Russell Malone's first guitar was a plastic green toy his mother bought him. Only four years old, Malone strummed the little guitar all day long for days on end trying to emulate the sounds he had heard from guitarists at church in Albany, Georgia. As a child, Malone developed an interest in blues and country music after seeing musicians on television like Chet Atkins, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, Son Seals, and B.B. King. Then, at age 12, he saw George Benson perform with Benny Goodman on Soundstage. Malone has said, “I knew right then and there that I wanted to play this music.”
A self-taught player, Malone progressed well enough to land a gig with master organist Jimmy Smith when he was 25. “It made me realize that I wasn't as good as I thought I was,” Malone recalls of his first on-stage jam with Smith. After two years with Smith, he hooked up with Harry Connick Jr.'s orchestra, a position he held from 1990-94, appearing on three of Harry's recordings. But Malone also worked in a variety of contexts, performing with artists as diverse as Clarence Carter, Little Anthony, Peabo Bryson, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Barron, Roy Hargrove, The Winans, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Jack McDuff.
Along the way, Malone made a name for himself combining the bluesy sound of Grant Green and Kenny Burrell with the relentless attack of Django Reinhardt and Pat Martino.
Now Malone is one of the most commanding and versatile guitarists performing. He can move from blues to gospel to pop to R&B and jazz without hesitation, a rare facility that has prompted some of the highest profile artists in the world to call upon him: Diana Krall, Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Natalie Cole, Wynton Marsalis, David Sanborn, Shirley Horn, Christina Aguilera and Harry Connick, Jr.
After hearing Malone play in Connick's band, former Sony head, Tommy Mottola, brought Malone over to Columbia. Malone's self-titled debut, Russell Malone, in 1992 quickly went to #1 on the radio charts and was followed by Black Butterfly in 1993.
Diana Krall's label, Verve Records, came calling next and released three albums by Malone: Sweet Georgia Peach, Look Who's Here, and Heartstrings. Malone joined Diana Krall in 1995, contributing to Krall's first four Grammy-nominated albums: All For You (1996), Love Scenes (1997), When I Look In Your Eyes (1999), and The Look Of Love (2001). In addition to winning for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, When I Look In Your Eyes (1999) was the first jazz album since 1976 (George Bensons's Breezin') nominated for Album of The Year.
~ 1998 ~ SWEET GEORGIA PEACH ~
Those who have been following jazz in the 90s have probably wondered about guitarist Russell Malone. As in: “Where have his spectacular talents been hiding?”
Hiding in plain sight: as a stogie-smoking, finger-snapping musician in Robert Altman's 1996 movie Kansas City on records like Stephen Scott's 1997 release The Beautiful Thing and Benny Green's 1997 recording Kaleidoscope. Russell Malone was a member of Diana Krall's studio and live band, playing on the Grammy-nominated All For You, Love Scenes, and the Grammy-winning When I Look In Your Eyes, along with touring the world with the vocalist/pianist. Malone was also part of the Crisol band with Roy Hargrove on the Grammy-winning Latin Jazz release, also from 1997, Habana. Believe it, Malone had been anything but inactive.
The only thing Malone didn't do for a period of four years - ironically - is record under his own name. Which is hard to believe for an artist hailed as one of the most promising young musicians to emerge in the past decade. That makes his Verve/Impulse! debut Sweet Georgia Peach (1998) cause for more than a bit of celebration. The title is a reference to Malone's home state of Georgia. Born November 8, 1963, in Albany, Georgia, he grew up influenced by the deep spirituals of his childhood church environment. He received his first guitar from his intuitive mother - “a green plastic four-string” - at the age of four. A major turning point came at age nine when he saw B.B. King play “How Blue Can You Get” on the popular 70s TV show Sanford and Son That experience led him to listen to more blues, country music, and jazz, and artists like Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, Wes Montgomery and George Benson.
On the Sweet Georgia Peach album, Malone is joined by an all-star accompaniment from pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lewis Nash, and percussionist Steve Kroon.
~ 2004 ~ PLAYGROUND ~
Malone has had the honor of launching the Strings Series for MAXJAZZ with his label debut Playground (April 6, 2004), which features his working band of Martin Bejerano, piano; Tassili Bond, bass; E.J. Strickland, drums; and guests Gary Bartz, saxophone, and Joe Locke, vibes. All arrangements are by Malone, who also produced the CD and wrote six of the ten tracks.
~ 2006 ~ LIVE AT JAZZ STANDARD VOLUME ONE~
Guitarist Russell Malone answers his well received MAXJAZZ debut, Playground (2004) with his first live recording, documenting performances held September 9-11, 2005, at New York's Jazz Standard. Malone has traded recent over-populated groups for his working band, which includes crack pianist Martin Bejerano's sharp direction, supported by bassist Tassili Bond and drummer Johnathan Blake's solid momentum and cyclotron swing.
Russell Malone usually doesn't like to write about his recordings, he says, preferring instead “to let the music speak for itself.” However, he makes an exception here to point out that this is his first live recording with his working band. Malone goes on to note his gratification at being able to make this recording at Jazz Standard, terming it “one of the finest venues in New York.”
~ 2007 ~ LIVE AT JAZZ STANDARD VOLUME TWO ~
Live At Jazz Standard Volume Two is the continuing “sequel” to Russell Malone's Live At Jazz Standard Volume One (2006). Volume Two was released by MAXJAZZ on July 17, 2007. In celebration of this event, a special CD Release “Party” was held July 20 and 21, 2007, at Jazz At The Bistro in St. Louis, Missouri. The two volumes were recorded live at New York City's Jazz Standard on September 9-11, 2005. Russell Malone's fans from all over the world have been waiting patiently for this second and final installment of the live experience of Mr. Malone's guitar wizardry.
Photo Credit: Jimmy Katz
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