Born: May 14, 1958 Primary Instrument: Percussion
Randy was born in Great Falls, Montana. He studied piano starting at age 4 and guitar starting at age 8. At age 10 he began study of the drums. Randy began playing music professionally (mostly rock and some country) with local groups at age 13. At age 20, he began to study mallet percussion, in particular the vibraphone, which has now become the main staple of Randy's professional life as a musician.
In 1985, Randy relocated to Trenton NJ, then to the Philadelphia area in 1989. He was a regular member of Bill Hollis’s quartet and soon began working regularly and recording with the Barry Sames Jazz Ensemble. Randy was a regular member of the late pianist Eddie Green’s group and was featured on Eddie’s last CD, “Shades of Green”. He has also played and recorded with Walter Bell and the Latin Jazz Unit. Recent work has focused The Birdhouse Project, a trio with Jim Miller and Tyrone Brown, performing the compositions of Charlie Parker. Randy is also featured on Jim Miller's newest album “It's Another” playing marimba.
Over the last 15 years, Randy has been continued playing as a regular member of the Barry Sames Jazz Ensemble, which does jazz arrangements of Christian music. He is featured as a soloist on both of Barry Sames' recordings, “Awaiting the Spirit” and “Celebration”. This association with playing jazz for spiritual purposes and a desire to do a project with his wife, Marianne, who is an experienced yogi, led to his latest musical endeavor.
In 2007, after 25 years of marriage and two full grown kids, they have released a CD called “Meditations for Percussion and Flute”. It is a suite of compositions based on yoga practice blending a mixture of styles, but always falling back to jazz as its core. It marks the beginning of a musical experiment Randy and Marianne are calling Balanced American Music, hence the name of the label they have created for it.
Randy's most current project is with The Tyrone Brown String Ensemble. Randy is featured on both of their 2008 releases, “The Magic Within” and “Moon of the Falling Leaves”.
”...performance-driven pieces with spiritual inflections. These clearly beautiful beings have the right intentions... the production is clearly well-thought-out...” --LA Yoga Magazine 7/07
”We are honored by their tribute to Omega,” --Carla Goldstein, Director of External Affairs, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, 7/19/07
Awaiting the Spirit
Barry Sames
Intrigue
1998
Tracks: Great is Thy Faithfulness, Awaiting the Spirit, Blessed Assurance
Celebrate
Barry Sames
Intrigue
2003
Tracks: O Come Emmanuel,Away in the Manger,Tender Time of Year,Go Tell It on the Mountain
Shades of Green
Eddie Green
Dreambox Media
2004
Tracks: All tracks
Live In Sedona
Walter Bell and the Latin Jazz Unit
Reika
2005
Tracks: Ray's Spot, Summertime
Free Bird
Birdhouse Project
Dreambox Media
2006
Tracks: All Tracks
Meditations for Percussion and Flute
Randy and Marianne Sutin
Balanced American Music
2007
Tracks: All Tracks
It's Another...
Jim Miller
Dreambox Media
2007
Tracks: High Point, Green Zone Blues
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