A Bit About Russo and Noe
Gabe Russo
Born in the
fifties in Philadelphia, Pa., Gabe comes from a showbiz
family. His aunt, Helen
O'Connell,
sang with the Dorseys
and his father was a saloon
crooner of
renown
from Baltimore to New York. As a boy he received vocal
instruction from Stoddard Smith and
made soloist in the
St. Johns
Cathedral mens choir.
Gabe
began
singing, tuxedo and all, with his
father
and pianist
Junie Price at the age of eight. They
continued to occasionally perform
together, into the
1980s, in night
clubs all over the north east; The cafe
Continental, The Latin Casino, The
Crescendo, and more.
In his teens, Gabe discovered rock and roll, singing lead vocals in several rock bands as well as playing guitar and bass guitar for many years. He has performed as a solo acoustic act, an on-air auctioneer for wfsu t.v., been a recurring character on an award winning, live radio show, and (very briefly) hosted his own T.V. show.
Russo has been an actor since 1973 when he played an orderly in One flew over the cuckoos nest. He has been fortunate enough to portray a host of characters on stage including; Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Jeff Douglas in Brigadoon, King Arthur in Camelot, Emile DeBeque in South Pacific, Oscar Madison, twice, in The odd couple, and a many others.
Russo's background of 'youthful crooning', along with his years of acting and solo performing make him uniquely able to capture the ease and comfort on stage that typify the best of the crooners of bygone days.
Jim Noe
Born in Atlanta, Ga., Jim has been performing and directing in the Atlanta area for over twenty years.
Jim began studying voice and guitar in 1979. After graduating college in 184 he began studying at The Alliance Theater School. He studied voice with Beverly Blouin and Sally Priester and received piano instruction from Jim Greer of The Atlanta Music Center.
Jim won the Post and Alley Award for outstanding achievement in choreography in West Side Story, and the Boss Award for Best Male Chorus Member as Sid Phillips in The Neighborhood Playhouse production of Singing in the Rain. Jim spent three seasons with the Atlanta Lyric Company, and two with The Atlanta Opera, at The Fox Theater.
In 1998 Jim became one of the founding members of the Holly Theater Company, in Dahlonega, Ga. He was last seen at the Holly in the role of Jesse Kiplinger in Plaza Suite! Other Theater credits include: Cole Porter in Red Hot and Cole, Daddy Warbucks in Annie, Curly in Oklahoma, The Dentist in Little Shop of Horrors, Paul Brattier in barefoot in the Park, Sir Lancelot in Camelot, Tommy Albright in Brigadoon and many more. Jim's Directing credits include Bus stop, The Miracle Worker, Miracle on 34th street, and Once on this Island.
In 2006 Jim Noe & Gabe Russo founded the Vocal Duo of Russo & Noe: The Music of the Ratpack featuring the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis, Jr. Russo & Noe have performed all over the Southeast and at various events. Jim also co-founded the musical group The Swing Daddies with Pianist Chris Wolski which specializes in Big Band & Swing and the Music of Elvis Presley.
Jim's years of stage, his style and 'big voice' epitomize a level of performance and professionalism thought to be extinct today.
It isn't.