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Music
Benny Russell's Groups
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PHILLY JAZZ CONNECT
14 members
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PITTSBURGH JAZZ CONNECT
35 members
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BROOKLYN JAZZ CONNECT
22 members
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New York Jazz
80 members
Benny Russell's Page
Profile Information
- What is your profession?
- Musician, Composer
- What Instrument Do you Play?
- Tenor, Soprano Saxes
- Where Are you located?
- Bel Air, MD
- How did you find out about TGJN?
- I was unvited by Tamm E. Hunt
- About Me:
- BENNY RUSSELL When reedman Benny Russell was 15 years old he took his first major step toward what has become a prolific music career--one that embraces a range of styles that span R&B, jazz, gospel and classical music. As Russell tells it, his brother David, who was attending Morgan State University at the time, was instrumental in setting him on this path. "I was still in high school when David asked the director of Morgan State's Jazz Ensemble if I could sit in," he reports. "The director said I was welcome if I could play." Evidently Russell could play. He ended up sitting in with the school's concert and marching bands on clarinet, and continued to perform on several reed instruments with the jazz ensemble until his own graduation from Morgan State. He now recognizes those years as a pivotal time in his musical life. "It was in the University's jazz ensemble," Russell recalls, "where my composing and arranging ambitions really took flight." Born February 21, 1958 in Baltimore, Maryland, Russell started clarinet lessons at age 7 under the instruction of Mr. James H. Holliman. At 12 he began playing tenor. And by the time he was 15, sitting in with the Morgan State bands, Russell was playing tenor, alto and soprano saxophones as well as clarinet, bass clarinet and flute. 1976 was the year he became a full-time undergraduate student at Morgan State, and during that time he also started gigging for the Manhattans, the Four Tops, and Richard "Groove" Holmes in addition to several other artists who toured the area. Shortly after his college graduation, Benny moved to New York and quickly formed a jazz orchestra called the NEW YORK ASSOCIATION--a seventeen-piece ensemble that featured such noted jazz artists as trumpeters Cecil Bridgewater and Tom Harrell, saxophonist John Purcell, trombonists Steve Turre and Robin Eubanks, pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs, and drummer Mike Clark. Since then, Russell has been steadily building an impressive list of credits. Besides arranging and performing for off-Broadway shows like Beehive, he's worked with Otis Rush, Harry Belafonte, Mino Cinelu, Craig Harris, Jimmy Owens, Junior Cook, Mor Thium and a host of others. Russell can also be heard on The Cosby Show and A Different World. In 1995 Russell chaired the jazz division at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, where he also taught jazz history. While working at the Conservatory, he was able to launch a string of other cultural activities that served Brooklyn, including a program of workshops for high school students in the Brooklyn public school system, the Charlie Parker Birthday Festival, and regular performances with the Next Legacy Orchestra. Next Legacy Orchestra is a big band for which Russell writes and arranges as co-director with saxophonist Jorge Sylvester. He first worked with this group when it was known as the David Murray Big Band. When Murray decided to move to Paris in '96, he asked Russell to take on the role of leader, the name was changed and the group got a home on the Conservatory's stage. After a recent performance there, the Next Legacy Orchestra was described by New York Times critic Ben Ratliff as "one of the best overlooked bands in the city."In February, 2002, Russell presented his work Langston Hughes: The Soul of His Words to a large audience at the Museum of Natural History in New York. The three-movement piece written for 19 piece Jazz orchestra and three actors was received with a standing ovation and a citation from the Borough President Marty Markowitz of Brooklyn, New York. In February 2004, the piece was extended to five movements and received equally as well at the St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York.In February 2005, Russell was commissioned to write a Jazz score for Zora Neale Hurson’s play Cold Keener and it was received well at Baltimore’s Loyola College.In June 2004, Russell was hired to chair the Jazz department at the Maryland Conservatory of Music. Already he has produced a successful Count Basie 100th Birthday Celebration that featured the legendary Frank Foster and Grammy award winners Antonio Hart and Mark Gross. Presently, he is signed to Arabesque Records and is working on his second release entitled Miracles which features James Spaulding, Cecil Bridgewater and many other luminaries.
Benny Russell's Blog
MLK, Jr. March
February 28 to April 4, 2008
Establishing Justice In our Gates!
40th Anniversary of the Assassination of
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Baltimore City Commemorative March and Rally
April 4, 2008
MLK Steering Committee 410-578-9142 email: wbccdc@gmail.com
3717 Springdale Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21216
This April 4, 2008 marks the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of our beloved leader the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who gave his life so that we might experience the dream. Lea… Continue
Establishing Justice In our Gates!
40th Anniversary of the Assassination of
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Baltimore City Commemorative March and Rally
April 4, 2008
MLK Steering Committee 410-578-9142 email: wbccdc@gmail.com
3717 Springdale Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21216
This April 4, 2008 marks the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of our beloved leader the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who gave his life so that we might experience the dream. Lea… Continue
Posted on February 28, 2008 at 10:29am —
About
Member Quotes About TGJN
I was just saying that you knocked this out of the park with TGJN. We have needed something like this for so long and I am telling my friends about this. I said that it is sort of like a myspace for jazz but it is actually so much more. This is real. The people here truly love jazz and we know people like that are not your average people.
I have felt for a long time that straight-ahead jazz has been slipping away from us. I have hope now that there will be a resurgence (or shall I say an insurgency:-) to bring this baby back full force!
You just knocked it out of the park. Thanks again.
xoxo,
Janie
Events
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Mel Brown Quartet
March 25, 2009 at 8pm to March 27, 2013 at 11pm – Jimmy Mak's
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Saturday JAZZ Nights at Chelsea Wine Bar
November 14, 2009 at 8:30pm to November 15, 2009 at 12:30am – Chelsea Wine Bar
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Orjazz presenta - "La tragica notte del dott. Hives"
November 14, 2009 from 9pm to 11pm – Crevacuore
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Jazz & Art Extravaganza!
November 15, 2009 from 3pm to 8pm – Emmy Lu Gallery
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Lee Summer's "Just Piano Series" presents...
November 19, 2009 from 7pm to 8pm – Triad Theatre
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Workout
December 3, 2009 from 9pm to 11pm – Casale Monferrato
Birthdays
Birthdays Today
Birthdays Tomorrow
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Back in February, Rihanna and her boyfriend, fellow pop star Chris Brown, got into an altercation as they were heading to perform at the Grammy Awards. In late August, he was sentenced to five years' probation for felony assault. Today, it might be possible to pick up on how Brown and Rihanna are doing via their music.Roc Raida: A Grandmaster Gone
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What up G-money? How's it going in the land of Mary? Benny, I have to apologise because I was in the D.C. area and didn't remember that you were in Baltimore, so I didn't call you. We were at Arena Stage doing that show about the life of Ella Fitzgerald (called 'Ella'). Every time I think about you I think in terms of the last time I saw you, which was at the Brooklyn Conservatory, when we were rehearsing your Langston Hughes piece. That was a while ago! Anyway, thanks for the invite, and I hope to see you soon.
peace and blessings,
-G
that's kool...all the best to you,,,kool.
845-362-5889 Home
914-760-7924 Mobile
Hey did you know that you played a major part in my Musical/technological development? When we speak I'll explain. Be Blessed
Wayne
PS Roger Byam Says Hello
Thanks for the invite!
Michele
Thanks for inviting me into your circle.
Thanks for the invite....Peace...Paula
Great sounds on your MySpace page.
Thanks for including me as a friend.
All the Best,
Paul Metzke
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