Curly Russell

Dillon "Curley" Russell (19 March 1917 – 3 July 1986) was an American jazz double-bassist, who played bass on many bebop recordings.

A member of the Tadd Dameron Sextet, in his heyday he was in demand for his ability to play at the rapid tempos typical of bebop, and appears on several key recordings of the period. He left the music business in the late 1950s.

According to jazz historian Phil Schaap the classic bebop tune "Donna Lee", a contrafact on "Back Home Again In Indiana", was named after Curley's daughter.

As sideman

 * Charlie Parker: The Charlie Parker Story (Savoy Records, 1945)
 * Charlie Parker: Memorial Vol. 1 (Savoy, 1947); Memorial Vol. 2 (Savoy 1947-48)
 * Sonny Stitt: Sonny Stitt/Bud Powell/J. J. Johnson (Prestige, 1949-50 [1956]) - with Bud Powell
 * Charlie Parker: Bird and Diz, (Verve, 1950)
 * Fats Navarro: The Fabulous Fats Navarro (Blue Note Records, 1947–49)
 * Miles Davis: The Real Birth of the Cool (Bandstand, 1948)
 * Stan Getz: Early Stan (OJC, 1949–53)
 * George Wallington: Trio (Savoy, 1949–51); Trios (OJC, 1952–53)
 * Milt Jackson: Roll 'Em Bags (Savoy, 1949–56)
 * Al Cohn: Cohn's Tones (OJC, 1950–53)
 * Zoot Sims: Quartets (OJC, 1950)
 * Bud Powell: The Amazing Bud Powell (Blue Note, 1951–53)
 * Thelonious Monk: Thelonious Monk Trio/Blue Monk (Prestige Records, 1952–54); MONK (OJC, 1953–54)
 * Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland Vol. 1 (Blue Note, 1954)
 * Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland Vol. 2 (Blue Note, 1954)
 * Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland Vol. 3 (Blue Note, 1954)
 * Jay Jay Johnson: The Birdlanders (Fresh Sound, 1954)
 * Johnny Griffin: Introducing Johnny Griffin (Blue Note, 1957)
 * Cliff Jordan & John Gilmore: Blowing in from Chicago (Blue Note, 1957)