Foster Adolph Reynolds

Foster Adolph Reynolds (born December 29, 1884 in Chicago ; † July 18, 1960 ) was an American instrument maker and was instrumental in the development of American brass instruments and well-known companies in the United States.

Reynolds joined the JW York and Sons Company in Grand Rapids , Michigan in 1903 . He then moved to the HN White Company in Cleveland , Ohio . Here he worked on improving wind instruments and became Works Manager and later General Manager and Vice President of the company.

In 1936 he founded the FA Reynolds Company . The company became known as a manufacturer of sousaphones , horns, and tenor and bass trombones and became the main supplier of these instruments to the American army during World War II. In 1939 he was involved in the development of the Martin Committee trumpet , which was particularly popular in jazz music from the 1940s to 1960s and was played by Miles Davis , Chet Baker , Dizzy Gillespie and Maynard Ferguson .

In 1946 he retired from his company, but was brought to the Chicago Musical Instrument Co. the following year . In the early 1950s he came to FE Olds Co. where he worked with the trumpeter Rafael Mendéz on further improvements to the trumpet ( Olds-Mendéz trumpet ) and the cornet .