Waking Dream Randy Napoleon

• 1 Super Moon 07:32
• 2 The Speckled Frog 08:21
• 3 Waking Dream 07:00
• 4 Two Thoughts 07:25
• 5 Cafe Brasilia 05:29
• 6 The Singer 05:38
• 7 52 Pickup 05:25
• 8 Riverside Blossoms 08:03
• 9 Jo Jo Jo 07:53
• 10 Boom Boom 05:40
• Total Runtime 01:08:26

Info for Waking Dream

Surrounded by the brilliant musical family who have centered his band for years—bassist Rodney Whitaker, pianist Rick Roe and drummer Quincy Davis—guitarist Randy Napoleon calls back four of his fleet-fingered, virtuoso former guitar students to share the stage and build up something new for this ambitious album, his 10th as a leader. Centered on compositions from the prolific Gregg Hill, along with several of his own, he arranged each for this 5-guitar choir of musicians, all connected through years of Napoleon's mentorship, each fully evolved in their own artistry. Whether adding other-worldly harmonic density, lush string-like backgrounds, subtle counter melodies or cascading rhythmic intrigue, Waking Dream comes across as a one-of-a-kind sonic experience, while still in the mainstream of modern jazz recordings.

"...one of the more admired guitarists today...a superb musician, much sought-after for his idiomatic interpretations." (Raul da Gama)

"...one of the truly premier players on his instrument anywhere. His dexterity, fluid ideas and command of a tricky instrument must be recognized as top drawer." (Jazz Guitar Today)

Randy Napoleon, guitar
Luke Sittard, guitar
Chris Minami, guitar
Jocelyn Gould, guitar
Ben Turner, guitar
Rick Roe, piano
Rodney Whitaker, bass
Quincy Davis, drums
Guests:
Walter Blanding, tenor saxophone (track 10)
Michael Dease, trombone (track 8)
Anthony Stanco, trumpet (track 2)
Langston Kitchen, bass (tracks 6,7)
Michael J. Reed, drums (tracks 6,7)
Lynne Brown, guiro (track 2)

Recorded November 18-19, 2024
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Corey DeRushia at Troubadour Recording Studios, Lansing, MI
Produced by Gregg Hill & Randy Napoleon

Please Note: We offer this album in its native sampling rate of 44.1 kHz, 24-bit. The provided 48 kHz version was up-sampled and offers no audible value!

Randy Napoleon
Known as a forward-thinking musician with a passion for the jazz tradition, guitarist Randy Napoleon is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University. He is currently touring as a leader after twenty years of road apprenticeship with some of the most celebrated musicians and groups of our time.

Napoleon cut his teeth touring with pianist Benny Green, The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Michael Bublé, and a thirteen year tenure with Freddy Cole. He has also performed with artists across the jazz spectrum such as Bill Charlap, Natalie Cole, Monty Alexander, Rodney Whitaker and John Pizzarelli.

Napoleon has performed or arranged on over seventy records. He arranged as well as performed on Freddy Cole's seven most recent records including the Grammy-nominated releases, Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B and My Mood Is You. He performed on The Clayton Hamilton Orchestra: Live at MCG. Napoleon is featured on Bublé's Grammy-nominated CD/DVD Caught in the Act.

Napoleon has played on The Tonight Show, Late Night With David Letterman, The View, The Today Show, and The Ellen DeGeneres show as well as TV shows in South America, Europe and Asia. He has performed across the globe at notable venues including Royal Albert Hall, The Sydney Opera House, The Hollywood Bowl, and Lincoln Center.

Guitarist George Benson calls Napoleon "sensational." Detroit Free Press critic Mark Stryker says Napoleon "plays with a gentle, purring tone that makes you lean in close to hear its range of color and articulation." Washington Post critic Mike Joyce praises his "exceptionally nimble finger-style technique." Comparing him to Wes Montgomery, music critic Michael G. Nastos says, "he displays an even balance of swing, soul, and single-line or chord elements that mark an emerging voice dedicated to tradition and universally accessible jazz values."

Napoleon has four records as a band leader with a fifth, Common Tones, released Oct 4, 2019 on the Detroit Music Factory label.

This album contains no booklet.