 In May 1986, at Colburn School, Reed met Wynton Marsalis, an encounter that would greatly aid his career.At age 18, during a year of college at California State University, Northridge, Reed briefly toured with Marsalis.He joined Marsalis's septet a year later, and worked with him from 1990 to 1991 (in 1991–1992 he worked with Joe Henderson and Freddie Hubbard), and again from 1992 to 1995.