Zilner T. Randolph

Zilner Trenton Randolph (January 28, 1899, Dermott, Arkansas - January 28, 1994, Chicago, Illinois) was an American jazz trumpeter and music educator. Randolph attended Biddle University (now Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina, the Kreuger Conservatory in St. Louis, and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and played in territory bands including Bernie Young's (1927-31). After moving to Chicago in 1931, he became Louis Armstrong's musical director for the period of 1931-32 and again in 1933 and 1935. He played trumpet on a number of Armstrong's recordings and composed the tune "Old Man Mose". He also played with Carroll Dickerson and Dave Peyton in the middle of the decade, and led his own Chicago band later in the 1930s. He arranged for Earl Hines, Woody Herman, Fletcher Henderson, and Duke Ellington, and led his own quartet in the 1940s, although he never recorded a session as a leader. After the 1940s Randolph devoted himself mainly to teaching students on the south side of Chicago. He was affectionately known as "Professor" to everyone in the neighborhood and the many children and adults who traveled from other areas of Chicago and outlying areas to study with him. He taught the many instruments he was proficient in from the piano, trumpet, voice, organ to many percussion instruments, and charged virtually nothing to those who would otherwise be unable to afford the private lessons. Starting in 1951, he was the leader of a band at the Indiana Theater through out the 1950's. Zilner T. Randolph lived to be 95 and died on his birthday in 1994 (and not on February 2, as often reported) He was one of the last of the Louis Armstrong alumni of the 1930's