I saw the Sun Ra Arkestra outside D.C. last summer just a few days ahead of Marshall Allen's 100th birthday. Allen wasn't with the band at that gig, but his presence was, in the charts and arrangements of the pieces, and in the overall vibe. Now, there's a new record from Marshall Allen, and it's somewhat unbelievably his first solo one too.
On the title number, vocals from Neneh Cherry guide us to the stars. The cut is both lyrical and lovely, and yet still searching. The alto sax from Marshall Allen pairs up with the clarinet from Knoel Scott to form a gentle chorus behind the vocals. Even more energetic is "Are You Ready" where the twin sax attack from Scott and Allen leads a charge in riffs ahead of a small string section. Thing swing, of course, and the tune is if not cosmic like those of Sun Ra, at least big, bold, and bracingly fresh. Elsewhere, "Sonny's Dance" is anchored by Marshall's alto sax and guitar from Bruce Edwards. Add in some bass from the legendary Jamaaladeen Tacuma (Ornette Colemen) and you have a recipe for perfection. The melody is folded and twisted, but there's still loveliness here.
Where New Dawn works so well is where Allen's sax playing is melded with the players of the larger ensemble. This isn't a solo record in the sense that Marshall's way out in front. What's here is, like the music of the Sun Ra Arkestra which he leads, a kind of jazz which relies on each piece of a very large puzzle. The resulting picture is one as vibrant as anything being done in the genre. And it's all made brighter still by the presence of Marshall Allen in the band.
New Dawn by Marshall Allen is out tomorrow. Details via Bandcamp below.
[Photo: Ayana Wildgoose]