The District’s jazz scene is known for, if anything, the soulful players that develop within it. There is a certain groove to the D.C. sound that has developed through a combination of highly trained musicians, a rich legacy, and a community that has seen its fair share of ups and downs. These performers share a deep commitment to craft and to the integrity of live performance.

Trombonist Reginald Cyntje (pronounced sin-chee) is one of the many young area musicians who personify this ethos. Not only is he a fine horn player and composer, but his desire to spread the word of live jazz has led him to organize a series of free monthly concerts this year in order to bring jazz to the community-at-large.

“The thing that makes live music special is the connection between the audience and the performer,” Cyntje said. “You cannot recreate that with any technology.”

Cyntje’s musical journey begain on the island of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, where at age 12 he began studying music and eventually chose the trombone as his main vehicle for expression. His experiences in St. Thomas led him to studies at the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts, and later to Boston’s Berklee College of Music.

Since arriving in D.C., Cyntje has become a regular in the local jazz scene and a first-call trombonist for many of the area’s finest jazz musicians. In addition to steady work as a leader, Cyntje has played as a sideman with the likes of Todd Marcus, Thad Wilson, Nasar Abadey, and others. He has also backed national touring acts as they come through town and as if he needed even more to keep him busy, his upbringing and experience in the Virgin Islands has led to work with calypso, reggae, and other African influenced ensembles. This wealth of experience and commitment to local jazz made Cyntje an obvious choice for this month’s Three Stars feature.