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Fred Randolph

FRED RANDOLPH was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Though he was exposed to Hawaiian music early through ukelele lessons, his main interest as a child was surfing. In high school he took up the guitar, studying with local jazz guitarist Bill Valdez, and began playing at high school dances while developing a passion for jazz as a sideline.

Moving to San Diego, he studied jazz guitar with Steve O'Connor and composition with Bernard Rands at U.C.S.D., followed by a move to Berkeley where he studied conducting with Michael Senturia at U.C.B. He also at this time took up the saxophone and later the trumpet, studying with Jay Rizzetto at Hayward State University. He studied composition with Frank Larocca and during the course of composing his master's thesis, the string quintet "Resurrection", he became fascinated with the sound and possibilities of the acoustic bass. He began studies on the bass with Carl Stanley while still at Hayward State, then continued with Brian Marcus, Alex Glikman, and Frank Tusa, as well as electric bassist Kai Eckhardt. Fred is currently a student of bassist Timothy Spears.

A recent graduate of Hayward State University with a Masters degree in composition, Fred now freelances in and around the bay area as a bassist, arranger, and composer, and educator. He co-led the jazz quintet "The Zone" for several years, composing most of the music for that group's first cd "Grand Canyon Blue". He performed with the acclaimed Full Spectrum Jazz Orchestra, appearing on their initial cd "First Time Out" and the more recent "Rayna's Dance". As a member of the "Collective West Jazz Orchestra", he appears on their recently recorded cd "Downbeat 9:30". He performed on the soundtrack of the film documentary "Lifeline" which aired on KQED TV during December of 1999 and spent two seasons as a member of the Diablo Symphony Orchestra.

Fred has taught instrumental music privately and for the Piedmont Unified School District. He taught for two summers at the Hayward-La Honda music camp and taught for two years at Berkeley's U.C. Jazz Ensembles. Currently Fred is teaching both privately and at Stanley Middle School in Lafayette, California, where he teaches both jazz combo and bass.

Fred has performed with many of the Bay Area's finest jazz artists including Eddie and Mad Duran, Vince Wallace, Bishop Norman Williams, Marcus Shelby trio, Graham Connah, Faye Carol, Frankye Kelly, Pamela Rose, Brenda Boykin, Bobbe Norris and Larry Dunlap, Jim and Morning Nichols, Al Molina Quintet , Michael Aragon, David Watson, Sonya Jason, Andre Bush, Mike Zilber, Akira Tana, Mark Little, Art Hirahara, Tony Corman's 3 tenors, Collective Amnesia, Anton Schwartz, Rory Snyder, Jeff Massanari, Wally Schnalle, Pete Magadini, Andy Coolberg, Kenny Washington, E.W.

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Album Review

Ian Carey Quintet + 1: Fire in My Head: The Anxiety Suite

Read "Fire in My Head: The Anxiety Suite" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Trumpeter Ian Carey's Fire In My Head: The Anxiety Suite opens on a somber note, not with the sense of agitation that the album title suggests. The initial moments of the tune, “Signs And Symptoms," Part 1 of the suite, may initially be addressing the fatigue common to the malady, before his Carey's Quintet + 1 gradually turns up of the momentum in the direction of that anxiety, in manifestations from the leader's horn, followed by an on-edge turn by ...

5
Album Review

Fred Randolph: Song Without Singing

Read "Song Without Singing" reviewed by Edward Blanco


In demand San Francisco Bay Area-based educator, composer and bassist Fred Randolph unveils his third album as leader, Songs Without Singing containing ten innovative originals and one cover tune recorded with his working quintet and other Bay Area musicians. A fixture in San Francisco's vibrant jazz scene and a member of Orquesta Dharma, the Melanthium Ensemble and the premier Contemporary Jazz Orchestra, this full-time high school teacher is one of the busiest artist on the West coast. His extensive musical ...

255
Album Review

Fred Randolph: New Day

Read "New Day" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


Born and reared in Hawaii, bassist Fred Randolph developed a passion for jazz at an early age. After migrating to California, he diligently pursued higher education to achieve his music-oriented aspirations. Following performing on film soundtracks, and leading numerous bands, Randolph spent two seasons as a member of the Diablo Symphony Orchestra. A current resident of the Bay Area, the bassist recorded his first solo effort Learning Curve (Creative Spirit, 2003), which this writer became thoroughly enamored with upon its ...

152
Album Review

Fred Randolph: Learning Curve

Read "Learning Curve" reviewed by Rob Cline


Fred Randolph's Learning Curve is heavy on tribute songs. The bassist/composer pays homage to Michael Brecker, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, and pianist Art Hirahara, who joins him on the disc. But while Randolph does manage to suggest a Brecker Brothers tune, an aggressive yet catchy Mingus number and a journey into Trane's spiritual side, the real joys of this album have little to do with tributes.

The collaborative work of trumpeter Don Beck and tenor saxophonist Rob Roth is at ...

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Recording

Bay Area Bassist/Composer Fred Randolph To Release 3rd CD, "Song Without Singing," August 28

Bay Area Bassist/Composer Fred Randolph To Release 3rd CD, "Song Without Singing," August 28

Source: Terri Hinte Publicity

One of the busiest bassists on the rich jny: San Francisco Bay Area music scene for more than 15 years, in demand for his work on acoustic, electric, and fretless bass, Fred Randolph has been an integral part of bands led by artists from Ian Carey and Akira Tana to Dan Hicks and Maria Muldaur. For his third CD as a leader, Song Without Singing, Randolph highlights his vibrant original music performed by his own fine quintet and other longtime ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Quinta Essentia

Global Fusion Music
2022

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Song Without Singing

Creative Spirit Records
2015

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Outside the Box –...

Global Fusion Music
2013

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New Day

Creative Spirit Records
2007

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New Day

Creative Spirit Records
2006

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