William Wagner Russell - 1905 - 1992
William Wagner „Bill“ Russell (1905–1992)
was an extraordinary figure in the American music scene, whose diverse career took him from music educator and avant-garde composer to one of the most important historians, producers, and preservers of early jazz. His life was one of tireless dedication to music in all its forms.
Early years and varied education
Born on February 26, 1905, in Canton, Missouri, Russell's musical journey began early with the violin. He attended the Quincy Conservatory from 1920 and Culver Stockton College from 1923, where he studied chemistry, mathematics, and music education. After graduating in 1926, he taught in the Midwest before moving to New York City around 1927. There he continued his teaching career on Long Island while deepening his musical skills: he took violin lessons with Max Pilzer, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, and studied at Columbia University's Teachers College until 1934.
With the firm goal of becoming a composer, he changed his last name from Wagner to Russell in 1929. He devoted himself to modern music (New School), especially compositions for pure percussion ensembles. His interest in rhythms led him to Haiti in 1932, where he studied local percussion rhythms, which were reflected in his ballet "Ogou Badagri" in 1933.
Jazz pioneer, collector, and researcher
From 1934 to 1940, Russell toured with the Red Gate Puppet Players, a Chinese-inspired puppet theater for which he composed the music. He used these trips extensively to expand his growing collection of jazz records throughout the country. In 1935, he founded the Hot Record Exchange in New York with painter Steve Smith, which remained in operation until 1940. His interest in early jazz led him to New Orleans, the birthplace of this music, for the first time in 1937. In 1938, he met Jelly Roll Morton in Washington, D.C., an encounter that later resulted in an extensive book about Morton. Russell also contributed to early jazz books, such as three chapters of the renowned work Jazzmen in 1939, including the important chapter on New Orleans. During stays with the puppet theater in California (1939/40), he furthered his academic education through correspondence courses at the University of Chicago (Bachelor's degree at Stockton College) and studied in Berkeley and at UCLA with the famous composer Arnold Schoenberg.
Record producer and chemist in Pittsburgh
1In 1940, Russell moved to Pittsburgh to live with his brother and worked full-time as a chemist at the Pennsylvania Transformer Corporation until 1947 – an unusual profession for a musician, which underscores Russell's versatility. His brother's house in Pittsburgh became the starting point for his record label "American Music," which he founded in 1944. Russell was a pioneer in documenting forgotten jazz musicians: he met Bunk Johnson in New Orleans in 1942 and made recordings with him (followed by more in San Francisco in 1943). In 1943, he made a second trip to New Orleans, where he recorded with George Lewis and other representatives of early New Orleans jazz who had almost been forgotten at the time. Due to racial segregation, he rented halls and clubs for the recordings, as black musicians in New Orleans had only limited access to studios at the time. American Music remained a one-man operation run by Russell until his last recording in 1953.
Mahalia Jacksons Assistent und Jazz-Archivar
From 1947 to 1950, Russell lived back in his parents' home in Canton, Missouri. He then moved to Chicago, where he lived from 1950 to 1956. There, in 1950, he briefly took violin lessons again with the concertmaster of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During this time, especially from 1953 to 1956, he was the unofficial and unpaid assistant to Mahalia Jackson. He provided her with extensive support during rehearsals and recordings, managed correspondence, organized tours, procured sheet music, kept financial records, and was an indispensable support in almost every area of her daily life. In 1956, Russell moved permanently to New Orleans, the city that had captured his heart for jazz. There he founded the record store "American Music Records." His commitment to preserving jazz culminated in 1958 with his co-founding and role as the first curator of the Hogan Jazz Archives at Tulane University, where he intensively researched the history of early jazz and conducted numerous interviews until 1965.
Final years and legacy in New Orleans
After a brief stay in Canton in 1962 to care for his parents and close his record store, Russell moved permanently to New Orleans in 1965. He lived in a small room in the French Quarter and could be found almost every night at Preservation Hall, where he sold tickets and records and enjoyed the music. He became a central point of contact for jazz enthusiasts, who benefited from his immense knowledge. In the 1960s and 1970s, he traveled extensively throughout Europe to collect old instruments (which he repaired) and autographs. Beginning in 1967, he played violin in the New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra and continued to be consulted as a renowned jazz historian.
In 1988, he sold the rights to American Music to George H. Buck of Jazzology. He remained active even in his old age: in 1990, his compositions for percussion ensembles were performed in New York. Shortly before his death on August 9, 1992, he completed his important book on Jelly Roll Morton, Oh Mr. Jelly: A Jelly Roll Morton Scrapbook, which was published posthumously in 1999, and worked on the reissues of his American Music recordings.
Bill Russell's estate, the William Russell Jazz Collection, is housed at the Williams Research Center of the Historic New Orleans Collection. With an estimated 36,000 individual items weighing 86 tons, this collection is a monument to his life's work—an invaluable treasure trove for the study of jazz and American music culture. Russell was not only a chronicler, but also a passionate guardian of cultural heritage.
Indispensable assistant
When he moved to Chicago in 1950, he began attending her performances and recording her rehearsals. This initial fascination blossomed into an unusual friendship. As Mahalia's career began to take off, Russell offered his help – an offer that would prove to be a turning point for both of them.
The CBS and Columbia era: Russell's comprehensive contribution
Russell's support came at a crucial time for Mahalia Jackson: her move to CBS and Columbia Records.
This transition brought new challenges and increased demands on the gospel singer. During this time, Russell became Mahalia's "personal assistant," taking on a variety of tasks that went far beyond the usual.
Secretarial and press work
Russell was the organizational backbone. He managed Mahalia's correspondence, screened phone calls, wrote program notes, and updated press releases—often working late into the night. His duties also included compiling newspaper clippings into scrapbooks.
Musical accompaniment
With his musical background, Russell Mahalia helped Mahalia learn new songs for rehearsals, obtained sheet music from Lyon & Healy in Chicago, and transposed it when necessary. He recorded demo tapes, acted as a go-between for Mahalia and the production teams at CBS and Columbia, and took care of practical matters such as ticket sales, distributing flyers, and making cue cards. His recordings of Mahalia's rehearsals were also an important basis for arrangements. Occasionally, he also helped other jazz and gospel musicians, which sometimes made Mahalia jealous.
Personal errands
Russells Engagement reichte tief in Mahalias Privatleben hinein.He bought fruit, including grapes, bananas, plums, strawberries, watermelons, and oranges, which he even juiced for them. Household chores such as emptying mouse traps, repairing curtains and window shutters, and watering plants were also part of his duties.
Financial management
Mit akribischer Genauigkeit führte Russell ein detailliertes Protokoll über Mahalias Ausgaben und geliehene Geldbeträge. Er dokumentierte alles und betonte dabei stets, dass Mahalia ihm das Geld immer zurückzahlte.
A remarkable dedication with complex undertones
Despite the immense workload and the fact that Mahalia sometimes took him for granted or even exploited him, Bill Russell never complained publicly. Traces of frustration may be found in his diary, but looking back, he said he had "the time of his life" with her and did not regret staying in Chicago to get to know her and hear her sing. His dedication was remarkable and testifies to his deep admiration for Jackson's talent.
An invaluable contribution to the history of gospel music
Russell's role in Mahalia Jackson's life has often been overlooked, but his contribution to her success is undeniable. His extensive work enabled Mahalia to master the new challenges of moving to major labels and take her career to the next level. His meticulous documentation—now found in the Bill Russell Archive—also offers an invaluable and intimate insight into Mahalia's musical work, her everyday life, and the development of black gospel in 1950s Chicago. Mahalia Jackson owes a great deal to Bill Russell's tireless efforts. The relationship between Bill Russell and Mahalia Jackson was complex and multifaceted, marked by admiration, devotion, but also a certain frustration and imbalance. But thanks to Russell's quiet but decisive work, we can now paint a more complete picture of this gospel icon. His legacy is a valuable treasure for music history.
Mahalia did not know for a long time that Bill Russell was a contemporary composer. To this day, his works, especially his compositions for percussion ensemble, are performed regularly.
Fugue for Eight Percussion Instruments. Composition from 1931
Homage to Bill Russell by Thilo Plaesser
In memory and deep appreciation of Bill Russell, I have improvised an extensive piano suite.
The tonal language is modern and contemporary, appropriate for the composer. But I have also taken into account his (and my) passion for jazz.
1. "mousetrap"
This is a free-tonal prelude that also has a modal character due to the use of Olivier Messiaen's second mode. "Jazz references are entirely intentional."
2. "wine grapes"
A 12-tone row from Anton Webern's String Quartet, Op. 28 served as a template for improvisation. Anton Webern was one of Arnold Schoenberg's first students, thus establishing a connection to Bill Russell. Techniques such as crab walking, mirroring, ostinato, and canon are used.
3. "Jazzmen"
This is a modern jazzy improvisation that returns to a more traditional musical language at the end. The title "Jazzmem" refers to the famous collection from 1939, in which Russell was involved.