Randall Bramblett (born 1948) is an American musician and singer-songwriter, whose career as a solo artist, session player, and touring musician, has spanned more than three decades. He has worked with Gregg Allman, Bonnie Raitt, Goose Creek Symphony, Robbie Robertson, Elvin Bishop, Steve Winwood, Bonnie Bramlett, B.J. Thomas, Widespread Panic, Jay E. Livingston and Roger Glover.[1] He plays keyboards, saxophones, flute, guitar, mandolin, and harmonica, and his songwriting is influenced by blues, folk, and gospel music.
Randall Bramblett | |
|---|---|
 Randall Bramblett on keyboards at The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ, on September 14, 2013. | |
| Background information | |
| Born | 1948 (age 75–76) |
| Origin | Jesup, Georgia, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Member of | Roger Glover and The Guilty Party |
| Formerly of | |
| Website | randallbramblett |
Life and career
editBorn in Jesup, Georgia, United States, Bramblett studied religion and psychology at the University of North Carolina, with the objective of entering the seminary. However, finding inspiration in the music of James Taylor, Carole King, and Bob Dylan, he abandoned his theological studies and pursued songwriting, soon moving to Athens, Georgia.
After establishing himself as a session musician in the early 1970s, recording with artists like Gregg Allman and Elvin Bishop, Bramblett toured with bands such as the Gregg Allman Band, Sea Level, Widespread Panic, and Traffic.[1][2] Bramblett, along with Chuck Leavell, has been credited with giving Sea Level, described as "a jazz-influenced spinoff from the Allman Brothers Band," a new, unique direction.[3] Bramblett has been described as an outstanding lyricist and vocalist. The songs he wrote during his time with Sea Level have been described as "philosophical, despairing soul and funk tunes and rockers."[3]
As of 2017, Bramblett has recorded a total of fourteen albums, with the first two, That Other Mile and Light of the Night, issued by Polydor in the 1975 and 1976, and multiple albums in each succeeding decade. Bramblett's 2001 album, No More Mr. Lucky, features Bramblett playing the Hammond B-3 and saxes. Tracks on that album has been described as rich, funky, hip, and raw.[2]
In 2015, Bramblett released Devil Music. The title track was inspired by the story of Howlin' Wolf trying to reunite with his estranged mother, who had abandoned him for "playing the devil's music."[4]
Discography
edit
Randall Bramblett/The Randall Bramblett Band
edit| Album title | Release date | Label | Format(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| That Other Mile | 1975 | Polydor | LP |
| Light of the Night | 1976 | Polydor | LP |
| Live at the i&i | 1982 | Catmando Productions | LP |
| Visionary School | 1997 | Compact cassette | |
| See Through Me | 1998 | Capricorn | CD |
| No More Mr. Lucky | 2001 | New West | CD, digital download |
| Thin Places | 2004 | New West | CD, digital download |
| Rich Someday | 2006 | New West | CD, digital download |
| Now It's Tomorrow | 2008 | New West | CD, digital download |
| The Meantime | 2010 | Blue Ceiling | CD, digital download |
| Randall Bramblett & Geoff Achison Jammin' In The Attic |
2010 | Hittin' The Note Records | CD, digital download |
| The Bright Spots | 2013 | New West | CD, digital download |
| Devil Music | 2015 | New West | CD, vinyl, digital download |
| Juke Joint at the Edge of the World | 2017 | New West | CD, vinyl, digital download |
| Pine Needle Fire | 2020 | New West | CD, vinyl, digital download |
Guest appearances
edit| Artist | Album | Year | Label | Performances | Other contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Talton | Somewhere South of Eden | 2017 | Tommy Talton Music | Tenor Sax | |
| Allman and Woman | Two The Hard Way | 1977 | Capricorn | sax | |
| The Allman Brothers Band | All Live | 1998 | PolyGram | sax | |
| Gregg Allman | Laid Back | 1973 | Capricorn | sax | |
| The Gregg Allman Tour | 1974 | PolyGram | organ, horn, sax | horn arrangements | |
| Atlanta Rhythm Section | Back Up Against The Wall | 1973 | Decca Records | piano | |
| Elvin Bishop | Let It Flow | 1974 | Capricorn | sax | |
| Sure Feels Good: The Best of Elvin Bishop | 1992 | Polydor | sax | ||
| Bonnie Bramlett | It's Time | 1975 | Capricorn | sax | |
| Lady's Choice | 1976 | Capricorn | sax | ||
| Beautiful | 2008 | Rockin' Camel | sax, keys, vocals | ||
| Cowboy | Boyer and Talton | 1973 | Capricorn | sax, vocals | |
| Cowboy | 1977 | Capricorn | sax, vocals | ||
| A Different Time: The Best of Cowboy | 1993 | Polydor | sax | ||
| Deep Purple and Friends | Purple and Other Colors | 2003 | Snapper Music | vocals | |
| Doubting Thomas | Who Died and Made You King? | 1998 | Oh Very | sax | |
| Enlightenment Road Band | Songs From the Road to Enlightenment | 2001 | Five Feathers | piano, organ, sax, vocals | |
| Filet of Soul | Incommunicado | 1998 | Shank | sax | |
| Rick Fowler | Back on My Good Foot | 2008 | Jammates | organ | |
| Roger Glover | Snapshot | 2002 | Red Ink | piano, keys, organ, sax, vocals | |
| Gov't Mule | Live...With a Little Help from Our Friends | 1999 | Volcano 3 | soprano, tenor sax | |
| The Deep End, vol. 1 | 2001 | ATO | organ | ||
| John Hammond, Jr. | Can't Beat The Kid | 1975 | Capricorn | piano, keys | |
| Hydra | Hydra | 1974 | Capricorn | sax | |
| Johnny Jenkins | Blessed Blues | 1996 | Capricorn | organ, sax | |
| Handle With Care | 2001 | Orchard | keys | ||
| All in Good Time | 2005 | Mean Old World | organ, keys, sax, vocals | ||
| Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons | Conscious Contact | 2001 | Terminus | organ, keys, Wurlitzer, vocals | |
| Jan Krist | Curious | 1996 | Silent Planet | piano, keys, sax | |
| Chuck Leavell | Southscape | 2005 | Megaforce | recorder, sax | |
| Lingo | Through The Scattered Trees | 2008 | organ, sax | ||
| Francine Reed | Can't Make It on My Own | 1996 | Ichiban | sax | |
| Robbie Robertson | Carny (soundtrack) | 1980 | Warner Bros | sax | |
| B. J. Thomas | Longhorns & Londonbridges | 1974 | Paramount Records | piano, keys, vocals | several Randall Bramblett compositions on album |
| Traffic | Traffic Live (DVD) | 1994 | Rhino | woodwinds, keys | |
| The Last Great Traffic Jam | 2005 | Legacy Recordings | woodwinds, keys | ||
| various artists | Woodstock '94 (DVD) | 1994 | A&M Records | woodwinds, keys | |
| Vigilantes of Love | Live at the 40 Watt | 1998 | Paste | Hammond synth | |
| Summershine | 2001 | Compass Records | organ, piano, keys, mellotron, Chamberlain | ||
| Widespread Panic | Live in the Classic City | 2002 | Sanctuary Records | Sax | |
| Jackassolantern | 2004 | Sanctuary | Sax | ||
| Live From the Backyard | 2003 | Sanctuary | Alto and Soprano Sax, Guitar | ||
| Steve Winwood | Refugees of the Heart | 1990 | Virgin Records | Alto and Soprano Sax | |
| Sea Level | Cats on the Coast | 1977 | Capricorn | Organ, Alto and Soprano Sax, Vocals, Percussion | |
| Sea Level | On the Edge | 1978 | Capricorn | Alto and Soprano Sax, Vocals, Electric Piano | |
| Sea Level | Long Walk on a Short Pier | 1979 | Capricorn | Alto and Soprano Sax, Vocals, Keyboards | |
| Sea Level | Ball Room | 1980 | BMG | Alto and Soprano Sax, Vocals, Keyboards | |
| Sea Level | Best of Sea Level | 1990 | Island/Mercury | Alto and Soprano Sax, Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion |
References
edit- ^ a b Himes, Geoffrey (May 28, 2004). "Thin P ...:". The Washington Post Washington, D.C. pp. WW. 15.
- ^ a b Cristiano, Nick (February 1, 2002). "Deep style and substance". Orlando Sentinel Orlando, FL. p. 12.
- ^ a b Palmer, Robert (September 26, 1980). "Sea Level at Bottom Line (Review)". New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast) New York City. pp. C.21.
- ^ from an interview on Americana Music Show #267, published October 6, 2015.