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| Catherine Russell To Release Single “I Want To Talk About You” in honor of Valentine’s Day & Black History Month, out 2/10 (Dot Time) Soulful, swinging and twice GRAMMY -nominated vocalist Catherine Russell has remained a steadfast and dutiful messenger of jazz history. Time after time, Russell proves her loyalty to the notion that sensation and music are interchangeable terms. This belief seeps through each of Russell's arrangements and sits at the heart of her upcoming single, "I Want To Talk About You", out February 10 via Dot Time Records. Russell's new single release, in celebration of Valentine's Day and Black History Month, will benefit The Jazz Foundation of America. Russell borrows "I Want To Talk About You" from famed jazz vocalist and orchestra leader Billy Eckstine. After composing and writing the lyrics in 1944, Eckstine recorded this original alongside his 17-piece orchestra, which included such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and Dexter Gordon. Arranged by Tadd Dameron, it was released as a single in 1945. The melody and harmonic changes of "I Want To Talk About You" held great appeal as a bed for improvisation, for instrumentalists and vocalists alike. John Coltrane recorded and performed the tune, which was also covered by Nancy Wilson, Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald. A love ballad with such a pedigree held great appeal for Russell, who's sensual reading of "I Want To Talk About You, " joins the ranks of notable interpretations by jazz greats. Russell's upcoming single release follows a hallmark year. Swiftly after its release last April, Russell's Send For Me became a smash. Amassing international praise across outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Downbeat Magazine, The Absolute Sound, No Depression, WBGO, London Jazz News, and more, the 13-tracks that comprise Send For Me boast distinct arrangements of tunes from the swing and bebop eras. Following the release of "I Want To Talk About You", Russell will begin her tour with GRAMMY -winning guitarist John Pizzarelli—a salute to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra—on February 11 in Greensboro, North Carolina, with The Greensboro Symphony. Russell and her band, including guitarist/musical director Matt Munisteri, pianist Sean Mason, bassist Tal Ronen, and drummer Mark McLean, continue with a 5-night Valentine's Week celebration at Birdland Jazz Club in New York from February 14 through February 18. The tour schedule and date-specific information can be found below. Russell's deep connection to her chosen material is part of a calling. As the daughter of pioneering and legendary musicians, pianist/orchestra leader/composer/arranger Luis Russell, and bassist/guitarist/vocalist Carline Ray, Catherine Russell was born into jazz royalty. In culling material for her new album from the likes of Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole, Luis Russell, Betty Carter, Kay Starr, Joe Liggins, Earl King, Jack Teagarden, Helen Humes, Frank Sinatra, Dakota Staton, Henry Red Allen, and Louis Armstrong, the vocalist swims in familiar waters. She sings a language that comes naturally, furthering a profound legacy. Upcoming Catherine Russell Tour Dates 2023 Jan 16 - 21 / Panama Jazz Festival / Panama City, Panama Feb 11 / Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts / Greensboro, NC Feb 14-18 / Birdland Jazz Club / New York, NY Feb 26 / Bay Area Cabaret at the Venetian Room / San Francisco, CA Mar 4 / Fox Theatre / Tucson, AZ Mar 5 / Chandler Center For The Arts / Tucson, AZ Mar 15-19 / Jazz St. Louis / St. Louis, MO Mar 26 / Mountain Stage Radio Show / Huntington, WV Mar 29 / Kutztown University / Kutztown, PA March 31 / Pawling Concert Series / Pawling, NY May 9-13 / Bern International Jazz Festival / Bern, Switzerland May 14 / Hotel Schweizerhof / Bern, Switzerland June 26 / Pasadena Pops / Arcadia, CA MORE ABOUT CATHERINE RUSSELL AND SEND FOR ME: Russell's professional life began at age 7, when she first took the stage as a dancer with Katherine Dunham's company for four seasons at The Metropolitan Opera's production of Aida. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she was fortunate to work with David Bowie, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Wynton Marsalis, Dr. John, Rosanne Cash, Toshi Reagon, and Carrie Smith, among others. Russell performed extensively as a backup singer, multi-instrumentalist, and lead singer, before launching her solo recording career in 2006. She amassed decades of experience touring and recording with cutting edge songwriters and iconic artists, appearing on over 200 albums. Co-producers Katherine Miller, Paul Kahn and Catherine Russell, the team behind Russell's albums, Alone Together (2019) and Harlem On My Mind (2016), both GRAMMY nominees for Best Jazz Vocal Album, are reunited on Send For Me, their 6th album together. The winning streak began with Inside This Heart of Mine (2010), which reached #1 on iTunes and Amazon jazz charts. Strictly Romancin' (2012) was awarded the Prix du Jazz Vocal (Vocal Album of The Year) by the French Jazz Academy and Grand Prix du Hot Club de France. Her fifth solo album, Bring It Back (2014), received a 5 Star Review in Downbeat Magazine. Significant film and TV credits include Russell contributing the song, "Crazy Blues, " as a featured artist on the 2012 GRAMMY winning soundtrack album of the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire. In 2017, she performed the song on PBS-TV's Great Performances special, 'Grammy Salute To Music Legends'. In 2019, she had a cameo in the feature film Bolden, a biopic about jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden, while also contributing lead vocals on two songs to Wynton Marsalis's soundtrack album. Russell's versatility shines through on an array of recently released new recordings. She added harmony vocals on albums by Sarah Jarosz (a GRAMMY Award winner for Best Americana Album in 2021), Brett Eldredge, and Little Feat, while also contributing a song on renowned banjo player Tony Trischka's new album Shall We Hope. In addition, she appeared as a guest lead vocalist on albums by Andy Farber and His Orchestra (Early Blue Evening), reedman Evan Arntzen (Countermelody), and on Steven Bernstein's MTO featuring Catherine Russell, Good Time Music, the second album in the four-part Community Music series by trumpet player and arranger, Steven Bernstein. Russell continues to tour as a member of Steely Dan, as recently as in the summer of 2022, and she sings on two "live" 2021 releases; Northeast Corridor Live! and a live version of the acclaimed album by Donald Fagen, The Nightfly Live. Sixteen years into her solo career, Catherine Russell is on the move. Her band has performed at major festivals on four continents, while also selling out concert halls from SFJazz Miner Auditorium in San Francisco, to Zankel Carnegie Hall in New York City, to Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow. In addition, Catherine has appeared as a featured vocalist with today's leading big bands and symphony orchestras including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Vince Giordano's Nighthawks, Count Basie Orchestra, Andy Farber and His After Midnight Orchestra, Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Philharmonic Orchestra of St. Petersburg, Russia; Miami's New World Symphony, American Symphony Orchestra, The Philly Pops, and The Pasadena Pops Orchestra. write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |