British acoustic guitar player who was a prominent figure in the U.K. avantgarde scene. John Russell, a guitarist who was a prominent figure in the British free-improvisation scene, was like Roger Smith the quiet type. He was active in London since the mid-70s and behind the scenes as a teacher, concert organizer, and teacher. His signature style can be heard in Chris Burn’s Ensemble, the John Butcher/Phil Durrant-John Russell trio and in duos featuring Roger Turner and Stefan Keune. From the mid-’90s, his musical activities were better documented. Russell, who was born December 19, 1954, received his first guitar when he was 11. Russell was 11 years old when he got his first guitar. He was already performing in London in 1971 and, one year later, had joined the Incus free music scene. He used an electric guitar for his first concert, but he switched to an acoustic Zenith in the middle of the 1970s. It is an instrument that predates the invention of amplification. It has a large resonance chamber which gives it a louder sound. This guitar was ideal for playing in 1930s dance bands, where you had to be heard above the brass section. Russell’s transition to a more physical instrument that vibrated in the hands of the musician prompted him to explore new avenues. He developed a style that was abstract, unpredictable and challenging, but also borrowed from Derek Bailey. Russell’s first recordings date back to 1975, when he recorded with the quartet Teatime. His first long-term band was a trio that included Phil Durrant, a violinist, and Mark Pickworth, which began in 1979. They practiced every week and performed frequently. Pickworth was replaced in 1984 by John Butcher. John Butcher was a relatively unknown player. The trio recorded three albums, and is Russell’s most well-known. He also played in outfits such as News from the Shed, Radu Malfatti’s Ohrkiste and others. Both of these groups included Butcher. The guitarist was instrumental in helping Butcher to start Acta (for the release their album Conceits) in 1987. He co-founded the MOPOMOSO concert program with Chris Burn a year later. This series was a key part of London’s free improv scene. He recorded and toured Europe and North America in the ’90s with Burn’s Ensemble, his duo featuring drummer Roger Turner. They also released two CDs with Stefan Keune as well as one with Burn’s Ensemble (with Evan Parker and John Edwards) and London Air Lift (with Mark Sanders, Mark Sanders, and Mark Sanders). Russell, who was 66, continued to record and perform well into the 2010s. He died January 18, 2021 after being diagnosed with cancer. Allmusic
