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                              JD Allen — Barracoon (June 28, 2019) Pamela MÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃéndez ÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃÃâ Time (22 Feb 2019)•¬    Nesrovnatelný saxofonista JD Allen se vrací se svým 13. albem jako lídr, tentokrát ve společnosti dvou mladých rytmických stylistů, hrajících s tenoristickým titánem více než rok — basistou Ianem Kenselaarem a bubeníkem Nic Cacciopo. Barracoon obsahuje 10 úhledných a silných skladeb, které poskytují Allenově improvizačnímu prostředí širší prostor, protože přijatý styl se často opírá o avantgardní jazz a zároveň si zachovává pravou podstatu bluesového a amerického ducha. Hudebníci poprvé spojují své nadání do silného efektu, což demonstruje zuřivý apetit po otevření nových hranic.
Do you ever write entire compositions, or just melodies that are intended to spark improvisation?
•¬     I have some longer pieces, primarily that’s probably with piano. But I’m having this love affair with these short melodies, these little hooks. If you check out popular radio, which I do, you’ll notice that the whole idea of a bridge is even gone now. I haven’t heard a pop song with a bridge in maybe 20 years. So I kinda check out what the mainstream is doing, and how they’re attracting people, and it seems to be that they’re interested in the hooks, something that’s gonna grab someone right away, because you’ve got to realize that in today’s world, you’ve kinda got to get in fast and try to grab the listener as fast as you can, so if you come with an epic piece, it might get missed. People just don’t have time to check it out. I mean, I even check out commercials on television, trying to figure out how it is that they’re able to sell a product in 60 seconds. The heart of a commercial is getting your idea across in a certain amount of time, reaching people and getting to the point. So that’s what’s going on in the world, you know. Get in and get out.
Born: December 11, 1972, Detroit, Michigan
Location: New York, NY
Album release: June 28, 2019
Record Label: Savant Records
Duration:     59:24
Tracks:
01 Barracoon   4:11
02 G sus   7:00
03 The Goldilocks Zone   3:18
04 The Immortal (H. Lacks)   6:27
05 13   6:56
06 Beyond the Goldilocks Zone   4:52
07 Communion   8:18
08 EYE Scream   6:24
09 Ursa Major   6:07
10 When You Wish Upon a Star   5:51
Personnel:
•   JD ALLEN, tenor saxophone
•   Ian Kenselaar, bass
•   Nic Cacioppo, drums
Description:
•¬     JD Allen’s eighth recording for Savant Records finds the wildly inventive saxophonist returning to the sax~bass~drums format playing with his usual sizzling intensity and unveiling new works which challenge preconceptions which somehow engage the listeners rather than alienate them. His colleagues, Ian Kenselaar and Nic Cacioppo are with him every step of the way, reveling in the exploratory compositions of their leader and rising to the challenges they bring. JD Allen was hailed by New York Times jazz critic Ben Ratliff as tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and hard~driving style. He has be the winner of Downbeat, JazzTimes & NPR polls in categories including NPR’s Best Jazz of the Year, Tenor Saxophonist of the Year, Composer of the Year and Rising Star of the Year. Following up on 2016’s ground~breaking album, AMERICANA, (SCD 2155), BARRACOON (a lean~to or barracks to confine slaves) reflects Allen’s awareness of the 400th anniversary of the first arrival of unwilling slaves in what was to become the United States.  •¬    http://www.jazzdepot.com/
•¬    Hailed by the New York Times as “a tenor saxophonist with an enigmatic, elegant and hard~driving style,” JD Allen is a bright rising light on today’s international jazz scene. His unique and compelling voice on the instrument — the result of a patient and painstaking confrontation with the fundamentals of the art — has recently earned Allen a blaze of critical attention signaling his ascension to the upper ranks of the contemporary jazz world. Originally from Detroit, Allen’s apprenticeship, anchored by his lengthy tenure with Betty Carter, occurred largely in New York, where he worked with legends Lester Bowie, George Cables, Ron Carter, Louis Hayes, Frank Foster Big Band, Winard Harper, Butch Morris, David Murray, Wallace Roney. He added his voice to that of his contemporaries as well; Cindy Blackman, Eric Revis, Orrin Evans, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dave Douglas, Jeremy Pelt, Gerald Cleaver and Nigel Kennedy continue to call upon him to augment their musical visions. JD’s debut album, In Search Of... (Red Records, 1999), won him the Best New Artist award in Italy, and reviewers praised him for his compositions and conceptual boldness. His second release, Pharoah’s Children (Criss Cross, 2002), again won him accolades for its thoughtfulness, maturity, and adventurousness. One of Jazziz Magazine’s Critics Picks Top 10 Albums of the Year, the album was widely praised in the U.S. and Europe.
•¬    In 2008 Allen began an association with Sunnyside Records, which released I AM ― I AM featuring Gregg August (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums) and garnered rave reviews from the New York Times (Ben Ratliff’s Playlist), Time Out NY (music cover), All About Jazz, Jazzman, Jazz Wise and Downbeat. That year Allen appeared on NPR’s Jazz Perspectives, WNYC’s Soundcheck and WKCR’s Musician’s Show. Allen was named "Rising Star” in DownBeat’s 2011 Critic’s Poll as well as a finalist in the 2010, 2009 and 2008 polls.
•¬    In 2009, Allen released his follow~up Sunnyside recording, Shine! which seems to have detonated the trail of musical gunpowder he had long been putting down. He received TOP 10 ALBUM OF THE YEAR in over 25 publications worldwide including; NPR’S Top 5 Albums of 2009 (Shine!), JazzTimes Top 50 Albums of 2009 (Shine!), Village Voice #9 Jazz Album of the Year (Shine!), Boston Globe Top Jazz Album of the Year, 2009 (Shine!). Word~of~mouth praise for the album led Lorraine Gordon, owner of the famed and historic Village Vanguard to invite him and his trio for a weeklong stint. The engagement was met with relentless coverage from the cultural press: Time Out New York selected his engagement as its top musical attraction for that week; he appeared on WNYC’s Leonard Lopate Show; his work was again discussed by Ben Ratliff on WBGO’ Josh Jackson’s show; and the New York Times reviewed his residency, commending Allen for his trio’s “fearless approach to a formidable tradition.” Allen’s final trio record with the label, VICTORY!, (Sunnyside) garnered Director Mario Lathan’s biographical short film on Allen the 2011 Jazz Journalist Association (JJA) award for BEST SHORT FILM and has received worldwide recognition including a feature on NPR’s First Listen, an in~depth piece in the June issue of JazzTimes and 4**** stars from Downbeat.
Fan FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheJDALLENfanpage/  
Interview. Written by Burning Amblulance:
•¬ https://burningambulance.com/2011/05/16/interview-jd-allen/ 
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