absorbed two parallel musical foundations: the disciplined training and ensemble precision of Alpha Boys School, and the harmonic and improvisational vocabulary of contemporary jazz from abroad. Together, these influences positioned him for a broader musical journey beyond the island, fully prepared for the larger international jazz world that awaited him.
Career Life Overseas
Reece left Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation, arriving in London aboard the Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948. Like many Caribbean musicians seeking broader opportunities, he soon looked beyond Britain and spent much of the early 1950s working across continental Europe. Based primarily in Paris, he immersed himself in the city's thriving post-war jazz scene, performing alongside leading American expatriate musicians, including Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Frank Foster, and Thad Jones. From 1950 onwards, his engagements also took him to the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, allowing him to develop both his technical abilities and his reputation on the European jazz circuit. These years proved crucial to his artistic development. Exposure to some of the most accomplished jazz musicians of the era deepened his understanding of bebop and modern jazz, while the diverse audiences and musical cultures of Europe broadened his artistic perspective. By the time he returned to London in 1954, he had evolved into a mature and highly accomplished trumpeter.
Back in England, Reece became a regular performer at the Flamingo Club, the country's premier venue for modern jazz and bebop. His commanding performances quickly attracted attention within London's jazz community and brought him to the notice of Tony Hall, the influential A&R director at Decca Records. Hall had recently assumed responsibility for revitalising Decca's subsidiary Tempo label and recognised Reece's exceptional talent. Beginning in 1955, Hall produced a series of recordings that showcased the Jamaican trumpeter's growing artistry, including A New Star and Progress Report. These releases established Reece as one of the leading voices in British modern jazz and laid the foundation for the international recognition that would soon follow.
In 1958 Hall arranged for Reece’s first Blue Note session. Recorded on 24 August 1958 at Decca Studios in north London, it was one of the few Blue Note recordings of that era made outside the United States. Released in 1959 as Blues in Trinity, the album featured Tubby Hayes on tenor saxophone, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Art Taylor on drums, Terry Shannon on piano, and Lloyd Thompson on bass. Reece composed all of the original material for the session. The resulting album, Blues in Trinity, significantly raised the international profile of the British jazz scene and earned him the admiration of leading American jazz figures, including Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. The album's success was such that Art Blakey considered both Reece and Tubby Hayes for membership in the Jazz Messengers, one of the most influential and respected ensembles in modern jazz. This recognition reflected the high esteem in which Reece was held by many of the era's leading musicians. Although he declined the opportunity to join the group permanently, he later made brief live appearances with the Jazz Messengers and contributed percussion to Blakey's Africaine sessions.
Blue Note signed Reece formally and he relocated to New York City. Between 1959 and 1960 he composed and recorded three further sessions for the label at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Star Bright was recorded in 1959 and released in January 1960, with Reece composing the original material throughout. Soundin’ Off followed in 1960, again with Reece’s own compositions at the centre. Comin’ On! was recorded across two sessions on 3 April and 17 July 1960, with Reece composing the original material, though the album was not released by Blue Note until 1999. He performed at the Village Vanguard, Birdland, and Eddie Condon’s during this period, and his New York appearances brought him into close working contact with Duke Jordan, Hank Mobley, Andrew Hill, Dexter Gordon, Philly Joe Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, and Clifford Jordan.
Recording and Composing
On leaving Blue Note, Reece composed and recorded Asia Minor for the New Jazz Records imprint, recorded on 13 March 1962 at Van Gelder Studio. The album featured Joe Farrell on tenor saxophone and flute, Cecil Payne on baritone saxophone, Hank Jones on piano, Ron Carter on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. Reece composed all the original material, including The Shadow of Khan, Yamask, and Spiritus Parkus. Jazz Journal described the recording as modern jazz at a high level. AllMusic awarded it four and a half stars. It is consistently cited as one of his finest sessions.
Through the mid-1960s Reece concentrated on composing and writing rather than recording. In 1966 he completed and registered Contemporary Jazz Drum Suite, a composition and educational text written entirely for percussion, providing rhythmic variations for the contemporary percussionist. He also authored Basic Jazz Bass Rhythm and Blues and other instructional texts during this period. In 1967 he produced a thirty-minute film titled The Pressure Cooker by Night, documenting the night streets of Manhattan and Harlem. His quartet subsequently provided a live soundtrack to the film during performances.
In 1968 Reece composed and recorded Nirvana, a session representing his early experimentation with spiritual jazz. The recordings went unreleased until 2006. That same year he appeared on Dizzy Gillespie’s Reunion Big Band album. In 1969 he contributed to Andrew Hill’s Passing Ships and played on Hank Mobley’s The Flip and on a live concert recording with Philly Joe Jones at Pescara Jazz in Italy.
In October 1970 Reece performed at the Festival de Créteil in Paris with drummer Art Taylor, saxophonist John Gilmore, and French musicians Patrice Caratini on bass and Siegfried Kessler on piano. He composed all the material performed at that concert. The recordings were released as From In to Out on the Futura Records label and stand as documentation of his move into avant-garde and free jazz territory.
In 1972 and 1973 Reece recorded two sessions that were combined and released in 1977 as Possession, Exorcism, Peace on the Honey Dew label, a recording notable for including an interpretation of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells alongside original compositions. In 1978 he composed and recorded Manhattan Project for the Bee Hive label, featuring his longtime collaborator saxophonist Clifford Jordan. Reece composed the majority of the original material on the album, including Con Man, Manhattan Walk, and Yule on the Hudson. AllMusic awarded the album four and a half stars. That same year he co-led a session with fellow trumpeter Ted Curson released as Blowin’ Away on the Interplay label.
Awards and Legacy
From the 1980s onwards, Reece devoted much of his attention to live performance while continuing to compose, write, and contribute as a jazz historian. In 1979, he helped to establish the New York City Jazz Festival and later curated recordings from its performances. Although his recording output became less frequent, his creative activity remained undiminished. In a 2024 interview, he performed several recent compositions and noted that many of his later works remain unreleased. As a jazz historian and critique, Reece’s authored articles on jazz and completed an encyclopedic biographical history of jazz saxophonists, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to documenting and preserving the music he loved.
Recognition of his artistic achievements has grown steadily over time as in 2004, Mosaic Records released Mosaic Select: Dizzy Reece, bringing together his landmark Blue Note recordings, including Blues in Trinity, Star Bright, Soundin' Off, and Comin' On!. Jazz critic Christopher Porter, writing in JazzTimes, described him as one of jazz's finest and most underappreciated trumpeters, while The New York Times referred to him as “the elusive trumpeter,” acknowledging both his remarkable talent and his often-overlooked place in jazz history.
In January 2019, pianist Trevor Watkis presented Routes in Jazz, a retrospective concert of Reece's compositions at the CBSO Centre in Birmingham, highlighting the enduring relevance of his work. Reece received the Award of Recognition from the Festival of New Trumpet Music in 2023, honouring his outstanding contribution to the art of jazz trumpet. Today, his recordings remain essential listening and are regularly cited in critical surveys of hard bop, spiritual jazz, and avant-garde jazz, securing his legacy as one of the most distinctive and influential trumpeters to emerge from Jamaica.
Dizzy Reece built his career across four cities, working and composing in Kingston, London, Paris, and New York across more than seven decades. He composed Contemporary Jazz Drum Suite, an educational work for percussion. He composed for film, authored multiple educational texts on jazz theory, and has continued to compose new material into his nineties. He is part of the Alpha Boys School lineage and part of the Windrush generation of Caribbean musicians who permanently shaped jazz in Britain and beyond. His music has influenced generations of musicians, and his recordings continue to be studied and celebrated internationally.
Written by Apryl Jaye Raymond
Edited by Janine Coombs and Charmaine Limonius
Compositions
Blues in Trinity — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Decca Studios, London, 24 August 1958. Released on Blues in Trinity, Blue Note BLP 4006, 1959. Hard bop. Musicians: Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone), Donald Byrd (Trumpet), Art Taylor (Drums), Terry Shannon (Piano), Lloyd Thompson (Bass).
A New Star — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded London, 1955 to 1956. Released on A New Star, Tempo, UK.
Progress Report — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded London, 1956 to 1958. Released on Progress Report, Tempo, UK. Musicians: Victor Feldman (Vibraphone), Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone).
Star Bright — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1959. Released on Star Bright, Blue Note, January 1960. Hard bop.
Soundin’Off — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1960. Released on Soundin’Off, Blue Note, 1960. Hard bop.
Comin’On! — Instrumental. Composed by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 3 April and 17 July 1960. Released on Comin’On!, Blue Note, 1999. Hard bop.
The Shadow of Khan — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 13 March 1962. Released on Asia Minor, New Jazz Records, 1962. Running time 5 minutes 31 seconds.
Yamask — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 13 March 1962. Released on Asia Minor, New Jazz Records, 1962. Running time 5 minutes 40 seconds.
Spiritus Parkus — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 13 March 1962. Released on Asia Minor, New Jazz Records, 1962.
Contemporary Jazz Drum Suite — Instructional composition for solo percussion. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Published 1966. Written to provide rhythmic variations for the contemporary percussionist.
Communion/Contact — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded live, Festival de Créteil, Paris, 23 October 1970. Released on From In to Out, Futura Records, 1970. Avant-garde jazz.
Krisis/Summit — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded live, Festival de Créteil, Paris, 23 October 1970. Released on From In to Out, Futura Records, 1970. Avant-garde jazz.
Con Man — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded 17 January 1978. Released on Manhattan Project, Bee Hive Records, 1978. Running time 8 minutes 55 seconds.
Manhattan Walk — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded 17 January 1978. Released on Manhattan Project, Bee Hive Records, 1978. Running time 7 minutes 59 seconds.
Yule on the Hudson — Instrumental. Composed solely by Dizzy Reece. Recorded 17 January 1978. Released on Manhattan Project, Bee Hive Records, 1978. Running time 9 minutes 5 seconds.
Discography
1955 to 1956 | A New Star
Format: Studio Session / EP
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Phil Seamen (Drums)
Label: Tempo Records, UK
1956 to 1958 | Progress Report
Format: Studio Session / EP
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Victor Feldman (Vibraphone), Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone)
Label: Tempo Records, UK
1956 | Top Trumpets: Dizzy Blows Bird / Deuchar Plays Deuchar
Format: Split Album
With: Jimmy Deuchar
Role: Trumpet, Composer
Label: Tempo Records, UK
1957 | Changing the Jazz at Buckingham Palace
Format: Studio Album
With: Tubby Hayes
Role: Trumpet
Label: Savoy Records, USA
1958 | Nowhere to Go (Original Film Soundtrack)
Format: Film Soundtrack
Role: Composer, Arranger
Label: Ealing Studios, UK
1959 | Blues in Trinity
Format: Studio Album (recorded 24 August 1958, Decca Studios, London)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Tubby Hayes (Tenor Saxophone), Donald Byrd (Trumpet), Art Taylor (Drums), Terry Shannon (Piano), Lloyd Thompson (Bass)
Label: Blue Note BLP 4006, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
1960 | Star Bright
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1959, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Blue Note, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
1960 | Soundin’Off
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1960, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Blue Note, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
1962 | Asia Minor
Format: Studio Album (recorded 13 March 1962, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Joe Farrell (Tenor Saxophone, Flute), Cecil Payne (Baritone Saxophone), Hank Jones (Piano), Ron Carter (Bass), Charlie Persip (Drums)
Label: New Jazz Records, USA
1968 | Nirvana: The Zen of the Jazz Trumpet
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1968)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Jazz Vision Records. Released 2006.
1970 | From In to Out
Format: Live Album (recorded 23 October 1970, Festival de Créteil, Paris)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: John Gilmore (Tenor Saxophone), Art Taylor (Drums), Patrice Caratini (Bass), Siegfried Kessler (Piano)
Label: Futura Records, France
1977 | Possession, Exorcism, Peace
Format: Studio Album (recorded 1972 and 1973)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Honey Dew Records, USA
1978 | Manhattan Project
Format: Studio Album (recorded 17 January 1978)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Notable Contributors: Clifford Jordan (Tenor Saxophone)
Label: Bee Hive Records, USA. Reissued Mosaic MD12-261, 2015.
1978 | Blowin’ Away
Format: Studio Album
With: Ted Curson
Role: Co-Leader, Trumpet
Label: Interplay Records, USA
1981 | Dealing Vol. I
Format: Live Album (recorded 1981)
Role: Leader, Trumpet
Label: JazzVision Records. Released 2014.
1982 | Dealing Vol. II
Format: Live Album (recorded 1982)
Role: Leader, Trumpet
Label: JazzVision Records. Released 2014.
1999 | Comin’On!
Format: Studio Album (recorded 3 April and 17 July 1960, Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ)
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Label: Blue Note, USA. Reissued Mosaic Select MS-011, 2004.
2004 | Mosaic Select: Dizzy Reece
Format: 3-CD Compilation
Role: Leader, Trumpet, Composer
Compiles: Blues in Trinity (1958), Star Bright (1959), Soundin’ Off (1960), Comin’ On! (1960)
Label: Mosaic Select MS-011, USA
2010 | Jazz Themes From Nowhere to Go
Format: Film Soundtrack Reissue
Role: Composer, Arranger
Label: UK
References
Wikipedia. Dizzy Reece. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Reece
Blue Note Records. Dizzy Reece. https://www.bluenote.com/artist/dizzy-reece/
Porter, C. (28 November 2018). Reece: The Kingston-born trumpeter who remains one of bop’s great enigmas, part one. Band on the Wall.
https://bandonthewall.org/2018/11/dizzy-reece-history-part-one/
Porter, C. (28 November 2018). Reece: The Kingston-born trumpeter who remains one of bop’s great enigmas, part two. Band on the Wall.
https://bandonthewall.org/2018/12/dizzy-reece-history-part-two/
Chinen, N. (9 January 2007). Blasts from the bebop past of an elusive trumpeter. The New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/09/arts/music/09reec.html
Carr, R. (October 2013). Dizzy Reece: The Complete Recordings 1954 to 62. Jazzwise.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/dizzy-reece-the-complete-recordings-1954-62
Waring, C. (30 September 2019). Under the radar. Record Collector. https://recordcollectormag.com/articles/radar-4
Waring, C. (16 November 2023). The 50 best jazz trumpeters of all time. uDiscoverMusic.
https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-jazz-trumpeters/
Meyer, J. (2024). Episode 183: Dizzy Reece. Sounds Visual Radio.
https://www.soundsvisualradio.com/podcast/episode-183-dizzy-reece/
Mann, I. (29 January 2019). Routes in Jazz: A music retrospective of Dizzy Reece. The Jazz Mann.
https://www.thejazzmann.com/features/article/routes-in-jazz-a-music-retrospective-of-dizzy-reece-cbso-centre-birmingham
AllMusic. Asia Minor review. https://www.allmusic.com/album/asia-minor-mw0000100112
AllMusic. Comin’ On! review. https://www.allmusic.com/album/comin-on-mw0000533603
Wikipedia. Blues in Trinity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blues_in_Trinity
Wikipedia. Asia Minor. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Minor_(album)
Wikipedia. From In to Out. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_In_to_Out
Wikipedia. Manhattan Project. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project_(album)
Festival of New Trumpet Music. Dizzy Reece Award of Recognition, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqZjACZSp2A
Discogs. Dizzy Reece Discography. https://www.discogs.com/artist/Dizzy-Reece
Larkin, C. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music, third edition. Virgin Books.
