Mark Randall - Mark Randall [COMPACT DISCS]

Mark Randall plays Broadway, movie and jazz standards - the music of Gershwin, Kern, Porter, Ellington et al, in a style that borrows from great old swing jazz pianists such as Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson and Erroll Garner, as well as sophisticated salon players such as Cy Walter. Perhaps too melodic and too old-school to be called "jazz" these days, Mark Randall's music swings nonetheless in that idiom that keeps changing it's name but not it's appeal. Call it old jazz; call it cocktail, call it cabaret. Whatever. FROMMER'S Guide to Philadelphia called Mark Randall Philadelphia's best café pianist. PHILADELPHIA Magazine mentioned him five consecutive years in it's Best of Philly issue. He has been called "first rate" by The Philadelphia Inquirer, and featured in the national KEYBOARD Magazine. He has been invited to play at the Mellon Jazz Festival, at the Bar Cavalados in Paris, and at numerous parties and receptions for notables such as Rudolf Nuryev, Martha Graham and Bill Blass. Scott Yanow of Los Angeles Jazz Scene writes about Mark Randall at the Café Royal: "Randall has a style reminiscent of that of Teddy Wilson along with other swing pianists. He enjoys playing swing standards along with a few later tunes from Broadway shows, and his solo piano always keeps the melody close by. His subtle variations and clear voicings keep the music from being overly predictable, yet his versions of these selections would have pleased the composers. Such tunes as S'Wonderful, I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, You Took Advantage of Me and You're the Top benefit from Mark Randall'stasteful and swinging approach.' A long-time resident of Philadelphia, Mark Randall grew up in Pittsburgh where he studied with Vince Lascheid.