Ysu Jazz Student Creating First Album

 

By Ashley Custer

 

RandallJustin Randall, an aspiring jazz musician at Youngstown State University, is in the process of publishing his first album, “Prism.”

 

He discovered his love for jazz his freshman year of high school while attending Boardman High School. He gives credit to his high school band director for pushing him to his fullest potential as a musician.

 

Randall has been playing trumpet for over 10 years and is ready to jump start his career and fulfill his dreams of becoming a professional jazz artist.

 

“I’m at a point in my career and progress of playing that I want to put out a CD to document where I am as a musician right now,” he said.

 

Randall feels jazz music is his calling and wants to share his work with others. The most important thing to him, he said, is influencing other people with his music.

 

“I truly feel that I want to put my work out into the world because my true purpose on this planet is to make music and emotionally touch others and make them understand my passion and love of music,” he said.

 

The CD will consist of original compositions that he has written during his time at YSU, as well as compositions from colleagues.

 

The CD is coming together, but Randall is seeking help to finish it.

 

“I have been in the process of writing the CD for the past year, and I am almost fully done planning it and writing the music, but I do not have the funds to support the process of creating the CD, recording and production and paying those who help me make it,” he said.

Randall has two upcoming shows. He will be playing April 15 at The Lime Tree in Warren from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on April 22 at Suzie’s Dogs & Drafts from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

 

Randall is currently a student in Kent Engelhardt’s Jazz Improvisation 4 class and a member of the YSU Jazz Ensemble and YSU Jazz Sextet.

 

“In the past year, he has made significant progress as a trumpeter and a jazz improviser,” Engelhardt said. “At each concert this semester I have noticed continued growth as a musician.”

 

Engelhardt said that Randall has taken it upon himself to form his own musical groups outside the university and has been performing throughout the region. He is also a member of Cosmic Lemons, a jazz-funk-reggae-fusion consisting of YSU students.

 

“Justin is the type of student that I love working with,” Engelhardt said. “He is serious about his musical development and pursues it with a great passion. He constantly embraces the next challenge.”

 

Randall is currently running a crowd funding campaign to raise the money for his CD. Donations are accepted at gofundme.com/thatjazzcat.