Biography

Urban jazz drippin' with soul perfectly describes Tom Randles' latest release, Destination Music City! A genuine groove retreat, featuring excellent and versatile guitar work, world class guest musicians, including sax man Kenny Anderson (Gloria Estefan, Larry Carlton, Arturo Sandoval, Tom Jones, Bobby Caldwell) and master trumpet player Jim Williamson (Aretha Franklin, Michael McDonald, The Temptations, The O'Jays, Randy Brecker, Four Tops) and many others. Recorded in Nashville, Tennessee (aka) Music City.

Randles is not only an American contemporary jazz artist, but he's also an Emmy Award winning television news broadcaster. At age six Tom started playing guitar and singing. From early childhood through his late teens, Randles performed in various bands with his brother, sharing the same stage with major groups, including the Chi-lites, Maze, Billy Preston, Parliament-Funkadelic and others.

Although Tom's primary instrument is guitar, he also plays a variety of other string instruments, drums, and piano. To date, Randles has produced four contemporary jazz CDs. In 1991 he produced his first album, "After Hours" in Miami Florida. In 1999, using the musical alias, Uptown Player, he released his second CD, "Urban Escape" in Virginia Beach, VA. In 2003, Randles won Nine-Volt Magazine's Best Jazz Artist Award. In 2005, he recorded his third project, "Starting From Scratch". In November 2010, he was a featured celebrity guest musician of the world famous Grand Ole Opry. His newest CD, "Destination Music City" was released in 2012, featuring several well-known guest musicians.

Tom's music is influenced by John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery, Carlos Santana, Joe Sample, Victor Wooten, Bobby Lyle, George Duke, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke and dozens of others.  "I've played many styles of music over many years - everything from James Brown to Bachman Turner Overdrive.  I've also been blessed to meet and share the stage with some terrific musicians.  I once played a jam session in Pittsburgh at Bucky Fitzgerald's with Peter Erskine.  I had listened to many of his recorded performances, but, playing music with the legendary drummer in a live setting was simply amazing!"  Tom recalls a conversation with Dizzy Gillespie backstage at a concert he emceed in Miami during the early 90's before the trumpet great died.  According to Randles, Dizzy was warming up, inflating his cheeks and blowing air through his horn.  "It was an incredible sight. His face appeared to be sandwiched between two large, balloons on the verge of exploding. Dizzy finally relaxed and we talked about his technique and musical innovations. He told me that being a great player is easy. Doing something that people remember is a lot harder."  Tom says that he'll never forget playing on stage alongside country royalty in November 2010. " I was invited by the Grand Ole Opry to play a concert, featuring some of the most famous names in the business."  Randles accompanied singer Holly Williams, daughter of Hank Williams, Jr., on two songs at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.  "I didn't get to rehearse with her or the Opry band before the performance, and I've never really played country music anywhere, so I was a bit nervous. At one point, Holly turned to me during the performance and nodded. I started to nod back and then realized she was nodding for me to take a guitar solo.  So I did what any jazz guitarist would do... I winged it."  Randles says things turned out fine and he was even offered a standing invitation to play the Opry again.