Biography

With the distinctive way he blends Jazz with influences from classical, Antillean and Latin American music, the Antillean pianist Randal Corsen has gained much recognition.
In 2004, he was honoured with the EDISON Jazz Award, the most prestigious music award in the Netherlands, for his album 'Evolushon'.

Randal was born on the island of Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles, in 1972.He comes from a family that has played a prominent role in the development of Antillean music and literature. He is the great grandchild of the well known Curaçaoan poet and musician Joseph Sickman Corsen and he is related to composer and conductor Chris Ulder and poets Oda Blinder and Charles Corsen.

Before his 18th birthday, Randal left home for the Netherlands, to study music at the Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg. In 1997, he graduated cum laude (with honours) with Willem Kühne and Frans van der Tak. During his studies, he founded the trio 'Cross Currents', with which he won the 1997 Breda Jazz contest. With this trio, he recorded two albums: 'Mixed Emotions' (1997) and 'Sunú' (1999).

Aside from various free-lance activities, Randal composed and arranged music for albums of amongst others jazz vocalist Izaline Calister, classical vocalist Tania Kross, latin-jazz quintet Bye-ya!, percussionists Gerardo Rosales and Martin Verdonk. He also composed and produced the music score for the Antillean movie 'Zulaika'. He collaborated with many well-known Jazz musicians, such as David Sánchez, Denise Jannah, Ronald Snijders, Roy Hargrove, Ignacio Berroa, Orestes Vilato, Lucas van Merwijk, and with the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

Currently, Randal teaches at the Fontys Conservatorium in Tilburg and at the Conservatorium in Amsterdam. He regularly gives successful concerts on Curaçao, where he is considered to be one of the Ambassadors for Antillean music abroad.
In 2004, the 'Asosiashon di Músiko Kòrsou', the Curaçaoan Association of Music, honoured him with their highest award.

Producer    
-Randal Corsen ‘Evolushon’
-‘Zulaika’ (Movie score)

(co-prod)
-Izaline Calister ‘Soño di un Muhé’
-Izaline Calister ‘Mariposa’
-Izaline Calister ‘Krioyo’
-Bye-ya ! ‘DOS ‘

Bandleader    
-Randal Corsen Trio/Quartet/Quintet
-Tumbábo (2004-…)
-Cross Currents (1996-2002)

Musical Director a.o.
-‘Nederlands Elftal’ Project during 20th Music Meeting
-Izaline Calister (various bands and projects)  

Composer a.o.
-Zapp string quartet  
-Martin Verdonk CD: ‘Old School New Sound (2004)
-‘Nederlands Elftal’ project during 20th Music Meeting (2004)
-Randal Corsen CD ‘Evolushon’ (2003)
-Music score ‘Zulaika, Kobra ta Duru’ (2003)
-Izaline Calister CD’s: ‘Soño di un Muhé’ (2000), ‘Mariposa’ (2002)    and ‘Krioyo’ (2004, incl. two number 1 hits on the Dutch Caribbean)
-Bye-ya! CD’s: Bye-ya! (2001) and ‘DOS’ (2003)
-Cross Currents CD’s: ‘Mixed Emotions’ (1997) and ‘Sunú’ (2000)
-Gerardo Rosales Venezuelan jazz CD: ‘El Venezolano’ (1999)
-‘Kik’esaki’ project with Cedric Dandare and Randal Corsen during the  16th Music Meeting in Nijmegen (1997)

Arranger a.o.   
-Tania Kross ‘Corazon’ (2005)
-Randal Corsen’s Tumbabo (2004)
-Izaline Calister ‘Fiesta Kurasoleño’ (2002)
-Gerardo Rosales ‘La Salsa Es Mi Vida, the New York album’ (2001)

Awards and Nominations
2004 - Winner Edison Jazz Award (For the CD ‘Evolushon’)
2004 - Highest award of Asosashon di Musiko Korsou
2002 - Finalist Andersen (Deloitte) Jazz Award (2nd/3rd place)
1997 - Winner Oranjeboom Jazz Competition in Breda
          (with Cross Currents)

Worked with a.o.  

Brass   - David Sánchez, Roy Hargrove, Jarmo Hoogendijk, Ronald Snijders, Tony Lakatos, Jasper Blom

Guitar  - Leonardo Amuedo, Peter Tiehuis, Ulrich de Jesus, Roy Louis, Robby Alberga, Andro Biswane

Bass   - Eric Calmes, Jeroen Vierdag, Hein Van de Geyn, Randy Winterdal, Ben Street, Mick Paauwe

Drums   - Ignacio Berroa, Walfredo Reyes jr., Paul van Wageningen, Liber Torriente, Lucas van Merwijk, Enrique Firpi, Hans van Oosterhout, Chris Strik

Percussion   - Pernell Saturnino, Orestes Vilato, Roberto Quintero, Gerardo Rosales, Martin Verdonk

Vocals   - Izaline Calister, Denise Jannah, Tania Kross, Lilian Vieira, Fernando Lameirinhas

Strings   - Matangi Quartet, Oene van Geel, Jasper le Clercq, Roeland Duinen, Herman vanHaaren, Yvonne vd Pol