Jazz composer George Russell, a MacArthur fellow whose theories influenced the modal music of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, has died at the age of 86. His publicist says Russell, who taught at the New England Conservatory, died Monday in Boston of complications from Alzheimer’s.

Russell was born in Cincinnati in 1923 and attended Wilberforce University. He played drums in Benny Carter’s band and later wrote “Cubano Be/Cubano Bop” for Dizzy Gillespie’s orchestra. It premiered at Carnegie Hall in 1947 and was the first fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms with jazz.

Russell developed the Lydian concept in 1953. His 1959 publication of The Lydian Chromatic Concept of Tonal Organization, released under Concept Publishing, was the first theoretical contribution from jazz and was responsible for introducing modal improvisation which resulted in the seminal recording of Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue. Since it’s publication, there have been scores of books on the market which have “borrowed” bits of the Concept’s information, but there is only one original.

Russell is survived by his wife, his son and three grandchildren. A release says a memorial service will be planned.

More Information About George Russell

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