Russell Malone born 8 November 1963

Russell Lamar Malone (November 8, 1963 – August 23, 2024) was an American jazz guitarist. He began working with Jimmy Smith in 1988 and went on to work with Harry Connick Jr. and Diana Krall throughout the 1990s. 

Malone was born in Albany, Georgia, United States on November 8, 1963. He began playing at the age of four with a toy guitar that his mother bought him and was playing in church two years later. He was influenced by B. B. King and The Dixie Hummingbirds. A significant experience for Malone was when he was 12 years old seeing George Benson perform on television with Benny Goodman. Largely self-taught, he moved to Houston after graduating from high school and played with organist Al Rylander. He moved to Atlanta in 1985 before relocating to New York, where he played with organ legend Jimmy Smith from 1988 to 1990. 

Malone’s profile increased when he joined Harry Connick Jr.’s band in 1990. He played with the then-rapidly rising star until 1994 and made a deep impact on the pianist/vocalist/actor. While playing with Connick, Malone recorded his self-titled debut for Columbia and led his own trio and quartet which featured bass great Milt Hinton, who praised Malone in the liner notes. “I’ve had the opportunity to record with many of the guitar greats from the jazz world, such as Charlie Christian, George Barnes, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, Barry Galbraith, Barney Kessel, Mundell Lowe, Bucky Pizzarelli and Wes Montgomery, to name just a few. Russell Malone extends the musical traditions begun by these and many other guitarists,” Hinton wrote. “His amazing dexterity is evident throughout the album. His decisions to use an electric or acoustic instrument on a particular piece are impeccable. They show me that he truly appreciates the beauty of his instrument at the same time he is aware of its limitations.” 

                                   

Malone toured with Ron Carter, Roy Hargrove, and Dianne Reeves and did session work with Kenny Barron, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Jack McDuff, Mulgrew Miller, and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. He then teamed up with another high-profile vocalist/pianist, Diana Krall, playing in her trio and quartet from 1994 to 1998, participating in three Grammy-nominated albums, including When I Look in Your Eyes, which won the award for Best Vocal Jazz Performance. Malone was part of pianist Benny Green's recordings in the late 1990s and 2000: Kaleidoscope (1997), These Are Soulful Days (1999), and Naturally (2000). The two formed a duo and released the live album Jazz at The Bistro in 2003 and the studio album Bluebird in 2004. They toured until 2007. 

Diane Reeves first brought Malone aboard to record her 2001 album The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan and then 2008’s When You Know, which were both released on Blue Note Records. She later formed her instrument Strings Attached trio with Malone and Romero Lubambo, her regular guitarist. Malone also appeared as a special guest with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, and pianist Hank Jones in celebration of his 90th birthday. In October 2008, Malone performed in a duo with guitarist Bill Frisell at Yoshi's in Oakland, California. During the next year, Malone became a member of the band for saxophonist Sonny Rollins, celebrating his 80th birthday in New York City. 

Malone recorded live on September 9–11, 2005, at Jazz Standard, New York City, and Maxjazz documented the performances on the albums Live at Jazz Standard, Volume One (2006) and Live at Jazz Standard, Volume Two (2007). Appearing on these two volumes, and touring as The Russell Malone Quartet, were Martin Bejerano on piano, Tassili Bond on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums. Malone's 2010 recording Triple Play (also on Maxjazz) featured David Wong on bass and Montez Coleman on drums. His album, All About Melody featured pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Luke Sellick, and drummer Willie Jones III. 

Throughout his three decade-plus recording career, Malone released albums on labels such as Verve, Telarc, MAXJAZZ and HighNote Records. He contributed to projects by the likes of Natalie Cole, Rickie Lee Jones and Joss Stone as well as ones by B.B. King, Ray Brown and Marian McPartland and many others. A blossoming educator, Malone had served on the jazz faculty of William Paterson University since the 2021–’22 academic year. It was the only teaching position the guitarist ever held.

Malone died from a heart attack in Tokyo on August 23, 2024, after battling end-stage kidney failure. He was 60 years old and had been on tour in Japan as part of a trio with Carter and Donald Vega.

(Edited from Wikipedia & Downbeat)