Catherine Russell is a clear Jazz Fest crowd favorite. Patrons packed wall-to-wall into the Harro East Ballroom to see the daughter of the late Luis
Russell. And when she appeared on stage in a glittery silver top, the
audience responded with enthusiastic cheers.
Russell’s strong, soulful voice was near-perfection as she
plowed through one classic jazz tune after another, achieving the kind of technical
prowess that is normally reserved for recordings these days. It was an impressive
feat, considering how feverishly she moved her hips to the beat. The audience
played along, bobbing their heads and tapping their toes.
Russell’s saucy vocals were accompanied by a simple band comprised
of upright bass, piano, and guitar. Fat, full bass notes laid a strong
foundation for the simple pass-and-play style performance, and Russell’s
narratives were punctuated with classic, cool solos from each of her band
members. There was nothing too complicated or sophisticated about the whole
affair. It was a set list chock full of crowd pleasers.
This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2014.
