Results 1 to 18 of 18

Thread: RIP Ted Reinhardt

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Buffalo NY
    Posts
    3

    RIP Ted Reinhardt

    Fellow PE people, it is with great shock and sadness I must inform you of the death of Drummer/percussionist Ted Reinhardt, the founder and driving force behind 1980's fusion rock band Gamalon. Ted was a huge musical presence in the western New York area and had a lengthy career in prog and fusion bands dating back to the late 1960's. In the 70's his band Rodan was legendary and opened for both Genesis and Gentle Giant in their 70's heyday. Members of Genesis came to a small club in Buffalo NY to watch him perform after their show in town in 1973. In the 80's he founded Gamalon and recorded many albums with them including Gamalon, Project Activation Earth (w/Ernie Watts), Ariel View, High Contrast, Held to the light and others. He was considered a "drumming guru" in the Buffalo NY area and did perhaps tens of thousands of gigs in his lifetime. He will be missed big time.

  2. #2
    Member FrippWire's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Dearborn, MI
    Posts
    623
    Sorry to hear about this. I know his work from the two Gamalon discs I own. He was immensely talented. Rest In Power...

  3. #3
    I posted tho sin the OT forum:

    Ted Reinhardt was a fine drummer in a number of progressive rock and jazz fusion bands. He was killed in a plane crash in Virginia today.


    http://www.buffalonews.com/city-regi...crash-20150304

    Reinhardt was widely regarded as one of the most virtuosic musicians in the history of Buffalo music. A 1971 graduate of Kenmore West High School, he launched a series of groundbreaking progressive rock and jazz-fusion bands, many of them featuring his bassist brother, Tom Reinhardt.

    A lifelong fan of all kinds of music, Reinhardt, a drummer, favored complex compositions that made him a legend among Buffalo musicians.

    Even after a virus permanently damaged his hearing, and he was forced to perform with protective headphones guarding his remaining hearing, Reinhardt continued a vigorous performance regimen.

    It was as a member of the progressive jazz-fusion ensemble Gamalon that Reinhardt reached his highest creative plateau.

    The band’s self-titled 1987 debut helped to forge a worldwide cult audience for the group, and is now a highly coveted collector’s item. Reinhardt also performed with Spyro Gyra – most notably during the band’s commercial high point, 1979’s “Morning Dance” album – as well as with Willie & the Reinhardts, Ron LoCurto & the Reinhardts, and the Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble.
    He was in a band called "Rush" (no not that Rush) in the early 70s, and opened up for Genesis in Buffalo in 1973. They did some covers of Gentle Giant and Genesis. The guys from Genesis were shocked a band in America was covering their music. I once talked to Reinhardt who said he got a call from Genesis management in 1977 when they were looking for a tour drummer, but it never got as far as an audition.

  4. #4
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    near Berkeley, Ca.
    Posts
    1,194
    A huge loss indeed. I never got to see Gamalon live, but have been a long time fan. He and Bruce Brucato now both gone.

  5. #5
    Man, that's two members of Gamalon gone now. So sad to hear this.
    I'm not lazy. I just work so fast I'm always done.

  6. #6
    Very, very sad news. I was fortunate enough to have seen Rodan in a local club and was able to see Gamalon tear it up quite a few times. I'm revisiting the 4 CD's I have of theirs, as it's been awhile. I was also lucky to have taken a few lessons with Teddy. He was just a really, really nice guy and of course a fantastic drummer. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.
    "I want to be someone, who someone would want to be." Marillion

  7. #7
    Member rickawakeman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    West of Worcester (Western Massachusetts)
    Posts
    1,034
    I have Gamelon's debut disc, will have to pull it from the shelves tonight and revisit in honor of this fine musician. RIP.

  8. #8
    Member Paulrus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Left Coast
    Posts
    2,170
    I've always enjoyed listening to the two Gamelon disks I have. Always sad to lose a talented musician -- RIP.
    I'm holding out for the Wilson-mixed 5.1 super-duper walletbuster special anniversary extra adjectives edition.

  9. #9
    Marklar Jimmy Giant's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Baltimore, MD
    Posts
    628
    Gamalon was awesome. I saw a show in the late 80's I think with them and T Lavitz at Copperfields in Syracuse. (wow, had to think hard to remember that place!)
    Aerial View was my favorite from them. They were everything I love in jazz/fusion.
    RIP Ted
    JG

    "MARKLAR!"

  10. #10
    From prog archives

    pr
    Gamalon biography
    GAMALON started in Buffalo, New York during the 1960's, when drummer Ted Reinhardt and guitarist Bruce Brucato began playing music together at age 12. By the 70's they were joined by Ted's brother Tom and Rick McGirr to form Rodan, a prog-rock gem of the local music scene. During the Buffalo stop of their first tour of the USA in 1973, GENESIS were quite taken by their opening act, as Rodan was already covering their music at a time when GENESIS had not yet taken off in the States.

    Rodan folded as the members morphed into GAMALON during the mid 80's, adding George Puleo on lead guitar and Tom Schuman on piano. They joined forces with saxophonist Ernie Watts in 1989. Geoffrey Fitzhugh Perry played violin on one album. Tony Scozzaro replaced George Puleo for several years and in the summer of 2004, Nori Bucci stepped in to take his place.

    Their self-titled debut in 1987 was one of the finest examples of jazz rock fusion. "Project: Activation Earth" with Ernie Watts followed in 1989. "Aerial View" appeared in 1990, quickly followed by "High Contrast" in 1991. Their latest studio album was 1996's "Held To The Light", their most mature work to date.

  11. #11
    Actually the band was called Rodan and not Rush. They opened for Gentle Giant at the Century Theatre.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by HenryCow View Post
    Actually the band was called Rodan and not Rush. They opened for Gentle Giant at the Century Theatre.
    Nope Rush.

    genrush73tixS.jpg


  13. #13
    Member adap2it's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Ontario Canada
    Posts
    1,211
    It's so sad that Ted has passed away. Not a well known figure on this list, however, he is a prog icon in my world. He was such an amazing drummer who's idol was John Weathers of Gentle Giant. Ted loved prog music and every aspect that the genre represented whether jazz or rock related. His stint with Maelstrom Percussion Ensemble was extra rewarding for me...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55RmAfZcmWQ. Regardless if it was blues with Willy & the Reinhardts or jazz fusion with Spyro Gyra and Gamelon, Ted was always the man. I'm gonna miss him.
    Dave Sr.

    I prefer Nature to Human Nature

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by firth5th View Post
    I posted tho sin the OT forum:

    Ted Reinhardt was a fine drummer in a number of progressive rock and jazz fusion bands. He was killed in a plane crash in Virginia today.


    http://www.buffalonews.com/city-regi...crash-20150304



    He was in a band called "Rush" (no not that Rush) in the early 70s, and opened up for Genesis in Buffalo in 1973. They did some covers of Gentle Giant and Genesis. The guys from Genesis were shocked a band in America was covering their music. I once talked to Reinhardt who said he got a call from Genesis management in 1977 when they were looking for a tour drummer, but it never got as far as an audition.
    Wow. Huge loss. His name popped up sometimes in jazz-fusion circles. Didn't know he was still doing his thing.


    That explains that Rush/Genesis ticket stub picture that keeps making the rounds attempting to prove that Rush (Lee, Lifeson and Rutsey) and Genesis played on the same bill.

  15. #15

  16. #16
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    near Berkeley, Ca.
    Posts
    1,194
    Thanks for the Rodan YouTube post. Sounds great.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by rapidfirerob View Post
    Thanks for the Rodan YouTube post. Sounds great.
    Not sure what year that was recorded, but the set list includes return to forever, gentle giant, Genesis, M. Orchestra, and King Crimson.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by firth5th View Post
    Not sure what year that was recorded, but the set list includes return to forever, gentle giant, Genesis, M. Orchestra, and King Crimson.
    "Tarkus" too

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •