Bill Reinhardt
William Julius Theodore Reinhardt was an American clarinetist, bandleader and the owner of Jazz, Ltd.—the first Jazz club run by a musician in Chicago and one of the longest running Dixieland jazz clubs in the country. He also played tenor saxophone, French horn and sang.
Unlike many of the famous jazz musicians that Bill employed in his band, he did not seek fame; he was content with the great success of his nightclub. However, by the 1960s his band did appear on two TV programs.
Family
Bill was born on West Garfield Ave. on the south side of Chicago to William C. Reinhardt and Viola Reinhardt, both of German descent. Bill Reinhardt had a younger sister, Virginia Reinhardt, born 1912. She married Chet Roble, a TV actor, musician and one time member of Bill Reinhardt's band.Early career
Bill learned jazz music first by studying it from age nine to 18 then by traveling extensively with various bands for 16 years until joining the Navy in 1942. He heard and met many famous musicians and attended many popular nightclubs. This provided him with the contacts and resources he needed to form his own band and establish his own nightclub. In the 1920s Joe Marsala inspired Bill to play clarinet as his main instrument.He played the French horn while attending Lake View High School in Chicago. On weekend nights he followed Johnny Dodds at Kelly's Stables and Jimmy Noone at the El Rado Cafe on the south side. He attended the University of Illinois for a year. There he met Miles Rinker, brother of a member of Paul Whiteman's The Rhythm Boys. Miles got Bill into the college concert band, Louis Schwab and his Illini Orioles under bandmaster Austin Harding.
First road tour and nightclub
During summer vacation, Louis contacted King Richards and Bill took his first road trip to Wisconsin and Indiana. Fred Dexter, a music scout and musician at the Wisconsin Roof Gardens club, heard Bill play and hired him for his band. He played at a resort pavilion in Hudson Lake, Indiana. Bill was impressed with Dexter's fast band, whose musicians went on to good things. Dale McMickle, the trumpet player, was first trumpet with Glenn Miller. Alex Palocsay, the trombone player, was with Fred Waring. Bob White, the drummer, was with Freddy Martin for about twelve years. Fred Dexter's band went on the road to Wisconsin, Illinois, and then Buffalo, New York, to play a Christmas season at a ballroom. Bill Reinhardt was "flabbergasted" upon seeing the inside of his first nightclub: The Everglades with show girls, at 48th and Broadway streets in New York City early in 1928. Walter Winchell and many celebrities frequented the club. Benny Goodman heard Dexter's band play.Introduction to jazz
He was introduced to jazz while living in an apartment building at 130 West 47th Street and he heard Jack Teagarden for the first time. He also heard his first McKenzie-Condons and Bix Beiderbecke records. Cass Hagan bought the band from Fred Dexter and Bill toured with them on college dates which included the Pelham Heath Inn in New York; it was run by the mob. The band broke up in the fall of 1928 and Bill stopped playing the French horn. He then went on a New England vaudeville tour with Freddie Rich. Bill then worked for Paul Specht at a club on Broadway.Upon returning to Chicago, he worked for Sol Wagner at The Frolics from the spring of 1929 until the stock market crashed in the fall. About this time Bill did a recording in an old Brunswick studio on South Wabash Avenue with Wingy Manone on trumpet, Jack Gardner on piano and Floyd Hinkley on saxophone. He then played at a chop suey house near Evanston with Floyd Hinkley and Art Hodes playing piano.
Roadhouses and band management
In about 1931 Bill worked at The Farm roadhouse in Valhalla, New York. He worked with Theo Kuriss, Ernie Harris, Sol Pace, Bob Cusumano and Harlow Atwood. In the summer or fall of 1932 Bill worked with Bill Whelpley's band at The Log Cabin roadhouse in Armonk, New York. The band members were: Bill Whelpley, George Blum, Ernie Harris, Bill King, Chubby Landis, Stewie Anderson and Harlow Atwood. In 1934 Bill played Alto Sax for Benny Goodman.By 1935 Bill worked as a favor for a friend at "The Village Grove Nut Club" with Frank Orchard and at the "Westchester Biltmore Country Club", where he had a dance band.
While in New Rochelle in 1939, Bill collaborated with the owners of The Ship Ahoy and assembled a small jazz band that people enjoyed. Johnny Strouse played drums and Tabby Haverfield played piano. One day a photographer, Emery Clarke, stopped in and asked to take a few pictures of Bill playing different instruments for the Saturday Evening Post. Bill obliged and was featured on the cover of the April 15, 1939 issue.
Bill traveled again, this time to Florida, to play Albert Bouchè's Villa Venice nightclub, and while performing there Bill met burlesque dancer, Sally Rand. They formed a serious relationship but drummer Danny Alvin talked the two out of marriage. In 1930 Sally encouraged Bill to travel to New York when he had already considered training under renowned sax teacher, Merle Johnston, who was based there.
Inspiration for Jazz, Ltd.
From 1939 to 1940 Bill consulted Nick Rongetti in afternoons to learn how to operate a nightclub. Bill did Monday night sessions at Nick's nightclub in New York City for about two months. The band members were: George Stacey, trumpet, Frank Orchard, trombone; Gene Schroeder, piano; Danny Alvin, drums. In 1941 Bill played at the Crystal Café and Club 18.In the early 1940s Bill played with Frank Orchard, Bobby Hackett, Max Kaminsky, Wingy Manone and Joe Marsala. Bill met his future wife, Ruth Sato, at the Forbidden City oriental nightclub on 58th Street in New York when they both were performing there. They married in June 1942. Bill enlisted in the Navy in Norfolk, Virginia, doing boot training with the Ninth Seabee battalion and was discharged in Sep., 1945.