Pee Wee Russell

A distinctive clarinettist and legendary story-teller, Pee Wee Russell was ostensibly a living parody of the jazz musician's lifestyle. This biography describes an original musician, who won not only the respect of his peers, but also several music awards over such competitors as Benny Goodman.

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A distinctive clarinetist and legendary story-teller, Pee Wee Russell was ostensibly a living parody of the jazz musician's lifestyle. A key figure in Jazz Age Chicago, he moved to New York in the 1930s and co-founded Nick's, the famous jazz spot in Greenwich Village. In addition to recounting tales of Pee Wee's drinking sessions with Bix Beiderbecke, Robert Hilbert goes behind the dishevelled Bohemian facade to reveal a sensitive and original musician, who won not only the respect of such giants as Red Nichols and Jack Teagarden, but also several music awards in the 1940s over such competitors as Benny Goodman.