I took lessons from Don Reinhardt some 45 years ago as a teenager. He did not have a fixed idea that all players should play alike. My first introduction to him was to eat lunch so he could watch my jaw move. Then he required his students to listen to a long series of tapes about his method before much instruction began. And the pivot (4 types) was obvious to everyone. I learned a lot and noted that he had some players whose upper register was as good as any you would hear today.

Reinhardt was an interesting character. He knew a great deal about mouthpiece placement and had a major effect on my playing. He didn't fix all my problems, however.

His out-of-town students lived in rooms above a strip tease joint - The Barton Show Bar. It was one of the few places they could practice without bothering anyone. I still remember walking into the Bar at age 16, and getting as long a look as I could before the manager suggested I go upstairs to my room. I will also never forget Don marching down the streets of Philadelphia with a half a dozen students in close pursuit on the way to lunch. It was a great adventure.

Robert Peterson