George Allen Russell (born June 23, 1923) is an American jazz composer and theorist. He is considered one of the first jazz musicians to contribute to general music theory, with his 1953 book, The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization (2001: ISBN 0970373902). Russell's theory proposes the concept of playing jazz based on scales or a series of scales (modes) rather than chords or harmonies. The Lydian Chromatic Concept explored the vertical relationship between chords and scales, and was the first codified original theory to come from jazz. Russell's ideas influenced the development of modal jazz, notably in the album Jazz Workshop (1957, with Bill Evans and featuring the "Concerto for Billy the Kid") as well as his writings; Evans later introduced the concepts to other members of Miles Davis's working band, which employed them in recordings beginning with the album, Kind of Blue. June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jazz is an original American musical art form originating around the early 1920s in New Orleans, rooted in Western music technique and theory, and is marked by the profound cultural contributions of African Americans. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... Music theory is a field of study that describes the elements of music and includes the development and application of methods for analyzing and composing music, and the interrelationship between the notation of music and performance practice. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... In music, a scale is a set of musical notes that provides material for part or all of a musical work. ... In music, a mode is an ordered series of musical intervals, which, along with the key or tonic, define the pitches. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity and chords, actual or implied, in music. ... Modal jazz is jazz played using musical modes rather than chord progressions. ... Bill Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was one of the most famous jazz pianists of the 20th century, and along with McCoy Tyner and Oscar Peterson was the force behind the biggest shift in the jazz paradigm since Art Tatum and Bud Powell. ... Davis 1959 album Kind of Blue, likely the best-selling jazz album ever. ... Kind of Blue is a 1959 album by jazz musician Miles Davis (see 1959 in music). ...

His first famous composition was for the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra, the two-part "Cubano Be, Cubano Bop" (1947) and part of that band's pioneering experiments in fusing bebop and Cuban jazz elements; "A Bird in Igor's Yard" (a tribute to both Charlie Parker and Igor Stravinsky) was recorded in a session led by Buddy DeFranco the next year. Dizzy Gillespie in 1955 John Birks Dizzy Gillespie (October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was born in Cheraw, South Carolina. ... Bebop or bop is a form of jazz characterized by fast tempos and improvisation based on harmonic structure rather than melody. ... Charlie Parker Charles Bird Parker, Jr. ... Igor Stravinsky Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (Russian: И́горь Фёдорович Страви́нский Igor Fëdorovič Stravinskij) (June 17, 1882 – April 6, 1971) was a Russian-born composer of modern classical music. ... Buddy DeFranco (born 1923) is a jazz clarinet player. ...

Jazz Workshop was his first album as leader, and one where he played relatively little, as opposed to masterminding the events (rather like his colleague Gil Evans). He was to record a number of impressive albums over the next several years, sometimes as primary pianist; the suite New York, New York feature wrap-around raps by singer/lyricist Jon Hendricks; Jazz in the Space Age was an even more ambitious big band album, featuring the unusual dual piano voicings of Bill Evans and Paul Bley. Meanwhile, his small-group recordings included memorable sessions with Eric Dolphy and singer Sheila Jordan (their bleak version of "You Are My Sunshine" is highly regarded). Gil Evans (born 13 May 1912, Toronto, Canada;– died 20 March 1988, Cuernavaca, Mexico). ... Jon Hendricks, was a jazz lyricist who was one of the originators of vocalese, which put lyrics to existing instrumental songs. ... A big band is a large musical ensemble that plays jazz music. ... Bill Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was one of the most famous jazz pianists of the 20th century, and along with McCoy Tyner and Oscar Peterson was the force behind the biggest shift in the jazz paradigm since Art Tatum and Bud Powell. ... Paul Bley is a free jazz pianist born in Montreal in 1932 and long resident in the USA. His music characteristically features strong senses both of melodic voicing and space. ... Out to Lunch, 1964 Eric Allan Dolphy (born June 20, 1928 in Los Angeles, CA- June 29, 1964 in Berlin, Germany) was a jazz musician who played alto saxophone, flute and bass clarinet and was educated at Los Angeles City College. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Russell did most of his work in Norway and Sweden. He played there with young musicians who would go on to international fame: guitarist Terje Rypdal, saxophonist Jan Garbarek and drummer Jon Christensen. This Scandinavian period also provided opportunities to write for larger groupings, and Russell's larger-scale compositions of this time pursue his idea of vertical form, which he described as "layers or strata of divergent modes of rhythmic behaviour". The Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature, first recorded in 1968, was indicative of his continuing exploration of new approaches and new instrumentation. Terje Rypdal (born 23 August 1947 in Oslo) is a Norwegian guitarist and composer. ... Jan Garbarek (born March 4, 1947 in Mysen, Norway) is a Norwegian tenor and soprano saxophonist, active in the jazz, classical, and world music genres. ... Jon Lynn Christensen (b. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

With Living Time (1972), Russell reunited with Bill Evans to offer a suite of compositions which represent the stages of human life. When he was able to form an orchestra for his 1985 The African Game, he dubbed it the Living Time Orchestra; this time, the suite represented the evolution of humanity. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ...

He received a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant in 1989. George Russell has taught at the prestigous New England Conservatory for over twenty years. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is a leading private, independent grantmaking institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• http://www.georgerussell.com
• http://www.lydianchromaticconcept.com