About Rheuben Allen Woodwind Designer, Repairman, Photographer, Movie Producer
*1956 Started playing the clarinet
*1963 Graduated from High School in Lawton Oklahoma
*1963 Attended the Navy School of Music Army Element in Washing DC.. was there when President Kennedy was shot…. One of the last soldiers at the gate to Arlington when the President was buried…
*1963 – 1966 25th Infantry Band Scofield Barracks Hawaii…….
(not bad if you got to be in the Army!)
*1966 – 1972 Traveled as a musician around the US playing in Rock bands.
*1972 – 1977 Had a repair shop in Denton Texas next to North Texas State University. Co-authored a saxophone book entitled “High Notes for the Saxophone” with Dan Higgins.
*1977 Moved to Los Angeles California and opened a Saxophone Repair Shop called the Sax Shop. His repair clients over the years included many of the world’s most famous saxophones. Kenny G, Dave Koz, Dan Higgins, Gary Foster, “Doc” Kupka form Tower of Power, John Klemmer, Lee Konitz, Jack Nimitz, Lanny Morgan, Med Flory, Tom Scott, Michael Brecker, Leo Potts, Gerald Albright, Eddie Harris, Wilt Chamberlain (Tenor sax),
Tommy Newsom, Eric Marienthal, Bobby Shew (Tenor), Dave Leibmen, James Moody, Benny Golson, Lennie Niehaus, Clint Eastwood, Phyllis Diller (soprano sax) to mention a few..
*1999 – Designed the Inter-Change-a-Bore Clarinet Barrel System with Bob Malone. Rheuben along with Bob Malone developed and designed the Inter-Change-A-Bore clarinet barrel. It’s unique design and use of bronze in the barrel bore gives it the fastest response of any clarinet barrel on the market. The barrel has a very balanced tone color and great intonation.
*1995 – Gave lectures on repair and design at several universities including Cal State Long Beach for saxophonist and teacher Leo Potts.
*1997 – 1998 Taught Woodwind and brass repair for the US Air Force to Air Force Band Repairmen.
*1983 – Formed the Hollywood Clarinet Quartet and performed at the Flagstaff International Clarinet convention as YAMAHA Artist. Other members of the Quartet includes Lee callet, Don Markese and Bev Dahlke. The group recorded one CD titled “On the Cool Side”.
*1992 – 1996 Produced several low budget action-adventure movies with his company Allen-Kizziah Entertainment. “Run for the Border” being the most successful.
*Set up movie production company “100 Point Films” with his friend Wilt Chamberlain. Wilt died early and the company was discontinued.
*Provided instruments and sidelined in “Lush Life” starting Jeff Goldblum and Forest Whittaker. Rheuben and the Sax Shop received name credit at the end of the movie. Rheuben is also in the movie playing baritone in a recording session….
*As a photographer Mr. Allen took the photos for the Bobby Shew and Alan Goodman posters for YAMAHA. He has also done many CD covers and has a line of posters and greeting cards he has taken.
*Since 2005 Rheuben has traveled back and forth between the US, Mainland China and Taiwan to develop new saxophone models. Moved to mainland China to learn about instrument manufacturing…. Lived there for 3 years fulltime… Including the Kenny G Saxophones, the Rheuben Allen® Saxophones, ZephyrWinds® Brass, Paris Master Model® Clarinets, AV Prestige® Clarinets and many more instruments.
*2010 moved back to the US after suffering a major heath attack… had quadruple bypass at the VA in Los Angeles… took about 2 years to recover and get back to work….
*2012 until 2020 Opened a warehouse in Torrance California where he did repair and distributed his woodwind products….
*2021 closed the warehouse in Torrance and moved to Muncie, Indiana and set up a new corporation Rheuben Allen Enterprises, Inc.
*Currently relaxing and working on woodwinds and his new passion creating T-Shirts www.rheubensapparel.com
*Current projects include:
The design and manufacturing of new woodwinds & accessories. The new Rheuben Allen Sliding Weight neck for Alto and Tenor saxophones. US Patent .. Does not stop the Chinese from coping the neck and selling in on eBay….. Got to love ebay!… The Rheuben Allen Plateau Clarinet for young students.
Rheuben has also formed the New Hollywood Clarinet Quartet with David Stanton, Mike Vaccaro and Greg Huckins (Bass Clarinet) also featuring Geoff Nudell (Bass Clarinet and of course B-flat Clarinet) as the player who plays any part we need him to….
Our good friend David Stanton died from his battle with Cancer and he will be missed. He was a great musical inspiration to me… also a very good clarinet player…..
David chair was taken by Joe Nazzaretta who has done an outstanding job……
Rheuben’s Products can be seen on www.rheubenallen.com, www.rheubenssaxshop.com, www.kennygsaxophones.com, www.rheubensapparel.com