Luis Russell
Luis Russell led one of the great early big bands, an orchestra that during 1929-1931 could hold its own with nearly all of its competitors. Unfortunately, his period in the spotlight was fairly brief and, ironically, Russell fell into obscurity just as the big band era really took hold. Russell studied guitar, violin, and piano in his native Panama. After winning 3,000 dollars in a lottery, he moved with his mother and sister to the United States where he began to make a living as a pianist in New Orleans. In 1925 Russell moved to Chicago to join Doc Cook's Orchestra and then became the pianist in King Oliver's band. He was with Oliver when the cornetist relocated to New York before leading his own band at the Nest Club in 1927. Russell had recorded seven songs at two sessions as a leader in 1926 with his Hot Six and Heebie Jeebie Stompers. By 1929 his ten-piece band (which included several former Oliver sidemen) boasted four major soloists in trumpeter Red Allen, trombonist J.C. Higginbotham, altoist Charlie Holmes, and clarinetist Albert Nicholas; the other trumpeter, Bill Coleman, ended up leaving because of the lack of solo space. In addition, Russell, a decent but not particularly distinctive pianist, was part of one of the top rhythm sections of the era along with guitarist Will Johnson, the powerful bassist Pops Foster, and drummer Paul Barbarin. During the next couple of years Luis Russell's band recorded a couple dozen sides that (thanks to the leader's arrangements) combined the solos and drive of New Orleans jazz with the riffs and ensembles of swing; some of these performances are now considered classics. The band also backed Louis Armstrong on a few of his early orchestra recordings. But after a few commercial sides in 1931, Luis Russell only had one more opportunity to record his band (a so-so session in 1934) before Louis Armstrong took it over altogether in 1935. For eight years, the nucleus of Russell's orchestra primarily functioned as background for the great trumpeter/vocalist, a role that robbed it of its personality and significance. From 1943-1948, Russell led a new band that played the Savoy and made a few obscure recordings for Apollo before quietly breaking up. He spent his last 15 years, before dying of cancer in 1963, largely outside of music, running at first a candy shop and then a toy store. Fortunately most of Russell's early recordings have been made available on CD by European labels.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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The Luis Russell Story 1929-30
Jazz - Released by CoolNote on 1 Jan 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
At The Swing Cats Ball
Jazz - Released by Dot Time Legends on 3 Mar 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1926 - 1929
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 8 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best of Luis Russell & His Orchestra
Jazz - Released by Saland Publishing on 26 Aug 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Giving You Jazz! (Remastered)
Jazz - Released by Master Tape Records on 27 Aug 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Call Of The Freaks (Original Recordings 1925 - 1929)
Pop - Released by HotJazz on 31 Mar 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1945 - 1946
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 8 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All Time Jazz: Luis Russell
Jazz - Released by Bella Musica Edition on 13 Jun 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Luis Russell & Henry “Red” Allen 1929
Henry ?Red? Allen, Luis Russell
Jazz - Released by Documents on 1 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Ultimate Jazz Archive 3 (3 Of 4)
Jazz - Released by Carinco AG on 16 Feb 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Luis Russell Collecton - 1926-1934
Jazz - Released by Collectors Classics on 20 Aug 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Complete Jazz Series 1930 - 1934
Jazz - Released by Complete Jazz Series on 8 Jun 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Big Bands At The Savoy, Vol. 1
Jazz - Released by Jazz Unlimited on 30 Mar 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Luis Russell & Henry “Red” Allen 1929-30
Luis Russell, Henry ?Red? Allen
Jazz - Released by Documents on 1 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Luis Russell & Henry “Red” Allen & The Blues Singers
Henry ?Red? Allen, the Blues Singers, Luis Russell
Jazz - Released by Documents on 1 Sep 2009
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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Jersey Lightning
Jazz - Released by Jazz League Music on 19 Aug 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Plantation Joys
Jazz - Released by Jazz League Music on 9 Jun 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Luis Russell: Essential 10
Traditional Jazz & New Orleans - Released by Tsk Music on 27 Jun 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo