Nov. 17, 2008 | Catherine Russell honored in 15th Annual Critics' Poll of Living Blues Magazine
Living Blues Magazine has announced the winners of it's 2008 15th annual Living Blues Awards Critics' Poll. Catherine Russell has been chosen as "Artist Deserving More Attention."

Sep. 08, 2008 | Sentimental Streak wins German Record Critics' Award
Catherine Russell's recently released disc, "Sentimental Streak" on World Village, has been awarded the prestigious German Record Critics' Award. The jurors of this prestigious prize, which is awarded quarterly, judged the CD to be an artistically oustanding new release in the Jazz category and have thus included it in their Quarterly Critics' Choice.

Inaugurated in 1963 in order to set the "most rigorous standards for supreme achievement" in the field of recording, the award's jury comprises 114 music critics, writers and editors in the German-speaking countries who are actively involved in the assessment of CDs and DVDs. .

With its Quarterly Critics' Choice ("Bestenliste") the German Record Critics' Award recommends new releases which merit special attention either for the quality of interpretation or creativity, or for their value to the repertoire.

Aug. 05, 2008 | Catherine Russell on NPR's World Cafe with David Dye
Catherine Russell stops by the World Cafe with Host David Dye on August 5, 2008 to discuss her second album, Sentimental Streak. Catherine is hailed as "the real thing" by hard-to-please jazz critic, Nat Hentoff. She stands out as a versatile and thoughtful vocalist who always sheds an unexpected light on old standards and original compositions alike. On Sentimental Streak, blues and jazz classics are reinterpreted in a playful, yet soulful and highly personal way. Listen in by launching related site:

Jun. 11, 2008 | Catherine Russell on NPR's Fresh Air w/Terry Gross
Catherine Russell was the featured guest on the Peabody Award-winning National Public Radio show "Fresh Air" on June 11, 2008. Host Terry Gross conducts an in depth interview with Catherine and plays selections from the albums, Sentimental Streak and Cat, illuminating Catherine's illustrious musical family and career. Listen in by launching related site:

Feb. 07, 2008 | Catherine Russell on Conan O'Brien Monday Feb 11, 2008
Catherine Russell was the featured musical guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on NBC-TV on Monday February 11, 2008, - the eve of the official release date of her new cd, Sentimental Streak, performing the Willie Dixon tune, "I Don't Care Who Knows".

Jan. 01, 2008 | Catherine Russell performs at Panama Jazz Festival Jan 2008, first visit to the homeland of her father, Jazz Legend, Luis Russell
“Ms. Russell is part of a noble jazz lineage. Her father, Luis Russell (1902-63), was a pianist and leader of one of the most impressive big bands on the early New York jazz scene after leading a group in New Orleans and moving to Chicago, where he worked with King Oliver, who gave Louis Armstrong his first big break.”
Nat Hentoff, The Wall Street Journal

“Luis Russell, a Panamanian jazz genius…who moved to New Orleans in 1919 at age 17…who famously collaborated with such first generation New Orleans jazzmen as clarinetist, Albert Nicolas, drummer Paul Barbarin, and the great Satchmo himself…”
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune


Catherine Russell is a 2nd generation vocalist of Afro-Panamanian-American descent. In January of 2008, Catherine Russell and her band performed at the 5th annual Panama Jazz Festival, held in Panama City, Republic of Panama. The visit helped to celebrate the release (on February 12) of Ms. Russell’s 2nd album, Sentimental Streak, on the World Village label, and marked her first ever visit to Panama.

On her critically acclaimed debut album, Cat, released on the World Village label in 2006, Catherine Russell recorded “Back O Town Blues”, a song written by Luis Russell for Louis Armstrong, and a staple of Satchmo’s “live” shows for decades. Catherine performed her version on the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS-TV, and her recording reached the top 10 on I-Tunes Jazz Chart. Catherine’s new album, Sentimental Streak, opens with a reinvention of a Luis Russell arrangement of a Louis Armstrong recording from 1938, “So Little Time (So Much To Do)”, and also features a song co-written and recorded by Luis Russell, “I’ve Got That Thing.”

Catherine’s father, the late Luis Russell, was born in the Bocas Del Toro region of Panama. Trained as a musician while in Panama, Luis Russell won the Panama national lottery in 1919 and moved to New Orleans, where he fell in with the greatest players of Jazz, including Louis Armstrong and Joe “King” Oliver. Luis Russell soon moved to Chicago and recorded with King Oliver, and then on to New York City, where he formed the Luis Russell Orchestra. Pianist, Arranger, Bandleader, and Songwriter, Luis Russell sat at the center of several of the great bands of 20th Century Jazz and Popular music. By the late 1920’s, the Luis Russell Orchestra was considered one of hottest dance bands in New York, rivaling those of Duke Ellington, Chick Webb, and Fletcher Henderson. Louis Armstrong “borrowed” Luis Russell and his Orchestra for several legendary recordings, including “Mahogany Hall Stomp” from Armstrongs famed Hot 5’s and 7’s series, plus the original recording of Hoagy Carmichael’s all time classic composition “Rocking Chair”. In 1935, Louis Armstrong took over the Luis Russell Orchestra and retained Luis Russell as his musical director, an association that lasted for many years of recordings, film appearances, and tours.

Described as “Panama’s first bona fide jazz star”, by Howard Reich in The Chicago Tribune, Luis Russell is a revered figure in his native Panama. He was featured on a postage stamp, through the efforts of Mr. Ernesto Crouch of the Panama based Luis Russell Foundation, and the first Panama Jazz Festival in 2003 was dedicated to Luis Russell.

The Panama Jazz Festival was founded by Panamanian pianist Danilo Perez in order to exchange cultural experiences between the best musicians of the world and the Panamanian people. The Fifth Anniversary edition of the Panama Jazz Festival took on added significance by introducing Catherine Russell to her father’s homeland, carrying on a musical legacy and creating its next chapter.

Nov. 05, 2007 | New Studio Album -Sentimental Streak- now available!
The critical raves that greeted Cat (2006 release - World Village 468063), Catherine Russell's debut album, have understandably raised the bar for her sophomore release. With Sentimental Streak (World Village 468075), released on February 12, 2008, this impassioned and versatile vocalist is more than equal to the challenge!

Recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY, Sentimental Streak was produced by Larry Campbell, a prolific multi-instrumentalist/producer (Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Phil Lesh, Willie Nelson, Levon Helm, Abbey Lincoln). On Sentimental Streak, Larry plays mandolin, guitar, resonator guitar, violin, and pedal steel, augmenting Catherine’s regular touring unit of Matt Munisteri on guitar and banjo, Lee Hudson on acoustic bass, and Larry Ham or Mark Shane on piano. In addition, guest musicians include stellar players like Byron Isaacs of Ollabelle on acoustic bass, Rachelle Garniez on accordion, James Wormworth on drums, Howard Johnson on tuba, and from the Levon Helm Band, Steven Bernstein on trumpet, cornet, and slide trumpet, Erik Lawrence on Saxophones, and Brian Mitchell on piano.

Sentimental Streak opens with the hard charging credo, “So Little Time (So Much To Do)”, first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1938 arranged by Catherine’s dad, Luis Russell, whose original big band swing chart is here recreated by trumpeter/arranger Steven Bernstein. The lyric speaks of “songs of love we never have sung”, and fittingly what follows is a program of little known, underexposed gems. Tapping into the bedrock of American popular song, Catherine exhumes works by master songwriters, like Alec Wilder, Hoagy Carmichael, Andy Razaf, Yip Harburg, and Willie Dixon. Avoiding the obvious “standards”, she has a knack for interpreting vintage tunes with a fresh and present vibe. For good measure, and with the same keen ear and astute taste, Catherine includes two contemporary songs, her own “Luci” and “Broken Nose” by accordionist and songwriting ace Rachelle Garniez.

Catherine’s sources run the gamut of giants: Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Alberta Hunter, Bessie Smith, Nellie Lutcher, Lena Horne, and Luis Russell…and her delightful mix of blues, swing, and jazz rarities comprise a repetoire that is unique on today’s scene. With a smoky and suave vocal delivery, Ms. Russell relishes in the lyric. Her haunting travelogues take us to “New Orleans” and “South To A Warmer Place”. It’s a deeply felt and soulful journey. Her reinvention of Bessie Smith’s “Kitchen Man” is a saucy, culinary tour de force. And on tunes like “I’m Lazy, That’s All” and “My Old Daddy’s Got A Brand New Way To Love,” Catherine’s recipe for carnal pleasures, contains exactly the right amount of wit and innuendo. With Sentimental Streak, Catherine Russell’s musical persona comes into full view…a classy, hipster singing exceptional songs from a variety of sources and eras… swinging like the dickens…while above all having fun!

Sentimental Streak Track Listing: Title (Writer) and Source

1. So Little Time (So Much To Do), (William J. Hill, Peter De Rose), Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra, arranged by Luis Russell
2. I’m Lazy, That’s All (Mackle), Pearl Bailey
3. Kitchen Man (Edna B. Pinkard, Andy Razaf), Bessie Smith
4. Oh Yes, Take Another Guess (Mencher, Sherman, Newman), Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb Orchestra
5. New Orleans (Hoagy Carmichael)
6. My Old Daddy’s Got A Brand New Way To Love (Mike Jackson), Alberta Hunter
7. South To A Warmer Place (Alec Wilder, L.R. McGlohon), Frank Sinatra
8. Thrill Me (E.Y. Harburg, Lewis Gensler), Lena Horne
9. You Better Watch Yourself, Bub (Nellie Lutcher)
10. I’ve Got That Thing (Luis Russell, Paul Barbarin, Walter Pichon), Luis Russell
11. I Don’t Care Who Knows (Willie Dixon), Harold Burrage
12. Broken Nose (Rachelle Garniez)
13. Luci (Catherine Russell)
14. You For Me, Me For You (Cecil Mack, James P. Johnson) Alberta Hunter