This Saturday, Cochrane's favourite classical guitarist Martin Russell will be debuting in concert at the Gentry Espresso & Wine Bar in a sold-out show with former student, Jordan Young – who took the classical building blocks of from his teacher and built upon it with his own sound as a flamenco guitarist. Young studied under the masters in Spain and devoted his life to crafting his own sound.
Together the two have recorded an EP and aim to release their four-track sound sampling soon.
Although Russell has been a full-time musician for 44 years and is known for his work as a local teacher through his Spanish Guitar Studios, this marks the first time the classical guitarist has recorded – emphasizing this is the first time he feels the sound created with Young is unique enough to record.
"The sound that we've created, I've never heard anything like it before," remarked Russell with his typical, boundless energy as he explains the harmonious marriage between "the exactness of classical and the freedom of flamenco."
How it works is Russell lays down the melody with his classical guitar and Young layers over top with his flamenco sound led by fast and furious right hand, creating a counter-melody. It's all improv and there's no script. Russell laughs that a blind jam session at the Cumbrian Arms has churned out something so unique the duo can't wait to release it to Cochrane.
"The more I give in my music, the more I'm into it – the more Jordan is into it," he enthused. 'I've never thought my music was unique enough – and now I've got this flavour with Jordan."
Falling into the music
It was somewhere between an A minor and E major, midway through an allegro that stopped the clock for Russell.
It was 1974. The young Russell credits that very sound made on his classical guitar as the moment his life changed and he knew music was his calling.
"It was instant. I was going to become a tool maker the day before I learned that piece," said Russell, who went on to earn a degree in music at Cambridge University before immigrating to Canada some 30 years ago.
He credits his passion for classical guitar and the years to come to his late mentor Robin Pearson, who died suddenly of cardiac arrest in 1983 at the age of 42.
"He taught me everything I know – my mentor, my friend, my inspiration," remarked the Nottingham, UK native who is celebrating 25 years in Cochrane this month.
Russell jokes that had it not been for his brother Peter's cancer diagnosis in 1988 that drew him overseas to reside in Cochrane, he would have forged ahead with his plans to be a "beach bum" playing guitar in Belize and around Central America.
He has never looked back.
You can catch Martin Russell playing solo to the fine diners at the Fence & Post every Sunday evening and can anticipate follow up duo performances by Russell and Young in the weeks to come.
