Harry Allen (born October 12, 1966) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist born in Washington, D.C.[1] Allen plays mainstream jazz and bossa nova. He has performed live and recorded with Scott Hamilton, a tenor saxophonist to whom Allen has frequently been compared. He is best known for his work with John Colianni, Dori Caymmi, Keith Ingham, John Pizzarelli, and Bucky Pizzarelli.
Harry Allen | |
|---|---|
 Harry Allen in 2006 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | October 12, 1966 |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Saxophone |
| Labels | Arbors, Mastermix |
| Website | www |
Early life and career
editAllen's father, Maurice, was a big band drummer.[2] As a child, his father played records for him; these included recordings of tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves, which made a lasting impression.[2]
In high school he was an exceptional talent able to play tunes such as Body and Soul in the style of tenor players Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Flip Phillips.[3] While in high school Allen was also influenced by recordings of Scott Hamilton.[2]
Allen graduated from Rutgers University in 1988.[2]
Allen was described by C. Michael Bailey as "the 'Frank Sinatra' of the tenor saxophone: a master interpreter of standards" in 2008.[4] Along with Scott Hamilton, Allen was considered by British critic Dave Gelly in 2004 to be one of the "finest exponents of swing tenor alive today" in a review of their album Heavy Juice.[5]
Discography
editAs leader/co-leaders
edit- How Long Has This Been Going On? (Progressive, 1989)
- The King (Nagel Heyer, 1994)
- I'll Never Be the Same (Master Mix, 1994)
- Blue Skies: Jazz Ballads from the 1930s to Today (John Marks, 1994)
- Harry Allen Meets John Pizzarelli Trio with John Pizzarelli (BMG, 1996)
- Tenors Anyone? (BMG, 1997) – recorded in 1996
- Here's to Zoot (BMG, 1997)
- The Music of the Trumpet Kings with Randy Sandke (Nagel-Heyer, 1997)
- Day Dream with Tommy Flanagan (BMG/Novus, 1998)
- Eu Nao Quero Dancar (I Won't Dance) (RCA Victor/BMG/Novus, 1998)
- Harry Allen Plays Ellington Songs with The Bill Charlap Trio (RCA Victor, 2000) – recorded in 1999
- Christmas in Swingtime (BMG, 2000)
- Dreamer (BMG, 2001)
- I Love Mancini (BMG, 2002)
- I Can See Forever (BMG, 2002)
- The Harry Allen Quartet (2003)
- If Ever You Were Mine (BMG, 2003)
- Plays The Hits of Stage & Screen with The John Pizzarelli Trio (BMG, 2004)
- Tenors Anyone? (Slider Music, 2004)
- Heavy Juice with Scott Hamilton (Concord, 2004)
- Isn't This a Lovely Day with Hank Jones Trio (BMG, 2004)
- Jazz for the Soul (McMahon Jazz Medicine, 2005)
- Barnestorming with Alan Barnes (Woodville, 2007) – recorded in 2006
- Viva! Bossa Nova (BMG, 2008)
- New York State of Mind (Challenge, 2009)
- When Larry Met Harry with Larry Goldings (Cafe Society, 2010)
- The Harry Allen Quintet Plays Music from The Sound of Music (Arbors, 2011)
- Live at Feinstein's at Loews Regency with Rebecca Kilgore (Arbors, 2011) – live
- Blues for Pres and Teddy (Swingbros, 2011) – featuring Bill Charlap
- I Walk with Music: The Hoagy Carmichael Songbook with Rossano Sportiello, Joel Forbes (Gac, 2013)
- For George, Cole and Duke with Ehud Asherie, Nicki Parrott, Chuck Redd (Blue Heron, 2014)
- Something about Jobim with Joyce, Tutty Moreno, &c (Stunt, 2015)
- Live! with Scott Hamilton (Gac, 2016) – live
- The Candy Men (Arbors, 2016) – recorded in 2015
- Can You Love Me Once More with Judy Carmichael (Gac, 2016)
- French Lullaby (Venus, 2018) – recorded in 2017
- Three Tenors, Like The Brightest Star with Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton (Venus, 2019)
References
edit- ^ Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. pp. 8–9. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
- ^ a b c d Dryden, Ken (July 2015) "Harry Allen". The New York Jazz Record. p. 6.
- ^ Harry Allen, Body and Soul on the album Coast to Coast, 1983/84 McDonald's All-American High School Jazz Band, McDonald's MDC 91884, 1984
- ^ "C. Michael Bailey quoted" Topeka Capital-Journal, 2008
- ^ Gelly, Dave (September 19, 2004). "Scott Hamilton & Harry Allen, Heavy Juice". The Observer. London. Retrieved June 4, 2021.