Randy Porter
Piano – Jazz Institute, Advanced Package, Jazz Institute Vocal Program
azz pianist Randy Porter has a refined understanding of improvisation and the spontaneous communication between musicians. As a Steinway Artist, Randy draws from a rich palette of sonorities found within his imagination and the depths of the piano. Lynn Darroch of The Oregonian states, “Porter has built a reputation as a musician’s musician, a knowledgeable, inventive, and sophisticated player with a remarkable sense of time and gorgeous keyboard facility…”
Randy Porter has performed with many jazz greats, including Freddy Hubbard, Art Farmer, and Benny Golson. He has also performed with the Charles McPherson Quartet throughout the US and in France, Italy, Greece, and China and has toured with Diane Schuur and Bobby Caldwell, conducting the Jazz Orchestra for their “Sing in Swing” tour. Some performance highlights for Randy include appearances 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, Yoshi’s in San Francisco with 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, and the Chicago and Detroit Jazz Festivals with Charles McPherson.
Randy’s compositions and arrangements can be heard on his own recordings: Thirsty Soul with John Wiitala on bass and Reinhardt Melz and Todd Strait on drums; Brio also featuring John Wiitala and Reinhardt Melz; Modern Reflections with Nancy King on vocals, Leroy Vinnegar on bass and Mel Brown on drums; and Eight Little Feet with Bob Magnusson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums. Samples of Randy’s writing and playing can be found on Apple’s iLife jingles. Porter also composed the music for the 2009 documentary Deep Green.
Randy has been a performer and educator at the Port Townsend Jazz Festival for many years where he has played with Bud Shank, Maria Schneider, Ingrid Jensen, and Terrell Stafford, and where he has coached many young jazz musicians. He has also worked several years at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and at Jazz Camp West with singer Madeline Eastman. Porter teaches master classes and adjudicates student combos and bands at high school and college jazz festivals. Currently, Randy teaches jazz piano at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon.

Mikailo Kasha

Anisha Rush

Jenny Xu

Kilan Thorns

Alicyn Yaffee

Zach Adleman

Hannah Marks

Jhoely Garay

Jayla Chee

Kenny Barron

Rufus Reid

Johnathan Blake

Russell Hall

Jeremy Pelt

Charles Altura

Peter Bernstein

George Cables

Paul Cornish

Caroline Davis

Dena DeRose

Taylor Eigsti

Lisa Fischer

Tomoko Funaki

Larry Grenadier

Lemar Guillary

Eric Harland

Lorca Hart

Steven Lugerner

Charles McPherson

Michael Mitchell

Jim Nadel

Randy Porter

Joshua Redman

Sam Reider

Daniel Rotem

Richard Sears

Carmen Staaf

Yosvany Terry

Joshua White

Christina Galisatus

Tiffany Austin

Mikailo Kasha

Victor Lin

Sasha Berliner

Anisha Rush

Jenny Xu

Kilan Thorns

Andrew Stephens

Alicyn Yaffee

Vincent De Jesus

Zach Adleman

Hannah Marks

Jhoely Garay

Patrice Rushen

James Francies

Jayla Chee

Kenny Barron

Rufus Reid

Johnathan Blake

Russell Hall

Ben Flocks

Shawn Williams

Jeremy Pelt

Christopher Sullivan

Steve Blum

Taylor Eigsti

Joshua Redman

Lemar Guillary

Luther Allison

Markus Howell

Adi Meyerson

Valerie Troutt

Dena DeRose

Charles McPherson

Charles Altura

George Cables

Lisa Fischer

Christina Galisatus

Jenny Xu

Kenny Barron

Bennett Roth-Newell

Steve Blum

Taylor Eigsti

George Cables

Paul Cornish

Joshua White

Sam Reider

Carmen Staaf

Richard Sears

Caili O’Doherty

Peter Stoltzman

Randy Porter
