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Bio
Critically acclaimed, award winning vocalist, guitarist and composer, Woody Russell, is a contemporary troubadour with one foot in the jazz and blues tradition and the other planted firmly in defiance of any genre categorization. He's released a body of recorded work that spans from the folk-roots infused songwriter fare of his first album, …as simple as that (1996) to the more recent and highly praised blues/soul release of Up Against It (2010) and his latest recording, Delicious Days (2013); a new album infused with sophisticated arrangements and harmony more closely associated with jazz. The Austin, Texas based Russell has always been a genre-blurring artist and Delicious Days is no exception. As a lyricist, Woody digs deep in to intimate, personal narratives while equally at home addressing a broader social consciousness. And, not unlike a primary influence of his, Van Morrison, Russell navigates the melody and rhythm of his written word with a precision and expression akin to a jazz improvisor. The end result in the case of Delicious Days is a lush, complex recording with a soul-jazz heart, created by a master craftsman and a superb band. It's an album which, amid the musical intricacies, is brimming with very accessible songs.
"Delicious Days is the most ambitious album project I’ve done to date in terms of the complexity of the music, the scope of the band and the production. These songs, a balance of those that are funky and light with those that are more pensive and personal, are an amalgam that I strive to find in my songwriting. Collectively they resonate with a certain sense of romance, longing, searching and ultimately, gratitude. I suspect that this is music for people who’ve lived a little, you know, who have some personal history under their belt. Those are the characters that inhabit Delicious Days."
It’s a recording that presents, front and center, the solid musicianship of, not only Russell, but a cast of “A-list” Austin based musicians. The playing throughout the recording is focused, brimming with excellent ensemble interplay, as well as, inspired solos.
Russell funded the release of Delicious Days and an accompanying music video, in part, through a successful campaign on the popular crowd-funding website, Kickstarter. Woody is also the recipient of the 2013 Bugle Boy Foundation’s Talent Trust Award following Kat Edmonson (2011) and Grammy nominee John Fullbright (2012). The Talent Trust financially assists selected artists with the production/publicity of a new studio recording.