Luis Russell

Luis Carl Russell ( born August 6 1902 the island Careening Cay in Bocas del Toro, Panama, † December 11, 1963, New York City ) was an American jazz pianist and band leader of the New Orleans Jazz.

Life and work

Russell has Afro-Caribbean roots. He was born in Panama, the son of a music teacher and learned violin, guitar, trumpet and piano before he began to work in 1917 as a silent film pianist and piano player in a casino in Colón. When he won 1919 3000 dollars in a lottery, he moved to New Orleans with his mother and sister. He took her by Steve Lewis lessons in piano à la New Orleans Jazz and played in the band of Albert Nicholas. In 1924 he moved to Chicago where he played with Doc Cook in his " Dreamland Orchestra" and then at King Oliver. In 1926, he took with his " Hot Six" ( Barney Bigard with, Kid Ory, Johnny St. Cyr ) and his " Heebie Jeebie Stompers " on ( with Bigard, St.Cyr ).

With Oliver Russell also went in 1927 to New York, but then founded at the end of a band with some of Oliver's musicians. At times, Barney Bigard played there, Pops Foster, Omer Simeon, Henry " Red" Allen, Vic Dickenson, Paul Barbarin, Teddy Hill, JC Higginbotham, Albert Nicholas, Dicky Wells and William Thornton Blue. In New York, they were one of the most sought after bands for gigs and recording sessions with eg Red Allen, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong, who in 1929 his backup band made ( Okeh recordings in 1929/1930 ). Your recordings under his own name in 1929 are regarded as one of the earliest examples of swing music. In September 1934, Russell had reached his only chart success on the Billboard Top 30, as his version of the Jerome Kern - Klasikers " Ol ' Man River " Perfect for one weeks rank 19.

From 1935 to 1943, Russell and his musicians again the backup tape of Louis Armstrong (but Russell was musical director ). She went back under Russell's name at the Savoy Ballroom and Apollo Theater in Harlem and in Atlantic City. In 1948, Russell moved back (except for occasional gigs ), opened a shop for sweets - later one for toys - and moonlighted as a music teacher and then as a chauffeur. On a tour to Panama in 1959, he played classical piano repertoire. He died in 1963 from cancer.

Russell was married to singer and bassist Carline Ray since 1956; their daughter Catherine Russell ( born 1956 ) is known as a professional musician, especially in the blues scene.