Pee Wee Russell
Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969) was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and spontaneous clarinet style that "defied classification", Russell began his career playing traditional jazz, but throughout his career incorporated elements of newer developments such as swing, bebop, and free jazz. Writing in 1961, the poet Philip Larkin commented: "No one familiar with the characteristic excitement of his solos, their lurid, snuffling, asthmatic voicelessness, notes leant on till they split, and sudden passionate intensities, could deny the uniqueness of his contribution to jazz." |
Birth and Death Data: Born Maplewood (city in Missouri, United States), Died February 15, 1969 (Alexandria (city in the state of Virginia, United States) )
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1927 - 1958
Roles Represented in DAHR: clarinet, tenor saxophone
Notes: Full name: Charles Ellsworth Russell
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 1-25 of 104 records)
| Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victor | BVE-57145 | 10-in. | 11/14/1929 | Hello Lola | Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BVE-57146 | 10-in. | 11/14/1929 | One hour | Mound City Blue Blowers | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-038291 | 10-in. | 7/19/1939 | I've found a new baby | Bud Freeman ; Summa Cum Laude Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-038292 | 10-in. | 7/19/1939 | Easy to get | Bud Freeman ; Summa Cum Laude Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-038293 | 10-in. | 7/19/1939 | China boy | Bud Freeman ; Summa Cum Laude Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Victor | BS-038294 | 10-in. | 7/19/1939 | The eel | Bud Freeman ; Summa Cum Laude Orchestra | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Columbia | C1675 | 10-in. | 11/16/1936 | Mr. Ghost goes to town | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Columbia | C1676 | 10-in. | 11/16/1936 | Pennies from heaven | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Columbia | C1677 | 10-in. | 11/16/1936 | The goose hangs high | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Columbia | C1678 | 10-in. | 11/16/1936 | What will Santa Claus say? | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| OKeh | W81413 | 10-in. | 9/1/1927 | My gal Sal | Little Molers ; Miff Mole | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| OKeh | W81415 | 10-in. | 9/1/1927 | The new twister | Little Molers ; Miff Mole | Jazz/dance band | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1078 | 10-in. | 11/30/1935 | Sweet sue, just you | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1079 | 10-in. | 11/30/1935 | I'm shooting high | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1080 | 10-in. | 11/30/1935 | I love you truly | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1081 | 10-in. | 11/30/1935 | I've got my fingers crossed | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1101 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | It's been so long | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1102 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | At the Dark Town Strutters' Ball | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1103 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | Dinah | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1104 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | Lazy river | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1105 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | Alice blue gown | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1106 | 10-in. | 2/28/1936 | Sing, sing, sing | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1111 | 10-in. | 5/17/1936 | Let's get together and swing | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1112 | 10-in. | 5/17/1936 | Cross patch | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet | |
| Brunswick | LA1113 | 10-in. | 5/17/1936 | Swing me a lullaby | Louis Prima and his New Orleans Gang | Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo | instrumentalist, clarinet |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Russell, Pee Wee," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103181.
Russell, Pee Wee. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103181.
"Russell, Pee Wee." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Pee Wee Russell
Discogs: Pee Wee Russell
Allmusic: Pee Wee Russell
Apple Music: Pee Wee Russell
Grove: Pee Wee Russell
IMDb: Pee Wee Russell
Britannica: Pee Wee Russell
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Russell, Pee Wee - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n81071132
Wikidata: Pee Wee Russell - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q718419
VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/100244392
MusicBrainz: Pee Wee Russell - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/81e26fc9-ddb5-42cf-9b31-2e0f55bf6342
Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/74850 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/74850
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.
