Remembering Russell Malone, 1963-2024

By Yoshi Kato I Aug. 27, 2024

In addition to his instrumental prowess, Malone was praised for his musical generosity and his singular sense of humor.
(Photo: Michael Jackson)

Guitarist and bandleader Russell Malone died Aug. 23, while on tour in Japan, after battling end-stage kidney failure. He was 60. Bassist Ron Carter, who was on tour at the time with Malone and pianist Donald Vega in a group called The Golden Striker Trio, issued a statement saying: “Mr. Malone suffered a heart attack upon completion of our performance at Blue Note Tokyo. Donald Vega and I are completing this tour as a duo in respect and honor of the memory of Mr. Malone.”

Tributes to Malone flooded social media as news of his passing went out across North America. He was praised not only for his instrumental prowess and accomplishments but for both his personal and musical generosity and also his singular sense of humor.

Born in Albany, Georgia, Malone first explored guitar at age 4 and was playing in church two years later. Largely self-taught, he moved to Houston after graduating from high school and played with organist Al Rylander. He moved to Atlanta in 1985 before relocating to New York, where he played with organ legend Jimmy Smith from 1988 to 1990.

Malone’s profile increased when he joined Harry Connick Jr.’s band in 1990. He played with the then-rapidly rising star until 1994 and made a deep impact on the pianist/vocalist/actor. “From the moment I met Russell, well over 30 years ago, I knew my life was about to change for the better,” Connick wrote, in an email to DownBeat. “Russell’s musical brilliance, his encyclopedic knowledge of American music and deeply soulful, skillful artistic personality were unmatched. But what I’ll miss the most are his giant, sensitive, goofy heart and fierce sense of humor.”

While playing with Connick, Malone recorded his self-titled debut for Columbia. It featured bass great Milt Hinton, who praised Malone in the liner notes. “I’ve had the opportunity to record with many of the guitar greats from the jazz world — Charlie Christian, George Barnes, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, Barry Galbraith, Barney Kessel, Mundell Lowe, Bucky Pizzarelli and Wes Montgomery, to name just a few. Russell Malone extends the musical traditions begun by these and many other guitarists,” Hinton wrote. “His amazing dexterity is evident throughout the album. His decisions to use an electric or acoustic instrument on a particular piece are impeccable. They show me that he truly appreciates the beauty of his instrument at the same time he is aware of its limitations.”

Malone then teamed up with another high-profile vocalist/pianist, Diana Krall, playing in her trio and quartet from 1994 to 1998. Collaborations with Carter and also pianist Benny Green and vocalist Dianne Reeves followed, as did tours and albums as a leader.

“I don’t think that there is a song that Russell didn’t know the lyrics to,” said Reeves, in a phone interview. “And when you’re singing with someone who knows the lyrics to the song, they understand the interpretation. They understand you know what the spirit of the song is about.”

Reeves first brought Malone aboard to record her 2001 album The Calling: Celebrating Sarah Vaughan and then 2008’s When You Know, which were both released on Blue Note Records. She later formed her instrument Strings Attached trio with Malone and Romero Lubambo, her regular guitarist.

“With Russell, there were no misplaced notes,” Reeves reflected. “Everything was where it’s supposed to be, and he understood letting an idea just have the space to resonate with people.”

Like Connick, Reeves also resonated with Malone’s personal side: “Russell, he knew so many people’s stories. He was just really good about being in touch with people,” she shared. “He could sit up for hours and talk to you about people’s stories. It was beautiful.”

“I knew him as a good friend who somehow made me feel the same way after we spoke that Hank Jones did — something in the way he mixed great dignity, a true interest in what you had to say and a sense of humor that found many ways, some obvious and some obscure, of coming through loud and clear,” wrote tenor saxophonist and educator Loren Schoenberg in a Facebook post. “No one loved his fellow guitarists more than Russell. He was always out and about, supporting them through visits to their gigs and phone calls and such. The personal touch.”

Throughout his three decade-plus recording career, Malone released albums on labels such as Verve, Telarc, MAXJAZZ and HighNote Records. He contributed to projects by the likes of Natalie Cole, Rickie Lee Jones and Joss Stone as well as ones by B.B. King, Ray Brown and Marian McPartland and many others.

A blossoming educator, Malone had served on the jazz faculty of William Paterson University since the 2021–’22 academic year. It was the only teaching position the guitarist ever held.

Darius L. and Marla V. Malone, Russell’s son and daughter, have set up a Go Fund Me campaign to facilitate a burial and memorial back in Georgia. DB

EDITOR’S NOTE — An earlier version of this story said “trumperter Donald Vega.” Mr. Vega is a noted pianist. We regret the error.