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 Randall Haywood was only four years old when his father, Reginald Haywood, bought him his first drum set. He soon discovered that he possessed a natural musical talent. His father then began exposing him to as many different genres of music as he could. By the age of eight, Randall had become heavily influenced by the style of Elvin Jones. The drummers from the Motown era and other artists such as Clyde Stubbofield, Nate Jones and Harvey Mason also influenced Randall. Then at the age of ten years old, Randall’s father gave him a trumpet and a tape entitled “Miles Davis Greatest Hits” and the rest is history!

In 1994, Wynton Marsalis requested for Randall to perform with him on a television production entitled “Marsalis on Music.” Randall performed in the Wynton Marsalis Big Band on the 1st and 2nd segments. He was a featured soloist on the 4th segment entitled “Tackling the Monster.” “Marsalis on Music” is a Sony production that has been televised all over the world.

In the fall of 1994, Randall was asked by Jazz Pianist Marcus Roberts to perform with his Septet. Upon Randall’s overall acceptance throughout the group, Marcus renamed the band the Marcus Roberts Octet. The new group had their first performance in Orlando, Florida at a nightclub called Pinky Lee’s. Randall was the youngest member to ever join the group.

During the summer of 1995, Randall accepted Wynton’s invitation to perform with him again. This time Randall, at the age of 15, would join the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (LCJO), becoming the youngest member in the prestigious organization. The LCJO, under the direction of Wynton Marsalis, teamed with the Carnegie Hall Stage Band (CHSB) to perform a concert at Lincoln Center entitled “The Battle of the Bands”. The concert received great reviews from all who attended. The next day, LCJO embarked on their first international tour. Throughout July 1995, the LCJO would perform to thousands of fans at prestigious jazz festivals such as the North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Haag, Vienna Festival in Austria, Prague Festival in Czechoslovakia, Pori Jazz Festival in Finland, and Istanbul Jazz Festival in Turkey. On this tour, Randall performed on the same stage with artists such as B.B. King, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, James Brown and Grover Washington Jr.

Randall studied classical trumpet under the tutelage of Dr. Lenard Bowie while attending the University of North Florida. While studying, Randall went to work on an album with Marcus Roberts. With the addition of a string ensemble, the group was renamed the Marcus Roberts Orchestra and by September 1996, the “Portraits in Blue” tour was under way. The group started at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California. They traveled through the Southwest, the Midwest and ended the tour at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

In 1997, at the age of 17, Randall went back into the studio for another album with the Marcus Roberts Orchestra. This album was entitled “Blues for the New Millennium.” On this album you really hear Randall personify a pure and soulful sound in his playing. The 17 year old is featured on “Jungle Blues”, “That Was Then This Is Now” and “Express Mail Delivery.” The band immediately went on tour to follow up the release of the album. The orchestra performed at the Jazz Bakery in California, the Village Vanguard in New York and the Free Jazz Festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

After graduating from the University of North Florida with a degree in Jazz Studies, Randall began working on his debut CD, “Just for Kicks”, which was released in 2002. The album was produced by Hay-May Music. “Just for Kicks” exposes Randall’s growth and maturity as an artist, composer and executive producer. In “Just for Kicks” you can really hear the influences of R&B and Rock from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s as well as the traditional jazz influence of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s when Randall bebop’s over the profound funk grooves. All of the music is original material written by Reginald and Randall with the exception of “Brick in the Wall”, a Pink Floyd classic. “Just for Kicks” is Volume I in the series of Easy Listening Jazz albums that will be released. Volume II will be entitled “Out With the Old, In With the New”.

In the tradition jazz genre, Hay-May Music will be releasing Randall Haywood’s “Melodious Beyond Reproach” in the summer of 2005. This album has 11 tracks of traditional swing music as well as a little Latin and Bossa Nova. All the music is composed and arranged by Randall and Reginald. In Randall’s playing you hear the nostalgic influences of Louis Armstrong, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan as well as the contemporary influences of Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton and Marcus Printup. “Melodious Beyond Reproach” is Volume I in the series of Traditional Jazz CDs that will be released. A CD, collaborating Randall’s music with the poetry of Steven Robinson, will be released in the winter of 2005 by Hay-May Music.