Russell Gunn
If one were attempting to design a prototype for the quintessential contemporary musician in the African-American tradition, trumpeter/fluegelhornist/composer Russell Gunn would be an ideal model. A certified member of the hip-hop generation by age (born in 1971) and geography ( East St. Louis), Russell's early aspirations in the world of rap music took precedence over the trumpet that he began playing in fourth grade. When he reached sixteen, his dedication to the art of jazz took shape.
Rather than abandoning the music he loved, he simply applied its energy, spirit and fiercely proud intellectual rage to the jazz idiom, creating a synthesis that is truly contemporary and singular, exemplified by his groundbreaking group, Ethnomusicology.
As the name clearly indicates, Gunn, like most of the finest young musicians to emerge in the past decade, has developed his music from a wide variety of musical influences. In his case, Gunn weaves together elements of Cuban, Brazilian, African, D.C.'s "Go Go" music, and Hip-Hop into an adventurously progressive jazz style that pays tribute to its tradition while also extending the form.
With a singular style that incorporates the influences of masters like Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, and especially the extremely underrated Booker Little, Gunn has continued to gain recognition for his own music through touring and well-received albums, including the 2000 Grammy-nominated Ethnomusicology, Vol. 1 and 2001 .and Ethnomusicology Vol. 2 in 2001.
Please note: Russell will be performing with the Park City Jazz Foundation All Star combo.