Jazz royalty in Murcia
Catherine Russell brings standards and new compositions to life
NATIVE New Yorker, Catherine Russell was born into musical royalty - her father, the late Luis Russell, was born in Panama, emigrated to New Orleans and then to Chicago and New York City, along the way establishing himself as an acclaimed pianist, bandleader, arranger and composer, in addition to being Louis Armstrong’s long-time collaborator and musical director.
Her mother, Carline Ray, was a pioneering bassist, guitarist, vocalist and holder of advanced degrees from Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music, who performed with the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams and Ruth Brown.
Given this background it will not come as a surprise to learn that Catherine Russell is herself an established musician and vocalist. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Catherine has toured the world, performing and recording with David Bowie, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Carrie Smith, Toshi Reagon, The Holmes Brothers, Wynton Marsalis, Dr John, Joan Osborne, Vince Giordano and many others, as well as appearing on over 200 albums.
She released her debut album, Cat, in 2006 and since that time has recorded a further six full-length offerings, all of which have earned acclaim from the critics, who universally commend Russell for her ability to breathe new life into old jazz standards or little-known gems from the past.
Her 2016 offering, the belting Harlem on my Mind earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album.
In his review for Jazz Weekly, the album prompted George W Harris to say: “Vocalist Catherine Russell knocked me out of the ring with her last recording, Bring It Back, and this new one is just as good, if not better. Where’s she been all my life?”
Her uncanny ability on all releases to switch from bluesy to sassy, lusty to sentimental, leaves the listener thinking that every track that she tackles was written specifically for her… to coin a very jaded phrase ‘she owns them’.
With such an accommodating voice it is not earth-shattering news to learn that Cat has performed sold out shows throughout the world and appeared on the stages of major festivals, including Montreal, Monterey, Newport, North Sea, Bern International, Charlie Parker, JazzAscona, Rochester, Detroit International, Tanglewood, Lotus World Music, Panama and I Love Jazz – Brazil.
Prior to her personal 2017 Grammy nomination, Catherine Russell had already bagged one of these prestigious awards in 2012 for her appearance as a featured artist on the soundtrack album for the Boardwalk Empire television series.
Bringing us right up to date, in 2019 she released Alone Together, once again with the winning production team of Katherine Miller, Paul
Kahn and Russell herself.
This team is now responsible for five of Cat’s albums Inside This Heart of Mine (2010), Strictly Romancin’ (2012), Bring It Back (2014) and Harlem on my Mind (2016) – all of which have received awards and acclaim.
This latest release draws on composers and lyricists from The Great American Songbook — Irving Berlin, Eddie de Lange and Jimmy Van Heusen — along with songwriters such as Nat Cole, Louis Jordan, and Al Dubin and Harry Warren.
As is always the case with such a precious gem, Russell’s voice takes centre-stage throughout, and while she finds comparisons to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughn and Dinah Shore ‘flattering’, the singer is at pains to remind that she has a sound all of her own.
“Blues infused jazz tunes are the ones I gravitate towards, because they enable me to freely express myself in the moment,” says Russell.
As the Jazz Times review so succinctly put it: “Alone Together offers a welcome reminder that there’s no one else in jazz doing what she does, and that the scene would be immeasurably poorer without her.”
The best I can say is to give Catherine Russell a Spotify, all of the albums are there to immerse yourself in, then take some time to view the effortlessness of her live performances on YouTube. Once this less than onerous task is complete make sure to get tickets for her March 27 show at the Teatro Circo in Murcia as part of the Murcia Jazz Festival.
Tickets are €12, €15 and €18 and available from the venue box website at www.teatrocircomurcia.es.