21 Facts About Randy Napoleon

Randy Napoleon was born on 30 May 1978 and is an American jazz guitarist, composer, and arranger who tours nationally and internationally.

Randy Napoleon has toured with the Freddy Cole Quartet, Benny Green, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra led by John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, and Jeff Hamilton, Rene Marie, and with Michael Buble.

Randy Napoleon is an expert on the Cole school, the music of Freddy Cole and Nat King Cole.

Randy Napoleon is an associate professor and Associate Director of Jazz Studies in the College of Music at Michigan State University and has done master classes at universities and music schools throughout the United States and Canada.

Randy Napoleon is the son of Greg Napoleon, a software engineer, and Davi Napoleon, a theater historian and arts journalist, and the grandson of Jack Skurnick, a musicologist and founder of EMS Recordings, and Fay Kleinman, a painter.

Randy Napoleon's family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, when he was two years old.

Randy Napoleon studied violin in the Ann Arbor schools before discovering the guitar.

Randy Napoleon played at the jazz clubs in Ann Arbor and learned from jam sessions at the Bird of Paradise Club.

Randy Napoleon studied at the University of Michigan School of Music.

Randy Napoleon has led an organ trio which has toured the United States and United Kingdom and which did a concert for BBC radio.

Randy Napoleon has performed and arranged on all of Freddy Cole's albums since 2009.

Randy Napoleon has appeared on TV with Cole, on a 2007 PBS special, and on the 2009 Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon.

Randy Napoleon has appeared on Grammy-nominated albums, including Michael Buble: Caught in the Act, Freddy Cole Sings Mr B, and Freddy Cole: My Mood is You.

Randy Napoleon has toured with Benny Green, Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, and Michael Buble.

Randy Napoleon has appeared on TV in Japan with CHJO and throughout Europe, Asia and America with Buble.

Randy Napoleon has performed with Monty Alexander, Peter and Will Anderson, Bill Charlap, Michael Dease, Rene Marie, and Rodney Whitaker.

Randy Napoleon has appeared with cabaret performers Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano.

Randy Napoleon has performed at Lincoln Center, Hollywood Bowl, The Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall, Royal Albert Hall in London, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Randy Napoleon moved to New York City after graduating from the University of Michigan in 1999.

Randy Napoleon returned to Michigan to teach at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance from 2013 to 2014.

Randy Napoleon has taught master classes and clinics at many colleges including Bucknell University, Temple University, Humber College, and Oakland University.