Randy Napoleon's New Release

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Jazz guitarist Randy Napoleon has released Between Friends, a new CD from Azica. The album is a mix of original tunes and jazz standards featuring Benny Green (piano), David Wong (bass), and Napoleon's ongoing trio with Quincy Davis (drums) and Jared Gold (Hammond B3 organ). "The musicians on this record are some of my favorite players and people, " said Napoleon. "This is music I made with my friends for others to enjoy with theirs."

A forward-thinking musician with a passion for the jazz guitar tradition, Napoleon features original tunes and creative interpretations of jazz standards, among them "These Foolish Things, " the classic ballad popularized by Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra, and a cheerful rendition of "You're My Everything." Tracks range from dramatic to tender. "I feel it's important to go beyond the darker colors of the emotional spectrum and include songs that make you smile, " said Napoleon.

Described by Michael Buble as "the most exciting jazz guitarist of our generation, " Napoleon is both an innovative leader and a sought- after sideman, appearing with jazz greats such as Freddy Cole and Rodney Whitaker and touring with the award-winning Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and with Benny Green, whose sparkling solos are among this album's highlights.

Napoleon has performed in venues that include the Kennedy Center, the Royal Albert in London, the Sydney Opera House, and Lincoln Center. Along with appearances on numerous television programs, including The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show, Regis & Kelly, Today and PBS's Great Performances, these performances have exposed audiences everywhere to what Detroit Free Press critic Mark Stryker called Napoleon's "melodic solos flushed with a glowing tone, uncluttered swing and confident command of the mainstream-modern tradition."

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