Joe Russo (musician)
Encyclopedia
Joe Russo is an American drummer and half of the Benevento/Russo Duo
. He plays with a number of other bands, including A Big Yes and a Small No, Fat Mama, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Danjaboots, Bustle In Your Hedgerow, Electron (a Disco Biscuits
side-project), Younger Brother
, Shpongle
, Tom Hamilton's American Babies, the Trey Anastasio/ Mike Gordon duo, the Gene Ween Band, and Furthur
(featuring Phil Lesh
and Bob Weir
of the Grateful Dead
). He also played with the Shpongle Live Band at 2011 Camp Bisco.
SPD-S sampler is often used for electronic drum samples, which play an important role in many of The Duo's compositions, such as "Welcome Red", "Becky", and "My Pet Goat". Two songs appearing on Play Pause Stop
, "Memphis" and "Powder", were written by Russo and feature his acoustic guitar playing.
Russo has twice won the New Groove award at the Jammys
, in 2000 and 2005. In the summer of 2006 he was the drummer in a collaboration with Trey Anastasio
, Mike Gordon
, and Marco Benevento
(sometimes referred to as GRAB or Mike & the Italians).
During the fall of 2008, Russo traveled to London to record an album with the band Younger Brother
.
In December 2008, Russo joined Ween
front man Gene Ween
and fellow Bustle in your hedgerow band mates Scott Metzger
and Dave Dreiwitz
for a short east coast tour with an outfit called the Gene Ween Band. On this tour, Joe played his "house kit," which notably includes a rare 30-inch bass drum purchased off of eBay.
In Fall 2009, Russo joined Bob Weir
, Phil Lesh
, Jay Lane
, Jeff Chimenti
and John Kadlecik (from Dark Star Orchestra
) for a Winter tour with the band Furthur
. Jay Lane left Furthur in March 2010 to rejoin Primus
, and Russo continues to tour with the band as their sole drummer.
Benevento/Russo Duo
The Benevento/Russo Duo is an alternative jazz/rock band from New York City, featuring Marco Benevento on keyboard instruments and Joe Russo on drums.-History:Benevento and Russo met while in junior high school in New Jersey...
. He plays with a number of other bands, including A Big Yes and a Small No, Fat Mama, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Danjaboots, Bustle In Your Hedgerow, Electron (a Disco Biscuits
Disco Biscuits
The Disco Biscuits are a band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania known for their live performances and light shows. The band consists of Allen Aucoin , Marc Brownstein , Jon Gutwillig , and Aron Magner ....
side-project), Younger Brother
Younger Brother
Younger Brother is an electronic duo formed in 2003 by Simon Posford and Benji Vaughan. Their debut album A Flock of Bleeps was released in 2003, followed by The Last Days of Gravity in 2007 and Vaccine in 2011....
, Shpongle
Shpongle
Shpongle is an English psychedelic downtempo/psybient music project formed in 1996. The group includes Simon Posford and Raja Ram . Their musical style combines eastern ethnic instruments and vocals with contemporary western synthesizer-based psychedelic music...
, Tom Hamilton's American Babies, the Trey Anastasio/ Mike Gordon duo, the Gene Ween Band, and Furthur
Furthur (band)
Furthur is a rock band founded in 2009 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. The original lineup also included John Kadlecik of the Dark Star Orchestra on lead guitar, Jeff Chimenti of RatDog on keyboards, Jay Lane of RatDog on percussion, and Joe Russo of the Benevento/Russo Duo...
(featuring Phil Lesh
Phil Lesh
Phillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
and Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
of the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
). He also played with the Shpongle Live Band at 2011 Camp Bisco.
Musical Career
Russo's drumming is fierce and complex (he has been nicknamed "The Madness" by fans). His RolandRoland
Roland was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. Historically, Roland was military governor of the Breton March, with responsibility for defending the frontier of Francia against the Bretons...
SPD-S sampler is often used for electronic drum samples, which play an important role in many of The Duo's compositions, such as "Welcome Red", "Becky", and "My Pet Goat". Two songs appearing on Play Pause Stop
Play Pause Stop
Play Pause Stop is a 2006 album from the Benevento/Russo Duo. Made up of only Marco Benevento and Joe Russo, the album contains the two playing only keyboards and drums, respectively...
, "Memphis" and "Powder", were written by Russo and feature his acoustic guitar playing.
Russo has twice won the New Groove award at the Jammys
Jammys
The Jammy Award are an awards show for bands typically called jam bands and other artists associated with live, improvisational music. The Jammys are sponsored by Relix magazine, Jambands.com, and promoter Peter Shapiro...
, in 2000 and 2005. In the summer of 2006 he was the drummer in a collaboration with Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
, Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
, and Marco Benevento
Marco Benevento
Marco Benevento is a pianist, organist and composer from Brooklyn, New York. Benevento is known for his effected piano work with his trio as well as his Hammond Organ and Wurlitzer Electric Piano work with the Benevento Russo Duo...
(sometimes referred to as GRAB or Mike & the Italians).
During the fall of 2008, Russo traveled to London to record an album with the band Younger Brother
Younger Brother
Younger Brother is an electronic duo formed in 2003 by Simon Posford and Benji Vaughan. Their debut album A Flock of Bleeps was released in 2003, followed by The Last Days of Gravity in 2007 and Vaccine in 2011....
.
In December 2008, Russo joined Ween
Ween
Ween is an American alternative rock group. They formed in 1984 in New Hope, Pennsylvania when central members Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo met in an eighth grade typing class. Ween has a large cult underground fanbase despite being generally unknown in American pop music...
front man Gene Ween
Gene Ween
Aaron Freeman , best known as Gene Ween, is a musician and a founding member of the experimental alternative rock group Ween...
and fellow Bustle in your hedgerow band mates Scott Metzger
Scott Metzger
Scott Metzger is an American guitarist.-Biography:Scott Metzger is a Brooklyn, New York based guitarist...
and Dave Dreiwitz
Dave Dreiwitz
-Biography:Dave Dreiwitz was born on January 2, 1966 in New York City, New York to traditional jazz musician parents, Richard and Barbara Dreiwitz. In 1985 at the age of nineteen, Dave joined the Hoboken, NJ based psych rock band Tiny Lights, his first professional band out of high school...
for a short east coast tour with an outfit called the Gene Ween Band. On this tour, Joe played his "house kit," which notably includes a rare 30-inch bass drum purchased off of eBay.
In Fall 2009, Russo joined Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
, Phil Lesh
Phil Lesh
Phillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
, Jay Lane
Jay Lane
Jay Lane is an American drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Primus, as well as Bob Weir's RatDog, Scaring the Children with Weir and Rob Wasserman, and the hip hop/jazz fusion group Alphabet Soup. In 2002, Lane was named "drummer of the year" by the California...
, Jeff Chimenti
Jeff Chimenti
Jeff Chimenti is an American keyboardist, best known for his ongoing work with RatDog. He is also a member of the post-Grateful Dead bands The Dead and Furthur....
and John Kadlecik (from Dark Star Orchestra
Dark Star Orchestra
-References:* at the Internet Archive* - John Kadlecik's official website & personal pages**-External links:* , official website of Dark Star Orchestra* , official website of Dino English...
) for a Winter tour with the band Furthur
Furthur (band)
Furthur is a rock band founded in 2009 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. The original lineup also included John Kadlecik of the Dark Star Orchestra on lead guitar, Jeff Chimenti of RatDog on keyboards, Jay Lane of RatDog on percussion, and Joe Russo of the Benevento/Russo Duo...
. Jay Lane left Furthur in March 2010 to rejoin Primus
Primus (band)
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed...
, and Russo continues to tour with the band as their sole drummer.
Personal life
On September 17, 2011, Joe married Pooja Raj.Benevento/Russo Duo
- Debut Album (2002)
- Darts (2003)
- Best Reason to Buy the SunBest Reason to Buy the SunBest Reason to Buy the Sun is a 2005 album from the Benevento-Russo Duo. Made up of only Joe Russo and Marco Benevento, playing only Keyboards and Drums, the Duo's debut studio recording is remenisent of Medeski, Martin & Wood or late Phish, to such a degree that Mike Gordon, previously of Phish,...
(2005) - Live at Bonnaroo 2005 (2005)
- Play Pause StopPlay Pause StopPlay Pause Stop is a 2006 album from the Benevento/Russo Duo. Made up of only Marco Benevento and Joe Russo, the album contains the two playing only keyboards and drums, respectively...
(2006)
External links
- Benevento/Russo Duo official website