Rey DeMichel

Reynold A. DeMichel knew how to instill his youthful enthusiasm and excitement into just about any big band. He started as a trumpet player in Ashtabula, Ohio, where he was born in 1928, and as an ex-sideman himself he was well aware of how important self-expression was to a musician. He lived by the motto “Play it as you feel,” which is why the modest bandleader always got great mileage from his crew— everyone in the band respected him.

His albums "Cookin’ with Rey" and "For Bloozers Only!," both issued on Challenge Records, showcase the powerful big band he assembled for these recording dates that took place in Los Angeles in the early part of 1959. To take care of the band’s library, DeMichel recruited two talented arrangers, one young, the other a seasoned veteran: John W. DeFoor and Kenneth L. Farrar, from the famed Westlake College of Music on Sunset Boulevard, which was from...

Read more

Rey DeMichel Albums

2 records