Marshall Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Marshall Allen |
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Allen in 2019
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marshall Belford Allen |
| Born | May 25, 1924 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Unit | 92nd Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Marshall Belford Allen (born May 25, 1924) is an American jazz musician. He is famous for playing the alto saxophone in a style called free jazz. He also plays other instruments like the flute, oboe, piccolo, and a special electronic instrument called the EWI.
Marshall Allen is best known for his long work with a unique bandleader named Sun Ra. He has played and recorded with Sun Ra's band, The Sun Ra Arkestra, since the late 1950s. After Sun Ra passed away in 1993, and another band member, John Gilmore, passed away two years later, Marshall Allen took over as the leader of The Sun Ra Arkestra in 1995. Many people, like music critic Jason Ankeny, think Marshall is one of the most special and original saxophone players of his time.
Contents
About Marshall Allen
Early Life and Army Service
Marshall Belford Allen was born on May 25, 1924, in Louisville, Kentucky.
During World War II, he joined the United States Army. He was part of the 92nd Infantry Division, which was also known as the Buffalo Soldiers Division. He was stationed in France during the war. While in Paris, France, Allen studied how to play the alto saxophone.
His Music Journey
After the war, Marshall Allen played music in Europe. He performed with jazz pianist Art Simmons and another saxophonist named James Moody.
Allen is famous for his exciting and powerful way of playing the alto saxophone. He creates sounds that are sometimes wild and full of energy. Some people describe his playing style as "fiery." He once said in an interview that he "wanted to play on a broader sound basis rather than on chords." This means he wanted to explore a wider range of sounds instead of just following traditional music rules.
He found the perfect chance to do this through his long connection with Sun Ra. Marshall Allen played almost only with Sun Ra's band, The Arkestra, from 1958 until Sun Ra passed away in 1993. Even though he mostly played with Sun Ra, he did record with other groups sometimes. For example, he played with Paul Bley's group in 1964 and Olatunji's group in the mid-1960s. One music critic, Scott Yanow, said Allen's playing was "Johnny Hodges from another dimension." This means it was like a famous saxophonist named Johnny Hodges, but from a different world!
After Sun Ra died, John Gilmore first led The Arkestra. Then, Marshall Allen took over as the bandleader. The Arkestra has recorded two albums with Allen as their leader. In May 2004, Marshall Allen celebrated his 80th birthday on stage with The Arkestra. This was during their performance at the Ninth Vision Festival in New York City. He also had birthday performances in 2008 and 2018 in New York City.
Allen has often played with bassist Henry Grimes in New York. He also joined a group called "Innerzone Orchestra" to celebrate Sun Ra's music. He even played the part of Sun Ra, the Egyptian god, in an opera. The opera was called The Eighth Hour of Amduat. Its story came from an ancient book about the sun's journey through the underworld.
Achievements and Later Life
Since 1968, Marshall Allen has lived in a special place called the Arkestral Institute of Sun Ra. This is located in Germantown, Philadelphia. In 2022, this building was recognized as a historic landmark in Philadelphia.
Marshall Allen became a centenarian (someone who is 100 years old or more) on May 25, 2024.
On October 4, 2024, he released his first song as a solo artist. It's called "African Sunset." This song is from his upcoming first solo album, New Dawn, which will be released on February 14, 2025. He recorded the album a few days after his 100th birthday.
Discography
As a Bandleader
- 1998: Mark–n–Marshall: Monday (CIMP)
- 1998: Mark–n–Marshall: Tuesday (CIMP)
- 2000: PoZest (CIMP)
As a Co-Leader
- 2003: The All-Star Game (Eremite) with Hamid Drake, Kidd Jordan, William Parker, and Alan Silva
- 2003: Opportunities & Advantages (CIMP) with Elliott Levin and the Tyrone Hill Quintet
- 2005: Ten by Two (Edisun) with Terry Adams
- 2005: Cosmic Tsunami (Nolabel) with Michael Ray, Toshi Makihara, and Jeffrey Shurdut
- 2010: Night Logic (RogueArt) with Matthew Shipp and Joe Morris
- 2011: Vibrations of the Day (Re:konstruKt) with Konstrukt, Hüseyin Ertunç, and Barlas Tan Özemek
- 2014: Two Stars in the Universe (Little Rocket) with Kash Killion
- 2019: Ceremonial Healing (RareNoiseRecords) with Danny Ray Thompson, Jamie Saft, Trevor Dunn, Balázs Pándi, and Roswell Rudd
- 2020: Flow States (ScienSonic) with Roscoe Mitchell, Scott Robinson, and Milford Graves
As a Sideman (playing with other artists)
- With Terry Adams
- Terrible (New World Records, 1995)
- With Paul Bley
- Barrage (ESP-Disk, 1965)
- With Tyrone Hill
- Out of the Box (CIMP, 1998)
- With Medeski, Martin and Wood
- The Dropper (Blue Note, 2000)
- With The Muffins and Knoel Scott
- Loveletter #2 The Ra Sessions (Hobart Films & Records, 2005)
- With the Odean Pope Trio
- In This Moment (CIMP, 2016)
- With Alan Silva
- H.Con.Res.57/Treasure Box (Eremite, 2003)
- With Dave Soldier
- The Eighth Hour of Amduat (Mulatta Records, 2016)
- With Surrender to the Air
- Surrender to the Air (Elektra, 1996)
- With Hawk Tubley & The Airtight Chiefs
- Cooking With Dynamite! (2011)
