Kelly Park, piano
Reid Whatley/Tom Hubbard, bass
Brian Carmody, drums
Tony Malfatti/Guido Fazio, sax/clarinet
Terrence Brewer, guitar
Influences
Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Chet Baker, Mel Tormé, Jeri Southern, Susie Arioli, Fred Astaire, Barry Manilow, Diane Schuur, Blossom Dearie, Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Mason, Michael Bublé, Dianne Reeves, Chris Connor, Rosemary Clooney, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Harry Connick, Jr., Steve Lawrence, k.d. lang, Jack Jones, Michael Feinstein, Bobby Short, Tony DeSare, Chris Botti
Sounds Like
"Lorenson is not just a crooner covering the traditional Sinatra style or trying to be the next Connick, he is his own man."
--
Brenton Plourde
,
Jazz Review
"Russ Lorenson has it all...the voice, the heart, and just enough show business swagger and swing. After his Tony Bennett show has played every city in the country - which it should - he has more than enough creativity and fire to sustain him for a long career in any repertoire he chooses!"
--
Andrea Marcovicci
,
Cabaret Legend
"Russ Lorenson is a performer that is reminiscent of the old greats...His voice transcends mainstream artists and is placed in a category in itself, one where the world of acting and jazz are interchangeable entities in the music spectrum."
--
Jennifer Herrera
,
The Juice Weekly
"Russ is an elegant performer who has faultless musical taste and vocal phrasing. He has a voice that is reminiscent of some of the great singers like Tony Bennett, Chet Baker and a little of Mel Tormé...[he's] brought the crooner style back to the cabaret scene...reminiscent of those singers that I used to hear when the 52nd Street cabarets were the cat's meow.”
--
Richard Connema
,
TalkinBroadway.com
"...he [brings] a supple voice and strong sense of characterization to all his songs..."
--
John Godfrey
,
The Los Angeles Times
"...Lorenson’s tribute is solid gold."
--
L. Pierce Carson
,
Napa Valley Register
"Lorenson's voice is lighter than Bennett's...a satisfying instrument for the genre of songs dear to the heart of Bennett fans."
--
Peter Leavy
,
Cabaret Scenes
"Lorenson sings these Bennett hits with heart. You can tell that he really is into the music – his soul won’t let him do anything else. I might even go so far as to say that Lorenson is possessed by Bennett’s hits."
--
Lee Hartgrave
,
BeyondChron.org
"...a handsome baritone with a lot of charisma...his adoration for Bennett and that genre of songs is admirable and the ingredients are all there."
--
John Hoglund
,
Backstage
Autographed copy of Russ' debut CD, A Little Travelin' Music!
$20, plus $5 shipping & handling.
Autographed copy of Russ'
holiday CD, What I Want For Christmas!
$20, plus $5 shipping & handling.
Russ Lorenson in "Benedetto/Blessed: Celebrating the Life and Music of Tony Bennett"
Russ Lorenson has established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay
Area’s leading interpreters of jazz standards, with a sound and approach that
place him at the intersection of Broadway, jazz, and pop – the very essence of
the
Great American Songbook. Jazz Review says that “Lorenson is
not just a crooner covering the traditional Sinatra style or trying to be the
next Connick; he is his own man.”
Nominated for a 2007 MAC Award by the Manhattan Association
of Cabarets and Clubs, Russ Lorenson’s passion for the stage started as a
youngster, with a performing career that began at age seven in his home town of
Philadelphia. As an actor he has appeared in musical productions with theatre
companies throughout California and has toured with the National Theatre for
Children. As a choral conductor and vocal coach, Russ was the Associate
Conductor of the award-winning California Youth Chorale for 5 years. As
a vocalist he has toured the US, UK and Europe, appearing in concert with such
luminaries as Broadway star Karen Mason,
“Queen of Cabaret” Andrea Marcovicci,
jazz diva Wesla Whitfield, and as
the opening act for the legendary
Eartha Kitt.
Russ celebrates an American music icon in his show, Benedetto/Blessed: Celebrating the
Life and Music of Tony Bennett. Lorenson’s tribute to the man
whom Frank Sinatra called "the best singer in the business" premiered in July
2006 as the opening act for the legendary Eartha Kitt and is currently enjoying
sold-out runs across the country, including both The Empire Plush Room
and Jazz at Pearl's in San
Francisco, Sterling’s Upstairs in Los Angeles, and New York's famed Iridium Jazz Club. The show is
musically directed by renowned jazz pianist
Kelly Park.
In honor – not impersonation – of Mr. Bennett (whose birth name translates to
“blessed” in Italian), and his successful career spanning over six decades,
Lorenson performs an array of the crooner’s biggest hits, including “I Left My
Heart in San Francisco,” “Fly Me To The Moon,” “Because of You” and “The Shadow
of Your Smile.”
“I find great inspiration in Mr. Bennett’s music and artistic vision,” says
Lorenson. “The Great American Songbook has had no greater champion, and I am
honored to be singing Mr. Bennett’s greatest hits and sharing the story of his
life.”
Russ' previous nightclub show, A Little Travelin’ Music, played to sold-out
audiences on both coasts. His debut CD, of the same
name, was released in May 2006 on the
LML Music label and
features songs from the show and includes duets with special guests
Shawn Ryan and
Klea Blackhurst.
His second CD, What I Want For
Christmas, was also released on LML Music in 2006, and has received
extensive radio airplay in major markets across the US. Both CD's were included
on the Nominating Ballot for the 2006 Grammy Awards in the category of "Best
Traditional Pop Vocal Album" alongside such artists as Tony Bennett, Michael
Bublé, and John Pizzarelli.
In recognition of his solid and sophisticated musical vocabulary,
Talkin’Broadway.com called Russ “an elegant performer who has faultless
musical taste and vocal phrasing. He has a voice that is reminiscent of some of
the great singers like Tony Bennett, Chet Baker and a little of Mel Tormé.”
The Los Angeles Times said that he brings “a supple voice and
strong sense of characterization to all his songs." The San Diego
Union-Tribune said that his “relaxed, easy deliveries...seem natural and
heartfelt..." BeyondChron.com said, “Not only does Lorenson have
the soul of the greats – Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and other dream crooners of
the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – he has the band with him to really bring those decades
to life.” The Coronado Journal simply called him “…irresistible…”
Hi Russ, Just dropping in to say hello and to tell you how much I enjoy listening to you sing. Thank you for sharing your gift of song. Have a great week. Best, Jeudi
Ja... nach langer Zeit mal wieder Grüße Russ Lorenson! Schönen Nachmittag und nebenbei noch ein ganz kleines bisschen Promo: "DONT WANNA DANCE", mein neues Album ist jetzt im Handel! ;o) Ein tolles 2009! Gruß, Tom
Thank you for the kind congrats! Where have you been?? I miss you. Have fun in Texas and please get Kelly back on time so he can play on my 10:30 gig at the Nikko! XXOO T