George Russell (composer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Russell
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | George Allen Russell |
| Born | June 23, 1923 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | July 27, 2009 (aged 86) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger |
| Instruments | Piano, drums |
George Allen Russell (born June 23, 1923 – died July 27, 2009) was an American jazz musician. He was a talented pianist, composer, and arranger. George Russell is famous for creating a new way to understand music theory. His ideas were based on jazz music, not just older European music. He wrote about his ideas in a book called Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization in 1953.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
George Russell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 23, 1923. He was adopted by Bessie and Joseph Russell. As a child, he sang in his church choir. He also listened to riverboat music from the Ohio River.
When he was just seven years old, George sang on stage with the famous musician Fats Waller. He started playing drums with the Boy Scouts. He even got a scholarship to Wilberforce University. There, he joined a band called the Collegians, which was known for its jazz musicians.
During World War II, George became ill with tuberculosis. While in the hospital, he learned the basics of music theory from another patient. This time helped him focus on his musical studies.
Starting a Career in Jazz
After getting better, George played drums with Benny Carter's band. But he decided to stop drumming after hearing the amazing drummer Max Roach. Max Roach later took his place in the band.
In the 1940s, George Russell moved to New York City. He was inspired by Thelonious Monk's song "'Round Midnight". In New York, he joined a group of young, creative musicians. This group included famous names like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and John Lewis.
Developing New Music Ideas
George Russell spent 16 months in the hospital again in 1945–46. During this time, he worked on his big idea: the Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization. This was a new way to think about how music works. It became very important in jazz.
His ideas helped shape the "modal music" played by jazz legends. These included John Coltrane and Miles Davis on his famous album, Kind of Blue. Russell's book explaining his theory was published in 1953.
Composing and Leading Bands
While developing his theory, Russell also wrote music. One of his first famous songs was "Cubano Be, Cubano Bop" (1947). He wrote it for the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra. This song helped mix jazz with Cuban music.
Russell also started playing piano and leading his own groups. His first album as a leader was Jazz Workshop (1957). On this album, he mostly guided the music, like a conductor. Over the next few years, he made many great albums.
In 1957, he wrote a special piece called All About Rosie for a jazz festival. It showed how he could combine different musical parts in jazz. His 1958 album, New York, N.Y., featured many top jazz musicians. These included Bill Evans and John Coltrane.
His 1960 album, Jazz in the Space Age, was even more ambitious. It used two pianos playing together in a unique way. From 1960 to 1963, Russell led his own sextet (a six-person band). They had memorable performances with musicians like Eric Dolphy.
Time in Europe
In 1964, George Russell moved to Scandinavia. He was upset about race relations in the United States at the time. He lived in Scandinavia for five years. During this time, he taught at Lund University.
He toured Europe with his band. He also played with young musicians who later became famous. These included guitarist Terje Rypdal and saxophonist Jan Garbarek. This period allowed him to write bigger pieces for larger groups of musicians.
One important work from this time was Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature (1968). It used electronic sounds and explored new ways of making music. George Russell returned to America in 1969. He began teaching his Lydian Concept at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. He continued to develop his ideas and perform with his 14-member orchestra.
Later Musical Works
In the 1970s, George Russell was asked to write three major pieces. These included Listen to the Silence and Living Time. Living Time (1972) brought him back together with Bill Evans. This music explored the different stages of human life.
In 1985, he formed the Living Time Orchestra. This 14-member group toured Europe and the U.S. They often played at the famous Village Vanguard club in New York. Their music was highly praised.
His work The African Game was a 45-minute piece for 25 musicians. It was called "one of the most important new releases" by The New York Times. This work earned George Russell two Grammy nominations in 1985.
After 1984, Russell wrote nine more long pieces. These included Timeline for a symphony orchestra and jazz orchestra. He also re-orchestrated Living Time for his orchestra in Paris in 1994.
Understanding George Russell's Music Theory
George Russell's book, Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, changed how musicians thought about matching scales with chords. Before, music theory mostly used the "major scale" (like C-D-E-F-G-A-B).
Russell's idea was that the "Lydian scale" (which has a slightly different fourth note, like C-D-E-F#-G-A-B) sounded more natural and "at home" with major chords. This meant musicians could play more freely and creatively over chords.
How His Ideas Changed Jazz
Russell's ideas were the first new music theory to come directly from jazz. They helped jazz musicians move beyond the older style of "bebop." His concepts were very important for the development of "modal jazz."
Miles Davis and Bill Evans used these ideas on their famous 1959 album Kind of Blue. This album is a classic example of modal jazz. John Coltrane also explored modal playing after working on Kind of Blue.
A famous composer named Tōru Takemitsu said that Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept was one of the most amazing books about music. He called it "a philosophy of music" or even "poetry."
George Russell passed away on July 27, 2009, in Boston, Massachusetts.
Awards and Recognition
George Russell received many important awards for his contributions to music.
- In 1989, he received a special "genius" grant from the MacArthur Fellows Program.
- In 1990, he won the National Endowment for the Arts American Jazz Master Award.
- He also received two Guggenheim Fellowships and the British Jazz Award.
- He was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.
- Russell won the Oscar du Disque de Jazz Award, the Guardian Award, and the American Music Award.
He taught music all over the world. He was also a guest conductor for radio groups in many European countries.
Discography
As leader
- The Jazz Workshop (RCA Victor, 1957)
- New York, N.Y. (Decca, 1959)
- George Russell Sextet at the Five Spot (Decca, 1960)
- Jazz in the Space Age (Decca, 1960)
- Stratusphunk (Riverside, 1960)
- Ezz-thetics (Riverside, 1961)
- George Russell Sextet in K.C. (Brunswick, 1961)
- The Outer View (Riverside, 1962)
- The Stratus Seekers (Riverside, 1962)
- George Russell Sextet at Beethoven Hall (SABA, 1965)
- Othello Ballet Suite/Electronic Organ Sonata No. 1 (Flying Dutchman, 1970)
- Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature (Flying Dutchman, 1971)
- The Esoteric Circle (Flying Dutchman, 1971)
- The Essence of George Russell (Sonet, 1971)
- Listen to the Silence (Concept, 1973)
- Outer Thoughts (Milestone, 1975)
- Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved By Nature - 1980 (Soul Note, 1980)
- New York Big Band (Soul Note, 1982)
- Trip to Prillarguri (Soul Note, 1982)
- Live in an American Time Spiral (Soul Note, 1983)
- The African Game (Blue Note, 1985)
- So What (Blue Note, 1986)
- New York (Electric Bird, 1988)
- The London Concert (Label Bleu, 1995)
- It's About Time (Label Bleu, 1996)
- The 80th Birthday Concert (Concept, 2005)
- Things New (RLR, 2007)
- George Russell Sextet Live in Breman and Paris 1964 (Gambit, 2008)
As sideman
- Gil Evans, Svengali (Atlantic, 1973)
- Sheila Jordan, Portrait of Sheila (Blue Note, 1962)
- Lucy Reed, This Is Lucy Reed (Fantasy, 1957)
Images for kids
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George Russell, a jazz pioneer
See also
In Spanish: George Russell (compositor) para niños
