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Porter Plays Frishberg Unsung, a tribute album to songs by Dave Frishberg, was released in 2020. Randy Porter is on piano, John Wiitala is on bass, and Todd Strait is on drums. Porter arranged, performed, engineered, mixed, and mastered this project at HeavyWood Studio. The Randy Porter Trio was also nominated for the 60th Grammy Awards for the album, Porter Plays Porter with Nancy King.
Randy Porter has performed with many jazz greats, including Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, Benny Golson and Charles McPherson. With the Charles McPherson Quartet, he has traveled throughout the US and in Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and China. The Charles McPherson Quartet has re-created the music from the classic recording Charlie Parker with Strings, performing with many orchestras nationwide. Porter has also performed McPherson’s Sweet Synergy Suite with the San Diego Ballet. Porter played piano, produced, mixed and mastered the recording of Charles’ original ballets Sweet Synergy Suite and Song of Solomon,released in 2020.
Musical highlights include performing at Kimball’s with Art Farmer and Clifford Jordan, Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center with Diane Schuur, Seattle’s Jazz Alley with New York Voices, concerts at Yoshi’s in San Francisco with Madeline Eastman, Karrin Allyson and Rebecca Kilgore, The House of Blues in Chicago and BB King’s Blues Club in NYC with Gino Vannelli, the Monterey Jazz Festival with Madeline Eastman, the Chicago and Detroit Jazz Festivals with Charles McPherson, and the Portland and Montavilla Jazz Festivals with Nancy King.
Porter’s compositions and arrangements can be heard on his own recordings: Porter Plays Porter with Nancy King, Thirsty Soul, Brio, Modern Reflections, Eight Little Feet. Samples of Porter’s writing and playing can be found on Apple’s iLife jingles. Porter also composed the music for the 2009 documentary, Deep Green.
Randy Porter has toured Europe with bassist David Friesen and has performed on several recordings with Friesen. Porter considers Midnight Mood: Live in Stockholm to be one of their strongest albums. Porter has also recorded, performed, and toured worldwide with singer Gino Vannelli; Porter’s pianistic contributions can be heard on Vannelli’s CDs, Yonder Tree, Slow Love and Canto.
Porter has been a performer and educator at the Jazz Camp West, the Port Townsend Jazz Festival, and the Stanford Jazz Workshop where he has coached many young jazz musicians. Porter teaches master classes and adjudicates student combos and bands at highschool and college jazz festivals. Currently, Porter teaches jazz piano and jazz theory at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon and is quickly becoming a master at giving online lessons.
What the Critics Say
“Throughout the disc, the three (Porter, Wiitala, Strait) display their undeniable musical virtuosity, and sparkle with a sense of joy within the music.”
-Paul Rauch, All About Jazz 6/2020 Review of Porter Plays Frishberg Unsung
“For his Dave Frishberg tribute, [Porter] has become the first musician to record a full instrumental set of Frishberg compositions.”
– Scott Yanow, LA JazzScene 7/2020 Review of Porter Plays Frishberg Unsung
“[Porter Plays Porter] is glorious…really beautiful…[the] arrangements and playing are gorgeous and [the] band is swinging deep too.”
-Kate McGarry, 9/2017
“The [Porter Plays Porter] album is gorgeous! [The] playing and arranging are sublime!”
-Tierney Sutton, 12/2017
"[Porter] delivers the goods. His modern interpretations of eight Porter classics (plus one worthy Randy Porter original) are dazzlingly accomplished."
– Allen Morrison, Downbeat 1/2018 Review of Porter Plays Porter
"Porter’s… solos are swinging, boppish and full of subtle creativity while keeping the melodies in mind. Wiitala and Strait are excellent in support of the lead voices."
-Scott Yanow, LA JazzScene 12/2017 Review of Porter Plays Porter
Performing Experience
Randy Porter has appeared with the following artists:
- Charles McPherson
- Art Farmer
- Freddy Hubbard
- Benny Golson
- Clifford Jordan
- Eddie Vinson
- Tootie Heath
- Terri Lynn Carrington
- Wynton Marsalis
- Dayna Stephens
- Todd Strait
- Madeline Eastman
- Rebecca Kilgore
- Dave Tull
- Gino Vannelli
- Maria Schneider
- Dave Valentine
- Joe Diorio
- Terrell Stafford
- Louisville Symph
- Cleveland Chamber Orchestra
- John Wiitala
- Nancy King
- Kenny Washington
- David Friesen
- Leroy Vinnegar
- Bob Magnusson
- Joe LaBarbera
- Eddie Daniels
- Harold Land
- Victor Lewis
- Steve Wilson
- Oregon Symphony
- Lewis Nash
- New York Voices
- Karryn Allison
- Diane Schuur
- Anita O’Day
- Sheila Jordan
- Ingrid Jensen
- Stephane Grapelli
- Arturo Sandoval
- San Diego Ballet
- San Diego Symphony
Awards
- Grammy Nomination for Porter Plays Porter with Nancy King, Best Vocal Jazz Album, 60th Awards, 2017
- The Jazz Monsters Hall of Fame, Soka University of America, 2011
- 4 stars in the June 2002 Downbeat for the David Friesen Trio CD, The Name of a Woman
- Winner of the 1999 Jazziz and Newport Jazz Piano Competition
- Member of the Steinway Concert Artists roster, beginning 1998
- One of ten winners of the 1995 Jazziz “Keyboards on Fire” Competition
- Finalist in the 1986 Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition
Teaching Experience
Randy has adjudicated, taught master classes, and been a featured performer in college festivals, clinics, and summer workshops throughout the nation, including the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the Port Townsend Jazz Workshop, Jazz Camp West, Reno Jazz Festival and others. Porter has taught jazz piano, arranging and improvisation classes at University of Nevada, Reno,96-98, University of Oregon 2000-2001, jazz history at Lewis and Clark College 2003-2004, and jazz theory at Lewis and Clark College 2017-2018. Porter is currently adjunct faculty at Lewis and Clark College.
Selected Discography
Jazz
- Porter Plays Frishberg, Randy Porter, John Wiitala, Todd Strait, 2020
- Porter Plays Porter, Randy Porter, Nancy King, John Wiitala, Todd Strait, 2017
- Boxtet, Randy Porter, 2015
- From the Heart, Anya Malkiel, 2013
- I’m a Shy Guy, Ed Reed, 2013
- A Quiet Thing, Madeline Eastman, 2012
- Born to Be Blue, Ed Reed, 2011
- To the City, Jaclyn Guilloux, 2010
- Thirsty Soul, The Randy Porter Trio with John Wiitala, Todd Strait, Reinhardt Melz, 2008
- Some Other Time, Diane Schuur, 2008
- Can You Hear Me Now, Madeline Eastman, 2008
- You Are In My Heart, Krysztof Popek, Piotr Wojtasik, Randy Porter, David Friesen, Joe LaBarbera, 2006
- A Midnight Clear, Randy Porter solo, 2006
- House of Jade, Krzysztof Popek, Piotr Wojtasik, Randy Porter,David Friesen, Victor Lewis,2005
- Liquid Lines, Bob Magnusson Quintet, 2005
- Moon Ray, Rob Thorsen Trio/Quartet, 2005
- Brio, Randy Porter, John Wiitala, Reinhardt Melz, 2004
- Midnight Mood: Live in Stockholm, David Friesen Trio, 2004
- Canto, Gino Vannelli, 2003
- Speed of Life, Madeline Eastman, 2003
- The Art of Falling, Jeff Johnson, Hans Teuber, Billy Mintz, Randy Porter, 2001
- Moments Like This, Rebecca Kilgore, 2001
- The Name of a Woman, David Friesen Tio, 2001
- Eight Little Feet, Randy Porter, Bob Magnusson, Joe LaBarbera, 2000
- Modern Reflections, Randy Porter, Leroy Vinnegar, Mel Brown, Nancy King, 2000
- Castles and Flags, David Friesen, 1999
- Slow Love,Gino Vannelli, 1998
- Unsafe,Alan Jones Sextet, 1998
- Tomorrow’s Dreams, David Friesen, 1997
- Yonder Tree, Gino Vannelli, 1995
- 1,2,3, David Friesen, Randy Porter, Alan Jones, 1994
- Forest 4 The Trees, Randy Porter, 1994
- Something Old, Something New, Stephane Grapelli and the Franciscan Chamber Players 1992
- Illusions in Blue, Charles McPherson, 1990
Gospel
- Across the Bridge, Randy Porter and Crystal Gray, 2002
- A Servant’s Prayer, Georgene Rice, 1998