1. Russell Keith Procope was an American clarinetist and alto saxophonist who was a member of the Duke Ellington orchestra.
10 Facts About Russell Procope
1. 2.
Russell Procope began his professional career in 1926 as a member of Billy Freeman's orchestra.
3.
Russell Procope recorded with Jelly Roll Morton at the age of 20, and played with bands led by Benny Carter, Chick Webb, Fletcher Henderson, Tiny Bradshaw, Teddy Hill, King Oliver, and Willie Bryant.
4.
Russell Procope worked for a time with the Tiny Bradshaw and Willie Bryant bands before joining Teddy Hill in 1935.
5.
From September 1943 until the end of World War II, Russell Procope served in the United States Army.
6.
Russell Procope was a private with the 372nd Infantry Regiment band.
7.
Russell Procope joined the Ellington orchestra in 1946, standing in for Otto Hardwick for one night in Worcester, Massachusetts, and staying until Ellington died in 1974.
8.
Russell Procope came to Europe again as a member of this band during the summer of 1950.
9.
In 1956, Russell Procope recorded The Persuasive Sax of Russ Russell Procope under the London Records label.
10.
Russell Procope played the alto-saxophone, along with Remo Biondi, Earl Backus, Paul Jordan Mel Schmidt, and Frank Rullo.