Russ Kassoff returns to Shanghai Jazz with a spectacular trio featuring David Finck on Bass and Dennis Mackrel on Drums.

Russ Kassoff is an eclectic accomplished jazz pianist, conductor, music director, composer, orchestrator, and arranger, whose varied talents are much valued and on display in the music world. Russ toured as pianist to Frank Sinatra by request from '80-'91 including "The Ultimate Event Tour" ('88-'89) featuring Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, and Liza Minnelli with whom he concurrently toured for 18 years ('82-'01). On Broadway he was MD/Conductor for Twyla Tharp's "Come Fly Away" (2010) and was conductor/pianist for the critically acclaimed “Minnelli on Minnelli” tour with Liza in 2000, and MD/Pianist for Charles Aznavour in concert (’98). Since 2003 he has served as music director to Rita Moreno and in 2018 MD for Eddie Brigati: After The Rascals – a monthly residence at The Cutting Room in NYC. Russ was a regular member of the Bucky Pizzarelli trio since 1982 - performing at numerous jazz festivals, concerts, club gigs and especially cherishes the memories of numerous appearances at Shanghai Jazz along withlegendary Bassist and friend Jerry Bruno - they both passed on in 2020.Since the world began re-opening, Russ performs trio and solo jazz concerts, cabaret/jazz concerts with the legendary 93 years young Marilyn Maye, clubs, festivals, master classes, private parties and shows.
In July Russ will return for a very special engagement as one of five music directors for a fifth year with Michael Feinstein’s virtual American Songbook Academy Foundation - a showcase for the finest and most talented high school students in the country. Also in summer 2022 he will make his 15th annual triumphant return to Bryant Park for a week as Pianist in the Park.
In 2017, Russ went into the recording studio as Pianist/Conductor/Arranger for Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte and the Russ Kassoff Big Band, for an exciting and wonderful new recording called Big Band Broadway! We reprised it on July 4, 2021 as a free concert for the entire town of Ridgefield, Ct. in their Ballard Park. The recording is available and spectacular!
In ‘07 Russ appeared as a featured guest on Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz-NPR following the release of his critically acclaimed CD “SOMEWHERE”.
Russ has accompanied and/or recorded with: Perry Como, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Vic Damone, Carly Simon, Debbie Gravitte, Luciano Pavarotti, Tierney Sutton, Marilyn Maye, Tony Danza, Rebecca Luker, Red Norvo, Chris Connor, Mimi Hines, Rod Stewart and Sylvia Syms - a wonderfully disparate and grateful career.
His CD "BIRD FLY BY" achieved #1 status in 2010 on the Jazz channel Music Choice.
Since 2015 Russ has hosted “The Jazz Deli” – streaming on WFDU.FM - “Listen to HD2” Saturday mornings 10AM-Noon!
“You are the best.” - Frank Sinatra, '87

Music can only be described with words, but for David Finck, music is a language all its own. “I hear music as a spoken language,” he says. “When I listen, I’m conscious of the breaths that are taken during a phrase; I hear the vocabulary, the inflection, and the syntax. I listen for all of it.”It’s a statement that makes sense given David’s skills as a bassist and the diverse artists he has played and recorded with – among them; Dizzy Gillespie, Aretha Franklin, Sinead O’Connor, Natalie Cole, Rod Stewart, Herbie Hancock, Ivan Lins, Al Jarreau, Tony Bennett, Paquito D’Rivera, George Michael, Rosemary Clooney and Andre Previn, to name just a few. Over the years, David has become one of the most sought-after musicians in Manhattan, equally revered for his work in jazz, popular, Brazilian and classical music. He’s bridged musical diversity through his skills -- but even more so through his ability to hear music as language in an almost literal sense. Commented the award winning composer and songwriter Alan Bergman, “When a bass has the sound of authority, when it is a testament to time, when it has a certain wisdom in its tone, if you follow the fingers to the arms and then to the rest of the body, you'll see this all belongs to David Finck. He makes the bass sing and swing. As a sometime singer, to have David behind me is a source of security and pleasure. He is an accompanist who supports everything in a solid, original way. He is a great musician and a fine fellow.”

Dennis Mackrel is a noted jazz drummer and highly respected composer/arranger and conductor whose work has been recorded and performed by the Count Basie Orchestra, the Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, the WDR Radio Big Band from Germany, the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw from Holland, the Klüvers Big Band from Denmark, and the McCoy Tyner Big Band, whose Grammy winning CDs included Mackrel’s arrangements.
He has won numerous awards including Who’s Who in Music, A National Endowment for the Arts grant for composition, and Outstanding Alumni from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
He is also an experienced jazz educator who conducts master classes, seminars and workshops throughout Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States.
He is currently an assistant chair and professor of jazz studies at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in Flushing, NY. He is also a member of the jazz faculty at the Birch Creek Summer Music Academy in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin and the Skidmore Jazz Institute in Saratoga Springs, NY. Dennis "...is already a good drummer, and one day he's really actually going to be a monster" - Count Basie
"If I ever have a record date coming up that calls for a drummer and Dennis is not available, I'll postpone the session. He's that good." - George Shearing
“I think Dennis is one of the finest young drummers I've ever heard. He is extremely knowledgeable and he is also a very accomplished writer..." - Thad Jones
"Mackrel's drumming, especially well-displayed in his brushwork solos on ballads, was illuminated by his far-ranging experience and his skills as a composer and arranger" - LA Times