Hal Russell (born Harold Russell Luttenbacher, August 28, 1926 – 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.
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Hal Russell
Donaldclarkemusicbox.com, accessed May 6, 2014 Russel'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 Boyd Albert Raeburn (October 27, 1913 – August 2, 1966) was an American jazz bandleader and bass saxophonist. Career He was born in Faith, South Dakota, United States. Raeburn attended the University of Chicago, where he led a campus band. H ...

.Huey, Steve. 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 Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

, John Coltrane, and

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

. 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. 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 NRG Ensemble was an American free jazz ensemble founded in the late 1970s by saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell.Margasak, PeterThe Undiminished Power of Hal Russell's NRG Ensemble''at Chicago Reader'' The group's personnel was somewhat f ...

, 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

until his death. In addition to the

, 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
Hal Russell obituary
at '' Chicago Tribune''

Discography

* '' Elixir'' (Atavistic, 1979, issued 2001) * ''

'' (Nessa, 1981) – with NRG Ensemble * '' Eftsoons'' (Nessa, 1981) – with Mars Williams * '' Generation'' (Nessa, 1982) – with NRG Ensemble &

Charles Tyler Admiral Sir Charles Tyler, GCB (1760 – 28 September 1835) was a naval officer in the British Royal Navy who gained fame during the Napoleonic Wars as a naval captain that fought at the Battle of Copenhagen (1801) and Battle of Trafalgar, beco ...

* ''

Conserving NRG ''Conserving NRG'' is an album by American avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell recorded in 1984 and released on the Principally Jazz label.Hal on Earth ''Hal on Earth'' is an album by American avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell recorded in 1989 which was originally released on cassette and released on CD on the Abduction label in 1995.The Finnish/Swiss Tour ''The Finnish/Swiss Tour'' is a live album by American avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell recorded in 1991 and released on the ECM label in 1992. Reception The Allmusic review awarded the album 4½ stars ...

'' (ECM, 1991) – with NRG Ensemble * ''

Albert's Lullaby ''Albert's Lullaby'' is the first solo album by American avant-garde bassist, jazz composer, bandleader, producer; Michael Staron which in essence documented his trio collaboration with American avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, and multi-ins ...

'' (Southport, 1991, issued 2000) - with Michael Staron * ''

Naked Colours ''Naked Colours'' is a live album by American avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell and pianist Joel Futterman recorded in 1991 and released on the Silkheart label in 1994.994 – with Joel Futterman * ''

Hal's Bells ''Hal's Bells'' is a solo album by American jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer Hal Russell recorded in May 1992 and released on ECM later that year.

'' (ECM, 1992) * ''

The Hal Russell Story ''The Hal Russell Story'' is the final album by American avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Hal Russell recorded in Switzerland in 1992 and released on the ECM label in 1993.

'' (ECM, 1993) – with NRG Ensemble With The Flying Luttenbachers *'' Destructo Noise Explosion!: Live at WNUR 2-6-92'' (ugEXPLODE, 1992)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Hal 1926 births 1992 deaths Avant-garde jazz musicians American jazz drummers American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz trumpeters American male trumpeters American jazz vibraphonists 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American saxophonists 20th-century trumpeters The Flying Luttenbachers members 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians NRG Ensemble members