Ride Red Ride !!!

[Stereojack]

I'll take all the Red I can get

Me too! Big thumbs up for all the records mentioned. The stuff with Russell & Hawkins is desert island material!

Another one I like a lot is "Feeling Good" on Columbia, recorded right near the end of Allen's life. The dufus at AMG dumps on this record, but I'm sorry, he's wrong! Red's singing and playing on this are marvelous. Also, for late Red, I'd recommend "Mr. Allen" on Prestige, reissued as "The Henry Allen Memorial Album". To my knowledge, neither of these has been on CD, but they are worth tracking down on vinyl.

[Chuck Nessa]

I'd recommend "Mr. Allen" on Prestige, reissued as "The Henry Allen Memorial Album". To my knowledge, neither of these has been on CD, but they are worth tracking down on vinyl.

Prestige reissued their Allen date in a coupling with a Joe Newman record on a cd called The Hot Trumpets.

[montg]

I'll take all the Red I can get

Me too! Big thumbs up for all the records mentioned. The stuff with Russell & Hawkins is desert island material!

Another one I like a lot is "Feeling Good" on Columbia, recorded right near the end of Allen's life. The dufus at AMG dumps on this record, but I'm sorry, he's wrong! Red's singing and playing on this are marvelous. Also, for late Red, I'd recommend "Mr. Allen" on Prestige, reissued as "The Henry Allen Memorial Album". To my knowledge, neither of these has been on CD, but they are worth tracking down on vinyl.

I'd like to hear the Columbia album, maybe Mosaic will issue it in their 'singles' series. The 1957 session with Hawkins on RCA is way overdue for a remastering--it's such a fabuous session, but it's so flat-sounding, all the worst characteristics of '80s CD technology.

I also love Red Allen's playing with Kid Ory on the Verve sessions in the 50s.

I've got the twofer with Newman that Chuck mentioned. I don't listen to it much, not sure why. It's an odd pairing, I'm not sure why they matched up the Joe Newman CD with the Allen.

Red Allen is so unique and free. With those weird buzz tones and smears, and the crazy phrasing, he's one of a kind.

Edited April 20, 2006 by montg

[LAL]

Is Red's recording (on Jazzology JCD-318) with the British trad-band of Alex Welsh worth getting?

[Kalo]

Do not overlook the Billy Banks/Jack Bland Rhythmakers sessions. Wonderful Red and Pee Wee too.

Great stuff. I recommend getting as much Allen as possible.

No one has mentioned The College Concert of Pee Wee Russell and Henry Red Allen from 1967. The Concert was at MIT and was part of a program featuring a lecture given by Whitney Balliett. The very modern rhythm section was Steve Kuhn, piano, Charlie Haden, bass, and Marty Morell on drums. Repertoire included "Blue Monk" and "2' East, 3' West." A surprisingly successful date, and one of Allens final recordings. I think it was originally on Impulse!, though I have a vinyl reissue on Jasmine.