About this user
A terrific voice. Charisma to spare. A delightful raconteur. Impeccable musical taste and vocal phrasing. Unassuming nice guy. They all apply to Russ Lorenson, whose burnished tenor is currently thrilling audiences from coast to coast.
With his band, under the musical direction of renowned jazz pianist Kelly Park, Russ has quickly established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area's leading interpreters of jazz standards. Russ' sound and approach place him at the intersection of Broadway, jazz, and pop -- the very essence of the Great American Songbook.
Russ's first nightclub show, A Little Travelin' Music, played to sold-out audiences on both coasts. His debut CD, of the same name, was released in May 2006 on the LML Music label and features songs from the show and includes duets with special guests Shawn Ryan and Klea Blackhurst. His second CD, What I Want For Christmas, hit music stores in September 2006, and both CD's were included on the Nominating Ballot for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of "Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album" alongside such artists as Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, and John Pizzarelli.
The best is yet to come as Russ honors the legendary Tony Bennett in his latest show, Benedetto/Blessed: A Tribute to the Life and Music of Tony Bennett. The world knows him as Tony Bennett, but his birth name - Benedetto - means "blessed", an accurate adjective to describe both the man and his fans.
"I find great inspiration in Mr. Bennett's music and artistic vision," says Lorenson. "The Great American Songbook has had no greater champion, and I am honored to be singing Mr. Bennett's greatest hits."
Russ' tribute to the man whom Frank Sinatra called "the best singer in the business" premiered in July 2006, when Russ opened for the legendary Eartha Kitt at the Austin (Texas) Cabaret Theatre. The show is currently touring the U.S., with sold-out runs across the country, including San Francisco's Empire Plush Room, and New York's famed Iridium Jazz Club.
