Arthur Russell | Artist

Arthur Russell was an American cellist, composer, producer and singer born 1951 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Russell was an accomplished cellist who explored experimental interpretations of dance, disco and dub music. Trained in contemporary experimental composition and Indian classical music, Russell relocated to New York City in the mid-1970s, where he became associated with Lower Manhattan's avant-garde community as well as the city's disco scene. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Russell produced a considerable collection of material, including several underground dance hits under aliases such as Dinosaur L and Indian Ocean, but his difficulty in completing projects resulted in a limited amount of released output. The albums24→24 Music (1982, as Dinosaur L), Tower of Meaning (1983), and World of Echo (1986) were the only solo albums he released during his lifetime. Russell died from AIDS-related illnesses in 1992, still in relative obscurity and nearly broke. Throughout the 2000s, a series of reissues, compilations, books, and a biographical documentary significantly raised his profile. Standout albums include World of Echo, Another Thought and 24 Music. Also highly recommended are the archival and compilation releases Calling out of Context, Love is Overtaking Me and The World of Arthur Russell. In 1978 Russell and collaborators David Byrne, Wilbur Bascomb, Allan Schwartzberg and Miriam Valle, released the dance single "Kiss Me Again" under the name Dinosaur. The track was described by one reviewer as "13 minutes of avant-garde disco brilliance". As a side note to his personal life, Russell dated the poet Allen Ginsberg for a period in 1973.

Artist Website: audikarecords.com

Featured Albums: Arthur Russell

Related Artists: Dinosaur, The Necessaries