Hal Russell

{{short description|American jazz composer, band leader and musician}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| image =

| name = Hal Russell

| image_size =

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| birth_name = Harold Russell Luttenbacher

| alias =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|8|28}}

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, United States

| death_date = {{death date and age|1992|9|5|1926|8|28}}

| death_place = La Grange, Illinois, United States

| instrument = Drums, vibes, tenor sax, soprano sax, trumpet

| genre = Jazz
Free jazz
Avant-garde jazz

| occupation = Musician

| years_active =

| label = Nessa Records, ECM Records, Silkheart Records

| associated_acts =

| website =

}}

Hal Russell (born Harold Russell Luttenbacher, August 28, 1926{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=2168}} – September 5, 1992) was an American free jazz composer, band leader and multi-instrumentalist who performed mainly on saxophone and drums but occasionally on trumpet or vibraphone.Clarke, D., [http://www.donaldclarkemusicbox.com/encyclopedia/detail.php?s=2987 Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Hal Russell], Donaldclarkemusicbox.com, accessed May 6, 2014 Russell's fiery music was marked by significant humor, not unlike much of Dutch drummer Han Bennink's output. His music was so accessible that People magazine hailed The Finnish Swiss Tour on ECM as one of its top 5 albums of the year. Russell set the table for the free improv and free jazz scene which exploded later in the 1990s in Chicago.

Biography

Born in Detroit, Michigan, United States, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, from the eighth grade, Russell began playing drums at age four, but majored in trumpet at college; he subsequently drummed in several big bands, including those of Woody Herman and Boyd Raeburn.Huey, Steve. [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000550587|pure_url=yes}} Hal Russell biography], Allmusic, accessed February 28, 2014.

As with many young players in the mid-1940s, Russell's life was irreversibly changed by bebop. In the 1950s he worked with musicians including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and Duke Ellington. He succumbed to drugs and was a heroin addict for ten years. In 1959, he joined the Joe Daley Trio, whose Newport' 1963, which was mostly studio material, was reputedly one of the earliest free jazz records.{{cite book|last = Corbett|first = John|authorlink = John Corbett (writer)|title = Extended Play: Sounding Off from John Cage to Dr. Funkenstein|year = 1994|publisher = Duke University Press|isbn=0-82231-473-8|pages = 110, 112}}

In the early 1970s, Russell was the regular percussionist for the band at the suburban Chicago Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. Here he played mostly drums, but occasionally vibes and keyboards. At the same time he would host many young jazz musicians for jam sessions at his home, or in Chicago nightclubs.

In 1979, Russell formed the NRG Ensemble, which for most of its existence featured saxophonist Mars Williams, multi-instrumentalist Brian Sandstrom, and percussionist Steve Hunt, among others. At this time he starting playing tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and trumpet, in addition to drums and vibes. Russell finally issued his first album in 1981 for the Nessa label. In the late 1980s, the group began playing frequently in Europe, and began recording for ECM with The Finnish/Swiss Tour. Russell led the NRG Ensemble until his death.

In addition to the NRG Ensemble, Russell always maintained several auxiliary bands, a partnership with pianist Joel Futterman, the rock-oriented trio NRG 3 with Ed Ludwig on drums and Noel Kupersmith on bass, and The Flying Luttenbachers with Chad Organ on tenor sax and Weasel Walter on drums.

Cited by some as a missing link between the AACM and later Chicago free jazz, Russell was experiencing greater public awareness before his death. Just after completing the semi-autobiographical album The Hal Russell Story, Russell died of a heart attack in September 1992.Reich, Howard. [https://web.archive.org/web/20140304173054/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-09-07/news/9203210598_1_fred-astaire-miles-davis-musical Hal Russell obituary] at Chicago Tribune