...best known for his mastery of pyrotechnic effects on the alto...
FROM WIKIPEDIA
Marshall Allen: Marshall Belford Allen (born in Louisville, Kentucky, May 25, 1924) is a free jazz and avant-garde jazz alto saxophone player. He also performs on flute, oboe, piccolo, and EVI (an electronic valve instrument made by the Akai company).
During the Second World War he enlisted in the 92nd Infantry Division and was stationed in France. [1] Allen studied alto saxophone in Paris and played in Europe with Art Simmons and James Moody.
He is best known for his mastery of pyrotechnic effects on the alto - he has said that he "wanted to play on a broader sound basis rather than on chords" (1971 interview with Tam Fiofori cited in[2]). The opportunity came through his long association with Sun Ra, with whom he performed almost exclusively from 1958 to Ra's death in 1993, although he did record outside the Arkestra, notably with Paul Bley's group in 1964 and also played with Olatunji's group during the mid-1960s. Critic Scott Yanow has described Allen's playing as "Johnny Hodges from another dimension."
Since the departure of Sun Ra and John Gilmore, Allen has led the Arkestra, and has recorded two albums as their bandleader. In May 2004, Allen celebrated his 80th birthday on stage with the Arkestra, as part of their performance at the Ninth Vision Festival in New York City.
Allen often appears in NYC-area collaborations with bassist Henry Grimes and has also participated in the "Outerzone Orchestra" together with Francisco Mora Catlett, Carl Craig and others in an appreciation of Sun Ra's music.
His original music and poetry was recorded for broadcast throughout the USA as part of the New American Radio Series.
Elliott Levin: Have you seen this man walking the streets of Philly? His signature single dread emits musical spores over sidewalks, music halls, and coffeehouses. Elliott is the ubiquitous Philadelphia musician. He has played with everyone...reading his poetry into his flute, literally, improvising with Charles Cohen, Rick Iannacone, and New Ghost, the list is long. A discography appears below. Elliott studied music and creative writing at the University of Oregon. He also studied extensively with Michael Guera (former saxophonist with thePhiladelphia Orchestra), Cecil Taylor (pianist/composer/improvisor), and Claire Polin (flutist/composer). Elliott has performed with groups including Cecil Taylor's Ensemble, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Odeon Popes' Sax Choir, Scram!, New Ghost, Atzilut (Fourth World), and Talking Free Bebop. He has collaborated in performance with poets Miguel Algarin, Gloria Tropp, Mbali Umoja, Marty Watt, and Frank Messina & Spoken Motion among many others. Venues have included Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The United Nations, The U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Yale University, The Greek Theater, Watts Towers, Lollapalooza! and scores of galleries, clubs and theaters. In 1999, he performed at the Crossing Borders Festival in the Hague, the Sexial Jazz Festival in Lisbon and Portugal, The Alternative Festival in Prague, and the Sonic Logos Festival in Philadelphia. Elliott has received awards from New American Radio (New York), The Cityof Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts and the California Endowment for the Humanities. A prolific poet, Eliott's work has appeared in L.A. Weekly, Blue Beat Jacket (Japan), The Painted Word, Po' Fly, Vital Pulse, Poets & Prophets, and Intervals: The Poems of Musicians (Beehive & Sisyphus Press). A book of Poetry by Elliott Levin was published in 1996 (Heat Press, Los Angeles). Born in 1953, Elliott Levin is a Philadelphia born and based jazz musician and poet. For ten years he toured the world with Harold Melvin & The Blue otes, as saxophonist in The Sound of Philadelphia band. His poetry has been published in several periodicals including the LA Weekly, Blue Beat acket (Japan), The Painted Word, Po' Fly, The Nile, Vital Pulse, Ozone, and Poets & Prophets. He regularly performs jazz and poetry with Gloria Tropp, Miguel Algarin, Cecil Taylor's groups Phthongas and Unit Core Ensemble, New Ghosts, Interplay and Talking Free Be-Bop. His original music and poetry was recorded for broadcast throughout the USA as part of the New American Radio Series. Elliott performed as solo, and in collaboration with Frank Messina at Lollapalooza in 1994, where they also jammed with Courtney Love in Phila. at a late night jam. He is currently a member also of drummer (Ornette Coleman, Blood Ulmer, Lounge Lizards)G. Calvin Weston's BIG TREE (www.calvinweston.com); Animus (world/fusion music); The Philadelphia Phenomenon (w/ Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Rick Iannacone, Calvin Weston). CURRENT RECORDINGS: "Live Upstairs At Nick's"- NEW GHOST (ESP-Disk, 2007)) "Secret Voices- No Time For Silence- with Tim Motzer, Enrico Marani, etc. (poetry & music- 1Krecordings, 2006) "Locked and Loaded"- Odean Pope's Saxophone Choir w/ Michael Brecker, James Carter, Joe Lovano, etc. (Halfnote Records, 2006) "Opportunities & Advantages" (original title-"ON IN ONONDAGA")w/Marshall Allen & Tyrone Hill- (CIMP Recs.) "The Light of Corona"; "Almeda"-Live in Berlin/ Cecil Taylor's Ensemble (F.M.P.) Alan Silva's Vision Orchestra (Eremite) The Motion of Emotion/ Elliott Levin Quartet, w/ Denis Charles (CIMP LTD, 1998) A Fine Intensity/ Elliott Levin-Tyrone Hill Quartet (CIMP Ltd, 1999) Souletide/ Elliott Levin-Tyrone Hill Quartet (CIMP Ltd, 2000) "NOW is Rising"- Earth People (Undivided Vision Records, 2005) "The Inner Realities Of Evolution"- Don Preston's Akashic Ensemble (Brain Records, 2002) "When We Were Young"- Calvin Weston's Big Tree (It's A Pleasure, 2001) "When I Was A Girl"- Iris Lord's The Divine Monochord (LordPatty Productions) "Biting The Tongue"- Frank Messina & Spoken Motion (Spokeface Records.1997) "Olduvai Music"- Olduvai (Tiwa Records) "Iltar"- Iltar (Tiwa Records) Poetry in Philadelphia (Welcome Worlds Cassettes) A Gift of Ghosts (New American Radio) Postcards from the Edge... On the Road (New American Radio) "The Fourth World"; "Atzilut" (Jack Kessler Productions) "Animus- Live at The Tin Angel"- Animus (Animus Productions) If It Dropped In Your Neighborhood You'd Look Up Too! (West Philadelphia Compilation -Starfish Productions).
Related Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Allen
http://www.myspace.com/elliottlevin
