Randy Oxford Band

www.randyoxford.com
July 1st at 8:00pm

 

Winners of over 25 music awards in Washington State, The Randy Oxford Band showcases their sophisticated brand of Chicago-style musicianship, daring arrangements of blues classics, Americana, soul, R&B, Motown and more.The band is led by Washington State Performer of the Year, Randy Oxford, whose prowess on trombone and ability to ignite an audience's enthusiasm have become legendary in the Northwest USA.

'HERITAGE MUSIC' REVIEW

When one thinks of award-winning instrumentalists in the rhythm-and-blues realm, the trombone is definitely not the first instrument that comes to mind. Most of the trophies in this game, at least on the national level, seem to go to electric guitarists, with the occasional harmonica player, keyboardist, or saxophonist picking up an award or two along the way. That makes Randy Oxford the proverbial "big frog" in the very small pond of blues-based trombonists, having chalked up seventeen awards from the Washington Blues Society in various categories over the course of his career. The Randy Oxford Band won the Best New Band citation for 2003, and its subsequent debut CD, ALL THE BUZZ, is sure to generate even more accolades.

The single most impressive thing about the Randy Oxford Band is its highly developed sense of teamwork, especially given its unusual instrumentation. While the bass and drums lay a solid foundation, Oxford and the three guitarists blend seamlessly to provide perfect support for vocal and instrumental soloists alike. For his part, Randy Oxford utilizes the trombone's full range of tonal possibilities on this disc, riffing convincingly with the guitarists and taking solos that reflect the heat and spice of New Orleans or the cool of the Tommy Dorsey era as the situation requires. Given the level of musicianship and blues community activism that characterizes Randy Oxford and his band, it's no surprise that their groundbreaking debut CD is getting the notice it deserves.