Russ Lossing (born 1960) is an American jazz pianist, composer, improviser, arranger, educator, and scholar.
Early life Lossing was born in Ohio in 1960,Pietaro, John (February 2015) "Russ Lossing". The New York City Jazz Record. p. 7. and is from Columbus, Ohio.Adler, David "Phrase 6 – Russ Lossing". Fresh Sound Records. Retrieved April 18, 2015. He had classical piano lessons from the age of 5 and began studying jazz aged 13 in Columbus at the Jazz and Contemporary Workshop with Dave Wheeler. He obtained a Bachelor of Music in piano at Ohio State University in 1986. Meetings with composer John Cage had a big effect: We only had two occasions to get together and talk, but any time spent with him was utterly valuable. He read through my scores we played piano together. His thing was creating, not emulating: don't copy; trust YOURSELF. I was already going in this direction but this experience, listening to Cage's concepts and philosophy in this setting, made so much sense.
Later life and career Lossing has been part of the New York jazz scene since 1986. In 1988 he earned a Master of Music from the Manhattan School of Music. He has led or co-led numerous bands, including: his own trio with Masa Kamaguchi and Billy Mintz; Three-Part Invention with bassist Mark Helias and trumpeter Ralph Alessi; and duos with saxophonist Tim Berne, drummer Gerry Hemingway, and guitarist Ben Monder. Others are: trio with Paul Motian and Ed Schuller (Dreamer and As It Grows); trio with Mat Maneri and Mark Dresser (Metal Rat); trio with John Hebert and Jeff Williams (Phrase 6); quartet with Loren Stillman, John Hebert and Eric McPherson (Personal Tonal); King Vulture with Adam Kolker, Matt Pavolka and Dayeon Seok; and duos with saxophonist Loren Stillman, bassist John Hebert (Line Up, Hatology), and saxophonist Michael Adkins.
Lossing played with drummer Paul Motian over a period of 12 years and recorded Drum Music, a solo piano tribute album to him in 2011.Ephland, John (October 2012) "Russ Lossing: Drum Music". Down Beat. p. 61. The JazzTimes reviewer of Drum Music commented that "his two-fisted takes on 'Fiasco', 'Dance' and 'Drum Music' capture the great drummer's unpredictable and audacious rhythmic pulse. Lossing's stark re-imaginings of [... other Motian pieces] all vibrate with a new spirit of exploration."Milkowski, Bill (October 13, 2012) "Russ Lossing – Drum Music". JazzTimes.
Lossing has composed over 400 pieces of music. In 2015, he founded the record label Aqua Piazza.
Playing style Scott Yanow, reviewing Lossing's As It Grows, commented that the pianist "is influenced by modern classical music to an extent but his playing is not unremittingly atonal. Instead, he leaves his impressionistic music open to all possibilities, mostly emphasizing dramatic ideas and unexpected silences."Yanow, Scott "Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
Lossing said of his own style: "Much 20th century composition is about interval play, especially Bartok and Schoenberg's. The 12-tone thing helped him to get his ideas onto paper, but it was always about the intervals. I'm a jazz pianist but my harmonic approach is based on this concept – finding new sounds and new expressions among the intervals."
Discography An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader/co-leader Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes1990Blue AlienSoho No HowTrio, with Ed Schuller (bass), Peter LeMaitre (drums)1999*Change of TimeOmniToneTrio, with Adam Kolker (tenor sax, bass clarinet), John Hébert (bass)2000*DreamerDoubleTimeTrio, with Ed Schuller (bass), Paul Motian (drums)2000Metal RatClean FeedTrio, with Mat Maneri (viola), Mark Dresser (bass)2002As It GrowsHatOLOGYTrio, with Ed Schuller (bass), Paul Motian (drums)2004Phrase 6Fresh SoundTrio, with John Hébert (bass), Jeff Williams (drums)2005All Things AriseHatOLOGYSolo piano2006Line UpHatOLOGYDuo, with John Hébert (bass)2007OracleHatOLOGYTrio, with Masa Kamaguchi (bass), Billy Mintz (drums)2009Personal TonalFresh SoundQuartet, with Loren Stillman (alto sax), John Hébert (bass) Eric McPherson (drums)2011Drum Music: Music of Paul MotianSunnysideSolo piano2012Eclipse: Solo Piano ImprovisationsAqua PiazzaSolo piano2018?Whispers and SecretsFresh SoundCo-led with Adam Kolker (sax); with Masa Kamaguchi (bass), Billy Mintz (drums)2019?Motian MusicSunnysideTrio, with Masa Kamaguchi (bass), Billy Mintz (drums)2020?MetamorphismSunnysideQuartet, with Loren Stillman (alto sax), John Hébert (bass), Michael Sarin (drums)2019ChangesSteepleChaseTrio with Michael Formanek (bass), Gerald Cleaver (drums)2020Mood SuiteSteepleChaseTrio with Mark Helios (bass), Eric McPherson (drums)
As sideman (partial list) Year recordedLeaderTitleLabel1997Cosmos Soul Note 2003 Gin Bon FSNT2003 How Sweet It Is Nagel-Heyer 2003Arabesque Records AJ0164Abacus2007RotatorhatOLOGY2008Live in CoimbraCleanfeed2010FlaneurhatOLOGY (released Jan 2018)2011*Consort in MotionKind of Blue2012*Acrobat: Music for, and by, Dmitri ShostakovichSunnyside2012*Leaf HouseFresh Sound New Talent2013* and Samuel BlaserOne from NoneFresh Sound New Talent2013A Mirror to MachautSonglines2013Anton Webern ProjectWhirlwind2014Dragon FatherFSNT2014ChoraleSteepleChase2015Spring RainWhirlwind2017*Heart KnowsFresh Sound New Talent2018WitnessSteepleChase2018Early in the Mornin'OutNote Records
References