Randy Vera

Artist Information

Biography

Randy Vera is currently recording with 12-time RIAA Gold and Platinum Producer Anthony J. Resta (Twilight Films Soundtrack, Elton John, Collective Soul). His style is influenced by a Masters in Philosophy from Boston College, and his music training from the Longy School at Harvard Square.

Writing in the Folk, RnB, Rock, and Jazz genres, Randy has released 4 full-length albums, and his songs receive regular radio play on WMFO FM and WZBC FM in Boston. His music has also been featured on ESPN and PBS (WGBH) TV productions, and more. The Vera/Resta song "Here Made of Gone" is a finalist in the 2012 John Lennon Songwriting Contest. The song is one of three candidates for the prestigious John Lennon Award in the "Jazz" category.

Randy Vera's song "Bug Dialogue" is being featured in a film about surfing. In 2001, he was recognized by his college friend Paul Stanton in his film "On the Line" (Miramax), where he was the inspiration for one of the main characters portrayed by none other than N' Sync's Joey Fatone.

"Big Med Playlist for The Big One," April 8 2012 | Randy Vera – CFA (Aka "Freelance")
"Holy crap. It’s the second coming of Eno & Byrne with Tom Verlaine riding shotgun. Boston-based Randy Vera’s hallucinogenic ‘CFA’ is the latest add to the Big Med Playlist for The Big One and this tune will most assuredly carry you through any parts of your next shift that threaten occasional bouts of weirdness. Extremely well-produced and creatively chaotic, ‘CFA’ is a wild romp. Turn it up & enjoy the ride."
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About Me:
I have three Daughters. They are my life. I have over 150 songs now, and more poems than I care to count. I try to get better at music every day. I gig two nights a week around Boston these days. I'm grateful I get to do what I love. Thanks - Randy
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NOTABLE VENUES RANDY HAS Played:
The Icarus Club, London, UK
National Underground, NYC
Rockwood, NYC
The Hatch Shell, Boston (Walk for Hunger, 30,000 people)
House of Blues, Boston
LIVE on WMFO FM Boston; LIVE on WZBC FM Boston
Johnny D's Uptown, Boston
Harpers Ferry, Brighton Music Hall, Boston
The Lion's Den, (Sullivan Hall) NYC
The National Anthem on Guitar at Conte Forum, Boston College (For the Commonwealth Classic: BC vs UMass Basketball game)

Influences: Morphine, Mark Sandman; Tom Waits; Levi Stubbs; Levon Helm; Zevon; Chuck D; James Taylor, Townes Van Zandt; The Who; Zappa;Leonard Bernstein; Boomtown Rats; Igor Stravinsky; Todd Rungrand, The Tubes, Rolling Stones; Prince, ...lots more, depends on the day.

RANDY VERA on writing for film, FROM MIT Radio, Cambridge MA:
"Feelings come from all elements simultaneously, lighting, cinematography, costumes, acting, and music. Film scoring is essentially finding the right balance. I write in a way that goes right into the fabric of the character as she/he conditions the plot. When you watch the movie you should NOT be fully aware of the music. Music/sound is the character 'effecting:' say, the Shark's simple two note low slip in JAWS..."

Instrumentation

Randy Vera; Boston & Cambridge MA Based Musicians - Drums;Piano;Bass;Percussion;Strings;Winds; Etc.

Discography

Randy Vera has written a musical play titled "The Solitary Anthem Of Colum Black," as well as 4 full length albums. His 2009 EP titled "Stealing it Back" is available on Itunes.

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Official website
• Video EPK, Randy Vera
• Music for film

Audio

• HEREMADEOFGONE_1.00 [16441](2)
  Listen  
• bug mix mastered
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• RandyVera_v1_Freelance
  Listen  
• Front right mix 2 mastered
  Listen  
• I_M RIGHT HERE MASTERED MX2
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• Forensic Crime Drama Theme(1)
  Listen  
• Bigger Better Deal Mix
  Listen  
• "I Win"
  Listen  
• Back bay inst 2 mastered
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Here Made of Gone (The Heist Song)
• "Bug Dialog"
• "I WIN"
• Right Front Pocket (Crazy Leading the Crazy)
• Back Bay Inst 2 (Satire in Character: Feel Good TV Show Song by Randy Vera)
• BUG MIX MASTERED

Video

I Can Breathe Underwater .wmv

Photo Gallery

Press

• Randy Vera, Sounds Like: Tom Waits, Gil Scott-Héron, Warren Zevon [+ Show ]
  

  "Randy Vera. Sounds Like: Tom Waits, Gil Scott-Héron, Warren Zevon: When you listen to a lot of mus..."Randy Vera. Sounds Like: Tom Waits, Gil Scott-Héron, Warren Zevon:
  When you listen to a lot of music for your entire life then one day decide to write about that music as a critic, everything changes, you become by default...more critical. As such that increases over the years and it thereby becomes more difficult to find anything that actually gets your attention in such a way that you are genuinely intrigued and pleased enough to want more. This is how I felt when I first heard the music of Randy Vera. One of the things I do is make my assessment and ask myself, who does he remind you of? Then I go to the artist page and look at the "sounds like" references to see if I was spot on or not. The first artist that came to mind was Tom Waits, bingo! He is the first one mentioned. I then thought of Randy Newman and Leonard Cohen. Those two are not mentioned however I felt there was a little bit of each artist in Vera's sound and Warren Zevon? Yes, particularly with the lyrics and the way he delivers them. I am not fimilar at with Gil Scott-Heron's work but it proabably is a reflection of him as well. All comparisons aside, this gent has his act together and is one of the more unique and engaging singer/songwriters I have heard in quite some time.
  
  I have no idea what Flash Folk is nor have I ever heard of such a genre or sub genre but I do know that this is an amazing concoction of folk, jazz, alternative and whatever else you could dream up for explaining a cleary undefinable and unique sound. Its all very hard to put your finger on and put in a nice little box but that is what makes it so much fun. If you are looking for good sounds and thought provoking lyrics, listen to Randy Vera now!"
  
  

• Big Med Playlist for The Big One | Randy Vera – CFA [+ Show ]
  

  Holy crap. It’s the second coming of Eno & Byrne with Tom Verlaine riding shotgun. Boston-based Rand...Holy crap. It’s the second coming of Eno & Byrne with Tom Verlaine riding shotgun. Boston-based Randy Vera’s hallucinogenic ‘CFA’ is the latest add to the Big Med Playlist for The Big One and this tune will most assuredly carry you through any parts of your next shift that threaten occasional bouts of weirdness. Extremely well-produced and creatively chaotic, ‘CFA’ is a wild romp. Turn it up & enjoy the ride.
  
  

• REVIEW 17TH JULY SATURDAY SHOWCASE - Maria Day + Randy Vera [+ Show ]
  

  RANDY VERA Our second guest tonight hails from Brighton, Massachusetts, a multi-talented actor and m...RANDY VERA Our second guest tonight hails from Brighton, Massachusetts, a multi-talented actor and musician who was described as:
  “A consummate professional, Randy gets the party going with a great voice, great musical chops and a genuinely fun personality to boot." The Boston Herald
  and we heartily agree ! Randy can simply play and sing anything from the Stones to the Police to Hendrix with his undoubted singing and guitar playing abilities complemented by a highly charismatic on-stage persona which never fails to delight and entertain. His own material, though, is where Randy really shines. "Its Who I Am", "I Win" and "Bigger Better Deal" bear comparison with the likes of Ryan Adams and even Gil Scott-Heron in places, and his album simply entitled "Randy Vera" is well worth a listen.
  Set List - Its Who I Am, Open Door To Your Heart, I Win, The Bug Replies, Bigger Better Deal, Various covers

• Mother’s Day Hollywood East Style [+ Show ]
  

  “My Mom worked at St Elizabeth’s ER, overnight, when we were kids,” the handsome Musician, Randy Ver...“My Mom worked at St Elizabeth’s ER, overnight, when we were kids,” the handsome Musician, Randy Vera tells us. “She would be back just in time to help me get to school. I had my share of trouble. Mom stuck by me.
  She never complained, even through her cancer treatment – it was “aren’t we lucky to live in Boston with the best hospitals in the world” – “why me” never crossed her mind. This Mother’s day, I made a video of her grand kids impersonating her. “Randall, your hair looks like a derelict! When you get a real job you will need short hair. Etc Etc” she is the rock of my life.”
  
  

• A quick run-down on the artists we didn’t want to fail to notice this spring [+ Show ]
  

  Randy Vera: This was close to being the feature because I absolutely LOVE the idea behind the writi...Randy Vera:
  This was close to being the feature because I absolutely LOVE the idea behind the writing of the songs. Vera is a family man with a master’s in comparative literature who claims his three daughters are his life and that hits home to me as well. His poetry-into-songs style of writing means that the accompanying instrumentation has specific reasoning like the creeping bass line that represents the art thief on “Here Made of Gone,” which is the title track on the album produced by AIAA platinum certified producer Anthony J. Resta (Elton John, The Twilight Films Soundtracks, Shawn Mullins, Duran Duran, and more). The song is about The Gardner Hiest in Boston. The Heist is being made into a Matt Damon/Mark Whalberg Film. This is feature worthy, but just wasn’t the choice I ultimately made. Do yourself a favor and check out: http://www.reverbnation.com/randyvera
  
  

• MCL Talks In Depth With Randy Vera
  

  PAGE 21,22,23 - Solely Independent - MCL Talks In Depth With Randy Vera

• Old Press 1996, Boston College Chronicle [+ Show ]
  

  Randy Vera sings and jokes his way to a master's in philosophy By Sean Smith Staff Writer There...Randy Vera sings and jokes his way to a master's in philosophy
  By Sean Smith
  Staff Writer
  There are far easier ways to put yourself through graduate school than the one Randy Vera chose. In the course of his duties, he's sustained a cut on his head from a ceiling fan, had his wrist stuck in a lighting fixture, and taken a spill off the hood of his car.
  Vera's job as a night club performer ordinarily might not entail such dangers, but Vera is not an ordinary night club performer. He combines music and comedy with such zeal that a stage literally cannot contain him - he'll often dance out onto the sidewalk, stand on a table, even hitch a ride with a mounted policeman, singing and strumming guitar all the while. His act has proven popular enough to have landed him several weekly gigs in Boston, an impressive achievement in a highly competitive entertainment marketplace. He has also made spot appearances at the Hard Rock Cafe in Manhattan. .......
  
  

Setlist

I can bring my own gear, or use backline/club sound. Please let me know.

Basic Requirements

Calendar