Randy Waldman (born September 8, 1955) is an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor. He has frequently collaborated with Barbra Streisand, serving as her pianist and conductor since 1984. Waldman has worked with notable artists including Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder. His 2018 album Superheroes garnered the award for Best Arrangement at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
Waldman is also a helicopter and airplane instructor, holding a 2003 flight speed record in a Bell OH-58 helicopter.World and United States Aviation & Space Records, © 2004, National Aeronautic Association of the USA
Early life Waldman was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 8, 1955. Waldman began playing piano at age five at which time he was considered a child prodigy. He was hired to demonstrate pianos at a local piano store at age 12. While in high school, he performed with the Northwestern University Jazz band.
Career At the age of 21, Waldman was hired to go on tour as the pianist for Frank Sinatra. He was then hired by The Lettermen to go on tour from Chicago to Los Angeles. After the tour, Waldman relocated to Los Angeles and, within a year, he toured with Minnie Riperton, Lou Rawls, Paul Anka, and George Benson, the last of whom kept Waldman around as his pianist, musical director, and arranger for the following seven years.
Eventually, Waldman began a session career in Los Angeles that would go on to span 40 years. He has performed on hundreds of albums, motion picture soundtracks, television shows, and jingles. In the 1980s, Waldman worked on soundtracks such as Ghostbusters, Romancing the Stone, Back to the Future, Nuts, Beetlejuice, Salsa, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Abyss, and Weekend at Bernie's.
Waldman was nominated for a Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement for "Code of Ethics" from The Manhattan Transfer 1983 album Bodies and Souls. Two years later, Waldman's co-arrangement of the West Side Story song "Somewhere", recorded by Barbra Streisand for The Broadway Album, won a Grammy. Waldman has contributed to many Streisand albums, films, and live concerts.
In the 1990s, Waldman worked on the soundtracks for numerous films including Forrest Gump, The Bodyguard, Mission: Impossible, and Titanic. He also worked with numerous artists over the course of his career including Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Patti LaBelle, Celine Dion, Beyoncé, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Olivia Newton-John, Barry Manilow, Ray Charles, The Stylistics, Michael Bublé, Quincy Jones, Johnny Mathis, Stevie Wonder, Andrea Bocelli, John Travolta, Kenny G, Katey Sagal, and others.
Randy Waldman has also left a significant mark on the Japanese music scene with artists such as Tetsuya Komuro, Namie Amuro, and Tomomi Kahara through his string arrangements for various prominent Japanese artists, cementing his legacy as a key figure in enriching Japan’s pop and orchestral soundscape over two decades.
Waldman released Wigged Out, his first solo album, on his own WhirlyBird Records in 1998. Featuring bassist John Pattitucci and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, the album consisted of a collection of classical songs reworked with jazz arrangements. His second album, UnReel, was released in 2001 and featured a variety of soundtrack and theme music from many different films and television shows. He worked on the soundtrack for Ice Age in 2002 before releasing Timing is Everything in 2003.
Waldman appeared on the 2017 Seal album Standards, featuring the songs of Frank Sinatra. He was also Barbra Streisand's pianist, music director, and conductor for her Barbra: The Music, The Mem'ries, The Magic tour. A filmed version of one of the shows was released on Netflix in November 2017. In September 2018, he released the studio album, Superheroes, with Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and Carlitos Del Puerto on bass. The album also featured guest appearances from artists like Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Take 6, Chris Potter, and several others. Waldman's arrangement of the album's "Spiderman Theme" would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals at the 61st Grammy Awards in 2019. His arrangement of the "Batman Theme" was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella.
Selected discography Studio albums + List of studio albums with selected album details Title Details Wigged Out Released: 1998 (US) Label: WhirlyBird/Concord Jazz Formats: CD, Vinyl UnReel Released: 2001 (US) Label: WhirlyBird/Concord Jazz Formats: CD, Vinyl Timing is Everything Released: 2003 (US) Label: WhirlyBird/Concord Jazz Formats: CD, Vinyl Superheroes Released: September 28, 2018 (US) Label: BFM Jazz Formats: CD, Vinyl
Songwriting, instrumental, and production +List of songwriting, instrumental, and production credits on selected albumsAlbumYearArtistRoleNotes Lou Rawls Live 1978 Lou Rawls Keyboards Bodies and Souls 1983 The Manhattan Transfer Piano, synthesizers, instrumental arrangements, composer He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Vocal Arrangement Emotion 1984 Barbra Streisand Synthesizer US #19 The Broadway Album1985 US #1, co-arrangement of "Somewhere" won Grammy 20/20George Benson US #45 One Voice 1987 Barbra Streisand Synthesizer US #9 Bad Michael Jackson Synthesizer US #1 Till I Loved You1988Barbra Streisand US #10 This Christmas1990Patti LaBelle The Comfort Zone1991Vanessa Williams US #17 Love Remembers1993George Benson My WorldRay Charles US #145 The Concert1994Barbra Streisand US #10 Miracles: The Holiday AlbumKenny G Piano US #1 Earth Songs1995John Denver My CherieSheena Easton HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book IMichael Jackson US #1 The Best of George Benson George Benson SynthesizerLove Brace1996Tomomi KahalaStrings arrangementJP #1Sweet 19 BluesNamie AmuroArrangerJP #1By MyselfHitomiPianoJP #1 Star Bright Vanessa Williams US #36 Higher Ground1997 Barbra Streisand Piano US #1 Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix Michael Jackson US #24Concentration 20Namie AmuroStrings arrangementJP #1 Greatest Hits Volume IIIBilly JoelKeyboards US #9 The Complete Hits Collection: 1973–1997StorytellingTomomi KahalaStrings arrangementJP #1 Bathhouse Betty1998 Bette Midler US #32 The Collection John Denver Arranger The Movie Album: As Time Goes By Neil Diamond Keyboards US #31SA1999Ami SuzukiStrings arrangementJP #1 A Love Like Ours Barbra Streisand US #6 Classics in the Key of GKenny G US #17 Faith: A Holiday Album US #6Infinity Eighteen Vol. 12000Ami SuzukiStrings arrangementJP #1 Timeless: Live in Concert Barbra Streisand US #21 Les Incontournables George Benson The George Benson Anthology Synthesizer Mathis on Broadway Johnny Mathis FreedomSheena Easton Best Ballads Christmas Memories2001 Barbra Streisand Keyboards US #15 Duets2002 Arranger US #38 Paradise Kenny G Piano US #9 Wishes: A Holiday Album US #29 The Christmas AlbumJohnny Mathis US #143 Just WhitneyWhitney Houston US #9Alejandro Sanz: MTV UnpluggedAlejandro SanzPiano The Movie Album2003 Barbra Streisand US #5 Michael Bublé Michael Bublé US #5 Let It Snow US #32 The Greatest Hits of AllGeorge BensonSynthesizer US #138 Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney SongbookBette Midler US #14 Genius Loves Company2004 Ray Charles US #1 The Essential Johnny Mathis Johnny MathisPiano It's Time2005 Michael BubléPiano US #7 The Greatest Holiday ClassicsKenny G US #39 My LivesBilly JoelKeyboards US #171 With Love2006 Michael BubléPiano Givin' It Up George Benson and Al Jarreau US #58 Navidades Luis MiguelPiano US #51 I'm in the Mood for Love...The Most Romantic Melodies of All Time Kenny G US #37 Cool Yule Bette Midler US #33 Amore Andrea Bocelli US #3 Live in Concert 20062007 Barbra Streisand US #7 Call Me Irresponsible Michael Bublé US #1 King of Pop2008 Michael Jackson The Collection2009Synthesizer Special Delivery2010Michael BubléPiano US #26 What Matters Most2011 Barbra Streisand US #4 Release Me2012 US #7 The Classic Christmas AlbumKenny G US #128 This ChristmasJohn Travolta and Olivia Newton-John US #81 Back to Brooklyn2013 Barbra StreisandKeyboards Inspiration: A Tribute to Nat King Cole George Benson US #89 Love in Portofino Andrea Bocelli US #40 Partners2014 Barbra StreisandPianoUS #1 Stages2015 Josh GrobanUS #2 Stages: Live2016US #149 Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway Barbra StreisandUS #1 The Music...The Mem'ries...The Magic!2017US #69 StandardsSealPiano
Nominations and awards Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. 1984 Grammy Award Best Vocal Arrangement Arrangement of The Manhattan Transfer's "Code of Ethics" 2019 Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella Arrangement of "Batman Theme" from Waldman's Superheroes Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals Arrangement of "Spiderman Theme" from Waldman's Superheroes
References
External links Randy Waldman's Official Website