Procope joined the Ellington orchestra in 1946, standing in for
Otto Hardwick for one night in
Worcester, Massachusetts, and staying until Ellington died in 1974. Procope came to Europe again as a member of this band during the summer of 1950. Like all members of the Ellington reed section except for alto saxophonist
Johnny Hodges and tenor saxophonist
Paul Gonsalves, Procope doubled on the clarinet, and it was on that instrument that he made his reputation. Though he was a fine saxophonist who could (and did) play tenor as well as alto saxophone with authority, Procope was most highly regarded for his woody, understated clarinet solos, a warm contrast to fellow reed section member
Jimmy Hamilton's cheerful, breezy style. (A hearing of the contrast between the two clarinetists can be heard on Ellington's three-part suite "Idiom '59"; Ellington handed Procope the solo for the slower tempoed opening part, before handing Hamilton the first clarinet solo and the bridge blues solo on the more swinging second part.) Procope was also highly regarded personally within and outside the Ellington band. "He was", wrote Ellington in
Music is My Mistress, "an utterly sober and reliable musician, always to be depended upon." After Ellington's death, Procope toured with
Brooks Kerr's trio. In 1956, Procope recorded
The Persuasive Sax of Russ Procope under the
London Records label. Procope played the alto-saxophone, along with Remo Biondi (rhythm guitar), Earl Backus (solo guitar), Paul Jordan (piano) Mel Schmidt (bass), and Frank Rullo (drums). Although Procope's early playing reflected the influence of Benny Carter, he had evolved a highly individual style. It combined an essentially lyrical approach with a forceful, swinging attack. ==Discography==