A Place for Jazz Concert- Leo Russo Sextet - Melodic saxophone & regional masters of jazz

Leo Russo is a melodic jazz saxophonist who started playing alto sax at the age of 12 and toured with many of the country's top big bands of the 1040's and 1950's, including Woody Herman, Paul Whitman and a host of others, and played with legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich. Leo describes the influence of Stan Getz and Paul Desmond on his own approach to his music and has performed for and with many artists throughout the US and Canada. A retired NYS instrumental educator of 27 years, he resided on the West Coast for 11 years before returning to New York. Considered a master and mentor for other musicians- modeling what is possible to achieve through his music, Leo continues to perform locally and has recorded several albums. Lee Russo is a local jazz saxophonist, rooted in the tradition of hard bop and straight-ahead jazz. His musical voice has been shaped by a wide array of influences, including the melodic lyricism of Stan Getz, the laid back, flowing lines of Hank Mobley, and his profound musical upbringing guided by his father, Leo Russo. Lee has recorded two albums as a leader, Trading Off and The Abenaki. He can also be heard as a sideman on several albums recorded by other local musicians. In addition to being a freelance musician, Lee is also a dedicated educator, notably as a former conductor of the Empire State Youth Jazz Ensemble and a long-time instrumental music teacher. Pianist, composer and arranger Larry Ham has long been a noted New York-based jazz musician and is currently residing in the Hudson Valley. Reviewing a recent CD, David Dupont of Cadence Jazz Magazine writes, “He glides over the keys, with every note articulated cleanly... his playing is masterful.” Larry played in the Lionel Hampton Orchestra in the 1980s, the Illinois Jacquet Big Band (1990-95) and has performed with countless other notable jazz artists. He has appeared at jazz festivals, in concerts and nightclubs throughout the USA, Europe, West Africa, Canada, India, Brazil and Japan. He was a US State Department Jazz Ambassador to West Africa in 2001-2002. and until recently was a professor of jazz studies at SUNY New Paltz and at Bard College. Guitarist Mike Novakowski is a long-time collaborator with Leo, pairing the fat tones of his Gibson archtop with Leo’s buttery sound. He performs regularly in the Capital Region with many groups, including Teresa Broadwell’s band, Cliff Brucker’s Full Circle, the Jon Leroy Trio, Keith Pray’s Ortet, Mike Benedict’s Jazz Vibes and Josh Fialkoff & the Odd Fellows. As the guitarist with the Empire Jazz Orchestra, a 19-piece big band, he has backed many jazz luminaries including Rufus Reid, Randy Brecker, Ray Vega, Lee Konitz and John Fedchock. Pete Toigo has been a professional bassist for over four decades. As a teenager, he first met and played with Leo at local jam sessions in Schenectady. Since that time, he’s played at famous venues throughout the USA, Europe, and in 2006, Japan. With an extensive discography Pete has been named Best Jazz Bassist in the Capital Region by Metroland, Magazine. Cliff Brucker has been performing as a professional musician for over 50 years as a pianist, keyboardist, composer, producer, arranger and educator, but tonight he’s a drummer/percussionist. He has also performed with a variety of internationally known jazz and pop artists including Aretha Franklin, Buddy Greco, Rex Richardson, Bob Mintzer, Ray Vega, Claudio Roditti and Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack. Cliff has worked with some of the finest talent in the Capital District, including the Albany Symphony Orchestra, Capital Region Wind Ensemble, and the Empire Jazz Orchestra. As a member of the music faculty at Schenectady County Community College for 22 years and previously The College of Saint Rose for 14 years, Cliff is an Affiliate Artist at Union College Music Dept. and the 2015 recipient of the SUNY Chancellors Award for excellence in adjunct teaching. In 2019, Cliff released his 2nd CD, entitled Cliff Brucker Full Circle Featuring Leo Russo Vol 2. It has been getting much attention and airplay on, most notably, PRl’s Jazz After Hours with Jeff Hanley. Cliff’s new musical adventure is his BWC Jazz Orchestra. Along with partners Steve Weisse and Dylan Canterbury, he has assembled the premier 18-piece big band in the region.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3209567-0

Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3209567-2

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