Biography
Russell Procope earned recognition for his skill on alto saxophone, yet he gained far greater renown for his command of New Orleans-style clarinet while serving in Duke Ellington’s ranks. Before turning to the clarinet and alto, he spent eight years studying violin. In 1928 he appeared on recordings with Jelly Roll Morton and later held significant positions in the large ensembles of Benny Carter during 1929, Chick Webb from 1929 to 1931, Fletcher Henderson between 1931 and 1934, Tiny Bradshaw from 1934 to 1935, Teddy Hill from 1935 to 1937, and Willie Bryant. His most distinguished performances, however, occurred as a member of the John Kirby sextet from 1938 to 1943, a period in which he devoted himself entirely to alto and produced striking solos whose singular tone complemented the group’s repertoire. After completing military duty and rejoining Kirby briefly in 1945, Procope entered the Duke Ellington Orchestra in 1946 and remained until Ellington’s death in 1974, aside from a short interval spent with Wilbur DeParis in 1961. The presence of Johnny Hodges restricted his alto opportunities, so he functioned mainly as a section player and occasional clarinet soloist whose warm sound stood in contrast to the cooler style of Jimmy Hamilton; throughout those years Procope remained secure and content even though his abilities were not fully exploited. In the later 1970s he performed with Brooks Kerr’s ensemble.
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