Red Allen Chapters 9 - The Jazz Archive

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IT DON'T MEAN A THING - Steve Voce in Jazz Journal, June 1964, p.14-15
The First jazz Critic? 'Fate Marable? He couldn't hit a piano with a brickt !' - -Jelly Roll Morton.
Own Up – After my rather gloomy last band) and Danny Moss on tenors, Fred Perhaps the finest new acquaintance was
paragraph in the May issue, things took a Hunt on piano and the drumming of G.E.Lambert, whom I had always
rum on the up-grade, so that in one Johnny Armitage and Lennie Hastings. visualised as a rather dignified and staid
fortnight
I've left out Bruce Turner? Deliberately, jazz chronicler (a lot of them are, you
I heard in more or less ideal surroun- for Bruce in his own way topped them all. know). However, his real name is Eddie
dings the music of Red Allen, the Folk It was obvious that he and Allen had an and he turned out to be a magnificent
Blues Caravan, Champion Jack Dupree, immediate and instinctive fusion of fall-about specialist who goes off like a
Alex Welsh, Bruce Turner, Humphrey styles, reacting upon each other to cuckoo clock after a fixed number of
Lyttelton, Sandy Brown and Al Fair- produce a remarkable series of what I pints. We got on well.
weather and a very good Manchester can only describe as jazz orgasms. (One The emotional scenes at Red's last date
band called the Art Taylor All Stars. In has to find some alternative to 'empathy'). over here (at the Guild) didn't seem a bit
addition there were sundry revivalist Really it is invidious to choose between out of place, and he seemed sincere when
bands. I missed Stan Getz in London by the accompanying bands, because they he said that it was the greatest night of
two days, the Modern Jazz Quartet by a all played so far above them-selves that his life since he joined Luis Russell in
long hangover, and a cursory search of on each evening one found oneself the 'twenties. Jenks made a short and
the capital failed to unearth Mark thinking well this must be it
well thought out speech and on behalf of
Murphy - still, they were all around and Things which hit me from a personal the club presented the trumpet player
performing in their various ways, point of view were the stimulating with an elegant tea ser-vice suitably and
providing us with a brilliant, if tempo- comparisons between Alex's and Red's thoughtfully inscribed to Red's wife. Then
rary, jazz scene.
playing (Alex is badly underrated), the Alex, on behalf of the band, came
As if all this wasn't enough, I managed to remarkable way in which Roy Crimmins through with an engraved silver tankard.
engage our founder Mr. Traill in three always manages to blow his hat exactly Red was quite overcome, and it was one
boozing fixtures, one home and two when one would expect him to, the of those nights when Dorothy Kilgallen
away. He. kept his unbeaten record. beautiful accompaniments to Allen's would have said there was a lot of love
Rolling Stoned - I was very interested in vocals from Al Gay, and the way in flying around. I hate to join such maw-
the Melody Maker report that the Sport which Red responded when Danny Moss kish ranks, but I think that there was.
club was negotiating to bring over Ameri- apparently hit a Chu Berry groove. And yet the tour wasn't a complete
can tenorist Zoot Finster. Particularly And the realisation that, after Dave success. At one large ballroom where
since Finster was invented by George Tough, Don Lamond and Buddy Rich, Red played during the tour with Alex,
Crater of Down-beat. Some kind of mass Johnny Armitage is the drummer I most Jack Swinnerton was disturbed by the
hallucination, maybe.
like to listen to.
fact that there were only a handful of
I suppose it was the chap who writes the Which brings me to Red Allen. Here is a people present, most of whom obviously
bits about the Beatles and Rolling Stones man who played 100 per cent jazz, who didn't realise that Red was supposed to
who did the Jazz Beat review of the latest obviously lives jazz and who was so be a special attraction.
Roland Kirk LP with Benny Golson: good that one feels lost for words to He went over and asked the promoter if
'I must confess I have no idea what it is describe his playing. Certainly he more there would be more people in later. 'Oh
all about. If I were asked to pick a than fulfilled every expectation and not no,' said the promoter rather vaguely,
subtitle I'd call it music for a nervous one of his listeners could com-plain of not "we never get more than this unless we
breakdown.'
getting their money's worth.
advertise."
In addition to the normal crop of printer's I wish that Stanley Dance could have In retrospect one realises that there are
errors (nobody's infallible) George Ellis been present on these nights to see how going to be a lot of Red Allen quotes in
manages to get my name down as Vosene. well British bands can play. I'll lay odds the future. Peter Clayton has already
But the best piece in the May issue deals that wherever he was at that time he bagged a couple that I was going to use,
with Red Allen's visit to Manchester wasn't listening to anything half as good but there were so many that it doesn't
during the early part of April:
as this. He should advise Mad Dan from seem to matter.
'Red Allen, according to that dicky bird, is Beccles to join the M.S.G. without delay, Asked why he was called 'Red', Allen
to play four days at the Manchester because it looks like he missed the most said that it was because it was easier to
Sports Guild. ... If the dates come off, entirely satisfying international jazz spell than Henry. He almost gave some
they'll be worth making a note of.' integration since Rex played with Django. technical advice to Alan Littlejohn of
This issue of Yazz Beat appeared on the Perhaps the ideal surroundings of the Record Specialities. Alan has been
news stand the day Red flew back to the Manchester Sports Guild had a lot to do playing flugelhom lately and asked Red
States. Still, there's nothing like waiting with the phenomenon. Allen was brought for his opinion. 'Don't mess with that,
and being sure.
over (with shrewd musical judgement) man. All anybody ever got from one of
We Found Out Who Stole Gabriel's on the basis of his playing, and not with them things was round shoulders.'
Horn – If Red Allen ever does sell that a view to how much profit could be And there was all the new stuff about
house for sale in Harlem, I'm sure he'll made out of him - was this the most Jelly Roll Morton. Red was in Jelly's
have no trouble finding permanent glorious of all jazz financial failures? band for some time and, at a late period in
accommodation in Manchester. Apart Everyone who heard Red should face the the 'thirties, went out on a road tour of
from his musical qualities, Red is one of direction of L.C Jenkins and Jack some of the more obscure American
those men one occasionally meets and Swinnerton and bow low. The informal towns. At each town they came to, Jelly
respects on sight. Somebody remarked attitude of the club (with Jenks roaming would boast about his alleged acquain-
that we haven't had anyone over here round in carpet slippers and open-necked tanceship with anyone of any importance
with such a nice personality since Jack shirt) belies the enormous organisational in the community.
Teagarden came, and I think that this is true. capacity which automatically and One right they were driving through this
At the Manchester Sports Guild we had efficiently drains teds and potential tank town with Jelly at the wheel and, as
this unbelievable feast - the chance to troublemakers politely off into the night usual, he began his recital of all the local
absorb a total of five nights' sessions by before they actually put foot across the notables who were proud to know the
one great jazz musician, and also to door step. I also met several people for great Jelly Roll. As usual the musicians
watch the enormous effect that his the first time, including George Ellis (I in the car ignored all this and,
playing had or our leading bands. didn't know about the 'Vosene' bit then) - interrupting him, Red said 'Watch it,
Apart from Red's horn, the highlights although I was naturally rather upset to Jelly baby, you're way over the speed
came from Welsh's trumpet, Roy Crim- find out that Peter Clayton and Gerald limit.' Jelly continued to talk and to
mins and Pete Strange on trombones, Al Lascelles had left town when they heard speed, telling Red not to worry because
Gay (unfortunately leaving the Welsh that my arrival was imminent.
he knew everybody that mattered around