By JESSICA NEU
Renowned vocalist Catherine Russell was born with music in her blood. Her father, Luis Russell, was a famous composer, performer and also Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, Carline Ray, was an accomplished singer and musician who performed with the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Maty Lou Williams, and Sy Oliver. These deep musical roots and influencer were omnipresent as Russell effortlessly glided through a 75-minute set at the Greer Cabaret Theater Monday evening. Performing two shows with piano accompanist Ben Paterson, Russell intertwined personal life stories into a set full of classic jazz numbers from, predominantly from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Every piece left room for Patterson to demonstrate his talent, often garnering eager applause from an engaged audience.
Russell brings a lifetime of musical knowledge along with an awe-inspiring resume to the stage to highlight the origins of the female vocalist. Long before Taylor, Tina, Joni, Diana and so many others, were the talents of ladies such as Ella Fitzgerald, Helen Hughes and Billie Holiday. It is these types of powerhouse legends with whom Russell draws inspiration for her show as she delighted audiences with classics such as Holiday’s “Did I Remember?” and Fitzgerald’s “You Turned the Tables on Me,” which originally appeared in the 1936 movie, Sing Baby Sing.
Russell opened with Fats Waller’s “You’re Not the Only Oyster in the Stew.” She then transitioned into the 1940s with a song by Helen Humes. Russell explained how Humes was an independent pioneer in the music industry. Instead of being grouped with the likes of Bessie Smith, Humes was a jazz singer who worked with legends such as Count Basie. Russell explained to the audience how in addition to Humes’ tenacity, that she also loved her phrasing as a songwriter, which is a quality that even the youngest audience members can appreciate as many modern female singer songwriters, most notably Taylor Swift, are known for their phrasing and lyricism.
Russell then told a heartwarming story about how her father immigrated from Panama to New Orleans on a banana boat. Catherine then sang a song that he wrote about his homeland after explaining how she was fortunate enough to travel to Panama and be in his childhood home and mesmerize at the same landscape he experienced as a boy. Russell concluded her familial stories by sharing an original song, “At the Swing Cats Ball.” She explained that the song came from a series entitled “Songs From the Closet Vol 1,” which originated when she cleaned out her mother’s closet after her passing. Russell found her parent’s archived material including photographs, letters and discs which she had restored and made into a compilation. Her father and Louis Armstrong played on many of the original recordings which continue to serve as precious keepsakes for Russell.
She then breezed through Sammy Fain’s “That Old Feeling,” and Virginia Liston’s “You’ve Got the Right Key, But the Wrong Hole,” and “East of the Sun (West of the Moon),” originally by Hal Kemp, but made famous by Sinatra in 1940. Russell repeatedly exclaimed how much she appreciates swing music and how she feels that today’s generation has lost an appreciation for classic music, partially because they are too consumed with being on their phones.
Russell concluded her set with two songs with tremendous origins. She sang a song dating back to the 1930s from the “The Kitchen Mechanics Review” as an ode to Harlem service workers in a post WWI era. The second was a piece from King Oliver written in 1926 and recorded by Jelly Roll Morton while her dad was an original accompanist on the piece. After a standing ovation from the crowd, Russell and Patterson returned for an encore of “I Only Have Eyes for You.” Russell is a refreshing reminder that origins matter and that younger generations must heed the stories of previous generations and continue to share their sentiments. She was as talented as she was endearing. She captivated the audience with a stylistic approach that was tailor made for the Cabaret, capturing soul, tradition and revelry.
Catherine Russell appeared at the Greer Cabaret as part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trusts Cabaret Series. Next up in the series: Matthew Morrison on Monday, May 20th, 2024. Tickets at https://trustarts.org/production/88627/matthew-morrison
Categories: Reviews
I am Catherine Russell’s manager. This insightful and well done review is greatly appreciated. Please correct the spelling on two name. The pianist is Ben Paterson and the vocalist is Helen Humes. Thank you.
Thank you for pointing out the spelling errors of Paterson and Humes. The review has been updated to reflect the correct spelling.