RUSSELL WELCH
Nominated "Best Traditional Jazz Artist" and "Best Traditional Jazz Album." - New Orleans Offbeat Awards 2019
Private virtual concert Saturday, August 8th. 6:30pm - 9:00pm CST at
Admission: $4.99
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH RUSSELL WELCH
Russell is a New Orleans' "Best Traditional Jazz Artist" and "Best Traditional Jazz Album" 2019 nominee. He was New Orleans' "Best Guitarist" nominee, 2016.Russell's first, all-original album, "Showarama Hot Trio," was also a New Orleans' "Best Traditional Jazz Album" 2012 nominee.Russell's second album, "Pour Vous" featured original arrangements of traditional New Orleans jazz classics. His third, all-original album, Russell Welch Hot Quartet album "Mississippi Gipsy" (2015) was reviewed as "masterful" and a "tour de force" by Offbeat Magazine.
Russell's fourth album, "Acetate Sessions" is a New Orleans' "Best Traditional Jazz Album" 2019 nominee A mix of originals and classics, It was recorded using acetate masters and vintage recording equipment, to recreate vintage recording sounds, which, according to an Offbeat Magazine review, "crackle with the energy of youth discovering someplace magical...(and) sound as fresh as tomorrow"
In January 2019, Russell and band performed his original musical score for the jazz ballet, "Silk and Smoke," with New Orleans Marigny Opera House Ballet dancers performing Gretchen Erickson's original choreography. “Silk and Smoke” was selected for performance at the 2019 International Women in Dance Leadership Conference.
Russell holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi, where, as a junior, he was named "Outstanding Soloist" at the nationally prestigious University of North Texas Jazz Festival, featuring auditioned college jazz bands and musicians from 30 states. He has studied jazz at Jackson (Ms) Public Schools' Academic and Performing Arts Complex (APAC), with Jackson, Mississippi's jazz guitar virtuoso, Barry Leach, and, in Belgium, with gypsy jazz guitar master, Fappy Lafertin.
Russell and The Russell Welch Hot Quartet have toured the world, performing for festivals, concerts, clubs, and events in 12 countries and counting.
Here are some of the current projects:
The Russell Welch Hot Quartet (Jazz)
The Rusty and Fanny Show (Variety)
Russell's Eight Track (Indie Rock)
Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns (Jazz)
King James and the Special Men (Fire)
The Hot Club of New Orleans (Jazz)
Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band (Jazz)
Champagniacs (Tube/Fiddle/Guitar trio)
Ballet Music (Commissioned Composition)
Doro Wat (Engineered/Mixed/Mastered)
"The role of the artist is to dive into the depths of Hell, and bring you back an ice cream cone."
Alessandro Centolanza
