Album – Nick Russo

Get Us Out Of Fearland

July 25, 2018 by nickru5

Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches sophomore album Get Us Out Of Fearland: #2 album, #2 artist, #5 song with 6 of our songs in top 20 on April 2018 International Folk Music DJs Radio chart!

Release Dates:

Americana Radio Impact to Americana Stations: June 18, 2018

Single “Get Us Out Of Fearland”: August 3, 2018

Full Album “Get Us Out Of Fearland”: September 7, 2018

“GET US OUT OF FEARLAND” Expertly Blends Folk Traditions, New Orleans Influences and Music of the 1920s

“Americana music at its purest and most impressive” No Depression

Led by Betina Hershey and multi-instrumentalist Nick Russo, the album features standout work from musicians from New York, Suriname, Mexico, and Sapelo Island, who have performed live on NBC affiliate KSHB-TV, for the Extended Play Sessions (Alternate Root TV) and on nationally syndicated shows such as Woodsongs, and Blue Plate plus stages such as Kansas City Folk Festival, Club Passim, Rockwood Music Hall, Isis Music Hall, WFUV, John Platt’s “On Your Radar” and Jalopy Theatre.

Band members have performed with artists such as Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Julia Roberts, Willie Nelson, James Taylor, Jerry Garcia and Wynton Marsalis.

Plus they have made appearances in movies such as Disney’s “Enchanted,” “Mona Lisa Smile,” “Away We Go” and PBS Masterpiece, “The Chaperone.” The band had a 2017 NERFA semi-formal showcase and their debut album Very Next Thing was #6 Album (#5 Artist #7 Song) on the International Folk DJ Radio Chart 2016.

New York City’s Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches are likely the only band today infusing elements of Gullah-Geechee and world rhythms with folk traditions, New Orleans influences, and 1920s jazz. The forthcoming sophomore album, Get Us Out Of Fearland, due June 15, builds upon the multicultural exuberance that made the band’s debut, Very Next Thing, a transcendent breath of fresh air. Elmore Magazinechampioned its “remarkable musical dexterity with songs that bask in a genuine roots regimen and a sense of timeless tradition,” and revered tastemaker station WFUV said, “This is a band that must be heard to be believed!”

“These powerful and strong influences for our band bring spiritual energy to our shows,” says co-founder/musician Nick Russo. “My musical life has always been surrounded by an eclectic combination of unique musicians and scenes. So naturally, this band is a melting pot of many different cultures, genres, instruments, and sounds. My dream is that people of all races and origins live, play, and share all our different world musics and cultures together as one united race, without fear – one love!”

Although the band’s debut featured an “unfailingly high-spirited” mix of traditional fare culled from various cultures, the new nine-track opus showcases mostly original material. The one cover included is a lively rendition of “A Hundred Miles,” the rollicking fiddle-fueled train tune from the 1800s. All the other eight songs were penned by vocalist Betina Hershey, who says, “Songs are always pouring out of me. Some I catch, and some slip out past my lips and float away. With the help of a cast of music mates, these songs linger so beautifully, with textures that I hadn’t even imagined.”

Highlights of Get Us Out Of Fearland include the playful 1920s verve of “I Don’t Need No Glasses,” the warm lilting embrace of “I Wish The World Knew Why,” the organ-driven, gospel-tinged “Dandelion” (featuring special guest singers Stephanie Rice and Charenee Wade), and “Soar,” an inspirational song filled with optimism, determination, and perseverance. These qualities sail skyward throughout the 25-minute journey, but none more so than on the boisterous groundbreaking title track, which features improvisational vocalist Miles Griffith, known for his work with Max Roach, Paul Simon, and Reggie Workman, plus percussionist/vocalist, Dr. David Pleasant, a singular talent who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Cecil Taylor, and Paul Simon.

To support the lead-up to the release of Get Us Out OF Fearland, Russo and Hershey, along with accomplished percussionist Emiliano Valerio, who appears in four songs on the album, will play 15 showcases at the world-renowned Folk Alliance International Conference, which celebrates its 30th anniversary, Feb. 14-18, in Kansas City, MO. Last year, the group was a breakthrough act at the conference, receiving a special invitation to open the main stage of the Kansas City Folk Festival the next day.

“A heart as big as the sky…full of high energy and higher spirits.” Elmore Magazine

“Unfailingly high-spirited.” London Times

“This is a band that must be heard to be believed!” WFUV

“…an amazing group which a lot of us dreamed would happen some day where the different genres of music all get together…” David Amram

“It’s unlike anything most listeners will find elsewhere.” San Diego Troubadour

“Remarkable musical dexterity with songs that bask in a genuine roots regimen and a sense of timeless tradition.” Elmore Magazine

“Fresh and vital” Classical Arts

Nick Russo, guitar, 5 string banjo, tenor banjo, resonator, mandolin, electric bass, organ (track 3, intro/verse track 5), Fender Rhodes (track 7), trike ballake, harmonium (track 8), rainstick (track 8), hand claps & foot stomp (track 6)

Betina Hershey, voice, guitar Betina Hershey, voice (all tracks), guitar (tracks 2, 3, 4, 6, 8), hand claps (track 6)

more Scooches:

Miles Griffith, voice (tracks 1, 3, 10)

David Pleasant, drums/voice (tracks 3, 9)

Emiliano Valerio, tambourine (tracks 1, 6, 7, 9)

Harvey Wirht, drums (tracks 1, 5, 7)

Art Hirahara, Kong Kronos 2 organ (track 5)

Kenny Kosek, fiddle (track 6)

Stephanie Rice and Charenee Wade, additional voices (track 5)

Very Next Thing

December 15, 2017 by nickru5

Betina and I released Hot Jazz Jumpers’ The Very Next Thing album November 2015 and were thrilled that it was very well received in the jazz world. A week after it’s release, I played at NERFA (Northeast Regional Folk Alliance) as a sideman with violinist/vocalist, Efrat Shapira and was so inspired meeting and playing with great musicians such as David Amram, Michael Ronstadt and others from the folk community. I’m naturally comfortable improvising, recording, play- ing live, composing and writing sponta- neously, playing off the musicians, the audience, the room and energy around me.

These experiences inspired me to release a version of The Very Next Thing as a folk album. We had some feedback that tracks such as Freight Train, Jock-a- mo and You Are My Sunshine (with voice, guitar, resonator/slide, banjo, harmonica, spoons, drums and bass) would also be well received in the folk world. Our other touring group Banjo Nickaru and Western Scooches performs the type of songs we pulled for this EP. Betina wanted to include our 2007 unreleased originals and we felt that the tune we wrote for our wed- ding, “I’m Gettin’ Married” and the song Betina wrote for me when we first met, “I Don’t Believe In Love” would be fun additions! Being primarily a guitarist/tenor banjoist, I actually learned 5 string banjo for “I’m Gettin’ Married” and had to really shed for the recording and our wedding! After toying around with song order, we scheduled one editing session at Soundtronics with my cousin Len Monachello and this 10 song EP was born!

We’ve already started composing music for the next Banjo Nickaru & Western Scooches album; onward and upward! We thank all our good musician friends listed on this recording plus our family, especially our children, Seriana & Lydian, Elisa, Nancy Russo, Uncle Mike, Aunt Laura, Lowell, Grace, Harvey Wirht, Kyle Struve, Charlie Koci, Glenn Heckinger and Rob Levy. Always in loving memory of Rich Russo, Carol Hershey, pop pop Nick Russo, Mary Russo, Aunt Loretta, Aunt Carol, Aunt Josephine & Uncle Johnny. Thanks for inspiration, love and support. Nick Russo 2016.

ro

March 4, 2015 by nickru5

Nick Russo’s album, “ro”, is an eclectic mix of straight-ahead swing, Indian Raga, modern jazz and free playing. The group, “Nick Russo + 11”, features Nick Russo with various combinations of eleven great musicians: Mark Turner, Miles Griffith, Samir Chatterjee, Ari Hoenig, Willard Dyson, David Pleasant, Art Hirahara, Bryan Murray, Greg Glassman, Matt Clohesy and Nathan Peck.

The Very Next Thing

March 3, 2015 by nickru5

The Very Next Thing
by Hot Jazz Jumpers
© Copyright – Nick Russo / On The Bol Records (888295304931)
Gullah Geechee influenced 20s/30s Hot Jazz, trad jazz, New Orleans music, Blues, Country & originals from NYC jazz musicians, inc. African bassists & Gullah Sea Island percussionist/harmonica player. DVD included w/11 live performances & behind-the-scenes
Genre: Jazz: New Orleans Jazz