Fresh on the heels of legendary Teaneck bassist Rufus Reid, 80, receiving the Wharton Arts Lifetime Achievement Award (see 2/29/24 news section), he’s shown up on the new Nick Finzer album, ‘Legacy: A Centennial Celebration of JJ Johnson’ on the Outside In Music label, released April 5.

Jazz Giant Rufus Reid, 80, of Teaneck, not only helped build the Jazz Studies program at William Paterson University (WPU) in Wayne into one of the most renowned jazz education programs in the world, but was the go-to bassist/composer in the bands of other legends: from trombonist JJ Johnson and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz to pianist Kenny Barron and trumpeter Art Farmer.

Bassist-Composer-Arranger-Educator-Author Rufus Reid, 79, of Teaneck in Bergen County, is the bassist on a new album called ‘Being’ by pianist-composer Chris Rottmayer with Russ Johnson on trumpet/flugelhorn and drummer Matt Endres. It’s a tribute of sorts to pianist Mulgrew Miller [1955-2013] who taught at William Paterson University in Wayne (Passaic County