Curley Russell

Dillon "Curley" Russell (19 March 1917 – 3 July 1986) was an American jazz musician, who played bass on many bebop recordings.

He was born in New York, United States. He was nicknamed "Curley" for his curly hair.

A member of the Tadd Dameron Sextet, he was in demand for his ability to play at the rapid tempos typical of bebop, and appears on several key recordings of the period. He left the music business in the late 1950s.

On May 1, 1951, Russell played in the recording session for "Un Poco Loco", composed by American jazz pianist Bud Powell, with Max Roach on drums. Literary critic Harold Bloom included this performance on his short list of the greatest works of twentieth-century American art.

According to jazz historian Phil Schaap, the classic bebop tune "Donna Lee", a contrafact on "Back Home Again in Indiana", was named after Curley's daughter. In 2002, she donated her father's bass to the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University.

He died of emphysema at Queens General Hospital at the age of 69 in 1986.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 19, 1917 (New York City), Died July 3, 1986 (New York City)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1951

Roles Represented in DAHR: string bass

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Decca 80783 3/30/1951 I won't cry anymore Georgie Auld ; The Dave Lambert Singers instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 80784 3/30/1951 Man with the horn Georgie Auld ; The Dave Lambert Singers instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 80785 3/30/1951 Take me Georgie Auld ; The Dave Lambert Singers instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 80786 3/30/1951 Be still my heart Georgie Auld ; The Dave Lambert Singers instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81034 5/18/1951 Summertime Georgie Auld instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81035 5/18/1951 My truly, truly fair Georgie Auld instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81036 5/18/1951 I'm a sentimental fool Georgie Auld instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81037 5/18/1951 Bill Georgie Auld instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81186 6/18/1951 Alarm clock boogie Bill Darnell ; Georgie Auld Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81187 6/18/1951 You blew out the flame Bill Darnell ; Georgie Auld Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81188 6/18/1951 The Christmas ball Bill Darnell ; Georgie Auld Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  
Decca 81189 6/18/1951 It ain't snowing outside Bill Darnell ; Georgie Auld Orchestra instrumentalist, string bass  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Russell, Curley," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/341553.

Russell, Curley. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/341553.

"Russell, Curley." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/341553

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