Russell Procope

Russell Keith Procope (August 11, 1908 – January 21, 1981) was an American clarinetist and alto saxophonist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra.

Before Ellington Procope was born in New York City, United States,

Ellington and afterwards Procope joined the Ellington orchestra in 1946, standing in for Otto Hardwick for one night in Worcester, Massachusetts, and staying until Ellington died in 1974. Procope came to Europe again as a member of this band during the summer of 1950. Like all members of the Ellington reed section except for alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges and tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves, Procope doubled on the clarinet, and it was on that instrument that he made his reputation. Though he was a fine saxophonist who could (and did) play tenor as well as alto saxophone with authority, Procope was most highly regarded for his woody, understated clarinet solos, a warm contrast to fellow reed section member Jimmy Hamilton's cheerful, breezy style. (A hearing of the contrast between the two clarinetists can be heard on Ellington's three-part suite "Idiom '59"; Ellington handed Procope the solo for the slower tempoed opening part, before handing Hamilton the first clarinet solo and the bridge blues solo on the more swinging second part.) Procope was also highly regarded personally within and outside the Ellington band. "He was", wrote Ellington in Music is My Mistress, "an utterly sober and reliable musician, always to be depended upon." After Ellington's death, Procope toured with Brooks Kerr's trio.

In 1956, Procope recorded The Persuasive Sax of Russ Procope under the London Records label. Procope played the alto-saxophone, along with Remo Biondi (rhythm guitar), Earl Backus (solo guitar), Paul Jordan (piano) Mel Schmidt (bass), and Frank Rullo (drums). Although Procope's early playing reflected the influence of Benny Carter, he had evolved a highly individual style. It combined an essentially lyrical approach with a forceful, swinging attack.

Discography With the Duke Ellington Orchestra Masterpieces by Ellington (Columbia, 1951) Ellington Uptown (Columbia, 1952) Live At The Crystal Gardens 1952 (Hep, 2011) Duke Ellington Presents... (Bethlehem, 1956) Blue Rose (Columbia, 1956) with Rosemary Clooney Historically Speaking A Drum Is a Woman (Columbia, 1956) Ellington at Newport (Columbia, 1956) Duke Ellington and the Buck Clayton All-Stars at Newport (Columbia, 1956) Such Sweet Thunder (Columbia, 1957) All Star Road Band (Doctor Jazz, 1957 ) Ellington Indigos (Columbia, 1957) Black, Brown and Beige (Columbia, 1958) Newport 1958 (Columbia, 1958) Live at the Blue Note (Roulette, 1959) Festival Session (Columbia, 1959) Blues in Orbit (Columbia, 1959) Anatomy of a Murder (Columbia, 1959) Jazz Party (Columbia, 1959) Piano in the Background (Columbia, 1960) Hot Summer Dance (Red Baron, 1960 ) First Time! The Count Meets the Duke (Columbia, 1962) with the Count Basie Orchestra The Nutcracker Suite Swinging Suites by Edward E. and Edward G. (Columbia, 1960) All American in Jazz (Columbia, 1962) Midnight in Paris (Columbia, 1962) Afro-Bossa (Reprise, 1963) Will Big Band Ever Come Back? (Reprise, 1962–1963 ) All Star Road Band Volume 2 (Doctor Jazz, 1964 ) Harlem (Pablo, 1964 ) Duke Ellington Plays Mary Poppins (Reprise, 1964 ) Ellington '65 (Reprise, 1964) Ella at Duke's Place (Verve, 1965) Ellington '66 (Reprise, 1965) Concert in the Virgin Islands (Reprise, 1965) In the Uncommon Market (Pablo, 1963–1966 ) Ella and Duke at the Cote D'Azur (Verve, 1966) The Far East Suite (RCA, 1966) Live in Italy 1967 ...And His Mother Called Him Bill (RCA, 1967 ) Yale Concert (Fantasy, 1968 ) Francis A. & Edward K. (Reprise, 1967 ) with Frank Sinatra Second Sacred Concert (Prestige, 1968) Liederhalle Stuttgart 1967 (SWR, Jazzhaus, 2020) Live At The Opernhaus Cologne 1969 (Delta Music, 2016) 70th Birthday Concert (Solid State, 1969 ) Latin American Suite (Fantasy, 1968–1970 ) New Orleans Suite (Atlantic, 1970) The Intimate Ellington (Pablo, 1969–1971 ) The Afro-Eurasian Eclipse (Fantasy, 1971 ) Togo Brava Suite (United Artists, 1971) Duke Ellington in Sweden 1973 (Caprice, 1973 ) The Ellington Suites (Fantasy, 1958–72 )

With Dizzy Gillespie The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (Bluebird, 1937–1949 )

With Johnny Hodges Ellingtonia '56 (Norgran, 1956)

With Billy Strayhorn Cue for Saxophone (Felsted, 1959)