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John Russell

John Russell (born London, 1954) is an acoustic guitarist who has worked exclusively in the field of free improvisation since the 1970s. He has been active consistently during that time as a promoter of concerts of freely improvised music in London, providing hundreds of playing opportunities for both local and international musicians. Russell has appeared on more than 50 published recordings. He has been described as "…an acoustic guitar loyalist who always manages to combine a classical delicacy with the fire of rock"

John Russell (born London, 1954) is an acoustic guitarist who has worked exclusively in the field of free improvisation since the 1970s. He has been active consistently during that time as a promoter of concerts of freely improvised music in London, providing hundreds of playing opportunities for both local and international musicians. Russell has appeared on more than 50 published recordings. He has been described as "…an acoustic guitar loyalist who always manages to combine a classical delicacy with the fire of rock"

But Everything Now Left Before It Arrived
*2023 stock. 300 copies limited edition* Guitarist John Russell, a leading figure on Britain's improvised music scene, passed away on January 19, 2021. Born in December 1954, Russell started performing improvised music in London in his late teens, an…
Serpentes
*2022 stock* "There is no doubt - Serpentes is the first serious candidate for the list of the best albums of 2019" — Spontaneous Music Tribune JJ Duerinckx, sopranino saxophoneJohn Russell, guitarMatthieu Safatly, cello
Ditch School
*2022 stock* “the music has kept me at the edge of my seat each time I’ve listened.” — The Free Jazz Collective "absorbing and vivid... guitar and piano in a beautiful collision... astonishing" — a Jazz Noise John Russell, guitarPaul G. Smyth, piano
On Sunday
* Edition of 300 * Beautiful registration of a 2010 concert by this exceptional trio, 3 musicians renowned in the world of free improvisation: John Russell (guitar), Stefan Keune (sax) and Kris Vanderstraeten (percussion) at L'Archiduc in Brussel (Be…
Mopomoso Tour 2013 - Making Rooms
4-disc boxset with 20-page booklet documenting Mopomoso's triumphant UK tour in 2013. disc 1 – Evan Parker / John Russell / John Edwards – Chasing The Peripanjandra disc 2 – Pat Thomas – Naqsh disc 3 – Alison Blunt / Benedict Taylor / David Leahy – K…
Walthamstow Moon ('61 Revisited)
On November 17th 1961, John Coltrane played at the Granada Theatre in Walthamstow. On November 23rd, 55 years later, free jazz legend Evan Parker made this six track recording in the same space with John Russell and John Edwards. This recording has …
With ...
British free improvising guitar master John Russell's 60th birthday gig at London's Cafe Oto is celebrated in a duo with Phil Minton, a trio with Henry Lowther & Satoko Fakuda, in a trio with Evan Parker and John Edwards, and in a duo with Thurston M…
After-Dinner
“I am very pleased that this recording is ‘seeing the light of day’ as my memories are of a very friendly and easy going meeting. There was no competition or showing off of licks but rather a general and generous sharing of the playing space by two m…
Conceits (1987/1992)
A reissue of the first LP by the exceptionally fine improvising trio of John Russell (guitar), Phil Durrant (violin and trombone) and John Butcher (saxophones). This group came into being in 1984 after Russell and Durrant had spent the previous two y…
A Duo(s)
In case you weren't there, Bocian present documentation of a pretty unhinged Cafe Oto session between gifted improvisers, Mats Gustafsson (reeds), John Russell (guitar) & Phil Minton (voice). Just imagine stumbling in on this one unprepared - a trio …
The cigar that talks
Michel Doneda (saxophones), John Russell (guitar) and Roger Turner (percussion). Recorded at Studio Honolulu in France (2009). 'What story can a non-figurative music tell if not that of the men that made it ? The memory is adjusted to the shape of th…
Translations
The dialog of two improvising guitarists who, since 2004, have explored "timbres, interspersed with fragments of chords, rhythms and melodies, parallel plays in imitation or opposition". All the pieces that make up this CD are presented here in their…
Hyste
A sequence of six duo improvisations on tenor saxophone & church organ recorded at St Peter’s, Whitstable in 2009.
Birthdays
Adventurous acoustic guitar & percussion improvisations by two of the finest musicians around. A remarkable range of sounds without any amplification or other electronics, captured in a digital recording that reveals every nuance. "The whole CD sound…
Analekta
Three duos and a Quaqua. Russell's monthly Mopomoso concerts usually end with him playing a duo - this CD contains three examples. The guitarist's first duo with tenor saxophonist GARRY TODD was in 1975 and appeared on a long deleted Incus LP - this …
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