Artist Spotlight
Mekiel Reuben M
Saxophonist
ekiel Reuben Musician, Compos-
St. Croix with jazz woodwinds player James
Chicago born native, Mekiel be-
Duke Ellington Orchestra. Mekiel says, “I used
er, Producer, Recording Artist The
came interested in music at the early age of eight when his mom gave him a guitar for
Christmas. At the age of 15 he began studying music and woodwinds under Louis Gray, Crane High School band director. His first
performance was at the high school graduation. At this time, he says he was being
greatly influenced by Grover Washington Jr., The Crusaders, Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder. At the age of 18 he moved to the Caribbean where he continued to pursue
his musical career. He studied privately in
(Jimmy) Hamilton, a 27-year veteran of the to watch Hamilton perform from the back
of the restaurant where I worked” (Guthries
Holger Danske Hotel). They became buddies and he began taking sax lesson. Hamilton
taught him the “Art of Reservation” how to
enhance his playing style; he said you don’t have to play a lot of notes to get your point across. Mekiel also studied jazz with Benny Jacob El, a graduate of Juilliard School of Music. While living in St. Croix, he learned
calypso, reggae, and other Latin and Carib-
bean rhythms. After several years of working and playing with several theatrical/dance
companies in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Mekiel returned to the United States following his
dream of becoming a recording artist, and resided in Los Angeles, California. He con-
tinued his music studies with the legendary saxophonist Bill Greene (improvisation lessons).
He also studied music and marketing at Los Angeles City College and West Los Angeles
City College. From 1986-1994 he worked with local Reggae backup bands in the Los An-
geles area and worked with artists such as,
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