BIO

(Short)

Dr. Reginald Chapman, Jr. resides in New York City as a low brass multi-instrumentalist, composer, and educator. He received his BA in classical bass trombone from Virginia Commonwealth University and his MM and DMA in jazz bass trombone from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign under the tutelage of Jim Pugh. Reginald enjoys interfacing with a variety of situations and genres; his career includes a long list of studio credits and extensive touring itineraries with brass bands (Lucky Chops, No BS Brass) and indie rock groups (Foxygen), as well as Broadway (Frozen) and classical and jazz performances (Hollenbeck, Argue). When not touring, Reginald teaches and schedules his own performances. In 2018, he released his debut album, Prototype, praised by Downbeat and Spotify’s State of Jazz and featured on FOX’s Empire. Reginald is a BAC artist and plays a custom prototype-model bass trombone that he worked to develop with Mike Corrigan.

(Long)

Reginald Chapman is an instrumentalist, composer, arranger, and educator born in Williamsburg, Virginia. As a “frequent presence in big bands, orchestras, and alternative rock groups, Reggie has made an indelible mark as a [bass] trombonist with a huge sound, a taste for exploration, and an affinity for playing from the heart.” – RVA News Jazz

A multi-instrumentalist brandishing the tuba, harmonica, bass trumpet, and bass trombone, Reginald is a sideman on more than a few albums, including Tim Barry’s “Rivanna Junction” (2006) and “Manchester” (2008 Suburban Home Records); Megafaun’s self-titled album (2011 Hometape Records); “Big Inner” (2012 Hometape and Spacebomb Records) by Matthew E. White; “Transcendental Youth” by The Mountain Goats (Merge Records 2012, named one of the top ten albums of 2012 by Time magazine); and “Push/Pull” (2013 Parasol Records) by Elsinore. Recently, Reginald has played low brass on Matthew E. White’s “Fresh Blood” (2015 Spacebomb), Bedouine’s self titled LP (2017 Spacebomb), and Foxygen’s “Hang” (2017 Jagjaguar). 

A founding and current member of the No BS! Brass Band, Reginald’s compositions, vocals, and bass trombone sounds can be heard on “Where’s Stefan?” (2007), “Alive in Richmond” (2009), “No BS!” (2010) and “Brass Knuckles” (2015). His compositional stylings can also be heard on UTV.Chamber’s 2011 album “The First Letter.” This avant-pop ensemble, active from 2009-2011, was the house band for “The Black Hand Music Series,” a weekly listening-room event created and curated by Reginald in Richmond, Virginia. 

Reginald’s musical experiences are wide-ranging and cross-genre. As a classical musician he has performed with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, the Heartland Festival Orchestra, the Prairie Ensemble, and has recorded an album with The Sycamore Brass. His indie, commercial, and jazz sensibilities have afforded him opportunities to perform at locations ranging from music festivals in France and Italy to Joe’s Pub in Manhattan, New York and The Troubadour and Fillmore West in California. Reginald has been on the recent US tour cycle for Foxygen’s 2017 album, “Hang,” as well as nationally and internationally touring with No BS! Brass. Reginald is celebrating his freshman album, “Prototype,” on Fresh Selects. While not touring, Reginald records remotely from his home studio in Brooklyn, New York.

Reginald Chapman earned his B.A. in Classical Music Performance, and has taught as an adjunct jazz professor, at Virginia Commonwealth University under the direction of Profs. Ross Walter and Rex Richardson. He is a member of the award-winning Jazz Trombone Ensemble at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he completed his M.M.A and D.M.A in Jazz Bass Trombone Performance with a cognate in Classical Compositions under the advisement of Prof. Jim Pugh. 

"Reggie is just an other worldly musician... he will transform your vibrations... money back guarantee." ----Steven Bernstein

Discography

As leader

Reginald Chapman : Prototype : Fresh Selects 2018 (Composition, Arrangement, Bass Trombone)

Pressure Fit : Toolong Tea : 2017 (Production)

As co-Conspirator

Brunswick : Five Years : 2018 (Bass Trombone)

Meru : Revez - EP : 2018 (Bass Trombone)

Illegal States Brass Band : Wage Joy : 2018 (Tuba)

Yeni Nostalji: Yeni Nostalji : Ropadope 2018 : (Tuba, Euphonium, Trombone)

Fay Ray : No Love EP : 2017 (Bass Trombone)

Bardo : Gringo : 2017  (Arrangement, Bass Trombone, Tuba)

Bedouine : Bedouine : Spacebomb 2017 (Bass Trombone)

Foxygen : Hang : Jag Jaguar 2017 (Bass Trombone)

The Trombombs : Forward : 2017 (Composition, Tuba)

Water Boys : Out of All This Blue : BMG 2017  (Bass Trombone)

Claudia Carawan : Magic in the air : 2016 (Bass Trombone)

Cocoon : Welcome home : Universal Records 2016 (Bass Trombone) 

Rebecca Rego and the Trainmen : Lay These Weapons Down : 2016 (Arrangement, Bass Trombone)

Natalie Prass : Natalie Prass : Spacebomb 2015 (Bass Trombone)

Pennyhorses : A Place to Rest Your Dead : 2015 (Arrangement, Bass Trombone)

No BS Brass : Brass Knuckles : 2015 (Bass Trombone)

Matthew E. White : Fresh Blood : Domino 2015 (Bass Trombone)

Trio Of Justice : Pookie's March : Jellowstone Records 2014 (Tuba/Bass Trombone)

Elsinore : Push Pull : Parasol Records 2013 (Bass Trombone)

Matthew E. White : Big Inner : Domino, Spacebomb Records 2013 (Bass Trombone)

The Mountain Goats : Transcendental Youth : Merge Records 2012 (Bass Trombone)

Grandma Sparrow : Grandma Sparrow and His Piddletractor Orchestra : Spacebomb 2011 (Bass Trombone)  

Megafaun : Megafaun : Hometapes 2011 (Bass Trombone)

No BS Brass : No BS! : 2010 (Composition, Bass Trombone, Vocals)

Tim Barry : 28th and Stonewall : Suburban Home Records 2010 (Bass Trombone)

No BS! Brass : Alive In Richmond : 2009 (Composition, Bass Trombone) 

Taylor Barnett : For Someone : 2008 (Bass Trombone)

No BS Brass : Where's Stefan : 2007 (Composition, Bass Trombone)