Russ Lorenson
Encyclopedia
Russ Lorenson is an American
singer and actor. Though a stage actor since childhood, Lorenson has more recently established a reputation as an interpreter of jazz standards. With a retro crooner
style, Lorenson's sound and approach are an amalgam of Broadway
, jazz
, and pop
.
, just outside of Philadelphia, Lorenson's career began as a youngster, making his stage debut at the age of seven. He continued singing and acting in the theatre throughout his early school years, moving with his family to San Diego, California
when he was nine years old. High school found him more focused on “legit” music, where he performed and toured with an award-winning classical vocal ensemble. He also gained experience as both a choral conductor and composer, winning a young artists’ competition in his school district for his composition work.
At 18 years old, he adopted the stage name of "Lorenson," in honor of his teacher and mentor, Loren Salter. Salter had helped to develop Lorenson as a singer and actor throughout his teen years, and the two remain friends to this day.
After college, he continued his work as a choral conductor and voice coach, working for five years as Associate Conductor of the California Youth Chorale, founded by Salter. He returned to theatrical performing as well, appearing in musical productions with San Diego’s Diversionary Theatre, Starlight Musical Theatre, and Lyric Opera San Diego
.
boom was exploding. Never one to do things by halves, he moved to San Francisco to be close to the Silicon Valley
scene, began working in start-ups and found himself flying high in all senses of the word. Eventually attaining positions as an executive required extensive traveling, and Lorenson racked up nearly a million air miles, along with an income that easily surpassed the meager earnings of an actor and singer. Performing fell by the wayside, but after a break of nearly 10 years, the scene changed once again.
, one of only four theatre groups in the U.S. whose mission is to present staged concert revivals of “lost” musicals from Broadway
's Golden Age. He has appeared in their productions of Finian's Rainbow
, Minnie's Boys
, Cole Porter
’s Red, Hot & Blue!
, and in 2006, he appeared in the company’s first foray into opera
, with their production of The Golden Apple.
In 2005, Russ made the great leap and left the corporate world to return to his passion. With his band, under the musical direction of renowned jazz pianist Kelly Park, Lorenson quickly established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area
’s leading interpreters of jazz standards.
Lorenson's first nightclub show, A Little Travelin’ Music, was based on his extensive world travel during his corporate career, and 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 CDs 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
, Chris Botti
and John Pizzarelli
.
In recognition of his solid and sophisticated musical vocabulary, Talkin’Broadway.com called Russ “an elegant performer who has faultless musical taste and vocal phrasing. He has a voice that is reminiscent of some of the great singers like Tony Bennett
, Chet Baker
and a little of Mel Tormé
.” The Los Angeles Times
said that he brings “a supple voice and strong sense of characterization to all his songs." The San Diego Union-Tribune said that his “relaxed, easy deliveries...seem natural and heartfelt..." BeyondChron.com said, “Not only does Lorenson have the soul of the greats – Frank Sinatra
, Tony Bennett
and other dream crooners of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – he has the band with him to really bring those decades to life.” The Coronado Journal simply called him “…irresistible…”
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer and actor. Though a stage actor since childhood, Lorenson has more recently established a reputation as an interpreter of jazz standards. With a retro crooner
Crooner
Crooner is an American epithet given to male singers of pop standards, mostly from the Great American Songbook, either backed by a full orchestra, a big band or by a piano. Originally it was an ironic term denoting an emphatically sentimental, often emotional singing style made possible by the use...
style, Lorenson's sound and approach are an amalgam of Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
.
Early years
Born in Upland, PennsylvaniaUpland, Pennsylvania
Upland is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Upland is governed by an elected seven member borough council. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Upland is located at ....
, just outside of Philadelphia, Lorenson's career began as a youngster, making his stage debut at the age of seven. He continued singing and acting in the theatre throughout his early school years, moving with his family to San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when he was nine years old. High school found him more focused on “legit” music, where he performed and toured with an award-winning classical vocal ensemble. He also gained experience as both a choral conductor and composer, winning a young artists’ competition in his school district for his composition work.
At 18 years old, he adopted the stage name of "Lorenson," in honor of his teacher and mentor, Loren Salter. Salter had helped to develop Lorenson as a singer and actor throughout his teen years, and the two remain friends to this day.
After college, he continued his work as a choral conductor and voice coach, working for five years as Associate Conductor of the California Youth Chorale, founded by Salter. He returned to theatrical performing as well, appearing in musical productions with San Diego’s Diversionary Theatre, Starlight Musical Theatre, and Lyric Opera San Diego
Lyric opera san diego
Lyric Opera San Diego is a San Diego, California based theatre company specialising in Comic opera, Operetta, and Musical theatre. The company was founded in 1979, primarily for the purpose of performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. At the time it was known as the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan...
.
Career detour
In the late 1990s, Lorenson took a major detour away from life on the boards. The multi-talented artist plunged into the high-tech world just as the dot-comDot-com company
A dot-com company, or simply a dot-com , is a company that does most of its business on the Internet, usually through a website that uses the popular top-level domain, ".com" .While the term can refer to present-day companies, it is also used specifically to refer to companies with...
boom was exploding. Never one to do things by halves, he moved to San Francisco to be close to the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
scene, began working in start-ups and found himself flying high in all senses of the word. Eventually attaining positions as an executive required extensive traveling, and Lorenson racked up nearly a million air miles, along with an income that easily surpassed the meager earnings of an actor and singer. Performing fell by the wayside, but after a break of nearly 10 years, the scene changed once again.
Back to the stage
Although continuing in high-tech, Lorenson found himself unfulfilled creatively, and began exploring a return to performing. He began appearing with San Francisco’s 42nd Street Moon42nd Street Moon
42nd Street Moon is a professional theatre company in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in the preservation and presentation of early and lesser-known works by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern,...
, one of only four theatre groups in the U.S. whose mission is to present staged concert revivals of “lost” musicals from Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
's Golden Age. He has appeared in their productions of Finian's Rainbow
Finian's Rainbow
Finian's Rainbow is a musical with a book by E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, lyrics by Harburg, and music by Burton Lane. The 1947 Broadway production ran for 725 performances. Several revivals and a 1968 film version followed. A Broadway revival ran from October 8, 2009 until January 17, 2010...
, Minnie's Boys
Minnie's Boys
Minnie's Boys is a musical with a book by Arthur Marx and Robert Fisher, music by Larry Grossman, and lyrics by Hal Hackady.It provides a behind-the-scenes look at the early days of the Marx Brothers and their relationship with their mother, the driving force behind their ultimate success.After an...
, Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
’s Red, Hot & Blue!
Red, Hot and Blue
Red, Hot and Blue is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter and the book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1936 and introduced the popular song, "It's De-Lovely" sung by Ethel Merman.-Synopsis:...
, and in 2006, he appeared in the company’s first foray into opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, with their production of The Golden Apple.
In 2005, Russ made the great leap and left the corporate world to return to his passion. With his band, under the musical direction of renowned jazz pianist Kelly Park, Lorenson quickly established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
’s leading interpreters of jazz standards.
Lorenson's first nightclub show, A Little Travelin’ Music, was based on his extensive world travel during his corporate career, and 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 CDs 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
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé
Michael Steven Bublé is a Canadian singer. He has won several awards, including three Grammy Awards and multiple Juno Awards. His first album reached the top ten in Canada and the UK. He found worldwide commercial success with his 2005 album It's Time, and his 2007 album Call Me Irresponsible was...
, Chris Botti
Chris Botti
Christopher Stephen "Chris" Botti , is an American trumpeter and composer. In 2007, Botti was nominated for two Grammy Awards including Best Pop Instrumental Album. On December 4, 2009, he was nominated for three more Grammy Awards including Best Pop Instrumental Album and Best Long Form Music Video...
and John Pizzarelli
John Pizzarelli
John Paul Pizzarelli, Jr. is an American jazz guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader. He has had a lengthy career as a recording artist, performing for a variety of labels that include Telarc Records, RCA Records and Chesky Records, among others...
.
In recognition of his solid and sophisticated musical vocabulary, Talkin’Broadway.com called Russ “an elegant performer who has faultless musical taste and vocal phrasing. He has a voice that is reminiscent of some of the great singers like Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
and a little of Mel Tormé
Mel Tormé
Melvin Howard Tormé , nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was an American musician, known for his jazz singing. He was also a jazz composer and arranger, a drummer, an actor in radio, film, and television, and the author of five books...
.” The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said that he brings “a supple voice and strong sense of characterization to all his songs." The San Diego Union-Tribune said that his “relaxed, easy deliveries...seem natural and heartfelt..." BeyondChron.com said, “Not only does Lorenson have the soul of the greats – Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
and other dream crooners of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – he has the band with him to really bring those decades to life.” The Coronado Journal simply called him “…irresistible…”
Discography
| Year | Cover | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | A Little Travelin' Music | |
| 2006 | What I Want For Christmas | |
Selected Theatrical Productions
| Production | Role | Company |
|---|---|---|
| Nunsense Jamboree | Father Virgil | Willows Theatre Company, Concord CA |
| The Secret Garden | Archibald Craven | Willows Theatre Company, Concord CA |
| 1776 | James Wilson | Willows Theatre Company, Concord CA |
| The Golden Apple | Doc Macahan | 42nd Street Moon 42nd Street Moon 42nd Street Moon is a professional theatre company in San Francisco, California. The company specializes in the preservation and presentation of early and lesser-known works by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Kurt Weill, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern,... , San Francisco CA |
| Red, Hot & Blue! | Reynaldo | 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco CA |
| Minnie's Boys | Hochmeister | 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco CA |
| Finian's Rainbow | Buzz Collins | 42nd Street Moon, San Francisco CA |
| Pinchpenny Phantom of the Opera | Phantom/Gaston | Coronado Playhouse, Coronado CA |
| Phantom | Wigmaster | Starlight Musical Theatre, San Diego CA |
| The Desert Song | Captain Paul Fontaine | Lyric Opera San Diego Lyric opera san diego Lyric Opera San Diego is a San Diego, California based theatre company specialising in Comic opera, Operetta, and Musical theatre. The company was founded in 1979, primarily for the purpose of performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. At the time it was known as the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan... , San Diego CA |
| The Wizard of Oz (RSC Version) | Winkie General | Starlight Musical Theatre, San Diego CA |
| Rose Marie | Jim Kenyon | Lyric Opera San Diego Lyric opera san diego Lyric Opera San Diego is a San Diego, California based theatre company specialising in Comic opera, Operetta, and Musical theatre. The company was founded in 1979, primarily for the purpose of performing Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. At the time it was known as the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan... , San Diego CA |
Awards and achievements
Lorenson was nominated for a 2007 MAC Award (given by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) for New York performances of his show, Benedetto/Blessed: A Tribute to the Life and Music of Tony Bennett.Sources
- Russ Lorenson's official press kit, provided by Arthur Shafman.
- LML Music catalogue of recordings.