"Russell’s really developed an angle in his music making, and its always easy to tell its him playing, there's a style really developing now ! In a world teaming with saxophone players it is rare to find someone who is developing something genuine and personal. Russell van den Berg should be given every chance to do just this. To ignore this talent is to miss out on an expressive, creative and exciting new voice."

Tim Garland (ex Chick Corea).

“I very much enjoyed working with Russell, he is a fine player and I am sure will rise to the top of the Jazz world”. “Your tunes are very interesting and very good”

Kenny Wheeler.

Congratulations to Russell and the group. The compositions are quite beautiful and the performances superb, very contemporary in rhythm and feel . Tenor and soprano solos have great flow, restraint and yet an abundance of ideas plus a passionate lyricism. The whole group seems to share these qualities! The benign spirits of “Jarrett hover over this haunting, gloriously sonorous music......

Ian Carr – for “All we Have” review.

I met Russell a few years ago when we worked together at the Guildhall. He showed himself then to be a very gifted instrumentalist and striking improviser and he demonstrates those skills on this, his recording as leader. His compositions are challenging and there’s some impressive individual playing! I look forward to Russell’s development as his potential is undoubtedly evident here.

John Taylor.

Russell van den Berg has impressed everyone who has heard him over the last few years. You can hear just why so many people are talking about him, as he crafts every solo with his trademark combination of wonderful control and lively, angular melodic ideas.

Jazz UK magazine.

Russell van den Berg is underrated, but one of our most inventive improvisers, with the ability to tell stories which keep you hooked as their plots twist and turn.

Jazz UK magazine – for “Plastic City” review.

Russell weaves in and out in a wonderfully creative and fresh way and the sax and drums in particular bounce off each other constantly. Russell’s tenor playing sounds masterful throughout, always musical and inventive, and although firmly based in the American tradition, plays with hugely strong character and humour.

Mark Lockheart. – for “Plastic City”.

…It’s brilliant. I love your compositions and the performance is very strong throughout. I think you have a very fresh CD. I congratulate you on taking the initiative in making this CD. It’s a breath of fresh air to see musicians getting out there and producing there own works…

Jean Toussaint (ex Art Blakey). –for “17 west 32nd St.”.

“What will excite and inspire you much more than the latest media hype are the unsung heroes of UK Jazz,
such as Jim Mullen to name just one and any of the huge number of
brilliantly talented and committed
young musicians such as Russell van den Berg”

Jazzwise magazine 2005.


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Russell van den Berg was born in Hatfield in October 1975. Due to his Dutch family’s rich musical history and prominent influence, he was always surrounded in Jazz music from the very beginning. He took up music (starting on clarinet) at the age of fifteen and then went on to music college at the age of seventeen. Russell is a graduate of “Leeds College of Music” and attained his post Graduate at “The Guildhall School of Music & Drama” in London. During this period of his education, in 1993 for three consecutive years he won the Daily Telegraph "Young Jazz" Awards” for composition and in band leading.

After graduating from Leeds at the age of 20, he moved down to London and whilst still studying for his post graduate diploma, at the age of 21, he won the “1997 BBC Radio 2” Big Band Soloist Award. Since graduating from there, he has been leading his own quartets and quintets, performing his own compositions in and around London, which have been highly praised by the likes of Kenny Wheeler and Ian Carr (see references). In 1999 he won another national competition and was awarded the “J.O.E.Y. Commission” (sponsored by the Arts Council/National Lotery/33 Records and Jazz Services) and for this, at the age of 23, was commented upon as being "the cream of under 30 year olds in British Jazz today".


Through this came Russell's first solo album with his quintet, "All we Have" (33 Records), which acquired a great and very rare review by pianist John Taylor for the inlay of his album. The success and continual growth of Russell’s quintet lead them to take the stage and perform his commissioned music in a double bill with the London Symphonia in London’s “Queen Elizabeth Hall”. Since then, he has also taken to writing music for Classical/Jazz saxophone quartets for various groups (of which are currently still being studied and performed in college’s today throughout the UK), as well as the Associated Board of Music who now publish his works. Russell also regularly writes for various other Jazz ensembles too and has compiled an extensive repertoire of works.
Other than this, he has also performed as a “guest soloist with the BBC Radio Big Band” (Radio Broadcast), the Rob McConnell Big Band, Carla Bley, Kenny Wheeler, Stan Sulzmann, Phil Woods etc. As well as having participated in various national and international Jazz Festivals, he has also performed with other various UK led groups and respected musicians, such as the Laurence Cottle Qt. Clark Tracy Qnt. Anita Wardel, John Warren, Nikki Iles, Mike Walker, Hans Koller, Nick Weldon/Andra Sparks Qnt., Bill LeSage, Digby Fairwether, Jeff Clyne, London Jazz Orchestra (LJO), Steve Waterman Jazz Orchestra, the contemporary Jazz ensemble “Arrange of Space”, the Steve Waterman Quintet and the Kenny Wheeler sextet. Over the years Russell's own projects have also consisted of his "Chamber group" (which featured John Parricelli and Henry Lowther), his own various Quintet’s (featuring Mike Walker, Phil Peskett Tim Giles & Laurence Cottle), various Quartets (featuring Laurence Cottle, Robin Aspland and Clark Tracy/Gary Willcox).

Some of his most notable recordings have been;


“Out of Touch” - Steve Waterman Qnt. (ASC)
“All we Have” - Russell van den Berg Qnt. (33rpm)
“The Invisible World” - Rebecca Askew Qnt. (FMR)
“Your Time” - Andra Sparks & Nick Weldon. (Verge)
“Plastic City” - Russell van den Berg trio. (Yi productions)
“17 West 32nd St.” - Russell van den Berg Qt. (Yi productions)
“Examples in scale definitions & creative scale practice” – Russell van den Berg (Yi Productions)
“October Arrival” – Steve Waterman Jazz Orchestra. (Hydro Jazz music)


Russell has also taught on various Jazz vacation Courses;
Wavendon Summer course, Wavendon Contemporary Jazz weekend, M.U.M Summer Jazz courses, Isle of white Easter Jazz course, Bracknell Jazz course.


He performs Jazz Workshops around the country by himself and in collaboration with other colleagues mentioned above. Currently at the age of twenty nine, as well as teaching saxophone in the London “Royal Academy of Music”, he is a professor on the Jazz Department in London‘s prestigious "Trinity College of Music" where he lectures, coaches groups and teaches one to one Saxophone and Jazz improvisation.

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