Gene Russell – New Direction album art
Gene Russell (December 2, 1932 – May 5, 1981) was an American pop, jazz, and soul keyboardist and the founder of the 1970s Oakland-based label Black Jazz Records. Born in Los Angeles, he began studying piano at a young age and later attended Juilliard. Throughout his career, Russell performed and recorded with several jazz artists, including Miles Davis, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Zoot Sims, William (Bill) Hillman, Dexter Gordon, and others. He also composed music for film and television and worked as an actor. Russell released two hard bop albums in 1967, and his third album, New Direction (1971), was the first release on his Black Jazz Records label. Photography for this cover is by Dorothy Tanous with the cover and packaging design by Ray Lawrence.
