William Russo (musician)

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William Russo, better known as Bill Russo (June 25, 1928 – January 11, 2003) was an American jazz musician. He is considered one of the greatest jazz composers and arrangers. He wrote ground breaking orchestral scores for the Stan Kenton Orchestra in the 1950s. One of the more famous works he wrote for the Kenton Orchestra is Halls Of Brass, specially composed for the brass section, without woodwinds or percussion. Not just writing for jazz ensembles, Russo also composed two symphonies, one of which was premiered by Leonard Bernstein.

In the beginning of the 1960s, he moved to the UK where he founded the London Jazz Orchestra. He was a contributor to the Third Stream movement that tried to close the gap between jazz and classical music. He returned to his native city in 1965 where he started the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, however a few years later this ensemble was disbanded but was fully reborn in 1991 and continues to this day.

He was also well known as a trombonist and composition teacher. Among his famous pupils was the film composer John Barry.