The Chicago Tribune states, “Though he spikes his solos with occasional running lines, it’s gently rolled chords and lush sequences of harmonies that ultimately define his work,” and JazzTimes describes him as “an uncommonly sensitive interpreter of ballads.”

An adept jazz guitarist with a clean attack and fluid, lyrical style, Russell Malone often plays in a swinging, straight-ahead style weaving in elements of blues, gospel, and R&B. Russell Malone rose to fame working with Jimmy Smith and later with Harry Connick, Jr. and Diana Krall.