Strip away the mystique, forget the costumes, remove your preconceptions and listen to the music.
IN+OUT Records
Marshall Allen – leader, alto sax, EVI, gong, additional vocals; Tara Middleton – vocals, violin; Knoel Scott – alto & baritone sax, congas, additional vocals; Anthony Nelson – clarinet, baritone sax; Nasir Dickerson – tenor sax; James Stewart – flute, tenor sax;
Chris Hemingway – alto sax; Michael Ray – trumpet, vocals; Cecil Brooks – trumpet;
Vincent Chancey – French horn; Brent White – trombone & bass trombone; Dave Davis – trombone; Robert Stringer – trombone; Nina Bogomas – harp; Owen Brown Jr. – violin; Gwen Laster – violin; Melanie Dyer – viola; Farid Barron – piano, keyboards, moog theremin; Carl LeBlanc – guitar, vocals; Dave Hotep – guitar; Tyler Mitchell – bass;
George Gray – drums; Elson Nascimento – surdo, percussion
Recorded June 16 2024
Lights On A Satellite / Dorothy’s Dance / Big John’s Special / Images / Friendly Galaxy / Baby Won’t You Please be Mine / Holiday For Strings / Tapestry From An Asteroid / Reflects Motion / Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
Strip away the mystique, forget the costumes, remove your preconceptions and listen to the music. What you will find is a great big band with an amazing book, built up over years, that is full of surprises.
My first encounter with Marshall Allen, the leader of the Arkestra was a surprise. My wife told me that Sun Ra was appearing at the local Arts Centre. The centre seemed to specialise in happenings, abstract films and art. An appearance by Sun Ra seemed improbable, he had been dead for years. It was improbable. It was not Sun Ra but Marshall Allen.
Apparently, the Sun Ra Arkestra was stranded in London as a result of the airline problem caused by the Icelandic volcanoes. Some entrepreneurial artist seized the opportunity to bring Marshall to Cambridgeshire. Marshall appeared for a live performance event featuring guitarist Daevid Allen of Gong and Soft Machine, and they proceeded to give a music Masterclass. That year Marshall was in his mid-eighties.
This year Marshall Allen was 100, a remarkable achievement. Marshall joined the Arkestra in 1957. Eventually he became leader in 1995 of the world’s most famous living jazz band. Allen’s playing can sound like Benny Carter one minute, Earl Bostic the next and then Ornette. He is a remarkable player who has sacrificed his own career for the sake of working with the band that he joined in 1957.
Allen sees his role as keeping the vision of the band alive by generating a creative spirit. This is not a nostalgic repertory band, a ghost band. The Arkestra has a book that goes back to the beginning. They are still using arrangements from Sun Ra and there are a number on this album.
What happens if you don’t subscribe to the space mystique, can you enjoy the music? Of course, you can. Forget the eccentric clothing and concentrate on the music. There is a great deal to enthuse over: the originality; the uniqueness of the playing; the exotic arrangements; the textures; the waywardness; the energy; the refusal to be bland; the sound of surprise in abundance. This is an open minded, ensemble band reaching out with subversive joy. At times it will sound like Fletcher Henderson, at other times it will resemble early Duke Ellington or a disciplined Brotherhood of Breath.
When you reach 100 you are entitled to have a party and that is one way to view this album, this music. It is full of joy, celebration and creativity. Each piece is refreshingly different. It’s a strange thing to write about a band of this age but this band is under-appreciated.
“Friendly Galaxy” starts with gongs and soon there is an unrelenting rhythm before Vincent Chancey solos over the pulsations. Like early Ellington the solos are threaded across the piece. Nasir Dickerson on tenor is followed by Cecil Brooks on trumpet, James Stewart on flute and Robert Stringer on trombone. Farid Barron on piano takes the piece out.
This is a band that is rich in solo strength. No one really stands out apart from Knoel Scott on baritone who anchors the whole band as Harry Carney did with Ellington. There are solo contributions from across the sections. Nevertheless, this band has a
range of styles, more or less, in keeping with Sun Ra’s original vision. It might be that Marshall Allen is fitting them out to journey through this century.
What to make of “Holiday for Strings” written originally by David Rose? Humour? The well-known tune has no holiday for strings because the Arkestra’s string section opens the piece before the guitar of Carl LeBlanc comes with a tenor obligato over the strings. There are new lyrics from Michael Ray. It is possible to detect interpolations from Marshall Allen.
“Dorothy’s Dance” is a powerful theme which almost demands movement. Brent White’s trombone dominates the beginning before Cecil Brooks on trumpet adds to the gaiety. Knoel Scott on baritone, Melanie Dyer on viola and Carl LeBlanc finish the piece. There is enough energy here to power a roomful of people into dancing.
The baritone saxophone of Knoel Scott is heard on “Tapestry From An Asteroid”. This piece has been played since 1956. Tara Middleton has the vocal responsibilities towards the end of the piece.
One of the highlights of the album is “Big John’s Special” written by Fletcher Henderson’s brother. This rip-roaring piece take the listener back to the thirties and reminds how much Goodman owed to the Henderson family.
The album is beautifully produced by Frank Kleinschmidt and the sound is razor sharp. Many of The Arkestra’s recordings over the years have been produced in less-than-ideal conditions, not here. All the solos are identified. One album note is unique “Marshall Allen is taking solos at various spots all over this complete album. His distinctive sound is well recognizable and therefore not mentioned in the solo section of the song credits.”
The album notes are written by Sibylle Zerr author of Picture Infinity: Marshall Allen & The Sun Ra Arkestra Author Sibylle Zerr hints that Allen has a different style of leadership to Sun Ra” arguably leading the Arkestra in a more subtle way than Sun Ra.” Certainly, the music in this album would support her contention.
Strangely, the last track is” Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” two beat, complete with vocal played almost straight or is it tongue in cheek? Might be a commentary on the way that the town has been despoiled by tourism! May be fun! Who knows? Who cares? This is life affirming Sun Ra.
