The history of Reggie Boyce’s Jazz Effects began circa 1987, when the group was known as the Bat Gordon Quartet. Bat Gordon was the saxophonist and leader. Around July of 1990 Bat appointed trumpet player Reggie Boyce as a substitute trumpeter while he was on a vacation trip to New York.

Several years went by and Bat never returned. Bass player Jimmy Maxwell took over the group and the name was changed to the Jimmy Maxwell Quartet. During those years many talented musicians were a part of the group. In 1991 Ricky Staple became the replacement drummer for Harold Berry, better known as Zaggy. Alberto Philips replaced maestro Art Fisher on Piano. The only original member of the Bat Gordon group was Jimmy Maxwell.

During this time the band was playing at Las Bovedas in Casco Viejo. In 1992 jazz singer Barbara Wilson would stop by to sing with the group. The French restaurant owner liked her and decided to hire her. She then became a permanent part of the group, now known as The Jimmy Maxwell Quartet with Barbara Wilson. In 1996 a close friend of Jimmy’s suggested the band could do better by leaving Las Bovedas and move to the Caesar Park Hotel. The band struggled with the decision of whether to leave a comfortable well known venue for an unknown one. Jimmy decided to make the change. The group supported the decision and they moved. At a new venue and with a permanent singer it was suggested the band needed a new name. Each member was asked to come up with a name. Reggie was the only one who had a name. They all like it and it was adopted. And, of March 1^st of 1997, Jimmy Maxwell turned the leadership of the group over to Reggie Boyce. And the band was now called JAZZ EFFECTS.

Jazz Effects has performed in the most popular venues in Panama and Colon: El Centro de Convenciones ATLAPA, El Teatro Balboa, Hotel Caesar Park (now the Sheraton), Restaurante Las Bovedas, Hotel Intercontinental Miramar, Hotel Bristol, Hotel Intercontinental Playa Bonita, Club Union, Teatro Nacional, and other major locations in Panama and Colon. The band frequently plays for private functions; weddings, parties, birthdays and other festive events.

The band recorded an album on CD in 1998 with vocalist Barbara Wilson and again, another CD in 2005 with vocalist Idania Dowman. This second CD was entirely composed by Pianist Alberto Philips. The group was invited by the Danilo Perez Foundation to play in three of the four Panama Jazz Festivals.

March 1, 2007 marked the band’s ten year anniversary and the group celebrated with a gala at the Crown Casino on Via Espana in Panama City. Helping Reggie with the celebration was Carlos Garnett and his quintet.

Currently the band plays on Thursdays and Friday nights at the Crown Casino at the Sheraton Hotel, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight.

Repertoire includes: Jazz standards, blues, Dixieland, funk, Latin jazz, boleros and salsa.

Band members:

Reggie Boyce             Flugelhorn, trumpet, vocals, leader
Alberto Philips            Piano
Idania Dowman           Vocalist
Danny Clovis              Drums
Antonio Jamerson       Bass