Randy Napoleon (born 30 May 1978) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

guitarist, composer, and arranger who tours nationally and internationally. He has also toured with the Freddy Cole Quartet, Benny Green, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra led by

John Clayton John Clayton may refer to: Arts and entertainment Writing *John Clayton (architect) (died 1861), English architect and writer *John Clayton (sportswriter) (1954–2022), American sportswriter and reporter *John Bell Clayton and Martha Clayton, Joh ...

Jeff Clayton Jeff Clayton (February 16, 1954 – December 16, 2020) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and flautist. Clayton studied oboe at California State University before dropping out to undertake a tour with Stevie Wonder. Following this he recor ...

, and Jeff Hamilton, Rene Marie, and with

Michael Bublé Michael Steven Bublé ( ; born September 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Regarded as a pop icon, he is often credited for helping to renew public interest and appreciation for traditional pop standards and the Great American ...

. He is an expert on the Cole school, the music of Freddy Cole and

Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, alternatively billed as Nat "King" Cole, was an American singer, jazz pianist, and actor. Cole's career as a jazz and Traditional pop, pop ...

. He is an associate professor and Associate Director of Jazz Studies in the College of Music at

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

and has done master classes at universities and music schools throughout the United States and Canada. During a 2023 tour of Japan, he taught at several colleges throughout the country. During summers, he is on the faculty of the Brevard Music Center's Jazz Institute.

Early life

Napoleon was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York, on May 30, 1978. He is the son of Greg Napoleon, a software engineer, and

Davi Napoleon Davi Napoleon, also known as Davida Skurnick and Davida Napoleon (born 1946), is an American theater historian and critic as well as a freelance feature writer. She is a regular contributor to '' Live Design'', a monthly magazine about entertainme ...

, a theater historian and arts journalist, and the grandson of

Jack Skurnick Jack Skurnick (March 22, 1910 – September 6, 1952) was an American record producer and writer, known as the founder and director of EMS Recordings and as publisher and editor of the music review ''Just Records''.https://www.worldradiohistory.com/A ...

, a musicologist and founder of

EMS Recordings EMS Recordings was founded in 1949 by Jack Skurnick in New York City. The company won first prize at the Audio Fair of 1950 for the high quality and interest of its recordings. It issued the first recording of works of Edgard Varese. Skurnick's par ...

, and

Fay Kleinman Fay Kleinman (November 29, 1912 – February 21, 2012) was an American painter. She was also known by her married names, Fay Skurnick, and then Fay Levenson. The medium of most of the works Kleinman created is Oil painting, oil on canvas, but ...

, a painter. He has one younger brother, Brian Napoleon. His family moved to

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, Michigan, when he was two years old. He studied violin in the Ann Arbor schools before discovering the guitar. One of Napoleon's formative experiences was in a big band at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, led by trumpeter Louis Smith. Napoleon also played at the jazz clubs in Ann Arbor and learned from jam sessions at the Bird of Paradise Club. Early opportunities at the Del Rio, a local bar, and at events sponsored by WEMU, a local NPR jazz radio station, helped start his career. When he was in high school, the Ann Arbor News covered his developing talent. Napoleon studied at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

School of Music.

Later life and career

Napoleon has led an organ trio which has toured the United States and United Kingdom and which did a concert for BBC radio. The trio appears on '' Enjoy the Moment'' and '' Randy Napoleon: Between Friends'', both featuring

Jared Gold (organist) Jared Gold is an American jazz organist who plays the Hammond B-3 organ. He attended William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey. In 1988 he won the Governor's Award for Jazz Performance in New Jersey. He has worked with Ralph Bowen, Benn ...

and drummer Quincy Davis. ''Between Friends'', a 2006 release from Azica Records, features the trio on half the tracks and a quartet on the other, with Davis, bassist David Wong, and Benny Green on piano. The Randy Napoleon three-horn sextet appears on his 2012 album ''The Jukebox Crowd''. A trio with Rodney Whitaker on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums appears on his album for the Detroit Music Factory, ''Soon''. Napoleon has performed and arranged on all of Freddy Cole's albums since 2009. He has appeared on TV with Cole, on a 2007 PBS special, and on the 2009 Jerry Lewis ''Muscular Dystrophy Telethon''. Napoleon has appeared on Grammy-nominated albums, including ''Michael Buble: Caught in the Act,'' ''Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B,'' and ''Freddy Cole: My Mood is You.'' He arranged music for the two Cole albums. Napoleon has also toured with Benny Green (2000–2001), Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra (2003–2004), and

(2004–2007). He has appeared on TV in Japan with CHJO and throughout Europe, Asia and America with Bublé. His U.S. TV appearances with Bublé include

David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner. He hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of ''Late N ...

Jay Leno James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950) is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Tonight Show'' from 1992 until 200 ...

, ''

The View ''The View'' is an American talk show created by broadcast journalist Barbara Walters. , in its 28th season, the show has aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC as part of the network's ABC Daytime, daytime programming block since August ...

'', ''

The Today Show ''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'') is an American morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It was the first of its genre on American television ...

'', ''

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...

'', ''

Regis and Kelly ''Live with Kelly and Mark'' (or simply ''Live'') is an American syndicated morning talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. Executive produced by Michael Gelman, the ''Live with...'' show formula has aired under various hosts sinc ...

'', ''

Dancing with the Stars ''Strictly Come Dancing (widely known as Dancing with the Stars)'' is an international television franchise based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing,'' itself a successor to the show ''Come Dancing'' (1950–1998) ...

'', the Radio Music Awards, ''

Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...

'', and a PBS special, ''Caught in the Act''. Napoleon has performed with

Monty Alexander Montgomery Bernard "Monty" Alexander OJ CD (born 6 June 1944) is a Jamaican American jazz pianist. His playing has a Caribbean influence and bright swinging feeling, with a strong vocabulary of bebop jazz and blues rooted melodies. He was in ...

, Peter and Will Anderson,

Bill Charlap William Morrison Charlap (born October 15, 1966, pronounced "Shar-Lap") is an American jazz pianist and educator. Early life and education Born in New York City, Bill Charlap is the son of American Broadway composer Moose Charlap and the singe ...

Michael Dease Michael Patrick Dease (born August 25, 1982) is an American jazz tenor and bass trombonist, composer and producer. He also plays saxophone, trumpet, flugelhorn, Double bass, bass and piano. Biography Michael Dease was born in Augusta, Georgia a ...

, Rene Marie, and Rodney Whitaker. He has appeared with cabaret performers Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano.Ahlfors, Elizabeth (April 2011
''Cabaret Scenes''
/ref> Napoleon has performed at

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 ...

Hollywood Bowl The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre and Urban park, public park in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the United States by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018 and was listed on ...

The Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

Radio City Music Hall Radio City Music Hall (also known as Radio City) is an entertainment venue and Theater (structure), theater at 1260 Sixth Avenue (Manhattan), Avenue of the Americas, within Rockefeller Center, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York C ...

Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272. Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...

in London, and the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

in Australia. Napoleon moved to New York City after graduating from the University of Michigan in 1999. He returned to Michigan to teach at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance from 2013 to 2014. In the fall of 2014, he accepted an appointment to Michigan State University's College of Music where he is currently a tenured associate professor of jazz. There, he performs with the MSU Professors of jazz, teaches jazz guitar, and leads a student octet. He has taught master classes and clinics at many colleges including Bucknell University, Temple University, Humber College, and Oakland University. He married Alison Rogers Napoleon in 2010. They have two children, Jack Lawrence (2013) and Juliet Claire (2017). Jack is named for

, Napoleon's maternal grandfather.

Discography

As leader

* '' Enjoy the Moment'' co-leader with Jared Gold (PKO, 2002) * '' Between Friends'' (Azica, 2006) * ''Bitter/Sweet'' co-leader with Eric Comstock (Harbindger, 2010) * ''The Jukebox Crowd'' (Gut String, 2011) * ''Soon'' (Detroit Music Factory, 2016) * ''Common Tones'' (Detroit Music Factory, 2019) * ''Rust Belt Roots: Randy Napoleon Plays

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for his unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and for his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a ...

Grant Green Grant Green (June 6, 1935 – January 31, 1979) was an American jazz guitarist and composer. Green has been called one of the "most sampled guitarists." Biography Grant Green was born on June 6, 1935, in St. Louis, Missouri, to John and ...

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige Records, Prestige, Blue Note, Verve Records, Verve, CTI Records, CTI, Muse Records, Muse, and Concord Records, Conco ...

'' (OA2 Records, 2021) * ''Puppets: The Music of Gregg Hill'' olume 1(OA2 Records, 2022) * ''The Door is Open: The Music of Gregg Hill'' olume 2(OA2 Records, 2024)

As sideman

With Freddy Cole, guitarist and arranger * ''Era Jazzu'' (Era Jazzu oland 2007) * ''The Dreamer in Me: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola'' (HighNote, 2009) * ''Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B'' (HighNote, 2010) * ''Talk to Me'' (HighNote, 2011) * ''This and That'' (HighNote, 2013) * ''Singing the Blues'' (HighNote, 2014) * ''He Was The King'' (HighNote, 2016) * ''A Freddy Cole Christmas'' (HighNote, 2018) * ''My Mood Is You'' (HighNote, 2018) With others NapoleonBuble

Michael Buble Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

, ''Caught in the Act'' (Reprise, 2005) * Michael Buble, ''With Love'' (Reprise, 2006) * Michael Buble, ''Let It Snow!'' (Reprise, 2007) * Michael Buble, ''A Taste of Bublé'' (Reprise, 2008) * Jack Brandfield, ''I'll Never Be the Same'' (Gut String, 2021) * Etienne Charles, ''Creole Christmas'' (Culture Shock Music, 2015) *

The Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra The Clayton–Hamilton Jazz Orchestra is a big band led by Jeff Hamilton (drummer), Jeff Hamilton and brothers John Clayton (bassist), John Clayton and Jeff Clayton. The band was founded in Los Angeles in 1985. Personnel On the album ''The L.A. ...

, ''Live at MCG'' (MCG, 2005) *

, ''All These Hands'' (Posi-Tone, 2016) *

, ''Give it All You Got'' (Posi-Tone, 2021) * Hilary Gardner, ''The Great City'' (Anzic, 2014) *

Jared Gold Jared Gold (born 2 May 1972) is a fashion designer of avant-garde American Gothic fashion. Biography Gold grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho and was a child piano prodigy long before he discovered fashion design. In 1990 he attended the Piano C ...

, ''Solids & Stripes'' (Posi-Tone, 2008) * Melissa Morgan, ''Until I Met You'' (Telarc, 2009) * Jocelyn Gould, ''Sonic Boquet'' (Revolution Recording, 2023) * Anthony Stanco, ''Stanco's Time'' (OA2 Records, 2024) * Rodney Whitaker, ''Outrospection: The Music of Gregg Hill'' (Origin, 2021) * Libby York, ''Dreamland'' (Origin, 2023)

Early life

Later life and career

Discography

As leader

As sideman

References

External links