Christmas in San Francisco w/Russ Lorenson

Visit Russ Lorenson's Website @ www.russlorenson.com

Russ Lorenson has established a reputation as one of the San Francisco Bay Area's leading interpreters of jazz standards, with a sound and approach that place him at the intersection of Broadway, jazz, and pop... the very essence of the Great American Songbook.



Your stage career began at the early age of seven. Can you tell us what or who inspired your love for music and theatre?

I've been a singer since even before I can remember. I sang in choirs all throughout my school years, and eventually became a choral conductor and composer by the time I graduated high school. In junior high, I was introduced to musical theatre by a wonderful teacher, Loren Salter, whose influence on me continues to this day. In fact, Lorenson is a stage name, in homage to him ("Loren's son"). I had another great teacher in high school, Bob Keller, who really gave me an appreciation for classical choral music and gave me my early opportunities in composition and conducting. As a teen, my "pop" listening was heavily centered on Barry Manilow, believe it or not.

But my love of jazz and my passion for the Great American Songbook came later: Linda Ronstadt's recordings with Nelson Riddle in the early 80's were considered "easy listening" at the time, but to me they were revelations! The biggest "ah hah" moment came when I saw the movie "When Harry Met Sally" and heard Harry Connick's vocals on the soundtrack. I knew then that that was my music. I dove whole-heartedly into jazz and standards and haven't looked back. Read the entire interview here