He has been a core member of the music group Afro Celt Sound System since the recording of the first album Volume 1: Sound Magic in mid-1995, and has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award.
Russell commenced his musical career in 1979, joining UK band The Enid on bass guitar and keyboards a few months after completing a BA Hons degree in music.
His most notable contribution to the band's catalogue was "Once She Was", an arrangement of the folk song melody "Scarborough Fair".
He remained a member until 1981, citing his increasing dissatisfaction with the whimsical vocally-based direction that the band was taking, as his reason for leaving.
With fellow ex-Enid keyboard player William Gilmour he formed the instrumental rock band Craft, who recorded an album which was released in 1984.