Geri Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Geri Allen
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Allen in 2008
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| Born | June 12, 1957 Pontiac, Michigan, U.S.
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| Died | June 27, 2017 (aged 60) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Howard University University of Pittsburgh |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Jazz, blues, funk, gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, educator, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1982–2017 |
| Labels | Motema Music, Polygram, Storyville, Blue Note, Telarc |
Geri Antoinette Allen (born June 12, 1957 – died June 27, 2017) was an amazing American jazz pianist. She was also a talented composer and a dedicated teacher. Besides playing and leading her own bands, Geri Allen taught music at the University of Pittsburgh. She even directed their Jazz Studies program.
Early Life and Learning
Geri Allen was born in Pontiac, Michigan, on June 12, 1957. She grew up in Detroit. Her dad was a school principal, and her mom worked for the government. Geri started playing the piano when she was just seven years old. By her early teens, she knew she wanted to be a jazz pianist.
She went to Howard University and finished their jazz studies program in 1979. Geri then kept learning, studying with famous pianist Kenny Barron in New York. She also earned a master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1982. After that, she moved back to New York City.
Her Music Career
In New York, Geri Allen joined a group of musicians called the M-Base collective. She released her very first album as a band leader in 1984. It was called The Printmakers. This album featured her own songs and was played with a bassist and a drummer.
In 1995, Geri Allen married trumpeter Wallace Roney. They had a daughter and a son together. She won the Jazzpar Prize in 1996, which is a big award in jazz music. That same year, she recorded two albums with the legendary musician Ornette Coleman.
Geri Allen wrote a special music piece in 2006. It was called "For the Healing of the Nations." She wrote it to honor the people affected by the September 11 attacks. In 2008, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship. This award helps people who are doing important creative work.
Geri Allen lived in Montclair, New Jersey, for a long time. In 2013, she became the director of the jazz studies program at the University of Pittsburgh. She sadly passed away on June 27, 2017, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was 60 years old and had been battling cancer.
Awards and Honors
Geri Allen received many important awards for her music and teaching:
- Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee in 2014.
- Guggenheim Fellowship in 2008.
- African American Classical Music Award from Spelman College in 2007.
- The Benny Golson Jazz Master Award in 2005.
- Distinguished Alumni Award from Howard University in 1996.
- Danish Jazzpar Prize in 1996 (she was the first woman to win this award!).
- Soul Train's Lady of Soul Award for jazz album of the year for Twenty-One in 1995 (she was the first person to receive this award).
Main Albums
Here are some of the albums Geri Allen released as a leader or co-leader:
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Year released | Notes |
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| 1984 | The Printmakers | Minor Music | 1985 | Her first album as a leader, a trio with bass and drums. |
| 1985 | Home Grown | Minor Music | 1985 | A solo piano album. |
| 1986 | Open on All Sides in the Middle | Minor Music | 1987 | Featured a larger group with horns and even tap dance! |
| 1989 | Twylight | Minor Music | 1989 | A trio album with guests. |
| 1989 | In the Year of the Dragon | JMT | 1989 | A trio with famous musicians Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. |
| 1989 | Segments | DIW | 1989 | Another trio album with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. |
| 1990 | The Nurturer | Blue Note | 1991 | A sextet album with six musicians. |
| 1990 | Live at the Village Vanguard | DIW | 1991 | Recorded live in concert with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. |
| 1992 | Maroons | Blue Note | 1992 | Featured different combinations of musicians. |
| 1994 | Twenty One | Blue Note | 1994 | A trio album with Ron Carter and Tony Williams. |
| 1995–96 | Eyes in the Back of Your Head | Blue Note | 1997 | Some tracks were solo piano, others were duets or trios. |
| 1996 | Some Aspects of Water | Storyville | 1997 | Recorded with a larger ensemble including horns. |
| 1998 | The Gathering | Verve | 1998 | Featured a mix of musicians in different groups. |
| 2004 | The Life of a Song | Telarc | 2004 | A trio with Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette. |
| 2006 | Timeless Portraits and Dreams | Telarc | 2006 | Included solo piano, trio, and tracks with singers. |
| 2008 | Flying Toward the Sound | Motéma | 2010 | Another solo piano album. |
| 2009 | Geri Allen & Timeline Live | Motéma | 2010 | A quartet with bass, drums, and tap dance. |
| 2011 | A Child Is Born | Motéma | 2011 | Solo keyboards, with some tracks featuring vocalists. |
| 2012 | Grand River Crossings | Motéma | 2013 | Solo piano, with some duets. |
| 2015 | Perfection | Motéma | 2016 | A trio with David Murray and Terri Lyne Carrington. |
Film Work
Geri Allen played the role of jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams in the Robert Altman film Kansas City. She also performed with the jazz band in the movie.
See also
In Spanish: Geri Allen para niños
- List of jazz pianists
- The Detroit Experiment
