Randy is a classically trained clarinetist, saxophonist and pianist who became aware of improvisational music at an early age. While he has performed and recorded in many different styles, his current focus in The Randy Villars Band (in which he plays the tenor saxophone) and Randy Villars Trio (in which he is the pianist) is post-bop jazz. As a composer, he has written in many different styles and contexts including music for broadcast advertising and film. His professional playing experience includes performances with jazz greats Sonny Stitt, Eddie Harris, James Moody, John Scofield, Steve Turre and Andy Narell among others. Randy has played with The Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and The Springfield (Ohio) Symphony. Randy is a music educator, having served as a graduate teaching assistant at The Ohio State University and as a faculty member at the Stivers School For The Arts in Dayton, Ohio. Randy founded The Dayton Jazz Institute, his private lesson studio specializing in the teaching of jazz improvisation. Randy has authored two books on jazz improvisation. He has worked as a session player and composer/ producer in the commercial music field and as a pit orchestra musician for touring Broadway shows. From 2011 to 2015, he toured the world on saxophone with funk legend Bootsy Collins playing to audiences sometimes approaching 100,000 people. Randy is in the planning stage of a CD project called “The Other Side” with the other members of The Randy Villars Band to be released in 2019. The group made its New York debut in June of 2017 at The Bar Next Door, in Manhattan.