THREE VIDEOS WITHIN TWO WEEKS, BEST THING EVER

Hey Bob, I can relate. I self funded a studio album a few years ago. 8 originals, 2 covers, aiming at the commercial jazz/pop audience. You're right, it's very expensive and I too was the weakest player. But hoping one original would get some traction. A year after "release" a radio station in Switzerland asked for physical copies. Never heard from them again. LOL. Like you it became my audio business card and maybe I sell a few CDs at a gig. But who has CD players anymore? However, it is on the streaming services. So for me, financial failure. BUT I learned so much in the process. So in the end, money well spent. Finally, seeing your kids in the vlogs is so heartwarming. They are KZfaq stars and don't know it. Have a great tour.

Enjoyed the video and enjoyed the EP, thanks for sharing man! Salutations from astonishingly mild and weirdly back to normal Ireland! ☘☮🤘🏽🤠👍🏽☮☘

Bob, I had the opportunity to meet you while you were touring Europe in 2018. Then a year later I went to another concert and I had another chance to talk to you. You are not just a remarkable musician but also an incredible human being. Thanks for having shared those talks with me. Greetings from Ecuador, I hope you will tour around south America soon.

Boston 2000, I love it Bob...

Excellent message, Bob. It’s your thing, not their thing. And remember, if they say it can’t be done, it only means it can’t be done with them.

Loved this Bob. And love that the vlog is back for now at least. Hope the trend continues.

I always love when you go into the albums you grew up with, because we're about the same age, so we had all the same albums (Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, etc.). Takes me back! Maybe it's nostalgia talking, but I miss the old days where jazz musicians got big record deals.

Can't wait for perfect is still one of my favorite albums

Hey, Blue Note - get a clue!! Boston 2000 is hot!! So glad you put this up, Bob. I love the take on "What's New" - I can hear Helen Merrill singing. It should be on the shelf with all your "favorite" CDs! Gonna check out your others.

Thanks for your hard work for Us, regards

I've always admired your lack of ego and yet outstanding virtuosity, Mr R. This is a wonderful slice-of-life story. Honest as no one else is. Its great to be able to buy high quality FLAC files of your stuff on Bandcamp - strange you didn't mention that platform. Confession time. I'm no jazz fan. To me, it sounds like a set piece for some Paris music college exam, trying to play the most notes using all the sax keys with little regard for melody, trying hard (too hard) to sound like some drunk or stoned guy who died a long time ago. Not sure how wise a move it is looking back. The South African jazz pianist Abdullah Ibrahim summed it up with a personal story. He was playing in a club one night and this young guy came up to him between sets, told him how big a fan he was and how he knew every piece of his. He asked if he'd let him play one of Ibrahim's songs for the great man. The guy sat down to play - but Ibrahim just went into the bar and grabbed a drink. One of his band asked him why he hadn't stayed to hear the kid. He said, " He may know all the notes I play, but he'll never know why I play them. He's just been wasting his time and losing his own individuality". That defines the majority of jazz players - an obsession with someone else's art - the art of second best over self. Like copying a Monet or a Picasso. But I do love great innovative, passionate, melodic sax. Like Can't Wait For Perfect from Guitar Band. Because it's Bob Reynolds playing as Bob Reynolds and no one else.

Thank you for this video Bob! Just what I needed. This past year has been more rejection than I've ever had before. After feeling like I've made some real tangible progress the past couple of years I applied for a brand endorsement and for a Master of Music. Failed at both... After feeling a bit worthless I'm back into it now. Excited to play music with my band this weekend and keep pushing ahead!

OMG, Boston 2000 is a veritable Treasure as are you Bob. Thank you for sharing this story and album etc. SUPERB

ALWAYS INSPIRATIONAL!! THANKS BOB!!🎵🎵🎵

Such a good reminder!! Going to listen to Boston 2000 today. Also hilarious cut at the end😂

Sax + Pedal Board = Sax Revival 💥 ... The Creative Pallete and the colours of the instrument would increase enormously ...

Really loved the album! I dig the Fresh-outta-school-drive you went in with recording it (at least that’s my perception of it) And you played your ass off at 22! So inspiring to hear

Years ago, i'd think this was crazy!! Because Bob is so worthy.. But times have changed and so has the business.. He's still the best.

Been listening to the album this past week on repeat. Every tune is outstanding. Love you Bob, you’re a huge inspiration for me as I start college as a music major

1:21 setup for the fairy tale ending, gotta love it! Your vlogs are always a mega inspiration for a wannabe sax player like me 4:53, please keep it going Bob. Takeaway today is 'Never stop believing'.

Bob, thanks for this. It’s kinda mind boggling to me that not one label picked up CWFP, that record is so jaw dropping. My journeys similar but different, I built my own makeshift home recording studio in my house, and have poured a lot of money doing that but it’s been a huge learning experience for me, and that makes spending all that money worth it. There are a lot of really successful independent jazz artists, so keep doing your thing. I’m glad the vlog is back!

I went to Berklee at the same time. I went to every recital that had you and Kendrick, Esperanza, Ziv, Jaleel etc…it was very exciting to be around that. Despite the rejections mentioned here, those earlier days inspired a lot of people.

Loving Boston 2000 and interesting to hear about your journey regarding record deals. I would say with your online presence and audiences around the world you have grown past that point where the record deal is "the ticket". Loving your stuff, please come and play at Fasching in Stockholm sometime. All the best

Amazing story, thank you! I’m listening to Boston 2000 right now:)

Hey Bob, I don’t really care what others think of your music but your albums are ones that ALWAYS come to my mind when I got asked to name some good songs. Those are albums that ALWAYS surprise people who had never heard of your music before I actually showed it to them. All those music producers don’t realize what they’re missing. Thanks for all the things you’ve done and for everything you’re still doing.

Thanks man, enjoyed hearing your experiences

This is awesome. thanks for the video and publishing this record on streaming!

fun story, hope for more story's like this. Love your playing, hope te see somewhere in Holland in the up coming tour.

This EP is excellent!! Kudos to you Bob and thanks for sharing with us!

Keep inspiring Bob!

Bob, I really enjoy your videos! This particular video reminded me that you were at Berklee the same time I was in music school (not Berklee). I was wondering if you remember going to a jazz jam session in Lowell around that time? There wasn't alot going on outside of Boston except maybe the Acton Jazz Cafe. This would have probably been between 95 and 97. I ran a jam at a little Irish bar and I remember a guy who looked a lot like you who came one night, from Berklee, who just killed! All of your videos have been very inspirational!

This is very empowering man, thank you so much Bob!

Nice backstory. I saw this new album pop up on the stream service , and wondered where it came from. Good stuff :)

Hi Bob, for me and a lot of my friends in Germany, you definitely did not fail at all. We met 2 years ago in Stuttgart in the Bix Jazz Club to see you finally live after watching your vlogs, shook hands and had a small conversation 🙂🙏. I personally started playing Sax beginning of 2020 and you've always been a great inspiration. I really like your very special sound and I appreciate your warm hearted way to speak to people. This is a real gift, that not every artist has, who released tons of records at blue note. My friends and myself are looking forward to meeting you in Tübingen in October. Take care. 🖖

You‘re a really great story teller!

This album cover is so gorgeous !

That is a SICKKK album cover. I would honestly buy it as a print and put it up on my wall. Also wanna say you are one of my favourite KZfaqrs across all genres, and I'm Gen Z so I watch a LOT of KZfaq: fashion, home decor, lifestyle vlogs, music analysis, you name it. I watch nearly every video you put out!

I've worked in and around the music biz since the 60's. Worked for and friends if big names and everyone in between. I'd say few people are the named artist making albums and some are the great players who are on those records, they are in the touring bands and they people that are always working and probably financially doing better in the long run. I say it boils down to personality some are the front person, not only in how they play or sing, but in their focus and what they put their energy into.

This was very encouraging! Just what I needed this morning

Can’t wait to check out your new old album!

Thanks Bob, this video really helped me find my path. I have pretty much idolised you since I heard your solo in Bad Kids To The Back when it came out. So again, that's for showing that everyone gets this sort of rejection.

Love Boston 2000. Great playing/writing and stellar musicianship.

Listening on Spotify now. Love it man, you're a legend!

👌🙏Grateful for this story. It’s unbelievable what you experienced on your way to a possible record deal 🙃. The music you make with your band and the videos are just awesome 👏😁. Will check out Boston 2000 and also take the advice to just keep going in building up my own coaching business and keep going to the next tiny next step ….one at a time. See or hear you live in Munich 10/22 🎷🎷!

You're the best Bob!

Thanks for that!

Thank you Bob, really needed to hear this. I got an album (78m) recorded in one of the best studios in Europe (Bauer Studios in Germany). 2 years of daily hard work. 20k € + of cost. Covid hit 2 months after the recordings. Still cannot find a record deal (been really close 3 times)

It's ok Bob, record labels aren't for everyone, and Blue Note is not for you. I respect the A& R person for being honest and straight forward with you! There are many great European "Boutique" labels, I'm sure one of them would like you.Hey, you make great videos!

I'm listening to Hidden Agenda as I write this. I have two words for you: Hell yeah! The goal is always great music, which hopefully moves the listener. You definitely achieved that goal all the way back in 2000. It is a privilege to follow your career and to see you be great in 2000 and yet still continue to make strides. Your work on latest Snarky stuff shows evolution, which is the hallmark of all great artists.

Love your videos and your music even more :)

Your videos are inspiring, sir!

You're lucky Bob! Your old stuff is great! My old recordings still have major mistakes to being put out 😭🤣

Listening now on Spotify. Thanks for sharing. Hey, I'm in Sydney Australia. Eric Alexander is coming down under in the next week. How about you you? Wanna head on downunder?? 🙂

Bob please come to Argentina

LOL, Bob you are such a source of inspiration in so many ways, and you do it with such humility and humor at the same time. Of course you can do whatever the you want, it IS your label! I am heading over to listen to your Boston 2000 Deep Cuts for a listen! Seriously, thank you for such amazing playing, as you motivate me to play my saxes better than ever before!

A surprise recording drop by Bob Reynolds!? Today could not possibly get any better. Thank you for sharing this and what a band! I can't wait to check it out. Side note -- when did your son get so BIG!?

I met you at the Baked potato on December 2nd 2021! Amazing show 👌🏻 There’s a jazz club in Austin Texas called “Monks” you should come! 🙏🏻

1:08 Jacob Mann sticker spotted

Wow, that’s the kind of music I can’t not listen to; can’t say the same for many of the label darling recordings. Yet another example of artist research and development in the hands of children. Your mistake is obvious though, you didn’t stand on your head or light yourself on fire while performing. Thanks for sharing.

One of the nicest letters I ever received about my writing was a rejection from The New Yorker: "We're unable to publish your work at this time, despite its very obvious merits." Very classy to the point that it actually made you feel better about being a creator.

Thank you Bob for the story. I would be curious about your experience with JALC. I you ever feel inclined to share I'm sure it would be interesting.

BTW. Hope all other parts of your life are going well! The only thing I might know is a college Instructor Acquaintance was looking for players. Dana Wheaton Orange Coast College..not even 100% ..Thanks again for just your Shout out video!

Hey Bob! Been a fan of the channel for a while, since the early vlog days. This video hit particularly close to home for me, and was one of many catalysts for my decision to finish my first album as a bandleader (which releases a month) after having sat on the tracks for over a year. I remember battling the feeling of needing "permission", particularly fueled by discouraging words from a mentor of mine when the project was in the brainstorm stage. This hung over my head throughout the project's development and yielded a paralyzing degree of cognitive dissonance, since I was also incredibly excited by the tracks and proud of my group's performance in the studio. Glad to say that, albeit after many months of waiting, second-guessing, and consulting a variety of peers, I found the courage to move forward. I found myself revisiting this video often during the mixing/mastering stages of the record, and it brought encouragement and positivity each time. Thank you as always for the wonderfully humble and honest content; your influence is greatly valued!

Be the record label , this way 100 percent is yours , be in control of your career and you can release music at anytime.

I would love too see a video about how you book for gigs when you first started off!!

Great video, Bob! I had a stack of rejection letters too from around that same time. I was trying to hit the more contemporary labels and heard over and over that my style was not smooth enough. 🤣 So, I have 2 self-funded CDs, but back then, I actually made a pretty good profit off of them because people were buying CDs. Not sure what the payoff would be these days.

Bob, hey my son is in the business and I have learned the A&R's today pay a lot of attention to TikTok. Not easy for a Jazz guy as I am myself. Maybe post content from SP?

I have the feeling that 80% of all records sold are by the very same musicians right after the gig. There is no good concert I attend that I do not end up buying the CD. PD. I have worshiped the very same five first CDs you have shown here. Hope to see you back in Spain... on a stage with a high roof, if you know what I mean...😬

Also, you’re lucky that people want to listen to you

I know this isn’t the point, but just an aside … that is a really great album cover.

Thanks for sharing and mentioning the EU tour. I just booked tickets to the Wageningen (NL) show. Looking forward to seeing you there! Interesting you bring your own delay pedal on tour. You're not relying on the sound engineer to add the appropriate effect to match the room and song?

Maybe it is a better deal to create an own great label instead asking the outdated labels. You have the pretequisites for this. Definately. Maybe there was also the question why the great but outdated labels didn't recognized your mastery😎🎷

So glad I have your failures in my CD stack, now if I just had a CD player…!!!

Its not on Tidal :(

dude it sounds phenomenal. I guess this proves you can't wait for perfect? 😂

So when you FINALLY come to Denmark/Sweden, I'm in New York ... And I've even been on contact with your tour organizer trying to convince them to get you over here. The irony!

Can you say approximately how much I would spend to record a jazz album these days?

500+ songs, 18 self released CD's. No record deal. Ever. Do it anyway.

We'll never know how school was

What’re the odds we start getting your records on actual vinyl? Asking for a friend…

What is that tapestry on your right when you’re on the couch? I think I’m failing a Rorschach test here.

Do people still try and get "record deals" I might be 56, but I embraced the new ways of being your own record deal.

Is the bald dude behind you in the photo at 2:30 Dave Champagne???

Asking for not-a-friend, would you keep going after 100 or so rejections? Because I think I'm about to verily happily take an extended break. Not doing the sob story thing, not asking for sympathy, but like being honest. At this point I've been releasing music independently for over a decade, and I'm thinking it's time to step back from releasing for the time being. Still going to write, still going to record, still going to make art that I think is meaningful and worthwhile, but I can't put my whole being into something over a multi-year period for a hundred or so views. It's out of self-care that I don't that anymore. My email address is a wasteland of 100s of emails to venues, labels, managers, and it's clearly time for a change of tact. Sometimes, not just sticking at it is OK. I know I can't keep banging my head against this particular wall when the universe has never given me anything back in ten whole years.

Lol a record deal is something I have never chased. We’re going after views now 😂

Rejecting Bob THREE TIMES (times however many labels you shopped these projects around to)?!?!?!?!?! Even more proof that major record labels are dumb. Keep being your awesome self, good sir.

If you want a record deal all you gotta do is sell your soul. Not recommended.

What's the deal with the "Text via Telegram" scams? I'm seeing them on MANY KZfaq channels and wondering if the channel owners are aware it's happening. Just look below at some responses.. they even use your photo to make it look like you're giving away a prize!