Tony Russell (musician)

Keith Anthony Ceasar Russell (24 May 1929 – 20 July 1970), known as Tony Russell, was an English jazz musician and composer, pianist and trombonist. Notably, he worked extensively with Johnny Dankworth and created the score for The Matchgirls, together with writing theme tunes and background music for TV series such as On the Buses and the children's programme The Herbs. At the end of his life he turned from the jazz idiom to write a setting of a Mass.

Tony Russell
Born	Keith Anthony Ceasar Russell 24 May 1929 London, England
Died	20 July 1970 (aged 41) London
Occupation	Jazz trombonist, arranger and composer
Genre	Jazz, big band, theatre music
Notable works	On The Buses theme tune, The Matchgirls musical, The Herbs children's TV series, Missa Brevis by K. A. Russell

Personal life

Tony Russell was born 24 May 1929 in Wanstead, Essex. As a youth, he became very interested in jazz, learning the trombone, baritone horn and piano. He met and married Angela Esposito in 1950 and they had five children together. He also had a child from an earlier relationship. Russell was distantly related to German opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer.

Career

Russell's jazz career began at the age of 15 when he played as a New Orleans-style trombonist with the London-based Washington and Lee Swing, George Webb's Dixilanders George Webb. In 1946 he formed the pioneering trad band, the Russell-Wickham Hot Six,[1] which he led with the trumpeter Alan Wickham. At this time he was known as Rag's Russell because he played a little ragtime on the piano. In the fledgling years of his career, he also performed vocals.

He played with Vic Lewis, Oscar Rabin, Ralph Sharon, Jack Parnell Tony Crombie. In 1957 he led a band of his own, after which, he began his association with Johnny Dankworth, first as a trombonist in his big band. Here he had the opportunuty to both arrange and compose, a favourite Jazz piece often included in performances was Russell's "Joe And Lol's Blues".[2] He recorded quite extensively with the band from December 1956 and can be heard on most of the bands Parlophone, Columbia, Top Rank and Fontana albums. He was the bands road manager for many years. In 1959 he went with the band to play at the Newport Jazz Festival.

Russell studied composition with Richard Rodney Bennett and Bill Russo. He was in Russo's London Jazz Orchestra and took over running this when Russo returned to the United States in 1965.[3] In his later years, Russell became busier as a composer and won acclaim in 1966 for writing the score for the musical Matchgirls, which has enjoyed longevity into the 21st century.[4][5] In this same year with Johnny Dankworth and Johnny Flanagan, he formed Music Activity Management Ltd. Russell continued to play in the band and do sessions for other leaders. He also wrote music for shows and TV series such as On the Buses and the children's programme The Herbs.

Russell suffered for many years with Hodgkin's disease. During his final illness, he was commissioned to compose a Mass, a Missa Brevis, which was completed shortly before he died on 20 July 1970. In his final composition he moves from an overt Jazz idiom, to encompass classical features of vocal scoring and instrumentation. "The Russell Mass" stands somewhere between the Jazz, classical and popular styles of the 20th century.

Russell appeared in Terrence Donovan's 1967 photograph taken in Trafalgar Square and featuring 39 musicians.[6]

In his obituary

Bill Russo said: "Tony Russell was an eloquent trombonist, a composer of deep conviction and great talent and my dear friend, I shall miss him."

John Dankworth said: "Tony had rare combination of three gifts. He was a fine musician, an efficient business man and warm sensitive person. The two latter qualities are rarely found in the same man, but Tony showed them in the many years he was road manger for my big band. He would never allow me to arrange a tour he considered unduly hard for the fellows and always put forward the rank-and file-view, whatever I might think about it."

Johnny Flanagan said: "Tony worked on in the bravest fashion, sometimes it was very hard and there were other times when he said 'I'm sorry John, I've had it today.' Our whole business was built on a very personal thing. He'll be deeply missed."

References

1. Chilton, John (21 June 2004). Who's Who of British Jazz: 2nd Edition. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 310. ISBN 9780826472342. Retrieved 11 August 2020 – via Google Books.
2. "Johnny Dankworth And His Orchestra* - Jazz Routes". Discogs.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
3. "William Russo Tribute". Jazzpro.nationaljazzarchive.org.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
4. "The Matchgirls". Teddington Theatre Club. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
5. "Intercultural Dialogue and Education". Intercultural Dialogue and Education. 27 September 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
6. "Terence Donovan". Elliotthalls.com. Retrieved 11 August 2020.