Russ Nolan

CD Release with the Kenny Werner Trio out now!http://cdbaby.com/cd/rntkwtrio. Through the first half of his life, it was not music that was Russ Nolan’s passion, but athletics. Practicing his jump shot and fastball as much as a prodigy puts time into their musical instrument, it was his dream to play professional sports. It was only after high school that he was bitten by the proverbial ’jazz bug’. This new ’infection’ led him to study at the widely acclaimed music department at the University of North Texas and spent his summers at the feet of Chicago Saxophone Legends Joe Daley and Rich Corpolongo. Russ has also had personal study with David Liebman, Chris Potter, and Kenny Werner. Since arriving in the Big Apple in March 2002, Russ has begun to emerge as a bandleader, performing in various New York City jazz clubs and other performance venues. As a member of IAJE and a Selmer Artist and Clinician, he has performed 25 educational clinics and 6 school concerts in the last year and his clinician schedule continues into 2007. His big band arrangements have been performed across the United States. His debut recording, ’Two Colors’, has received rave reviews from Jazz Improv Magazine, All About Jazz, Cadence Magazine, Jazzreview.com, and ejazznews.com, among others. Russ’ latest educational contribution was writing an improvisation workshop piece for Down Beat Magazine’s June 2006 issue. On March 4, 2008 saxophonist/composer/educator Russ Nolan proudly releases his second recording as a leader, With You In Mind, featuring his engaging playing on tenor and soprano saxophones, and his singular compositions, backed by the Kenny Werner Trio, with Johannes Weidenmuller on bass, and the ubiquitous Ari Hoenig on drums. With You In Mind is the follow up release to Nolan’s stunning debut, Two Colors, and from the opening notes of this recording it is clear that this rising star on the scene has once again created an album that overflows with dramatic, open-eared interplay, joy, virtuosity and expression.