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Nick Russo

Guitarist, banjoist & composer, Nick Russo, winning participant of the 2004 International Jazz Workshop at The BANFF Centre in Canada (director, Dave Douglas) & winning participant of the 2001 JAS academy in Aspen Colorado (director, Christian McBride, mentioned in Dec. 2001 issue of DownBeat magazine), leads a life of full-time performing, including performances at:

Carnegie Hall Lincoln Center The United Nations Blue Note Birdland 55 Bar Showman’s (Harlem) Lenox Lounge (Harlem) Charles Ives Center Tilles Center Boom Penne e Vino Via Delle Zoccelette The Patchogue Theatre Flushing Town Hall Cleopatra’s Needle Kavehaz Merchants The C-Note The BANFF Centre in Canada 7 weeks at Huis Ten Bosch (Sasebo, Japan) Omsk, Tomsk, Novasibersk, Akademgorodok (Academy City), and Moscow Salvador in the state of Bahia (Brazil)

Nick Russo is currently the guitarist and banjoist with Vince Giordano and The Night Hawks, with vocalist, Miles Griffith and Mona's Hot Four. His acclaimed CD "Ro" features Mark Turner, Miles Griffith, Samir Chatterjee, Bryan Murray, Greg Glassman, Art Hirahara, Matt Clohesy, Nathan Peck, Ari Hoenig, Willard Dyson & David Pleasant. Nick has also been a sideman with organist, Jimmy McGriff, vibraphonist Teddy Charles, drummer, Doug Richardson, vocalists: Anastasia Rene, Jennifer Jade Ladesna, Eve Cornelious, Malika Zarra, Taeko Fukao, Annette St. John, saxophonist, Eric Pakula, and many others. He has also been a sideman with Jim Nolet (former violinist with the Jazz Passengers), Sonny Dallas (former bassist with Lennie Tristano & Lee Konitz) and The Frank & Joe Show (Frank Vignola and Joe Ascione). His first CD as a leader was recorded February 2002 with legendary trumpeter, Dr. Eddie Henderson, bassist, Essiet Essiet and drummers Ralph Peterson and Montez Coleman. While attending the Jack McDuff raiser in 2002, Nick Russo sat in with George Benson at Showman’s and Birdland. In 2004, Nick had a chance to perform with Bill Frisell and sit-in with Dave Douglas & Mark Turner at the Banff Centre in Canada. Musicians such as Frank Wes, Ralph Peterson, Eddie Henderson, Mark Turner, Ari Hoenig, Steve Hass, John Benitez, Ed Schuller, Todd Coolman, Barry Altschul, Elliot Zigmund, Dennis Irwin, Gerald Cannon, James Cammack, John Ormond, Daryl Hall, Essiet Essiet, Alvester Garnett, Joe Ascione, Bruce Cox, Tony Moreno, Montez Coleman, Jeb Patton, Bill McCrossen, John Ray, Miles Griffith, Marion Cowlings, Antonia Bennett, Eve Cornelious, Stephanie Rice, Monica Lynk, and Sachel Vasandani have appeared in his group. His credits also include a Broadway show called "A Jew Grows In Brooklyn" (Lamb's Theatre), and many off-Broadway shows such as: Man Of La Mancha, The Lion King, Greece, Sweet Charity, The Pajama Game, The King and I, The Wiz, Annie, Foot Loose, Mary Poppins and has subbed on the Big Apple Circus and Yankee Doodle Circus tours.

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"Nick Russo + 11 brings us back toward jazz with Ro" - Robert Doershuk, DownBeat

"A fluid straightahead player with a globalist outlook... For a guy with a book of Metallica transcriptions under his belt, Nick Russo of Queens cultivates wonderfully pure jazz tones" - David Adler, JazzTimes

"Nick Russo's Ro is not an easy listen, but it sure is rewarding once you're able to digest it [His] tone is very near perfect - big and bold, but still subtle very full in the line of players like Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, and Tal Farlow It'll be fun to see where Russo goes next. There are many interesting jazz guys out there these days, and he's on the front line." - Jim Hilmar, Vintage Guitar

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Photos

Album Discography

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Lift You Up

On The Bol
2023

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I Double Dare You

Turtle Bay Records
2021

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Ro

Self Produced
2006

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Stop This Climate Change

From: Lift You Up
By Nick Russo

Triggered

From: Ro
By Nick Russo

Back Home Again In (Indiana)

From: The Very Next Thing
By Nick Russo

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