Draft:Randy Wong

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Randy Wong is an American arts administrator and double bassist based in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. He is president and chief executive officer of the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony and a bassist with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. Wong is co-founder and leader of the ensemble the WAITIKI 7, which performs exotica-inflected jazz and has been profiled and reviewed in music publications in the United States and internationally.[1][2][3][4][5]

Career

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Wong became executive director of the Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony in February 2012 following a nationwide search.[6] In April 2012, he appeared on Hawaii News Now’s *Howard’s Business Report* to discuss a benefit concert for the organization.[7] He later became president and CEO, and spoke about the symphony’s 60th anniversary and youth music programs on Hawaiʻi Public Radio in 2025.[1] He also performs as a bassist with the Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra.[8]

WAITIKI 7

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Wong co-founded the WAITIKI 7 and leads the group in contemporary interpretations of mid-20th-century exotica, blending jazz with global influences. The ensemble’s 2010 release New Sounds of Exotica was reviewed by *All About Jazz*, which noted the band’s jazz sensibility and contributions from musicians including Zaccai Curtis and Tim Mayer.[9] A contemporaneous review described the group’s performances as a blend of jazz energy and exotica stylings.[10]

In 2025, the WAITIKI 7 released Exotica Reborn: In Studio and Live at House Without a Key. The album and Wong’s role as bassist were covered by *JazzTimes*, *Jazz Views*, *Paris Move*, *Shepherd Express*, and *UK Jazz News*.[2][3][4][5][11] *Progressive Rock Central* also described the ensemble’s updated approach to exotica and highlighted Wong’s role in the rhythm section.[12]

Selected discography

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  • With WAITIKI 7 — Adventures in Paradise (2009).[13]
  • With WAITIKI 7 — New Sounds of Exotica (2010).[9]
  • With WAITIKI 7 — Exotica Reborn: In Studio and Live at House Without a Key (2025).[3][4]

Reception

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Reviews of Exotica Reborn in 2025 described the project as a revivalist yet contemporary take on exotica, noting the participation of musicians with connections to historic Hawaiʻi recordings and the ensemble’s jazz sensibilities.[2][3][4][5][11][12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony marks 60 years of championing music education". Hawaiʻi Public Radio. March 10, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "Back to the Lounge: A Space-Age Idiom Gets Refreshed for the 21st Century". JazzTimes. August 28, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "The WAITIKI 7 – Exotica Reborn". Jazz Views. September 4, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "The Waitiki 7 – Exotica Reborn: In Studio and Live at House Without a Key". Paris Move. August 12, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c "Exotica Reborn: In Studio and Live at House without a Key — The Waitiki 7". Shepherd Express. September 8, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  6. ^ "Randy Wong". Hawaiʻi Youth Symphony. May 5, 2018. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  7. ^ "Howard's Business Report: Randy Wong". Hawaii News Now. April 12, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  8. ^ "Musicians — Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra". Hawaiʻi Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  9. ^ a b May, Chris (May 24, 2010). "The WAITIKI 7: New Sounds of Exotica". All About Jazz. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  10. ^ "The WAITIKI 7, New Sounds of Exotica". Rock Paper Scissors. May 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Mondays with Morgan: Randy Wong of the WAITIKI 7". UK Jazz News. August 18, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Mai Tais And Blue Notes: Waitiki 7 Pours A Fresh Mix Of Exotica". Progressive Rock Central. September 23, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  13. ^ "Waitiki 7 — Discography (includes Adventures in Paradise)". AllMusic. Retrieved September 25, 2025.