Freddy Randall

One of England's top mainstream trumpeters, Freddy Randall has through the years been a star on many dixieland-oriented record dates. Early on he led the St. Louis Four (1939) and freelanced with other up-and-coming players. In 1944, after military service, he worked with Johnny Dankworth and then became a member of Freddy Mirfield's Garbage Men (with whom he recorded) for a year. From the mid-1940's on, Randall led top dixieland groups that included many of England's major top up-and-coming trad players. He worked steadily until a lung ailment forced him out of music during 1958-63. Randall made a comeback by the mid-60's and in the early 70's he frequently teamed up with clarinetist Dave Shepherd. After the mid-1970's he worked less, however Randall was still playing on a part-time basis into the mid-1990's. Randall had opportunities through the years to play with such top American jazzmen as Sidney Bechet, Pee Wee Russell, Wild Bill Davison, Bud Freeman, Bill Coleman and Teddy Wilson. As a leader, Freddie Randall recorded as early as 1948 and made a couple of excellent sets for Black Lion during 1972-73. ~ Scott Yanow