Hal Russell

[Late]

I've slept far too long on Russell's music. Everything I've heard, so far, I like ... but I don't actually own any Russell in my collection. Yet.

How would you prioritize a Hal Russell purchase spree? Any titles to especially look out for?

[king ubu]

I once chose "Hal Russell Story" as album of the week - a terrific disc (on ECM...), but cut short - the whole "Story" was longer than what could fit onto one CD (I've got a live version). The other two on ECM are good as well, "Hal's Bells" being a solo effort, while "Finnish/Swiss Tour" collects a few live cuts by the band that's also on HRS, but as it tends a bit more towards rock/jazzrock(/Zappa?), I slightly prefer HRS.

Then there's a disc on Atavistic UMS... the booklet says it was the first of a series of releases dedicated to Hal, but nothing else came out so far... probably this one sold just once, to me... (I know I'm weird...). Anyway, it's a noisy affair, mid/late 70s, Hal on drums only (maybe on 1 track he plays tenor, too, but I'm going from memory).

Chuck will certainly know more, but I suggest you look for the AotW thread from earlier, first!

[king ubu]

Here's the AotW thread:

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php...&hl=russell

[Late]

Thanks, Florin. I'd forgotten all about that one.

(Reads thread.)

Damn, your AOTW ended with the dreaded "ho-ho" comment. Always a thread killer.

[Chuck Nessa]

Hal was a wonderful musician.

I first heard of him on the Joe Daley record and caught the trio live in 1965. I next encountered him in a John Klemmer group around 1967. Get this personel - Klemmer on tenor, Bebop Sam Thomas on guitar, Malachi Favors on bass and Hal on drums! I think this band existed for only one gig, two or three nights at the most.

When he attended university they did not have a percussion department so he got his degree in trumpet. He made his living playing drums in a dinner theater pit band.

Hal assembled some wonderful bands and wanted to be a star. He thought our first record would do this and never forgave me when stardom failed to materialize.

I miss the old fart.

[ep1str0phy]

My run-ins with Hal's music have left me deeply pleased, although I don't listen to him often enough. I have, I believe, all the ECMs--wonderful, all, and the solo record is quite beautiful. There's a great deal of pathos about his playing that is nicely complemented in the humor and aggression of his wilder moments. Time for another spin...

[B. Clugston]

The only tape (remember those?) I have in my entire music collection is Hal on Earth , which includes the fantastic "Raining Violets" and few others that later turned up on The Finnish/Swiss Tour . I agree the latter gets a little too Zappa-ish (for my liking) at times. Hal on Earth did make a CD appearance.

[Chuck Nessa]

The only tape (remember those?) I have in my entire music collection is Hal on Earth , which includes the fantastic "Raining Violets" and few others that later turned up on The Finnish/Swiss Tour . I agree the latter gets a little too Zappa-ish (for my liking) at times. Hal on Earth did make a CD appearance.

I still have a few copies of that cassette and a copy if the cd. Nice date.

Mars pushed the band in a more rock oriented direction after his work with the Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs.

[chitownjazz]

I would add a recommendation for "The Hal Russell Story". Wonderful music and very funny too. And although it doesn't address your question, the NRG albums after Hal passed are very good too - on Quinnah and Delmark.

[Aggie87]

Bump -

Just picked up the "Hal Russell Story" recently, and am enjoying it alot!

I like the Nessa dates I have as well (this first one and "Generations"), and also the more recent Delmark issue "This is My House".

Any plans for a cd issue of "Eftsoons" any time, Chuck?

[Eloe Omoe]

Found this on Sun Ra :

"An article in the Roosevelt Torch by Joe Segal (December 11, 1953), describes the university's Jazz Club concert of December 8, in which guest artist Charlie Parker alternated sets with “some of the top local artists,” including John Jenkins on alto sax, Harold Ousley and “Johnny” Gilmore on tenor sax, Andrew Hill, piano, and Hal Russell, drums."

[AndrewHill]

I have no Russell, so I was glad to see a used copy of the Finnish/Swedish Tour and I dig it. The Frank Zappa analogy is pretty accurate, with a little John Zorn thrown in the mix.

[AndrewHill]

Up for air.

Just found a copy of the NRG Ensemble's This is Our House on Delmark and its astonishing to listen to the variety of moods this band goes through. Since I only have the Finnish/Swiss Tour to compare, the energy seems to be roughly the same. Some of the tunes are by Hunt, Williams and Ken Vandermark (who I guess filled in after Hal's death). Vandermark here very much reminds me of Brotz. This is, I believe, one of two or three NRG recordings after Hal Russell passed away, but his spirit is certainly felt. It hasn't left the cd changer since I picked it up last week.

Anyone else a fan of these post Hal Russell NRG disks?

[clifford_thornton]

I had one on Atavistic, IIRC, that was post-Hal. It was okay.

The new Williams/Baker/Sandstrom/Hunt on Okka is pretty cool. I reviewed it for Paris Transatlantic (still awaiting that issue to post, though!)...

[Chuck Nessa]

The post-Hal stuff is good but not the same as the real shit.

[Late]

Russell's Elixir is worth owning too.

[king ubu]

Russell's Elixir is worth owning too.

Yup!

I have it, but I'm in the midst of re-organizing my CDs (and books - all on the same shelves...) so I can't find it... but doesn't it say in the liners that it was the first of some kind of series? Nothing ever came out after, right?

[Late]

... but doesn't it say in the liners that it was the first of some kind of series? Nothing ever came out after, right?

Yes — John Corbett writes in the liners that "over the course of time the Unheard Music Series intends to make the most arresting and significant of these [pre-NRG private recordings] available to the public." This is the only one so far, at least that I know of. The group at this time was not yet the NRG Ensemble, but rather "Hal Russell's Chemical Feast."

The frontline on Elixir comprises Mars Wiliams and Spider Middleman on saxophones (with Russell occasionally making it three saxophones) — before Chuck Burdelik (a personal fave here) rejoined the group for the NRG Ensemble on Nessa. The latter, in my opinion, is even better than Elixir. Anyone who professes an affection for "free" or "avant-garde" music should have the Nessa CD in their collection — no excuses. (And that's free advertising for you Chuck!)

Does anyone know the story behind the name "Spider Middleman"? He apparently died in 2000 in Los Angeles.