Last year, Marshall Allen turned 100. Born on May 25, 1924 in Louisville, Kentucky, he has been shaping jazz for 70 years: he has been a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra since 1958, has led the ensemble since 1995, and has played with Hamid Drake, William Parker or Matthew Shipp. And now, on February 14, 2025, a new page will be turned. Because with »New Dawn«, Marshall Allen is releasing his first solo album. At 100! Impressive.
Everything that Jazz is about
Musically, Marshall Allen has experienced quite a few developments in jazz, from swing and bebop to free and spiritual jazz. The seven compositions selected here reflect this range of styles. The first single, which, like the album, is called »New Dawn« and will be released on January 15, 2025, features Neneh Cherry – stepdaughter of Don Cherry, to stay in the jazz context, and otherwise, of course, the Neneh Cherry – is a jazz ballad, fantastically arranged and sensitively played by a 13-piece band, including long-time companions such as Knoel Scott, Bruce Edwards and Michael Ray, but also Philly jazz legend Jamaaladeen Tacuma.
New Dawn
