Lazaro Vega Posted February 16, 2005 Report Posted February 16, 2005 Friday, March 4th through Saturday, March 19th, 'O5: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen SPACESHIP ON THE HIGHWAY ! a road tour of the northeastern U.S. << >< > < > <> < > <> < >> > < > Contact: Margaret Davis, (212) 841-O899, musicmargaret@earthlink.net << >> <> < >< > <> < >< > <> > Friday, March 4th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, An Die Musik, 4O9 North Charles St., 2nd floor, Baltimore, Maryland, sets at 8 & 1O p.m., 888-221-617O, www.andiemusiklive.com, furmuda1@yahoo.com. Sunday, March 6th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, Brew House (not a brewery, but the former Duquesne Brewery, now an art gallery, performance space, and lofts), 21OO Mary St. at 21st St. across from UPMC Hospital, South Side Flats, Pittsburgh, PA, 412-381-7767, one set at 9 p.m. Look for the big clock; enter through Space 101 Gallery on 21st. Tuesday, March 8th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, radio broadcast with Lazaro Vega over WBLV-FM, 9O.3 / WBLU-FM, 89.9, Blue Lake Public Radio, Twin Lake, Michigan, 1O-11 p.m. 231-894-5656, ext. 1O4, www.bluelake.org, radio@bluelake.org. Wednesday, March 9th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, Young Soul Rebel Records / CPOP Gallery, 416O Woodward Ave., Detroit, Michigan, 313-833-99O1, 313-832-2OO1, www.CPOP.com, PFrisco@hotmail.com. Friday & Saturday, March 11th & 12th: the Henry Grimes Quartet featuring Marshall Allen, Fred Anderson, & Avreeayl Ra, HotHouse, 31 East Balbo Ave., Chicago, IL, one set at 9:3O p.m. each night, 312-362-97O7, www.hothouse.net, www.hothouse.net/calendar/genre/jazz.jsp#667. Tuesday, March 15th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, Passport Project's Global Community Arts Center, 128O1-3 Buckeye Rd., Cleveland, Ohio, workshop at 4 p.m., concert at 8:3O, 216-721-1O55, http://passportproject.org/goingsOn.php, chloe@passportproject.org. Thursday, March 17th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, Rosewood Theater, 218 Walnut St., Morgantown, WV, 3O4-292-8999, www.rosewoodtheatre.com, Gary@rosewoodtheatre.com. Friday, March 18th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, Slought Foundation, 4017 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 8 p.m., 215-222-9O5O, http://slought.org/content/11282, info@slought.org, markc@slought.org. Saturday, March 19th: Henry Grimes & Marshall Allen, Vision Series, Clemente Soto Velez Center, 1O7 Suffolk St. betw. Rivington & Delancey (2 blocks east of Tonic), New York City, one set at 1O p.m. , 212-26O-4O8O, http://csvcenter.com/2005, www.visionfestival.org, info@visionfestival.org. O U T O F T H I S W O R L D !! Master bassist HENRY GRIMES, missing from the music world since the late '6O's, has made an unprecedented comeback after receiving the gift of a bass (a green one called Olive Oil!) from William Parker in December, 'O2 to replace the instrument Henry had been forced to give up some 3O years earlier. Between the mid-'5O's and the mid-'6O's, the Philadelphia-born, Juilliard-educated Henry Grimes played brilliantly on some 5O albums with an enormous range of musicians, including Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Haynes, Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Charles Mingus (yes, Charles Mingus), Gerry Mulligan, Sunny Murray, Perry Robinson, Sonny Rollins, Roswell Rudd, Pharoah Sanders, Archie Shepp, Cecil Taylor, Charles Tyler, McCoy Tyner, Rev. Frank Wright, and many more ... and then one day, for reasons largely related to troubles in the music world at the time, he disappeared. Many years passed with nothing heard from him, yet after a short while with his new bass, he emerged to begin working with Bobby Bradford, Nels and Alex Cline, Joseph Jarman, and others at the World Stage, the Howling Monk, the Jazz Bakery, and Schindler House in the Los Angeles area. On his triumphant return to New York City in May, 'O3, Henry Grimes played as special guest on two nights of the six-night Vision Festival, gave live concerts and lengthy interviews on the air daily during a five-day WKCR Henry Grimes Radio Festival, and offered a bass clinic before 5O New York-area bassists who haven't stopped talking about him since. He followed this with three virtually sold-out nights at Iridium in New York City leading his own band. These days, Henry Grimes lives, works, and teaches in New York City and has been working almost exclusively as a leader with Fred Anderson, Rob Brown, Roy Campbell, Jr., Daniel Carter, Marilyn Crispell, Andrew Cyrille, Hamid Drake, Charles Gayle, Jane Getz, Edward "Kidd" Jordan, Sabir Mateen, Bennie Maupin, Jemeel Moondoc, David Murray, William Parker, Marc Ribot, and many more. He has toured Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Holland, Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S. in 'O3 and 'O4, with more to follow. To the astonishment and joy of all, he's playing at the very height of his artistic powers (or indeed anyone's), just as though he'd never stopped at all! The recipient of a "Meet the Composer" award in 'O3, Henry was designated "Musician of the Year" by "All About Jazz/ New York" in 'O4. Still in his sixties, he's healthy and strong, and his gentle, humble bearing and courageous life story have inspired all those privileged to know him, hear him, play music with him. For further information: www.HenryGrimes.com, MusicMargaret@earthlink.net. MARSHALL BELFORD ALLEN, alto saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader, arranger, was born May 25, 1924 in Louisville and started clarinet lessons at age 1O. During the mid-'5O's, Marshall met Sun Ra and became a student of his precepts. After joining the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1958, Marshall Allen led Sun Ra's formidable reed section for over 4O years (a role akin to the position of Johnny Hodges in the Duke Ellington orchestra). Marshall Allen lived, rehearsed, toured and recorded with Sun Ra almost exclusively for most of his musical career. As a featured soloist with the Arkestra, Marshall pioneered the avante-garde jazz movement of the early '6O's, expanding a style rooted in Johnny Hodges and Don Byas, and influencing all leading avante-garde saxophonists thereafter. Marshall Allen is featured on over 2OO Sun Ra releases, as well as appearing as special guest soloist in concert and on recordings with such diverse groups as NRBQ, Phish, Sonic Youth, Diggable Planets, Terry Adams, and Medeski, Martin & Wood. Perhaps most significantly, Marshall Allen assumed the helm of the Sun Ra Arkestra in 1995 after the ascension of Sun Ra in 1993 and John Gilmore in 1995. Maestro Allen continues to reside at the Sun Ra residence in Philadelphia, composing, writing and arranging for the Arkestra much like his mentor, totally committed to a life of discipline centered on the study, research, and further development of Sun Ra's musical precepts. He maintains the Sun Ra residence as a living museum dedicated to the compilation, restoration and preservation of Sun Ra's music, memorabilia, and artifacts. He is also writing fresh arrangements of Sun Ra's music, as well as composing new music for the Arkestra. He works unceasingly to keep the big-band tradition alive, reworking arrangements of the music of Fletcher Henderson and Jimmie Lunceford for the Arkestra to play, along with many other American standards. For further information: www.thesunraarkestra.com. For high-res photos, interviews, press seats, CD's, bookings, or more information: Margaret Davis Henry Grimes's partner (& manager) www.HenryGrimes.com, www.jazznewyork.org, musicmargaret@earthlink.net, Voicemail (212) 841-O899. Please note: There will be no recording or filming at any Henry Grimes concert without written permission in advance. Photos by Giovanni Piesco, GPiesco@sbk.nl Quote
bertrand Posted February 16, 2005 Report Posted February 16, 2005 Holy crap, Marshall Allen is 80! He should be at home in his slippers, sipping a hot toddy. Looking forward to the Baltimore gig. Got my tickets. Bertrand. Quote
ghost of miles Posted February 16, 2005 Report Posted February 16, 2005 Will be tuning in for sure on Tuesday, March 8, Lazaro. Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted February 16, 2005 Author Report Posted February 16, 2005 Thanks Ghost -- I'm pushing hard to have us on the net by then.... Quote
cannonball-addict Posted February 23, 2005 Report Posted February 23, 2005 Holy crap, Marshall Allen is 80! He should be at home in his slippers, sipping a hot toddy. Who says he isn't? Check the website. I will be doing a live on-air interview with them in Pittsburgh on March 5th around 8PM. The webstream will be available at www.wrct.org Quote
sidewinder Posted February 23, 2005 Report Posted February 23, 2005 I think I read somewhere that Marshall is playing a concert in London this weekend with an 'Arkestra' lineup. I'll have to search for details. Quote
sidewinder Posted February 23, 2005 Report Posted February 23, 2005 (edited) Indeed, they are playing at the RFH this Friday. Arkestra Gig And one of the special guests is Charles Moore, of Kenny Cox Blue Note fame.. Edited February 23, 2005 by sidewinder Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted February 23, 2005 Author Report Posted February 23, 2005 March 5th is a Saturday?...will try to catch that, C-ball. Is it going to be archived on the site? Charles Moore resurfaced in the late 1980's/early 1990's with the band Eternal Wind. They actually played a concert in Grand Rapids. From what has been out on Adam Rudolph's Meta Records the band gets together when ever they can....http://www.metarecords.com/ Kenny Cox. Man he was ubiquitous on the Michigan music scene. Heard him back Pepper Adams, in his own quartet -- too many gigs to even remember. Though he didn't record much his career was fairly active around Detroit, Ann Arbor and across the state. Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Posted February 27, 2005 Wow, Michael Fitzgerald's discography of Henry Grimes is a great tool. Even though I've read Grimes story, it was still shocking to jump from Albert Ayler in Greenwich Village in '66 to L.A. in the 2000's as you're scrolling through his sessions. Looking forward to the opportunity to present Grimes and Allen -- playing Grimes music, including the Dennis Gonzalez recording and the new Grimes trio recording with David Murray and Hamid Drake, and he remains one of the most inspiring stories in jazz. Hopefully the Blue Lake broadcast will be part of that discography, too. Quote
alankin Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 I'm hoping to get to the 3/18 Philly gig. Anyone else? Quote
sheldonm Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 I'm hoping to get to the 3/18 Philly gig. Anyone else? ...can't make Philly but will see the Chicago gig! Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 Yes, absolutely, EVERYTHING goes into the discography. The quicker I get it, the quicker it gets in. There are still a lot of things that Henry has not gotten to me in CD form (I can't listen to MD or DAT so I'm waiting on someone else to transfer those). So, drop me a line when you've got the recording and we'll hook up. Glad the discography is getting some use. Mike Quote
bertrand Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 I'm going to two sets in Baltimore this Friday. Dumb question: will they play some compositions that I might actually recognize (not that I've memorized The Call yet), or can I expect two sets of complete improvisation. I'll enjoy it either way. What a month for gigs: Mingus Big Band last Wednesday, Venessa Rubin's Dameron tribute last night at the Kennedy Center (with a nonet led by Cecil Bridgewater, new arrangements by Golson, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster and Bridgewater, and Dameron's widow in attendance), Grimes/Allen next week, Roy Haynes Bird tribute on 3/12 and possibly Wallace Roney at Blues Alley the next week-end. Maybe I need to start a 'help donate funds to finance Bertrand's club-hopping' thread. Bertrand. Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 It is a big crapshoot. I attended a number of Iridium shows last summer and on a particular set, sometimes it was 100% free improvisation, on another it might have 3 or 4 tunes - yes, tunes you would know: Oleo, Doxy, Round Midnight, Dark Eyes, etc. I think this rather haphazard approach is not beneficial. Someone not into totally free stuff might come in and be really turned off but had that person attended the following set, he would have come away with a very different impression. Mike Quote
bertrand Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 Thanks. I wonder how they actually decide this: obviously, they must reach some sort of agreement before they start the set. I'll never understand what it takes to be a working jazz musician; I woul feel completely lost as a sideman in such a situation. Maybe one set in Baltimore will be standards, and one will be 100% improvisation. That would be a nice mix! Bertrand. Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 I would not assume anything gets decided ahead of time. The setlist is as improvised as anything else. Sometimes they just start and within a couple of minutes it turns into a tune - or else it goes for 20 or 40 minutes without turning into a tune. I watched Gary Bartz drag the rest of the group into playing Greensleeves at Iridium. For awhile it was just him quoting the melody in a free piece, then he just became relentless and (to me, it seemed reluctantly) eventually the others stopped the free stuff and went along with him. There are pieces that are part of the "book" as it were, that I listed. If you mention one of them to the guys before the set, you might end up hearing it. Or not. Not having heard Allen & Grimes together, I have no idea what their take on things is. With David Murray & Grimes, they allegedly played tunes, but it was more a case of 20 minutes of blues ending up with the melody of Blue Monk, or 20 minutes of free playing eventually ending up with 'Round Midnight. In both cases, it was Murray who controlled where the performances ended up. Mike Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted February 27, 2005 Author Report Posted February 27, 2005 We have a "format" for our live broadcasts that allows us to touch base with the audience as well as play long segments of music. The format is based on a time outline more than a stylistic one, with built in breaks for interviews, too. I'll be sending that to the guys ahead of time so there are no surprises. I'm hoping Marshal Allen will play "Over the Rainbow" for us -- his old feature with Sun Ra. Michael, how is your Henry Grimes book going? We have the ability to dub from DATS if you need any help Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted February 27, 2005 Report Posted February 27, 2005 During the school year there is no time for heavy research, so not much activity. WKCR folks are handling the dubbing of MD and DAT, thanks all the same - will keep you in mind. Another tune I would push for would be "Prelude To A Kiss" which I heard Marshall play many times. Mike Quote
bertrand Posted March 5, 2005 Report Posted March 5, 2005 Just a quick note for now - the concert in Baltimore was fabulous. I had no idea Marshall Allen played the EWI (at least that's what I think it was). I did not recognize any pieces, but they seemd to be playing some specific compositions and had some sheet music on the music stands. There were a couple of clearly distinguishable melodies (one dance-like piece was played in both sets). There were five songs each set. Bassist Vatell Cherry set in on the last two tunes of each set. Bertrand. Quote
Michael Fitzgerald Posted March 5, 2005 Report Posted March 5, 2005 EVI - it's the trumpetish model. Don't ask me why. Mike Quote
Stefan Wood Posted March 5, 2005 Report Posted March 5, 2005 (edited) I was there with bertrand -- FANTASTIC SHOW!!!!!! Oh man, is this an event to see! Guys in the Pittsburgh, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York areas should definitely scramble to see these guys perform. I have a new found appreciation for Marshall Allen -- I think of him so much as "Sun Ra's band leader" that I never heard his own skills as leader, composer, player. Amazing. And to think that he and Grimes had never performed together before! We were hearing them practicing an hour before the show, but even during the concert, Allen would change sheets, point out instructions, and the two would fire away. And having a second bass player was a plus, giving it a double cello classical feel at times, and free for all plating madness at other times, but Grimes is certainly back and playing powerful stuff. Edited March 5, 2005 by Stefan Wood Quote
randissimo Posted March 5, 2005 Report Posted March 5, 2005 (edited) I plan to drive up to Blue Lake after drum lessons if the weather doesn't freak out Tuesday... There's a possible winter storm watch for that day... Edited March 5, 2005 by randissimo Quote
Lazaro Vega Posted March 6, 2005 Author Report Posted March 6, 2005 Tuesday night at 10 p.m. live on the web, too, if all goes well. The stream will be back up on Monday. www.bluelake.org Quote
alankin Posted March 6, 2005 Report Posted March 6, 2005 I hope to make his hometown gig: Henry Grimes/Marshall Allen duo — Slought Foundation, 4017 Walnut Street, Philadelphia Mar 18 (Fri) — 8-10 pm — $15 ($12 student) Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.