Russell Gunn

Russell Gunn - Ethnomusicolgy Volume 3 - 2003 - Justin Time

Trumpeter/composer Russell Gunn continues his music lesson for the world with Ethnomusicology Volume 3 — a rich fusion of sound that's part jazz, part spoken word, part techno, part hip hop. Ethnomusicology Volume 3 is the ninth album from Gunn, twice nominated for a Grammy for the first two CDs in this series — Ethnomusicology Volume 1 and Ethnomusicology Volume 2. Gunn produced the collection and composed or collaborated on seven cuts on the latest CD. The thread running through each of the diverse cuts is the theory that most modern music can trace its roots to the African-American community. Gunn combines traditional jazz riffs with hard rock guitars, turntable artists, funk bass... sometimes all on the same track. The emotional landscape is equally diverse, celebrating old friends, hometowns and even hate crimes and discrimination. Gunn weaves together elements of Cuban, Brazilian, African, Washington, D.C.'s "Go-Go" music and hip hop into a progressive jazz style. Gunn grew up on the mean streets of East St. Louis, and his first aspiration was to be a rapper. He took up the trumpet in the fourth grade, and he's been creating a furious fusion of both music genres ever since. He first drew notice playing at New York City's famed Blue Note club and soon earned a place on the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and has been touring on his own and as part of other bands since the mid-1990s. Copyright 2010 NPR http://www.discogs.com/Russell-Gunn-Ethnomusicolgy-Volume-3/release/1735251

Maybe more commercial, and less original than other albums in this series, but good, nevertheless. If you are not into rap/hip-hop, you may not like this album, but there are other musical elements like prog.jazz, rock, and soul funk on the album, and musically there is a lot to recommend it. Check out his brilliant "Gunn Fu" album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Celebrity Room Intro - Russell Gunn 0:46
2 No Separation - Russell Gunn 4:11
3 The Critic's Song - Russell Gunn 2:52
4 Variations (On A Conspiracy Theory) - Russell Gunn 6:04
5 East St. Louis - Russell Gunn 5:44
6 John Wicks - Russell Gunn 7:03
7 Yesterdays - Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach 7:31
8 Strange Fruit - Lewis Allan, Lewis Allen 4:03
9 Stranger Fruit - Russell Gunn, Jody Merriday 7:01

MUSICIANS

Russell Gunn - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Keyboards, Soloist, Electric Trump
Carl Burnett - Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric)
Carlos Henderson - Bass (Electric), Bass (Acoustic)
Marc Cary - Piano, Soloist
Nick Rolfe - Piano, Korg Synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, Soloist
James Hurt - Synthesizer, Soloist
Dana Murray, Rocky Bryant - Drums
Kahlil Kwame Bell - Percussion
Oliver Lake - Sax (Alto), Soloist
Kebbi Williams - Sax (Tenor), Soloist, Electric Saxophone
Antoine Drye - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Duane Eubanks - Trumpet
Vincent Chancey - French Horn
Stefon Harris - Vibraphone, Soloist
DJ Neil Armstrong - Turntables, Soloist
Montez Coleman - Voices
Kenny "Blue" Campbell, Gary Noble, Todd Britt - Performers

BIO

Trumpeter/multi-instrumentalist Russell Gunn was born and raised in Illinois; weaned on rap, he turned to jazz in his professional pursuits, although hip-hop remained a primary influence on his work. First attracting the attention of critics and audiences through his contributions to Wynton Marsalis' Blood on the Fields, Gunn also backed the likes of Jimmy Heath, Roy Hargrove, James Moody, and R&B hitmaker Maxwell, appearing on the latter's MTV Unplugged session. After a handful of independent releases, he signed to Atlantic to issue the solo Ethnomusicology, Vol. 1 in early 1999. That album was nominated for a Grammy in 2000. Smokingunn followed a year later and, in 2001, Gunn explored more of the same themes as the first volume of Ethnomusicology with Ethnomusicology, Vol. 2. Since that time, Gunn has released two more volumes in his "Ethnomusicology" series, including Ethnomusicology, Vol. 3 and Ethnomusicology, Vol. 4: Live in Atlanta. In 2007, the trumpeter paid homage to fellow St. Louis, IL, native and trumpet icon Miles Davis with Russell Gunn Plays Miles. © Jason Ankeny © 2010 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll