Red Allen Chapters 9 - The Jazz Archive

- 93 - 

“HENRY"RED"ALLEN IS THE MOST AVANTGARDE TRUMPET PLAYER IN NEW YORK CITY” 

by Don Ellis 

ALGIERS BOUNCE ; LOVER COME BACK 

Chapter-9: Red Allen Quartet at the Metropole part-2: April '61- July '65; 

& at the Embers 1961-62, London House, Chicago 1961-62, e.t.c. 

1961 NBC-Chicago & All That Jazz ; April 1964 England – TOUR with local bands 

2/21/61 N.Y.C. VELMA MIDDLETON BENEFIT(died Feb.10) 

(a longer article about Velma in NYAN-2/25/61p13 reprinted in JAZZ AD. Vol.3p1051). 

Jack Bradley Bul.H.C.F.No.107-April-61: 

Un service funèbre ci été célébré pour Velma à 

l'Eglise Baptiste de Harlem (Convent Avenue) 

le 21 février dernier. La journée était chaude et 

pleine de soleil, et le trottoir devant le temple 

plein de monde, cor Velma avait beaucop 

d'amis et d'admirateurs. Quel-que chose de très 

solennel et recueilli flot-tait parmi ces petits 

groupes qui attendaient le moment d'entrer dans 

le temple. Il y avait Henry Allen, Cozy Cole, 

Peanuts Hucko d'un côté; puis Higginbotham, 

Danny Barker, et Sam Theard 

(l'auteur de Spo-De-O-De, You rascal you, 

Let the good time roll). Il y avait aussi un 

très cher ami de Louis Armstrong, 

Slim Thomson, qu'on repérait facilement 

dans la foule car il est très grand et il 

dépassait tout le monde d'une tête. Dans le 

cortège funèbre, on remarquait Beulah 

Bryant, Slim et Timmie Rodgers; et, assis 

dans les tout premiers rangs, Milton Gabler 

et Joe Glaser. 

Le temple, très grand, était comble et rempli 

de fleurs. Un choeur chanta. « Abide with 

Me » et « Just a closer walk with Thee », cet 

hymne étant, nous fut-il dit, un des airs favoris 

de Velma. Dons l'éloge funèbre, il fut mentionné 

le fait que Velma avait trava il dans 

l'orchestre Armstrong pendant 18 ans. Et le 

cercueil fut enlevé et posé sur le corbillard. 

La cérémonie était terminée. 

3/18/61 Cedar Hill Country Club, Livingston, 3rd annual "Pace Setters" dinner, Henry "Red" Allen and 

his all star jazz band; unknown source and date; prob. 3/18/61 Sat., before he started with his Quartet; 

(undated souirce out of Red Allen´s scrapbook - another possibly date would be only 3/18/50 Sat. when 

Red Allen played in Minneapolis-The Dome 3/11-4/1/50) 

Will Entertain For 'Pace Setters' - Dancing and entertainment will be featured at the third 

annual "Pace Setters" dinner, Young Men's Division, United Jewish Appeal of Essex County, on 

Saturday, March 18, at 6:30 P.M. at the Cedar Hill Country Club, Livingston, it was announced by 

Harold H. Goldberg, Jr. "Pace Setters" chairman, Henry "Red" Allen and his all star jazz band. 

HENRY "RED" ALLEN, Goldberg urged all those invited to respond prom-ptly by mailing in their 

paid reservations to him at the office of the UJA Young Men's Division, 32 Central Ave., Newark 2. 

April-61, N.Y.C.-Embers - Red Allen Quartet - Sammy Price, Franklin Skeete, Jerry Potter. 

Will be followed by the Erskine Hawkins Quartet and the Eddie Heywood Trio on April 24th. Coda 5/61) 

DIED IN AFRICA - Velma 

Middleton, singer with Louis 

Armstrong´s jazz band, died in a 

hospital last week in Sierra Leone. 

The 45-year-old vocalist, a native 

of Oklahoma, grew up in St.Louis. 

She collapsed on Jan.16 and had 

been ill since. NYAN:6/18/61p14 

4/14/61 NYC., THE SWINGVILLE ALL STARS: Joe Newman (t) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Jimmy Hamilton (cl) Hilton 

Jefferson (as) Coleman Hawkins (ts) Claude Hopkins (p) Lloyd"Tiny"Grimes (g) Wendell Marshall (b) Billy English(d) 

9:32 Jammin´ In Swingville Swingv.2025/Swingv.4001/Prestige 4051/-P-24051/JCH-CD-10 

10:45 Spring´s Swing Swingv.2024/ --- / --- / --- /JCH-CD-09 

7:56 Love Me Or Leave Me --- / --- / --- / --- /JCH-CD-10 

7:18 Cool Sunrise Swingv.2025/ --- / --- / --- /JCH-CD-10

- 93a - Addenda 

4/28-4/30/61, N.Y.C. at the 143rd St.Armory "Indoor Jazz Festival for the benefit of the NAACP Freedom Fund" – 

NYAN-3/11/61p17: The N.Y. Branch NAACP's Down Beat 4/13/6l: ... A brainchild of pianist Sammy Price, it will benefit 

Fund Raising Committee is behind Harlem's first from his long experience in almost every field of entertainment. In five 

Jazz Festival, set for April 28, 29 and 30 at the or six different locations in the armory, Sammy plans what he calls "side 

369th Armory. Tentative lineup is as follows: First shows," featuring small groups playing prior to the main program. (These 

night – Dinah Washington, Gerry Mulligan, musicians will eventually join the mammoth "forty-man jam session" 

Henry”Red”Allen and the Modern Jazz Quartet. which will end each concert.) More than loo musicians are scheduled to 

Second night-Duke Ellington (it's his birthday, perform, among them Louis Armstrong, Gerry Mulligan, Duke 

too), Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan and Sonny Ellington, Cannonball Adderley, Charles Mingus, Red Allen, the 

Stitt. Third night-Louis Armstrong, Cannonball Modern Jazz Quartet, and Horace Silver. A Cadillac will serve as a door 

Adderley, Horace Silver, Jimmy Giuffre and Oscar price, and other prices will awarded to the winners of an international jazz 

Brown Jr. There'll be more on this. 

competition in which at least eight countries will have entries. 

5/26/61 Fr., NYC., Apollo Theatre – Mammoth Midnight Show – Red Allen & 

his Combo, Buddy Allen & His Combo, Dizzy Gillespie , Sarah Vaughan, 

Thelma Carpenter, Nipsey Russell, The Drifters, Noble Sissle, Eubie 

Blake,etc. NYAN-5/27p19: Huge Midnight Show To Benefit Church 

A huge Midnite Show, for the benefit 

of the Abyssinian Baptist Church 

building program, is being held at the 

Apollo Theatre on Friday, May 26. 

Among the top stars scheduled in 

appear are Nipsey Russell, Ed Sullivan, 

Jackie Wilson, Sarah Vaughan, 

The Drifters, Ruby Dee and Ossie 

Davis, Timmie Rogers, John Bubbles, 

George Wilshire, Bo Didley, Noble 

Sissle, and Eubie Blake. 

Also Dizzy Gillespie, Sugar Ray 

Robinson, Roy smeck, Lord Westbrook, 

Thelma Carpenter, Bennie 

Benjamin, Mortin Dalton, Laurence 

above due to p89 (60/8/6) & p90 (60/11/21) 

5/30 – 6/18/61, Chicago, London House – 

Red Allen & his Quartet; also recorded 

(88) Keya, Steve Pulliams Jazz 

quartet, Buddy Allen and Faye 

Adams. 

Also Red Allen & his Combo, 

Jackie (Moms) Mabley, Sonny 

Greer, the Copasetics and Dottie 

Salters. 

Abyssinian has recently purchased 

the YWCA building which is 

adjacent to the church at a cost of 

$450.000. The building will be used 

to house the church´s Senior 

Citizens. It will also be used as a 

recreational and educational center 

for the young members.

- 94 - 

between 5/30 -6/18 or 7/1-7/15/61 Chic.-London House; 9/15/61 WBBM "THE BEST BANDS IN THE LAND ON ONE NIGHT 

STAND" - HENRY RED ALLEN QUARTET: Red Allen (t,v) Sammy Price(p) Frank Skeete (b) Jerry Potter (d) 

/Fanfare Rec./ 

ONS-5433 1:04 theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE -ann.by ……. (H.Allen) / No.24-124 /RA-CD-22 

3:58 LOVER COME BACK TO ME (S.Romberg) --- /RA-CD-22/ 

3:54 DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS (L.Alter) --- /RA-CD-22 

4:22 TENDERLY (W.Gross) --- /RA-CD-22 

5:51 BILL BAILEY, WON´T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) --- /RA-CD-22 

6:41 ROSETTA (E.Hines-H.Wood) --- /RA-CD-22 

2:06 ALL OF ME (Simon-Mark) --- /RA-CD-22 

0:36 theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE -ann.by --- /RA-CD-22 

same date & location; 9/22/61 WBBM-ONS: same as above 

ONS-5438 0:24 theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE -ann.by …...... --- / RA-CD-22 

3:23 BALLIN´ THE JACK (Smith-Burris) --- / RA-CD-22 

4.16 SNOWY MORNING BLUES (James P.Johnson) --- / RA-CD-22 

4:41 AUTUMN LEAVES (J.Kosma) --- / RA-CD-22 

7:30 LOVE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER (L.Robin-L.Gensler) --- / RA-CD-22 

6:52 BASIN STREET BLUES (Spencer Williams) --- / RA-CD-22 

1:26 theme.- ALGIERS BOUNCE (H.Allen) --- / RA-CD-22 

Gilbert M.Erskine - "RED ALLEN AT LONDON HOUSE, Chicago" in Down Beat 8/3/61: 

Chicago's London House is, like the Embers 

and the Round-table in New York, one of 

those places where the talk is usually louder 

than the music. Most musicians react to such 

surroundings with different degrees of 

detachment. But Allen, somewhere along the 

way, has learned to cope successfully with 

this, and he does so without compromising 

his music and without going into a gaudy 

vaudeville act. 

Physically, Allen is a massive man. On the 

bandstand, towering over everyone, he leans 

over and pelts the audience with rhythmic 

shouts and roars, compelling attention and 

making conversation all but impossible. The 

net effect is that the crowd is drawn into each 

performance and is constrained to make a 

response. 

Of all the recent trumpet quartets, this is 

easily the most interesting. Allen's trumpet 

lines, played usually with cloth-draped bell 

or with mute, are warm, flowing, and tasty. 

He restricts himself almost entirely to the 

middle and low registers; his trumpet 

conception, in fact, may be described as the 

antithesis of his flamboyant stage manner. 

Price was an excellent choice for this group. 

Whether he is soloing or accompanying, he 

plays in a remarkable chordal style: thick 

clusters of notes bolting up in his swinging, 

almost stomplike, approach to the piano. 

One of the numbers the group features is The 

Price Is Right (recorded 1/9/62), a tune with a 

Tin Pan Alley title, but which is really an 

old Kansas City boogie woogie. In Price's 

hands it became something of a tour de force 

that transformed the room into a down-home 

camp meeting. 

Skeete and Potter are strong and alert rhythm 

men, and both solo with good sense and 

good taste. Skeete has a big, vibrant sound 

that cuts through everything. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Bill Esposito on Fanfare 24-124: (incl. also session at 9/22): 

To begin with, Chicago's London House is a great spot, 

whether or not you want a drink or a steak, and when Henry 

"Red" Allen played there, as this recording captured, it was, 

you could say, a few steps in the general direction of heaven. 

"Red"Allen is one of the distinct and deft voices in jazz, a 

man whose trumpet stylings crossed over several lines and 

many territories. Unfortunately for him, such a "catholic" 

approach, and mind that small "c" for a full understanding, 

lent him to considerable criticism over the years. He was 

stamped as a New Orleans man, a Dixieland man, a traditionalist 

and while he was at home in these waters, he could 

and did swim swiftly and successfully in other ponds. 

Indeed, I recall a well known critic and author, Rudi Blesh, 

once describing Red's efforts as "the S.S,52nd St.," meaning 

that Red, appearing at a Dixieland concert or some such 

bash, was out of place. Just looming into 52nd St., or Swing 

Street at the time Blesh wrote that, were Charlie Parker and 

Dizzy Gillespie and the beboppers and other citizens such as 

Coleman Hawkins, Don Byas, Art Tatum, Tiny Grimes, et al. 

Allen thus suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous 

critics and more outrageous critique. He was dammed with 

faint praise (or is that praised with faint damns) by both sides 

of jazz's famous war, which bounced up on the pages of 

music magazins and in various books, pamphlets and 

publications as World War II ended. The intellectual had 

discovered jazz, had read into a social message and had 

injected into it something that was never there, a racial 

overtone. The egghead discussed it by tapping his shell in 

deep thought and not just tapping his toe and ordering 

another beer. 

Thus we had the progressive colony, the first elements of 

the avantegarde jazz (“I play shoes, Daddy, my solo work is 

The quartet features a variety 

of tunes from the back years 

of jazz and will play almost 

anything from traditional and 

mainstream schools. A lot of 

it is swinging fun. 

on firm ground, man") and the entrance into jazz of the far-out 

thinker, the poet and the revolutionary whose contribution was 

a flock of four letter obsceneties met with gushing approval by 

the guilt ridden gaggle ... and we had the mouldy fugges, those 

who thought jazz ended somewhere before the stock market 

crash, people who would not listen to a record made after 

1930 unless it was a Bunk Johnson revivel or Turk Murphy 

playing note for note something like "Snake Rag." 

No one paid attention to the great music of the time and 

even today you'll hear jazz buffs say that jazz was on the

downward slide in the late 1940's and through the fifties and 

into the early 1960's ... The solid and reputable jazz of those 

years, bereft of the publicity attendant to the Big Band Era, 

was buried deep, drowned by the flowing prose of the 

intellectual who kept saying jazz was an art form. To which 

an old friend of Red Allen's, Eddie Condon, once snapped, 

"canning peaches is an art form!" 

Here we have "Red" in two performances at the London 

House, with the venerable Sammy Price on piano, Franklin 

Skeete on bass and Jerry Potter on drums. The boys play 

some evergreens, like "DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS 

TO MISS NEW ORLEANS," but they do not type-cast 

themselfes. All right, I know Allen was born in New Orleans 

but so was Lester Young. Must “Red” always remain in 

Louis Armstrong's shadow, as did another stand-out horn, 

that of Oran "Hot Lips" Page! You want to dig “Red” when 

he was young and hungry! Trot out the Fletcher Henderson 

version of QUEER NOTIONS and listen in. Or, better yet, 

play this one ... listen to "Red" on such things as 

TENDERLY, and AUTUMN LEAVES and in a more 

finger snapping mood, ALL OF ME and LOVE IS JUST 

AROUND THE CORNER. You get the point... here was 

one great jazzman, adept in all ways, articulate on his 

instrument and most liberal in his ideas, his creativity, his 

attitude. 

To go further on this "type-casting" aura that has chocked 

many musicians, pay some attention to Sam Price ... come on 

, listen up there ... follow "Red's" instruction at the end of the 

number to "play it again, Sam." I guess he saw that movie, 

too. 

Price, born in Honey Grove, Texas and there's a name for 

you, is a sound and tested music , yet he's locked into the 

barrelhouse and boogie woogie syndrome. He plays excellently 

in those areas, rollicking, rocking piano, but that's not 

his entire bag and it never was. As a young man he pursued 

classical piano (studied with Booker T.Washington's daughter) 

and he knows his way up and down the keyboard ... dig him 

on those ballads ... a nice touch, a gentle swing, a relaxed 

approach. Try him and Allen on the old Earl Hines 

standby, ROSETTA, and then move along faster with BILL 

Jack Sohmer about FANFARE-24-124 in IAJRC-?p25: 

It may come as somewhat of a shock to newer devotees 

of our music, but the fact is that there is as much prejudicial 

thinking within the world of jazz as there is outside of it. I 

do not refer necessarily to racial or religious prejudice, 

but to a sort equally frustrating to the artist. This is 

aesthetic or stylistic prejudice, a form of bigotry so 

pernicious that at one time it threatened to split the jazz 

world in two. Happily most of us have come of age in the 

ensuing years. We have learned that different types of jazz 

can coexist peacefully, each pursuing its own aesthetic 

goals, each a dominant source of enlightenment and 

pleasure within its own milieu. But there are still the 

victims to care for, those who served no king but 

themselves, who claimed no allegiance to any doctrine 

save their own, yet who remain exiled in a no man's land 

of jazz, forever disowned, forever rejected - and simply 

because of critical myopia. 

Henry "Red" Allen was undeniably a major casualty of 

jazz' internecine struggles. A far-seeking visionary at a 

time when dance bands were still using banjos, he lived to 

find himself degraded as a cheapened sideshow minstrel 

playing noisy, caricatured dixieland in a sleazy New York 

tourist trap to an audience of drunken servicemen, dissolute 

prodigals, and world-weary street-walkers. Red may have 

hated the Metropole and everything it stood for, but he 

also had to earn a living. True, he played to the crowds in 

order to survive but spiritually, as well as physically, he 

loomed far above them. He had long before learned that 

the creative artist must find his own way In a hostile, 

uncaring environment, and if it meant public submission 

of his own interests for a few hours a night, so be it. 

Every now and then, though, he simply had to break 

loose. He had to play what he wanted to play. 

When Red was fortunate enough to find respite from the 

Metropole and Central Plaza - that even more depressing 

Philistine fortress hidden in the bowels of Manhattan – he 

- 95 - 

BAILEY COMING HOME. Here is a master of piano, much 

more a musician in depth than the one dimensional player the 

jazz media has made him out to be. Price is a pianist whom 

any style of jazz can turn to and if I almost ended a sentence 

with a preposition I at least was working on a sound 

proposition. 

The September 22 date opens with a blast as you spread 

your living arms out into space, do the eagle rock with style 

and grace, put your both feet out and swing them back, 'cause 

that's what they call BALLIN' THE JACK. Too bad Red didn't 

sing this one, its five meaning lyrics always graceful to the ear 

and Red's gutteral growl had the gumption this one requires. 

Red and the boys came to play this night, and you can hear the 

audience sound off their appreciation. Better, you can hear the 

boys urge each other along and that's the best praise for a 

jazzman, to be appreciated by another jazzmen. 

If what I said about Price a few lines back didn't sink in, well 

it ought to if you listen to SNOWY MORNING BLUES. 

Sammy handles Jame P.Johnson's standard in grand style. He's 

still active as this is written and frequently is heard on the jazz 

shows produced by WKCR, Columbia University's student 

station, run by young men who have a good feeling for jazz 

and a fine manner of presenting it. 

BASIN STREET BLUES, a jazz anthem to many although 

that's stretching the point about 64 bars (how about HOW 

HIGH THE MOON, ONE O'CLOCK JUMP, BODY AND 

SOUL, send in your choice of jazz´s anthem with the cover of 

an Ornette Coleman LP... ) typifies the Allen quartet and 

showcases this grand old-timer, who had the face of a sad, sad 

bloodhound but the heart of a happy child and the soul of a 

man that made him credit to his Creator. The old chest-nut gets 

into a deep water groove, swings mightily (the audience joins 

in with handclapping, on the wrong beat as usual) and Red has 

a field day, as do Skeete Potter and particulary Price. If this 

doesn't get to you then go to jail, do not pass "Go," do not 

collect the $200. 

My favourite Red Allen offering asks WHO STOLE THE 

LOCK! and details how he was down in the henhouse on his 

knees, thought he heard a chicken sneeze. But this will do for 

my tastes ... this will do fine, indeed. 

literally plunged into the rejuvenating waters of selffullfillment. 

Reveling in the luxury of artistic independence, 

he was free to indulge himself in all manner of musical 

subtleties and especially in that form he had helped father - 

the jazz ballad. His requirements for such brief psychic 

retreats were really quite modest. All he needed was a 

compatible rhythm section. The knowledge that he did not 

have to play “The Saints” every set made everything that 

much nicer. 

Once of the several far-removed havens in which Red 

found periodic relief, Chicago London House, afforded the 

trumpet player not only for musical freedom, but peace of 

mind as well. And probably not since his classic small band 

recording dates of the thirties did he sound as relaxed as 

when ensconced in his polite eatery. He was able to give 

free rein to his customarily submerged inventiveness, and, 

because the acoustics of the room obviated the need for 

excessive volume, he could devote his full attention to 

tonal nuance. … 

The proof is all here. With the masterful stride piano of 

Sammy Price sharing the honors, and the yeomanly rhythm 

team of Skeete and Potter providing the right balance of 

urgency and restraint, Red sounds more at home than he 

ever did on his own turf, that mixed metaphor of security 

and frustration that constituted his gigs in New York. The 

sound quality of the London House remotes was remarkably 

realistic, as those familiar with the 1963 Coleman 

Hawkins airchecks will already know. But only close Allen 

aticionados will recognize that Price was his pianist on the 

long deleted Columbia quartet album ("Feeling Good", CL 

2447) and that Skeete and Potter were his choices for the 

equally elusive Swingville set ("Mr. Allen", SV-2034), 

testimonial enough to indicate their familiarity with the 

highly personal and unpredictable style that has yet, even 

today, to receive its proper recognition.

- 96 - 

6/17-6/29/61, N.Y.C., Embers - Henry Red Allen, 6/26-7/1: Jonah Jones, Cecil Lloyd; 7/1-7/15: Peter 

Nero; 7/15-7/29/61, N.Y.C. Embers - Henry Red Allen; Village Voice-June-66; 

Down Beat 6/22/61: Down Beat's Combo Directory: “Red Allen Combo” 

Martin Williams “HENRY RED”: … By the Sixties, the downstairs Metropole had rock-and-roll 

twist bands in the afternoon, and in the evening might feature Woody Herman´s big band strung out 

along the bandstand, or Gillespie, or (more often than not) Red Allen. 

Red Allen Jr. meanwhile had also moved on to a different milieu, and there he was plaving a 

somewhat different and sometimes more appropriate repertory. He began at first at the Embers in 

New York, where he appeared with piano, bass, and drums, in a repertory of standards, ballads. 

and blues. in slow medium, and occasionally fast tempos. 

The Embers was still another phenomenon in the presentation of jazz in night clubs, a relatively 

posh East Side club which began as a result of the early popularization of modern jazz (or 

sometimes "almost modern" jazz) in the groups of George Shearing, Oscar Peterson, etc. But the 

Embers achieved its greatest success when it put in swing-style trumpeter Jonah Jones, with his 

horn always muted (it´s in the club contracts) to accommodate the sometimes high-pitched buzz of 

animated after-theatre conversation from the customers. To spell off Jones´ successful 

engagements, the club used swing-era trumpeters like Charlie Shavers, Cootie Williams, Erskine 

Hawkins, Rex Stewart, trombonist Tyree Glenn , and Red Allen . As a result, Allen has also 

played what might be called the Embers circuit of similar clubs in Chicago. Cleveland, Toronto, etc. 

mid Aug.61, New Orleans & Algiers , Red Allen - vaccation 

8/19 until 9/2, Cleveland, Ohio – Hickory Grill , Henry Red Allen Quartet (for Peter Nero until 8/19) 

sources : Jazz Report Vol.2 No.1 (Sept.61) / according to the below article he used his own quartet but at 

least Sammy Price, and not those local rhythm group described by John Chilton in “Ride, Red, Ride” 

p169 about Red's problems with this group; 

JAZZ SCENE – HE HAD IT ONCE, BUT IT´S ALL GONE NOW 

By PATRICIK SCOTT: 

Globe Mail, Toronto, 8/19/61p95 

Partly because we have the same birth-day 

(give or take a year or two), partly because 

he is so obviously trying his damnedest to 

please. and mainly because I'regard him as 

having been one of the 10 or 12 best 

trumpeters in jazz, it grieves me to have to 

report that the sort of jazz Henry (Red) 

Allen has been playing this week at the 

Town comes perilously close to being jazz 

at its worst. 

Is there anything more distressing, in any 

field of endeavor, than the spectacle of one 

who once had it, and has it no more? -I 

tink I would rather see or hear the bum 

who never had it, and never will. 

What has happened, somewhere along 

the line, to the Henry (Red) Allen who 

once made recordings like Heartbreak 

Blues and There's a House in Harlem 

for Sale and I'm on My Way From You? 

It could be, I suppose, a severe case, of 

shell-shock, from all those years in the 

Metropole trenches; or it could be 

related, somehow, to the same relentless 

deterioration in the work of other aging, 

once-great jazzmen: Mr. Allen never 

8/16/61 NYC., ALBERTA HUNTER (v) & VICTORIA SPIVEY (v,p) acc.by 

J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Buster Bailey (cl) Cliff Jackson (p) Sidney De Paris(bb) 

Zutty Singleton(d) 

3:14 I Got Myself A Workin' Man -vAH (A.Hunter) Prest. 1 052/ JCH-CD-10 

4:06 Black Snake Blues -v&pVS (V. Spivey) --- / JCH-CD-10 

2:40 I Got A Mind To Ramble -vAH (A.Hunter) --- / JCH-CD-10 

4:45 Going Blues v&pVS (V.Spivey) --- / JCH-CD-10 

2:40 You Gotta Reap Just What You Sow -vAH (A.Hunter) --- / JCH-CD-10 

3:07 I Got The Blues So Bad -vVS (V. Spivey) --- / JCH-CD-10 

3:30 Chirpin' The Blues -vAH (A.Hunter) --- / JCH-CD-10 

2:58 Let Him Beat Me -vVS (V.Spivey) --- / JCH-CD-10 

was any better, and is not much worse 

now, than such faded contemporaries as 

J.C.Higginbotham, Dicky Wells, 

Coleman Hawkins, Jonah Jones, Muggsy 

Spanier, Rex Stewart, Benny Goodman 

(and, on the really dark nights, Daniel 

Joseph Louis Amstrong). 

He is 53 - which is old for a jazzman - 

but if the aging process is the whole 

answer, how am I to account for such 

other greybeards as Vic Dickenson, 

Edmond Hall, Wild Bill Davison, Bud 

Freeman and Pee Wee Russell, who 

sound better every time I hear them? I 

wish I knew. 

And I wish I knew why Mr. Allen has 

not been singing this week. He is (or 

was) one of the great jazz singers. His 

1935 rendition of Body And Soul is the 

best, bar none, of this number on record, 

and as recently as a couple of years ago 

his reading of Rosetta on The Sound of 

Jazz, was almost as good. 

Anyway - his pianist, Sammy Price; is 

well worth a listen. especially when 

imitating a man with four. hands, but I 

would rather have heard him without 

Mr. Allen, whom I would rather, quite 

frankly, not have heard at all. 

-------------------------------------------------- 

HIGGINBOTHAM IS MUGGED 

J.C.Higginbotham, well-known 

trombonist, was mugged in the 

elevator . of his home at 152 W. 118th 

Moday afternoon. 

The popular musician, who had 

played a date in Providence, R.I. 

Monday night, told police, he entered 

the elevator around 5 P.M.-and the 

male occupant applied some kind of 

pressure on his throat causing him to 

pass out. 

Although he had two checks worth 

over $300 in one pocket, the assailant 

only got 25 in cash which Higginbotham 

was carrying in another pocket. 

NYAN-8/5/61p16

Reactions to the idea of New Orleans 

as "the cradle of jazz" till have begun to 

set in - inevitably, I suppose. It has even 

been said that the whole idea is built on 

the towering status of Louis Armstrong, 

and little else, an attitude which leaves 

the reputation of such men as King 

Oliver, Freddy Keppard, Jelly Roll 

Morton, Kid Ory, Tommy Ladnier, 

Johnny and Baby Dodds, Jimmy Noone, 

Sidney Bechet, Barney Bigard, Zutty 

Singleton, and Wellman Braud unaccounted 

for. It also leaves out a trumpeter of a 

generation and a style a bit later than 

Armstrong's: Henry "Red" Allen, Jr. 

New Orleans also gave jazz a durable 

style which was popularized as "Dixieland," 

and especially since he is from 

New Orleans, Red Allen has become 

more and more associated with contemporary 

quasi-Dixieland playing - as have 

most trumpeters of the 30's. But good 

New Orleans-Dixieland jazz is primarily 

an ensemble style, and Red Allen is not 

really an ensemble player. He is a soloist, 

and the differences between Red Allen's 

style and Freddy Keppard's are much 

greater than the differences between Red 

Allen's style and, say, Lester Young's. 

Allen's best melodic lines are much too 

active and exploratory to be lead parts in 

an ensemble polyphony. He can play the 

Dixieland repertory, of course, and play 

it well; one of his best solos of recent 

years was on a recording of Frankie and 

Johnny. But he also finds, and meets, a 

challenge in tunes of more complexity, 

in all sorts of medium and slow ballads, 

in their melodies, in their harmonies. In 

fact, when Louis Armstrong began to 

turn away from the then standard jazz 

repertory of the 20's and improvise on 

popular songs and ballads of the 30's, he 

laid down a kind of challenge to other 

jazz musicians, by implication at least. 

Red Allen was one of the first players to 

meet that challenge successfully, and his 

1935 Body and Soul still seems an 

exceptional performance. 

For just such reasons of tunes and 

repertory, it is encouraging musically (as 

well as encouraging to his continuing 

career) to see Allen recently moving, 

with a quartet, into The Embers in New 

York and The Palmer House in Chicago, 

for programs of medium end slow ballads 

and pop tunes are called for in those 

clubs. Of course the chatty inattention of 

the crowds there has encouraged some 

players into certain forms of calculated 

coasting, and pleasant trickery, but I 

doubt if Red Allen, with his very special 

hard working but modest approach to an 

audience, will merely coast. Of course he 

does have to pray with felts and mutes in 

such places, and Red Allen likes open 

horn, so perhaps that's one drawback. 

Another apparent drawback may actually 

be an advantage - there can be few uptempo 

grandstanders in such clubs. 

Those flashy pieces do rouse certain 

audiences on occasion, but they seem to 

me to show the least interesting and 

inventive side of Allen's talent, … 

In style at least, Red Allen is a kind of 

link between Armstrong and Roy 

- 97- 

SOME WORDS FOR ALLEN by Martin Williams, Metronome 10-61p30 

Eldridge. (Eldridge has denied any 

actual influence from Allen, however). 

His work was certainly a guide for many 

trumpeters during the 30's, and Harry 

James, while with Benny Goodman, 

paid Allen the high compliment of 

basing his solos on Wrappin' It Up, Down 

South Camp Meetin', and Big John's 

Special directly on the ones Allen had 

recorded with Fletcher Henderson. I 

have a friend who calls Allen's episode 

on Wrappin' It Up, which includes both 

solo and call-and-response patterns with 

the group, one of the most perfect 

trumpet passages in recorded jazz. 

But of course there is more to Red 

Allen than his historical position or his 

influence. For one thing he has continued 

to develop, and he plays today 

perhaps better than he ever has. He has 

also obviously listened sympathetically 

to everyone around, through Miles 

Davis. But he uses all that he has heard 

with a real integrity and dedication, in 

expanding a style that is his own. 

Red Allen might give almost anyone 

lessons in an adventurous use of 

dynamics. Within the same phrase, he 

may begin with the merest whisper and 

then spiral up to a shout, always with his 

own spontaneous kind of musical logic. 

In that very same phrase, he is also likely 

to have slithered through the whole 

usable range of his horn - as a part of 

that same adventurously sought musical 

logic. About four years ago he made 

recordin g s of I've Got The World on a 

String and I Cover The Waterfront 

(both also featuring 

Coleman Hawkins) which show 

this capacity strikingly. 

Like Lester Young's and like 

Thelonious Monk's. Red Allen's 

Music depends on discoveries 

and surprises. And besides the 

thrusts of dynamics and range. 

His use of the unexpected 

includes rhythm. His rhythmic 

sureness is exceptional at times. 

There are many players of his 

own and later generations who 

still use repeated notes and 

phrases with the more or less 

mechanical function of rhythmic 

reminders maintaining or reestablishing 

the basic pulse. 

Allen goes directly to the melody 

he is improvising with an easy 

phrasing that doesn't need such 

signposts. His relaxed sense of 

the time and his dynamics and 

range break his lines up provocatively. 

I don't imagine that an 

horn man who arrived between 

Armstrong and Lester Young 

sounds less mechanical in his 

phrasing or has developed more 

rhythmic flexibility and variety 

than Red Allen. 

But the real pleasure of listening 

to Red Allen is melodic and it is 

to the line he is improvising that 

he is always committed. His contemporaries 

used to complain that 

he was rather freehanded with the 

harmony thereby. But I expect 

that there might have been some notes 

considered proper or "blue" in New 

Orleans and not elsewhere. And subsequent 

jazz history might be said to 

vindicate Allen too, because Monk 

sometimes overrides the changes in the 

interests of melody, and so, of course, do 

the atonal players of "the new thing." 

Perhaps, some people say, his melodies 

get too adventurous; they are undisciplined 

and become disorderly. I think such people 

may be hearing him the wrong way. For 

me. his playing often creates a special 

aura that unites the plaintiveness of the 

blues and the lyricism of good ballad 

playing, and is often far less exuberantly 

extroverted than his stage manner. And 

his happy surprise twists of melodic line 

and sound are often personal enough to 

establish standards of their own. Order 

and symmetry are deeper pleasures only 

when one has dared and won them. and 

Red Allen sometimes shows a daring 

that may turn up a kind of order not 

known before him. Certainly one of the 

major achievements of jazz improvisors 

has been to show that melody need not 

obey traditional classical or romantic 

notions of order, that it need not use 

traditional echoes or repeats but can be a 

continuous linear invention, and still be a 

complete and satisfying aesthetic entity. 

It is for that kind of order that Red Allen 

modestly searches. And for that reason, a 

program of medium and slow ballads 

and blues by Red Allen can be one of the 

superior musical pleasures in jazz. 

- Discography –


Obviously Red played at the Embers already in Sept.61: NYAN-9/2361p19: Trumpeter Red 

Allen flashing he´s a member of the Press Club of Cleveland, Ohio, and allowed privileges 

of Overseas Press Club here and national Press Club in D.C. His Quartet now at Embers 

with Sammy Price on piano, Jerry Potter on drums and Franklin Skeete on bass. Group is 

also featured in fashion layout in September True Story Magazine. 

early Oct. to l0/14/61, N.Y.C. Embers - Joe Bushkin, Henry Red Allen-/(Jonah Jones 10/15-11/15 

(J.Bradley, Bul.D.H.C.F., Nov.61); Jazz Report Vol.2 No3(11.61) -Notes on New York: 

Mainstreamers have been in considerable evidence lately: Jimmy McPartland at the 

Roundtable; the Red Allen and Joe Bushkin combos together at the Embers; and several 

concerts at the Museum of Modern Art, one featuring Bud Freeman, another starring 

Coleman Hawkins with Roy Eldridge on fluegelhorn as well as tpt, and a third 

highlighting Wallerish Dick Wellstood whose group also included ex-Waller sidemen 

Herman Autrey and Gene Sedric. 

prob.mid Oct.61, four days at Willie Ruff´s Playback Restaurant, New Haven (he´d played in 

Cleveland 8/19-2/9/61 

unknown source, unknown date) 

THE JAZZ BEAT- “Ride, Red, Ride” 

At a fraternity house party during Prom 

weekend some 30 years ago, Yale 

students and their dates thrilled to the hot 

rhythms of what was probably the 

greatest jazz band ever to appear in New 

Haven. It was Luis Russell's Saratoga 

Club band, and the lead trumpeter was a 

tall young lad from New Orleans named 

Henry Allen Jr. Better known today as 

Red Allen, that same fiery trumpet man 

returns to New Haven this week as leader 

of his own combo to play a four-day 

engagement at Willie Ruff's Playback 

Restaurant, starting Thursday night. It 

will be the Playback's first departure 

from a strictly modern jazz policy. 

Allen today doesn't restrict himself to 

the same New Orleans style jazz that he 

grew up to learn in his home city. Far 

from it. He has ventured into the various 

styles of jazz that have come along 

through the years. When Dizzy Gillespie 

was introducing bop on 52nd Street, 

Allen was playing his own brand of it in 

a rival spot.. 

But New Orleans is still his favorite 

style, and he returns to his native city 

whenever possible to visit his dear old 

mother. His father, the late Henry Allen 

Sr., was leader of one of the early New 

Orleans marching bands and taught Red 

how to play. 

Red's career parallels the story of jazz. 

He began by playing in Sid Desvigne's 

Southern Syncopators, worked on the 

famous Mississippi riverboats, emigrated 

to Chicago and joined the famous King 

Oliver band, and finally moved to New 

York where he became trumpet star of 

the Russell band that made such a 

sensation in 1930 at Yale´s Alpha'Chi 

Rho house. 

A SECOND SATCHMO 

His style of playing in the Russell band 

was likened to Louis Armstrong's by all who 

heard the group. And what an inspiring 

group it was, boasting such men as J. C. 

Higginbotham on trombone; Albert Nicholas, 

clarinet; Charlie Holmes, alto sax; 

Teddy Hill, tenor - and a rhythm section 

that has never been equalled, except 

perhaps by Basie. Paul Barbarin was on 

drums; Willie Johnson, banjo and guitar; 

Pops Foster, bass; and Russell on piano. 

No wonder that, in 1931 when Louis 

Armstrong was seeking a large jazz band 

to work with, he chose this very group. 

And no better an understudy (and second 

horn) could he have found than Allen. 

Two years later Allen left the group to 

become lead trumpeter in the famous 

Fletcher Henderson band. Next he joined 

the Mills Blue Rhythm Band with whom 

he made his most famous record, "Ride, 

Red, Ride," a real swinger that he still 

enjoys playing. 

During the 40s, Allen gave up big band 

work and formed his own small combo 

was featured at Kelly's Stables on 52nd 

Street and other jazz 'spots. In the 50s he 

moved to Broad-way's famous Metropole 

where he remained until early this year. 

Certain jazz purists became critical of 

Allen during his Metropole stint because of 

his refusal to confine himself to playing 

standard jazz tunes. Red has always 

enjoyed pleasing the crowd - he's a born 

comedian as well as a jazzman - and if 

the customers wanted a novelty like 

"Kiss the Baby," he'd give it to them. 

Two months ago, this writer heard Red and 

his group in a Cleveland restau-rant. The 

audience wanted jazz, and Red really 

dished it out, with strong support from 

pianist Sammy Price, bassist Bus 

Moten and drummer Sol Hall. 

When he plays blues, there's a 

warmth and beauty to Allen's 

tone that can hardly be rivalled. 

When he beats out a fast number, 

there's excitement a plenty. 

Earlier this year, he paid tribute 

to his old boss by recording a 

Verve album, "Red Allen Plays 

King Oliver." On Nov. 26, at 10 

p.m., he is to be featured with 20 

other jazz artists on NBC's TV 

Show of the Week, "Chicago 

and All That Jazz." R.C. 

RED ALLEN, New Orleansborn 

trumpeter, played a Yale 

house party 30 years ago with one 

of the greatest jazz bands of the 

era. This week he returns to New 

Haven with his own combo to play 

at the Playback. 

Oct.61, beween 2nd and 15th one night at NYC., Central Plaza – Red Allen, Jimmy Buxton, Kenny Davern, Lee Blair 

source, Teresa Chilton, who photographed the band, see p87 

10/30 & 10/31/61 NBC-TV - CHICAGO AND ALL THAT JAZZ 

Cozy Cole in a letter to the author 1978: .."You asked about Mae Barnes. She visited our school when she started drumming. I 

didn't know her too well, only thru her reputation, however she was a very nice person. " 

Bill Bissonnette covernotes of (*): Next is a television-airshot from half a century ago of a few jam session cuts featuring 

some of the best people of the period including Henry Red Allen, the only duo recordings of Jack Teagarden and Kid Ory 

swapping breaks on Tiger Rag and some wonderful drumming by the fabulous Gene Krupa.

98 - Addenda 

10/30 & 10/31/61 rehearsal & filmed sessions for the 11/26/61 Sun.10-11 p.m. CBS/NBC-TV - CHICAGO AND ALL 

THAT JAZZ "Dupont Show Of The Week"; producers: William Nichols, Donald B.Hyatt; 60 min.-kinescope, 51'tape cut 

commercials; Story about Jazz in Chicago. The live-TV portions are interpersed with occasional film clips and commentary 

by Garry Moore, frequently backed up by an off screen orchestra, specially recorded for the show. 

(1) ORIGINAL DIXIELAND JAZZ BAND: Yank Lawson (t) Roland DuPont (tb) Paul Ricci (cl) Johnny Guarnieri (p) 

Cliff Leeman (d) 

(2) NEW ORLEANS BAND: Henry"Red"Allen (t) Kid Ory (tb) Buster Bailey (cl) Lil Hardin-Armstrong (p,v) Johnny 

St.Cyr (bj) Milt Hinton (b) Zutty Singleton (d) Mae Barnes (v,d) 

(3) CHICAGOANS: Jimmy McPartland (t) Jack Teagarden (tb,v) Pee Wee Russell (c1) Bud Freeman (ts) Joe Sullivan 

(p) Eddie Condon(g) Bob Haggart (b) Gene Krupa (d) - Blossom Seeley (v); Meade Lux Lewis (p); Al Minns & 

Leon James (dancing) 

(4) off screen band - EDDIE CONDON & THE NBC-ORCHESTRA: Tony"Spargo"Sbarbaro (d, kazoo) John Piazarelli (t) 

Al Chernet (tb) Hymnie Schertzer (as) Julie Schechter (vln) Bill Gussack (d) & possibly others from above groups 

(5) studio orchestra composed by various combinations of the above groups, mainly from (3) and (4) 

*parts on Jazz Crusade-JCCD3066/all complete on /Sounds Great/Vintage-Jazz-Video/ on Allen-collection Hoffmann-DVD-12/ 

music on-/off-screen / Lp-SG-8007/ VHS-VJC-2002 / excerpt with Red Allen on RA-DVD-1a& CD-42 

0:45 introduction by Garry Moore 

0:28 (5) Take Me To The Land Of Jazz -vBS,vMB,vJT acc.by band (5) showing all performers incl.Red Allen on screen/ 

1:09 (5) Take Me To The Land Of Jazz -slow instrumental reprise 

0:13 Garry Moore about 1916 with the Original Dixieland Jazz Band 

1:40 (1) Original Dixieland One Step 

0:33 Garry Moore about the Victor Talking Machine and first jazz 

0:40 (5) Jazz Me Blues 

1:30 (5) musical montage incl."Pretty Baby"-"Shim Me Sha Wabble" to G.Moore on pianists & early negro bands 

1:54 (1) Toddlin' The Toddle-O -vBS 

3:15 (5) background Medley to Garry Moore: When Johnny Comes Marching Home – Dardanella - Some Of These Days - 

Basin Street Blues - Clarinet Marmelade - Baby, Won't You Pleae Come Home - I've Found A New Baby 

0:31 (2) BACK O' TOWN BLUES fragment -band introduced by Garry Moore ( not on CD*)/RA-CD-42/RA-DVD-1a/ 

2:29 (2) JELLY ROLL BLUES (*)/ --- / --- / 

1:45 (2) DOCTOR JAZZ -vMB (*)/ --- / --- / 

0:37 Westend Blues -6/28/28 L.Armstrong recording, background to Garry Moore 

1:00 Dippermouth Blues -L.Armstrong band, clip from 1946 film "New Orleans" 

1:35 Singing The Blues -2/4/27 Bix Beiderbecke recording; -a private movie of Bix on screen 

2:00 In A Mist -p solo by Johnny Guarnieri 

1:25 Jailhouse Blues -short film 1929 Mamie Smith acc.by P.Grainger & unknown band 

1:15 St.Louis Blues -clip from short film 1929 Bessie Smith acc.by J.P. Johnson's band 

0:24 Honky Tonk Train Blues -v&p M.L.Lewis & vLouis Armstrong, clip from 1946 film "New Orleans" 

1:31 Honky Tonk Train Blues -p-solo by Meade Lux Lewis on TV 

0:16 Garry Moore speech 

3:10 (5) Chicago -white bands incl.vBS,v&pLHA,St.Cyr,kazoo,vln,dancers,tbJT,tJP,& others 

0:20 Garry Moore speech 

0:45 (3) Blues For Gene -during introduction of the "Chicagoans" by Garry Moore 

2:10 (3) China Boy 

0:20 Garry Moore about the “roaring '20s'” 

2:47 (5) Medley: Fidgety Feet-Tin Roof Blues-Fidgety Feet -dancing Al Minns & Leon James 

1:21 (5) Ostrich Walk -to Garry Moore on early orchestras 

"CHICAGO FREE FOR ALL": 

0:38 (2) CORNET CHOP SUEY segue to (*)/ --- / --- / 

0:42 (5) After You've Gone segue to -vJT (on screen) acc.by (4) & (3) (not on screen) (*) 

1:30 The Pearls -v&d Mae Barnes, v&p Lil Hardin-Armstrong (*)/ --- / --- / 

1:18 HEEBIE JEEBIES segue to -v&d Mß, v&p LH, t Red Allen, c1Buster Bailey (*)/ --- / --- / 

1:03 (5) Wolverine Blues segue to -combination by the white bands (*) 

1:22 (4) Way Down Yonder segue to -vBS 

1:oo Pine Top's Boogie segue to -Krupa intro-p solo Meade Lux Lewis (*)/ --- / --- / 

1:48 (5) TIGER RAG -Krupa intro-all bands incl.Ory & Allen (*)/ --- / --- / 

1:00 (5) Take Me To The Land Of Jazz -vBS,vMB,vJT & mixed band to leave out by Sidney S.Bushman

Covernotes- SOUNDS GREAT SG-8007: The TV program 

represented on this LP, "Chicago And All That Jazz," was one 

of the few sponsored TV specials of hour length which attempted 

a serious portrayal of earlier jazz styles. The justly famous 

CBS program, "The Sound Of Jazz," (1957) was a presentation 

of informally played music by representatives from the 

swing era, while the four Timex "All Star Jazz" shows of the 

late 1950s were potpourris of jazz from many stylistic periods, 

with no discernible purpose but to provide entertainment. 

By contrast, "Chicago And All That Jazz," as part of a series 

with fairly exacting standards, was conceived with much 

higher aspirations. 

It came during the early run of "The Dupont Show Of The 

Week," a CBS program telecast on Sundays at 10 pm from 

Sept.17,1961 to Sept.6,1964. Over the years, the series 

presented a kaleidoscope of various types of entertainment and 

informational programs, ranging from dramatic plays and 

documentaries to light comedies and musical revues. It was 

stated that one of the series' aims was to show the latitude and 

potential of the television medium as a means of communication 

and instruction. In this context, jazz or Afro-American 

music as one of the major cultural phenomena of the 20th 

Century could not be neglected. 

Rather than produce a light musical variety program, it was 

decided that an instructive one focusing on the early development 

of jazz should be arranged. Towards that end, writerproducer 

William Nichols produced a script that attempted to 

trace all the facets of the Chicago music scene in the 1920s, 

and how the conflux of musical influences led to the formation 

of the so-called "Chicago style." The playing conditions, the 

locations, the dance styles, and the milieu (i.e., underworld 

influence), were all taken into account to describe the 

culmination in the later 1920s, when Chicago was the jazz 

center of North America, and its eventual decline around 

1930, when most of the Chicago musicians gravitated towards 

New York and the big bands such as Jean Goldkette, Paul 

Whiteman and Ben Pollack, where the uninhibited spirit of 

their music was all but drowned. 

It was a long and fairly demanding script, and commentator 

Gary Moore tended to be a bit pompous, especially during the 

early chapters of the program. This is less obtrusive in the 

Kinescope with its visual distraction, but well-educated jazz 

buffs find it rather overbearing, and even more so when left 

alone with the soundtrack, as on this LP. 

But it must be understood that an educational rather than 

merely entertaining commentary was certainly in keeping with 

the series' high standards. And what seems so disturbing at the 

onset of the program, when the scene is set, becomes more and 

more oblivious as some marvellous music unwinds. 

A track-by-track description of the many musical performances 

would exceed our space limits, and a good deal of information 

is already provided,in the title rundown, sufficiently detailed to 

facilitate an understanding of the musical proceedings. 

However, a few annotations on the performers and some of the 

program's highlights seem appropriate. 

The title, "Chicago And All That Jazz," reminds oldtime jazz 

enthusiasts of a Verve album released under that title. It was 

cut during the show's early rehearsals, on Oct.30 and 31, 1961, 

by some of the performers (without Red Allen) assembled for 

the TV program. 

To re-create the music of the first group that made records in 

what came to be termed "Chicago style," guitarist/organizer 

Eddie Condon had been called upon to try and reassemble 

those McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans. Jimmy McPartland, 

Gene Krupa, Joe Sullivan, Bud Freeman and Condon himself 

were still active after all those years and easily gathered. 

For the late Frank Teschemacher on clarinet, the logical 

replacement was Pee Wee Russell, then playing in the band at 

Condon's New York club. The part of bassist Jim Lanigan, 

retired after many years with the Chicago Symphony, was 

played by Bob Haggart, "a Chicagoan by association," to 

quote Gary Moore. The same could be said of trombonist / 

singer, Jack Teagarden, who had not been a member of the 

original group (there had been no trombonist then). An aside to 

the unitiated: Red McKenzie, whose name appears in the "Chicagoans" 

title, had not then recorded with them. He only insisted 

on the use of his name because he organized that 1927 date. 

Two other participants in the TV show were also recorded for 

the Verve album: Lil Hardin-Armstrong, as a solo pianist 

- 99 - 

and singer, and white veteran Vaudeville "shouter" Blossom 

Seeley. 

In the TV program on Saturday, Nov.26,1961, Lil Hardin- 

Armstrong appeared also in her original role as the pianist with 

Louis Armstrong's 1927 recording unit, the Hot Seven. 

Armstrong's part was admirably played by New Orleansian 

Henry"Red"Allen, and the two late Dodds Brothers, Johnny 

and Warren "Baby," were replaced by two Armstrong associates 

of later years, Buster Bailey and Zutty Singleton, on 

clarinet and drums, respectively. Bassist Milt Hinton, in place 

of tubist Cyrus St. Clair, completed the group in their recreation 

of "New Orleans style" jazz, playing such numbers as 

Armstrong's Cornet Chop Suey and two of Jelly Roll Morton's 

famous compositions, Jelly Roll Blues and Doctor Jazz This 

last number had a vocal by veteran entertainer Mae Barnes, 

who also proved to be an adept drummer in a duet with Lil 

Hardin-Armstrong on The Pearls, another Morton piece. For 

their next number, Heebie Jeebies, they were lent additional 

support by trumpeter Allen and clarinetist Bailey. 

Blossom Seeley had two solo vocals in the TV program. With 

Toddlin' The Toledo, she re-created a song and dance number 

that had gained her fame and a certain notoriety back in 1908. 

Her accompaniment in this performance came from a quintet 

representing The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the group 

which cut the first jazz record in 1917. Outstanding in this 

illustrious enough assembly (see per-former listing) was 

Johnny Guarnieri, a vastly underrated versatile pianist who, 

later in the program, excelled in a sensitive rendition of the 

late Bix Beiderbecke's piano composition, In A Mist. 

Blossom Seeley, in her second song (Way Down Yonder In 

New Orleans) was supported by a rather undistinguished NBC 

studio group under the nominal leadership of Eddie Condon, a 

band that was never seen on screen. This band and a larger stud 

unit which provided most of the period music and the 

background to commentary were the least satisfying groups of 

the program, though they were occasionally supplemented 

with men from the Chicagoans or the ODJB. They were a 

necessity, though, because if their music contained little jazz 

quality, it served well in recreating the varied musical 

atmosphere of Chicago in the 1920s. 

In her rendition of Way Down Yonder In New Orleans, by the 

way, Blossom Seeley makes use of a part of this number that 

hardly any jazz fan has ever heard, as it is never played in jazz 

performances: a Latin-tinged verse reminiscent of the flavor in 

some Jelly Roll Morton pieces. 

To demonstrate early boogie woogie piano playing, Meade 

Lux Lewis was on hand, soloing on the Honky Tonk Train 

Blues, and with brief support by Gene Krupa in Pine-top's 

Boogie Woogie, the first known composition in this style. In an 

imaginative piece of editing that comes through on the 

soundtrack as well, Lewis' live rendition of Honky Tonk Train 

Blues was picked up from a recital of that number in the 1946 

film "New Orleans," wherein Lewis meets Louis Armstrong 

during the film's Chicago chapter. 

To TV viewers, and the lucky ones possessing one of the rare 

Kinescopes remaining as testimony of the visual qualities of 

this show, such film clips, chosen by jazz film collector and 

historian Ernest R.Smith, may well appear to be the true 

mementos of those good old days." 

However, the feeling of those times is just as admirably 

conveyed by much of the music on this LP, beyond the 

instrumental numbers by the three small groups and the 

soloists. And for a striking example of the "Chicago style," 

there is nothing better than Chinaboy, played by some of the 

stalwarts of that era. 

In its first releases (8001, 8003) containing music from TV 

shows reliving the big band era (as well as a jam session 

sampling of various jazz styles-8005), SOUNDS GREAT set 

out to provide modern era collectors with a means to assess the 

treatment that jazz in its various incarnations has received on 

TV over the years. This LP is yet another valuable instaliment 

in that historical collection. 

Dr. K. Stratemann (Author: "Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa, A 

Filmo-Discography;" "Negro Bands On Film/Big Bands 1928- 

1950, An Exploratory Filmo-Discography"). We are indebted 

to "Red"Allen biographer Franz Hoffmann for assistance in 

the preparation of these notes

- 100 - 

"CHICAGO AND ALL THAT JAZZ" - New York Scene, by Jack Bradley, J.J. Dec.1961: (photo with Red & Buster) 

NBC-TV is producing a jazz show titled "Chicago And All brought applause from all in the house. Everyone in this band 

That Jazz" which will be shown on Nov.26th. Rehearsals and is a star in their own right. It is regretful that no record 

tapings began a month prior and gathered some of the greatest company in N.Y.C. had the sense to record them while they 

jazz talent of all time. Featured were three full jazz bands, 1/2 were together. 

dozen soloists and close to 20 numbers. 

Meade Lux Lewis, big and round, should have been allotted 

Yank Lawson, Roland DuPont(tb),Paul Ricci(cl),Johnny more time. However, his talents shone on HONKY TONK 

Guarnieri and Cliff Leeman recreated the O.D.J.B. Their TRAIN and PINE TOP'S BOOGIE. Johnny Guarnieri, who 

arrangement of ORIGINAL DIXIELAND ONE STEP was worked hard as house pianist backing almost everyone, soloed 

identical to the original. Old time vaudevillian Blossom Seeley on Bix's IN A MIST. Mae Barnes proved her versatility by 

joined the group to sing TODDLING TODALO. 

playing drums behind Lil Armstrong's piano interpretation on 

A recreation of Chicago jazz was expertly handled by Jimmy Jelly Roll's THE PEARLS. Dancers Al Minns and Leon James 

McPartland, Jack Teagarden, Pee Wee Russell, Bud Freeman, strutted their stuff to the tune of FIDGETY FEET. Blossom 

Eddie Condon, Joe Sullivan, Bob Hagart and Gene Krupa. Seeley was backed by Eddie Condon and the NBC-orchestra 

Their CHINA BOY and WOLVERINE BLUES were typical on WAYS DOWN YONDER IN N.Y. Teagarden was backed 

Condon fare. 

by the same orchestra for his vocal on AFTER YOU'VE 

But the greatest thrills of all were presented by the New GONE. 

Orleans band, with Red Allen, Kid Ory, Buster Bailey, Johnny Also Involved in the above proceedings were Tony Spargo 

St.Cyr, Lil Armstrong, Milt Hinton and Zutty Singleton. They and studio musicians John Piazarelli, Al Chernet, Julie 

rendered JELLY ROLL BLUES, CORNET CHOP SUEY, Schechter(vln) Hymie Schertzer(s) and Bill Gussack(dm). 

DR.JAZZ (which spirited vocal by Mae Barnes and Lil The rousing finale was TIGER RAG, with everybody joining 

Armstrong). This band swung from the ground up, with Red in and, naturally enough, a Krupa drum solo. This show, with 

Allen's trumpet providing the driving. Impetus. No one but the possible exception of Blossom Seeley, was l00 per cent 

Louis could top his work on CORNET CHOP SUEY. At jazz and can be favourably compared to the memorable CBS 

rehearsal Kid Ory's gut bucket solo on JELLY ROLL BLUES "Sound Of Jazz" programme of 1957 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

CRITICS, VIEWERS ADMIT FINDING TV's 'ALL THAT CHICAGO JAZZ' ENTERTAINING by Fred Danzig 

CD-12/2/61p12: N.Y.(UPI)-Some weathe- gaga put out their cigars and cigarettes, ment of the night's jazzmen was more 

red whippersnappers from the land of lined up on each side of the stage with- impressive. 

jazz stormed into a TV studio and manaout complaint and went along, as jazz- Those cats have the hot art down cold 

ged to sweep aside some uncongenial men always seem to go along, with the and can hypnotize us into playing atten- 

production barricades with their rousing production presumptions. And despite tion, digging their sounds, by virtue of 

sounds and styles last week. 

everything, the message came through, their professional ease and stylish hea- 

“Chicago and All That Jazz” was the albeit in bits and pieces. 

rings, not to mention the legends that are 

special; NBC-TV's “Du Pont Show of For that reason, I was sorry the show kept alive by their hands, horns and 

The Week” was the slot. Garry Moore, wasn't aired at an earlier time so that the hearts. 

possibly TV's most commercially accepta- youngsters could get an earful. A little I also enjoyed the pre-twist jazz dances by 

ble jazz buff, spoke producer-writer Wil- history lesson wouldn't hurt. And there the team of Minns and James and the 

liams Nichols' words about the history were some priceless old, crowded- raucous, roly-poly shouting by those girl 

and meaning of Chicago and all that jazz. bandstand film clips showing Mamie and singers. I thought an opportunity was 

Garry was surrounded by such warm- Bessie Smith, Louis Arm-strong, Meade missed by not letting the old-timers tell 

blooded jazz animals as RedAllen, Lil Lux Lewis and even a jet of Bix some stories about jazz, Chicago and the 

Armstrong, Buster Bailey, Gene Krupa, Beiderbecke, in action. 

20's, in their own words. They might 

Kid Ory, Pee Wee Russell, Johnny St. Perhaps the performers have grown a bit have rammed the forms into sharper 

Cyr, Meade Lux Lewis, Jimmy McPart- short-winded after 30 or 40 years. But perspective more effectively. 

land, Joe Sullivan and Mae Barnes. With their rhythms though repetitive and, by The script wasn't intended to be a 

that kind of company going for him, the modern standards primitive retain a scholary history of jazz –I hope-but it 

script and Gary had the good sense to remarkable vitality and Joie De Vivre. could serve the unimitiated as a rather 

keep out of the act as much as possible. No, they don't, a Garry suggested,“blow antiseptic primer. After all, there's a little 

Oh yes, the jazzmen wore the silly hats you right out of your living room.” That more to jazz, or jass, then you'll find 

that some clown decided were required. feat probably could be left to the youn- O'Garry telling you on your TV, buster. 

They took part in some cornhalt sight ger cats who play louder. The achieve- 

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CD-11/11/61p12: CHICAGO'S 'ALL NYAN-11/18/61p19: NBC'S “SHOW OF CD-11/25/p13: KID ORY, MAE BARNES 

THAT JAZZ' 'SHOW OF THE WEEK' THE WEEK” on TV, Sun.Nov.26 is a full- AND MEADE LUX LEWIS FOR TV 

NOV.26 – A full-hour showcase of the hour special called “Chicago and All That In memory of the golden age of jazz, some 

most American of all modern music, and Jazz”. Such old timers as … and others are of the most eminent performers will sound 

how it spread from its Midwestern cradle to seen and heard. 

off fresh what one of them calls the “glori- 

the entire world, “Chicago and All That WE CAUGHT A SCREENING OF THE ous finale of a Chicago free-for-all.” 

Jazz,” will be produced by NBC Special show on Monday. One of the best features is This will come at the close of “Chicago and 

Projects for broadcast in color on “DuPont the synchronizing of old film clips of such as All That Jazz,” the “DuPont Show of the 

Show of the Week” Sun., 11/26, 9 to 10 p.m. Mamie Smith, Bessie Smith and others with Week” in color on NBC-TV, Su.,Nov.26. 

Garry Moore will star as narrator, both on the life portions of the show. Garry Moore “In the Chicago of the Twenties,” says 

and off-camera. And an all-star cast of 20 narrates this show which reunites a lot of William Nichols, producer and writer of 

distinguished contempoprary jazz musicians 

and performers will participate, it was an- 

musicians for the first time in 27 years. 

the NBC Special Projects program, “from 

nounced by Donald B.Hyatt, the executive 

ONE OF THE BEST FEATURES is the 

time to time they would assemble all the 

great bands are entertainers for a jazz free- 

producer.“With the guidance of Gary Moo- dancing of Al Minns and Leon James in a for-all that would blow the roof off the 

re as story-teller, the program promises to sequence called “Fidgety Feet” in which they mammoth dance-hall or armory where it 

show how the infusion of jazz into the body demonstrate such once popular dances as the took place.” For the TV-show, 

of American popular music took place Shimmey, Charleston, Snake Hips,Black Nichols has assembled 20 of the most 

largely in the Twenties, and how that music Bottom and Lindy Hop. This, alone, should celebrated jazz performers including … 

was ever present in American life during take some folks' minds off The Twist. The free-for-all finale, with the entire com- 

those rebellious and uninhibited times. It is WILLIAM NICHOLS wrote and produced pany participating, will include “After You 

fortunate that so many of the great mu- this show about the Jazz Age and which 've Gone,””Heebee Jeebies,” “Wolverine 

sicians and performers of this period are features some 20 giants of jazz. It's a show Blues,” “Way Down Yonder in New Or- 

still active and blowing as hot as ever.” which might make some of our contemleans,” “Pinetop Boogie” and “Tiger Rag.” 

The 20 guest performers, arranged in porary modernists all up and take notice-if Garry Moore is the narrator, Donald B. 

alphabetically, include … 

they pay attention. 

Hyatt, Director of NBC Special Projects, is 

listing only 20 members of (2) and (3). 

executive producer. 

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NYAN-11/25/61p17: WHAT'S ON TV? – detailed note about the Nov.26 show, calling 20 performers.

- 101 - 

CD-11/25/61p12: MAE BARNES, KID ORY, LIL ARMSTRONG ON “CHICAGO, ALL THAT JAZZ”NOV.26 

According to the 12th edition of the Encyclopedia 

Britannica, the most important 

development of the Chicago musical 

scene after 1910 was the establishment 

of the Chicago Opera Association. 

“We humbly disagree,” says TV producer-writer 

William Nichols, “and we call 

our dissenting opinion 'Chicago and all 

That Jazz'.” 

A “DuPont Show of the Week,” this NBC 

Special Projects program will be broadcast 

in color Sunday, 10-11 p.m. EST. 

The all-star show tells the story of how 

jazz spread through the Middle West. 

Twenty giants of contemporary jazz are 

featured and Garry Moore is narrator. 

“It's high time that we recognize that the 

secondcity is maybe the first city in the 

spread of this great American music,” 

says Nichols. “This music that was 

cradled in Chicago from 1917 to 1920 

gave its name to the whole American 

scene in the Twen-ties, and it has since 

been recognized as America's great 

contribution to the art of music.” 

Why Chicago?“There are a lot of 

reasons,” Nichols says.”Take the name 

'Chicago. It's an old Indian word that 

means 'wild onions.' Doesn't that sound 

like the name of a jazz band or the title 

of a jazz piece?” 

But there were more substantial reasons. 

“For one thing.” Nichols notes, “there 

had been awar. American life was never 

the same after World War I, and the 

change was most noticeable in the cities 

of the Middle West. There were plenty of 

jobs and more freedom for the Negro, so 

he headed North, bringing his music with 

him. When Johnny came marching home 

to Chicago he was different , and so was 

his home town. He heard a new kind of 

music called jazz, and it seemed to 

express what he was feeling.” 

For the TV show, Nichols hasassembled 

many of the leading jazz performerswho 

were flourishing in the Chicago of the 

Twenties andare still flourishing today. 

Among them are: 

(listing only members of the “New 

Orleans Band” and the Chicagoans”. 

VV-1/28-24/62 see p101 “Chicago and All That Jazz”: Mae Barnes - Red Allen - Lil Armstrong - Buster Bailey 

ca.mid Nov.61, NYC., Basie's club – party of Count Basie with RedAllen and singer Tony Lawrence 

PC-11/25/61p17: TOAST – Three 

luminaries of the entertainment world 

toasts each other at a party at Basie's in 

New York. Left to right: jazzmen Henry 

(Red) Allen, Count Basie and singer 

Tony Lawrence. 

CD: 1/13/62p14 

early Dec.61, Toronto, Can. -"Recent Town Tavern attractions were Henry (Red) Allen, Joe Williame and Harry Edison, 

Oscar Peterson, and Buck Clayton..." (Down Beat 12/21/61)


11/27 Mo. - 12/10/61 Su. Columbus, Benny Klein´s – Red Allen Quartet w. Sammy Price &/or Lannie Scott, Franklin 

Skeete, Jerry Potter 

results in an academic discus- At first we thought Red had cotton 

sion. What's to be said that stuffed 'way down inside. But no. When 

hasn't been said time and time we asked him he said, "I just don't blow 

before? 

so hard." But don't kid yourself into 

In addition to blowing the thinking he can't blast off. 

original New Orleans sound, We heard him tee off with "Hindustan," 

Red is a first-rate show-man. a fluid, muted version. You had to 

He knows how to help an imagine the melody - "where I met you 

audience experience the gamut annd the world began" —while Red 

of emotion which jazz and indulged in soft fanciful flights. 

the blues offer. To love jazz, Pianist Sam Price was coming through 

you have but to listen. To with an occasional fast run. Drummer Jerry 

understand, you need to think. Potter and Franklin Skeete on the string 

JAZZ WAS born as a result bass fit into the rhythm picture like "a 

of suffering. The real thing long pair of milady's formal gloves - 

has always been played from reserved, quiet, yet potentially dynamic. 

the heart and the soul. Red rested his horn on the piano so he 

From the pick-up notes of could snap his fingers, and clap his hands. 

Columbus Dispatch Tu., 11/28/61p12B 

"Snowy Mornin' Blues," you can detect "Hey!" "Hey-ay-yay!" And all down the 

“Red” Allen Combo Is Hit at 

a mood of that which is the blues - the tables, up on the balcony, out among the 

Benny Klein's by William Fulwider 

sorrow of a people being expressed in the waiting line of customers, hands began 

Henry "Red" Allen is one of the old 

only universal language. 

clapping on the up-beat. 

gang; those of the 1920s and 30s, who 

With a little imagination, you can see a When Red picked up the horn again he 

brought Jazz to peak popularity during 

lonesome fellow huddling in the door-way leaned into it. Every bar was a bit wilder 

Prohibition and who are continuing their 

of a dirty market . . . perhaps in a bleak than the preceeding, ending in a note 

artistry. 

alley . . . or crouched in the corner of a higher than the ceiling. 

Allen is a trumpeter par exellence and is 

cold freight car goin' no-where but EVEN IN REPOSE between numbers, 

mostly the whole show when his band sets 

nowhere. 

Allen was a St. Vitus with a beat: He 

up on Benny Kline's bandstand. 

HE BEGINS to sing – almost a moan twitched with rhythm before it started; 

No doubt his listeners will detect a 

- and a new blues is born. The real greats he fingered the valves as his sidemen 

similarity between Allen and Louis 

understand this feeling. They understand musically held the audience in tense 

Armstrong in instrumental technique 

the message of the blues. 

anticipation of Red's next outburst. 

and in gravel voice, the brief times Allen 

When NBC was selecting the musi- There were "St. Louis Blues," "Birth of 

turns to vocalizing. 

cians for its "Chicago and All That the Blues." "Bye, Bye Blackbird" with 

THIS IS not unusual since Allen used to 

Jazz" program of last Sunday, Red the whole crowd singing. 

play with Louis. But "Red" says he plays 

Allen was one of the men chosen. "Let it roll!" Red grinned. 

now the way he's always played. No expla- 

THE NETWORK wanted to tell the 

In "Come Home Bill Bailey" Sam Price 

nation needed, how-ever - he's good. 

story of Chicago and its influence on 

gathered up two big mits full of keys and 

Allen's group may be somewhat singular - 

jazz during the 1920's. They told the 

spread them out like they came from a 

the pianist, Sammy Price, does do some 

story with the help of Red and others 

full band; Potter made like a supah Krupa. 

solo work - since he has no trombone or 

like him. 

Even in off-the-cuff requests like "Up the 

clarinet as most jazz bands do, but he 

A hulk of a man, Red off-stage is a 

Lazy River" and "Mack, the Knife," 

pretty well makes up for that with his 

quiet, unassuming gentleman. Onstage, 

Allen and his combo were casually yet 

own enthusiasm. 

he's an entertainer who wins an audi- 

completely big time. 

The group plays a wide range of numence 

quickly and expertly with his 

IN "SUGAR BLUES" we first notibers, 

from "Hindustan" and "Birth of the 

ced Red's generous habit of leading up 

gruffnesss, his contortions and his 

Blues," which are mostly underplay-ed 

to an introductory bar, then cutting out 

feeling for the music he plays. 

and muted. to wide-open renditions_ of 

to give his sidemen the breaks. 

I'm betting he'll win you over too. 

"Come Home Bill Bailey," "St. James ======================= He got in some subtle licks of high 

Infirmary" and "Chicago." 

Columbus-Star, 12/2/61, p14a&15a temperature in "People Will Say We're 

ALLEN loves to flutter-tongue, but Red Allen Packs Horn personality in Love," but the one we liked best was 

says he does only because that's the way By John Bohannan 

Red's version of "Basin Street Blues." 

he feels like playing. His version of "St. If Henry "Red" Allen never put a trum- So you're out for a quiet evening. So 

Louis Blues" sounded almost original to pet to his lips he would be a great enter- you want to drink espresso and read 

this reviewer because of a similarity tainer. The top jazz man now playing at poetry. 

first to a mambo beat and then boogie Benny Klein's is a crowd pleaser with Get with it, man! Check this Red Allen. 

woogie, but "Red" explained that's the an intious way of getting everybody into You can't relax when he's around. Your 

way the music was written. 

the act. He claps hands on the up-at. The feet move. You quit beating your gums 

And "is boogie woogie `really new," he audi-ence joins in. Then he yells "Double and beat your hands. 

asked? - Drummer Jerry Potter and bassist up." The message gets through. It's clap, He'll get through to you. 

Franklin Skette don't get much chance to clap, clap-clap. Clap, clap, clap-clap. ======================== 

go it on their own, but they afford the But when he picks up the trumpet all unknown date & source, : 

balance needed for a good band. hell breaks loose in fascinating free-style (continued from-p6: 

Citizen-Journal, Columbus, Ohio; Wed., sasheys, building up to solid holds, only You have only until Sat.Dec.8 to catch 

11/29/61p17: Music And Theater to break dramatically into a guttural tone the trumpet sound of Henry “Red”Allen at 

'Nice, Man, Nice' Password This week in the last few bars, lingering on the Benny Klein´s Steak House. 

At Benny Klein's , by Ron Pataky seventh note, then climbing to a high Considered one of the jazz immortals, 

Henry "Red" Allen climbs onto the 

sixth. He has an infinite variety of clima- Allen shows tremendous depth, warmth 

bandstand at Benny Klein's, caresses his 

ctic configurations, achieving the impos- and beauty in his work. 

horn with his massive hands and, in a 

sible with the ease of a golfer downing a Since his early recordings in 1929 with 

scotch and soda at the nineteenth hole. King Oliver and later Louis Armstrong, 

croaking, Armstrong - like voice, says ". HE TOYS with the instrument like a to his present-day recordings on Verve- 

. . nice, man, nice." 

cat playing with a mouse. No other horn label, Allen´s jazz concepts and tastes 

Then he begins to play. 

man we ever have heard has so much have varied. But throughout, his dyna- 

A CRITIQUE of the handiwork of jazz volume control. He can play with a mute, mic personality has prevailed to the 

greats - men such as Louis Armstrong, take it off and the open horn is no louder. delight of his audiences everywhere. 

Jack Teagarden and the like – inevitably

- 101b - ADDENDA 

Citizen-Journal, Columbus, Ohio; Mo.12/4/61 

Music And Theater : Proud Moments Followed Lean Years For New Orleans Lad by Ron Pataky 

Early on a January morning in 1908, Orleans - to Chicago - to New York - Red called her from the club that day 

a son was born to Henry and Juretta always playing with the men who were wish her a happy one. 

Allen in Algiers, West New Orleans. to become the biggest names in the Just a little side story, a jazzman who 

The address was 414 Newton-st. The surge of jazz on, the America scene. has watch them come and go for the past 

proud parents decided to name their boy Henry Sr. died in 1952 but not until his 40 years - who started .with his father's 

Henry Jr. 

son had given him some proud moments. marching band and went on to becme 

The elder Henry had been blowing a In 1950, Henry Jr. returned to his home one of the country's finest horn men. 

lot of horn for years around the city. with his own son, Henry III, where his THE PROUDEST moment of Red's 

Like him, Henry Jr. developed an early father was to march in a parade. life? It occurred during his first 

ear for music. By the age of eight, TAKING THE elder Allen's horn, European grip in 1959. 

young Henry was playing in his Henry Jr. walked that day in the parade Playing in Vienna, Red was invited 

father's marching band in the streets of while Henry III drove his grandfather to go to a small caberet called Fatty 

New Orleans. 

in the car. 

George's after the show. Walking into 

WHEN HE WAS about 14, he and "I think that was the proudest day of the place, he glanced at some pictures 

another fellow formed their own band. my father's life," Henry Jr. said. "You've behind the long, wooden bar. 

called Allen and Casimir and booked never seen a bigger water. melon smile. One caught his eye. There, in a 

their first engagement - at the Friends Henry Allen, Jr., now known by jazz- picture yellow with age but still 

of Honor Hall there. 

lovers the world over as "Red" Allen, recognizable, was Red's father, horn in 

From halls and basement clubs at the enters the second of a two• week stint hand, with members of his early 

mouth of the Mississippi, Henry went on at Benny Klein's supper club Monday. group. 

to join groups playing the riverboats His mother still lives in the little house "If I, live to be 100;" Red said, "I'll 

between New Orleans and St. Louis. at 414 Newton-st where, last Thurs- never forget that night .. . I wish he 

And from there it was back to New day, she celebrated her 78th birthday. could have seen it." 

================================================================================================ 

12/11/61-1/7/62 Cleveland, Hickory 

1/8-27/62 Chic., London House, Red Allen 

Grill, replacing Charlie Shavers 

Chicago Courier 12/29/62p9 

MUSIC AND COMEDY EXPERTS – 

The forceful trumpet of Henry (Red) 

Allen once again will be heard at London 

House, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 8. Red and 

his famous group will appear at that famous 

musical restaurant for three weeks, through 

Sunday, Jan. 27. 

Alluring Gerri Oliver,"Queen of the Disc 

Jockeys," will be much in evidence during the 

holidays, spinning latest records and jamming 

at her Palm Tavern on East 47th St. Allen Drew, 

local comedian, will be missed during the holiday 

season in the city, but his witty sayings and 

walking cane twir-ling will captivate the 

nightlifers at the Pink Poodle in Indiana-polis. 

Dick Gregory, ace satirist, currently is wowing 

at Mr. Kelly's on Rush St. His rib-cracking 

jokes are something else. 

Sheraton-Cleveland Hotel-Where To Go 

12/9/61pp4 & 7: 

"Red" Allen at Hickory 

Fun and games -also known as Henry 

"Red" Allen - return to the Hickory 

Grill for four weeks, beginning Monday, 

December 11. The legendary Allen, a 

product of New Orleans' fabled jazz 

environs, proved a showman of the first 

order, when he brought his quartet into 

the Hickory for its first appearance in 

Cleveland last summer, and his long 

return appearance is something of a 

command performance for patrons of 

Jules Weinberger's plush downtown 

nightery. 

Allen's trumpet, one of the most forceful 

and dynamic in the jazz world, 

brings forth at various times the sounds 

of traditional jazz, Dixieland, and the 

warm and beautiful notes of traditional 

standards. It's a repertoire which made 

him one of the most talked about acts 

ever to appear at the Hickory - a fitting 

tribute to a man recognized in jazz circles 

as one of jazzdom's all-time greats. 

==============================================================================================

- 102 - 

1/9-1/28/62, Chic. - London House - Red Allen Quartet, (housebands: Eddie Higgins/Larry Novak); 

between 1/9 - 28/62 Chic., London House; 3/23/62 - WBBM-“Best Band on One Night Stand” - HENRY RED ALLEN 

QUARTET: Red Allen (t,v) Sammy Price (p) Frank Skeete (b) Jerry Potter (d) tape 26:33 

ONS-5567 1:03 theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE (H.Allen) on tape only/ RA-CD-22 

5:37 LOVER COME BACK TO ME (S.Romberg) Flutegrove FL6/ RA-CD-22 

6:13 ST.LOUIS BLUES (W.C.Handy) --- / RA-CD-22 

5:29 THAT'S A PLENTY (Gilbert-Pollack) --- / RA-CD-22 

2:40 MEDLEY: - I'VE GROM ACCUSTOWD TO HER FACE --- / RA-CD-22 

- AUTUMN LEAVES --- / RA-CD-22 

2:51 BIFFLY BLUES (H.Allen) --- / RA-CD-23 

4:15 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) --- / RA-CD-23 

0:34 leave out to ONS-theme and announcement RA-CD-23 

same date & loc.; 3/30/62 - WBBM-ONST: same as above tape 30:00 

ONS-5576 0:21 intro: ONST-theme only RA-CD-23 

4.33 LADY BE GOOD (Gershwin) RA-CD-23 

3:22 AUNT HAGAR'S BLUES (Handy) Flutegrove FL6/RA-CD-23 

3:06 PRICE IS RIGHT (Sammy Price) --- /RA-CD-23 

6:36 MEDLEY: - VOLARE RA-CD-23 

- BYE BYE BLACKBIRD RA-CD-23 

- THE MUSIC GOES ROUND AND ROUND RA-CD-23 

3:54 JELLY ROLL BLUES (J.R.Morton) RA-CD-23 

6:53 MEDLEY: - IT'S ALLRIGHT WITH ME RA-CD-23 

- HAVA NEGUILA --- /RA-CD-23 

0:48 theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE (H.Allen) RA 

John Chilton in “Ride, Red, Ride” p172: … Although the 

Allen-Price musical partnership was very success-ful, 

socially they shared a love-hate relationship. … In his 

autobiography Price spoke of their association: 

“I was working with someone who understood me and 

knew that I kidded a lot but most of the time I meant 

what I said... I stayed with Red eight years... Red was my 

best friend and I considered myself his best friend. He 

was hell to get along with musically because he was so 

sensitive, but I got along with him by telling him I made 

him sound good. 

Sammy Price's multifarious business interests combined 

with his political activities often curtailed his availability 

to play musical dates, and as a result pianist Lannie Scott 

began doing some of Red Allen's work…. Lannie Scott 

and Sammy Price continued sharing Red's work, and 

each made separate trips to Chicago for the quartet's 

London House residencies. the group was featured on 

various broadcasts from that club, some of which were 

later issued on albums. The balance is indifferent on most 

of these 'airshots', Franklin Skeete's double bass playing 

is almost inaudible and the sound of Jerry Potter's 

cymbals adds an obtrusive 'sound-wash' to the 

proceedings. There is also some 'wow' on the piano and 

Red occasionally steps 'off-mike'; nevertheless it is a 

fair portrait of the quartet at work in a club that did not 

cater exclusively for jazz fans. Red encourages the 

crowd and often uses his trade-mark exhortation 'Make 

him happy!' to get them applauding the solos. He also 

generously sprinkles the word 'Nice' throughout the 

programme. 

The material used by the quartet covered a wide area. 

Following his appearance in the Chicago and All That 

Yazz TV show, Red took to using a neat arrangement of 

Morton's 'Jelly Roll Blues', which was issued on the 'airshots' 

album. Sammy Price wisely makes no attempt to 

copy Jelly Roll Morton, creating instead some fine rolling 

piano playing that demonstrates his skilful, sturdy lefthand 

work. Red does not blast his way to a climax here 

and is similarly restrained on a tight arrangement of 'Aunt 

Hagar's Blues' (to which Red had been reintroduced 

during his European tour with Kid Ory); however his 

playing exuberance is unchecked on an imaginative 

version of 'Lover, Come Back to Me'. Lannie Scott was 

also featured on some of the Chicago broadcasts (see Jan.1963) and 

plays well on a faster than usual version of 'Satin Doll', on which 

Red's solo is full of interesting gaps where he deliberately pauses 

for dramatic effect. The quartet's version of 'I Want a Little Girl' is 

a little too ornamental. but Lannie Scott shows that he, like Sammy 

Price, was a versatile pianist. 

Some of these Chicago performances are run-of-the-mill (by 

Red's standards) but it must be remembered that, for the 

musicians, this was an ordinary working night, which to their 

surprise was later issued on record. Had Red known this in 

advance he would not, one feels, have included the inappropriate 

and showy version of 'Hava Neguila'. 

In contrast, the material recorded by Red's quartet (Scott, 

Potter and Skeete) for a Prestige-Swingville session in June 

1962 was carefully selected. … 

1/29-2/24/62, N.Y.C., Embers - Meade Lux Lewis, Henry Red Allen (see advertisement on page 100) New Yorker magazine 2/10/62: 

THE EMBERS, 161 E. 54th St.(PL 9-3228): Unusually there are a couple of conventions down front, but Red Allen's horn 

defies them as best it can. His quartet of traditionalists will be reinforced on Moday, Feb.12, by Meade Lux Lewis's trio. 

Sundays offer potluck bouts between extra bands. .METROPOLE, 7th Ave, at 48th St.: The teeth of the gale are operated by the 

band of Gene Krupa and Charlie Shavers' quartet. Guests work this street on Sundays. Friday and Saturday nights, there's Twist 

music, and the tribal rites that go with it, upstairs in the haymow.

- 103 - 

Easter Sunday 1962 closing date of Jimmy Ryan's with a jam session 

Reflections on THE DEATH OF 52nd STREET by Dan Morgenstern in Jazz Journal July 1963, Vol. 16, No. 7, p. 8: 

52nd Street – “Jazz Street” - died at 3 a.m on Easter Sunday morning in New York City in 1962, with the closing of 

Jimmy Ryan's. …. One night there was 

a jam session which developed into a 

trombone battle between J.C.Higginbotham, 

Jack Teagarden, and Vic Dickenson. 

I think Red Allen was on trumpet 

and Big Sid Catlett was on drums, and I 

know that Vic took it but it was close. 

4/early/62 Can.,Toronto, Colonial Tavern, Henry 

Red Allen Quintet feat. Bud Freeman (DB- 

4/26/02) 

April-2nd week, Cleveland-Theatrical 

Restaurant, Red Allen acc.by the Ellie Frankel 

Trio; Jazz Report Vol.2No.9, 5-62: Henry Red 

Allen, accompanied by the Ellie Frankel Trio, 

appeared on one of Mike's April shows. 

Believe it would be 'nice' as Red would say, to 

see him recorded with the old veterans of New 

Orleans in a new album. Allen returned to the 

Theatrical Restaurant the second week of April 

(perhaps this was the rhythm group about which 

John Chilton reported on p169 in his book, see 

also the other Aug.61 Cleveland date on page 95.) 

4/16-4/29/62, Detroit - Baker's Keyboard, Red Allen; (the above photos were made by Duncan Schiedt); 

3/1/62 Copenhagen, DAN-bc-Corp.studio-10; J.C.Higginbotham(tb) & ARNVID MEYER & HIS ORCH.: Arnvid Meyer (t) 

John Darville (tb) Jesper Thilo (ts) Jörn Jensen (p) Ole Christiansen (b) Hans Nymand (d) prod. Torben Ulrich, Erik Wiedemann 

3:19 After You´ve Gone “Right Out Of Kansas City”-SundanceMusicApS-STUCD(5BOX-CD1)-08102 / JCH-CD-12 

other sides unknown 

4/16/62, Copenhagen (DAN); recording studio: same as above 

2:41 Stompy Jones Sonet SXP-2026/ JCH-CD-12 

3:46 Confessin' --- / JCH-CD-12 

3:57 C-Jam Blues --- / JCH-CD-12 

2:23 Basin Street Blues --- / JCH-CD-12 

Lazy River / Blue Light / unissued; wanted; possibly in Arnvid Meyer -collection 

NYAN-5/12/62p16: Trombonist J.C.Higginbotham back in New York after swing through the Scandinavian countries and 

excited over how the young Europeans are playing jazz. Higgy also says he was knocked out when he heard some of his solos 

played note for note, tunes even he had forgotten. … 

6/5/62 Englewood Cliffs, N.J., Hackensack studio – HENRY”RED”ALLEN QUARTET: Red Allen (t,v) Lannie Scott (p) 

Frank Skeete (b) Jerry Potter (d) (Martin Williams-“Henry Red” gives takes & order) 

Prestige / Swingv. /Xtra / Prestige USA / 

3530-3 3:00 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) PRT-7755/SV-2034/5032/PRCD 24232-2/RA-CD-23/ 

3531-3 3:46 SLEEPY TIME GAL (Lorenzo-kbiting) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

3532-2 3:05 I AIN' T COT NOBODY -vRA (S.Williams) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

3533-2 3:45 THERE'S A HOUSE IN HARLEM (Arien-Van Heusen) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

3534-3 3:15 JUST IN TIME (Comden-Green-Styne) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

3535-1 3:02 NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT (Gershwin) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

3536-2 4:50 BIFFLY BLUES (H.Allen) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

3537-1 4:10 ST.LOUIS BLUES (W.C.Handy) --- / --- / --- / --- / --- / 

Don DeMichael in Down Beat 2/28/63-Swingville 2634****: 

This is the session described so well by Martin Williams in 

the Aug.30/62, Down Beat. And a warm, swinging session it 

was. It serves to remind the listener-if he needs remindingthat 

Allen is among the finest New Orleans-mainstream 

trumpeters. 

His solos on this album are models of melodic improvisation. 

They are like well-constructed short stories, especially when 

compared. with the long-winded, rambling novels of younger 

players of more "modern" persuasion. Even at that, some of 

Allen's solos are three choruses long, but what he plays 

makes so much sense he never bores the listener. For 

instance, his ideas on Just flow together like tributaries 

producing a fresh stream un-hurrying to its-destination. 

The bite he gets into parts of his solos gives the proper 

amount of tension needed; his wit adds leavening throughout. 

His tone is particularly warm when he dips down into 

his horn's lower register, as on Biffly, a fine track. 

On Nobody the poignancy in Allen's playing rises to the 

surface in the opening chorus, during which Allen implies as 

much of the melody as he states, a trick that he uses to good 

advantage on other tracks also. His vocals on this track and 

Cherry are as much jazz as his horn work. When the crucial 

question of what constitutes a jazz singer arises I wonder why 

so few mention Allen? 

There are a few brief solos by pianist Scott that are tasteful if 

not particularly inventive. The rhythm section, except for some 

shakiness behind Allen's Nobody vocal (and it might be the 

result of a tape splice) and a lack of relaxation throughout 

Cherry (the weakest track), does a good job. This, by the way, 

is the group Allen usually works with nowadays; it's generally 

tightly knit. 

It's Allen's show, though, and a very good show it is.

- 104 - 

Martin Williams “JAZZ MASTERS OF NEW ORLEANS”pp251-274 - HENRY RED: 

...At least he was very early for some recording he did in 

the summer of 1962. Allen had been using a quartet for 

successful appearances in such semi-posh lounges as the 

Embers in New York, the London House in Chicago, the 

Theatrical Grill in Cleveland, and on college tours with 

comedians Shelley Berman and Bob Newhart, and he was 

asked by Prestige Records to make an LP with the group. 

Prestige, like several New York jazz record companies, uses 

the studios of an ex-optometrist named Rudy Van Gelder, 

who began high-fidelity recording as a hobby and ended up 

with a successful business on his hands. Van Gelder´s 

studios are located just across the George Washington 

Bridge from Manhattan Island in the New-Jersey suburbs, 

and Red Allen pulled up his shiny black Cadillac in front of 

Van Gelder´s large, backyard brick building early-almost 

forty-five minutes before the date was to begin. Van Gelder 

is more used to show-business lateness than earliness, and 

he was not only surprised but dismayed at the arrival of 

Allen and his quartet. However, once he had made the firm 

announcement that recording would not begin until the 

scheduled 1 p.m. he opened the studio door and let the 

players wait inside. 

Allen soon regained the composure he was so determined to 

preserve, and inside the high-ceilinged, wooden beamed 

studio he found of time to prepare. "Early?"muttered Jerry 

Potter setting up his drums, "This group is always early!" 

It was better to be inside. The day was overcast; there was a 

drizzle which turned into a heavy rain by late afternoon. 

Allen donned a pair of classes that gave him a studious air, 

an air that few people who have watched the exuberant and 

powerful Red Allen on a night club bandstand would 

recognize. He leaned over the back of the studio piano, 

studying his list of repertory with the quartet and going some 

of his lyrics. 

Before long there was a casual exchange of players at the 

piano bench-first the group´s bass player, Frank Skeete, and 

then Allen. Lanny Scott, the quartet´s pianist, is the 

professional, of course, so it would not behoove him to play 

for such casual amusement. Musicians take this sort of thing 

for granted-nearly everyone plays a little piano and enjoys it, 

but it is often surprising to outsiders. 

(*) A little before 1 p.m. Esmond Edwards arrived. 

Edwards had set the date up and he was to supervise it for 

Prestige. (In other fields of endeavour he would be called a 

producer; in recording, he is called an A & R man-meaning 

artists and repertory.) He was frankly surprised to find the 

musicians all present and ready to go. He took his place 

inside Van Gelder´s control booth, behind the large glass 

panel which is broad and high enough to take in the whole 

barn-like studio at a glance. Van Gelder soon had his machines 

threaded with tape and was seated behind his complex 

control panel. The date was officially ready to begin. 

On the other side of the glass the musicians began running 

through the first piece, Cherry, to warm up and to cheek the 

placement of the microphones. Red Allen was swinging 

from the first bar, and his very personal, often complex 

phrases rolled off his horn with an apparent, almost casual 

ease. He was also showing his fine control of the horn; he 

would begin with an idea at a mere whisper of trumpet 

sound, and develop it to a powerful shout at the end of his 

phrase-the kind of dynamics that few other trumpeters know 

how to employ. 

After the run-through, Edwards suggested that drummer 

Jerry Potter try sticks instead of brushes. Everyone agreed. 

Then Cherry was going onto the tape, take-1 -an inventive 

opening by Red, but he stopped after his vocal. "I goofed the 

words all up." Another take, but the bass wasn´t balanced. 

First numbers on a record date usually go this way. 

Then, Cherry –3. Everyone was working; the group was 

concertedly alive. Allen was truly inventive, for he used only 

one brief phrase that he had played in any previous version 

of Cherry so far. "That man really improvises,” someone in 

the booth said, as Edwards and Van Gelder nodded. "I 

wonder if he could himself, even if he wanted to.” As the 

ending rang out through the wooden rafters and across the 

mikes, echoing the power and drive of the performance. 

Edwards laughed. "They don´t play like that any more!” "Can 

we hear that back?" Red asked-“How. do we sound in here?" 

A bit later they began running through Sleepy Time Gal, 

Allen´s lines were weaving in unexpected directions and he 

was beginning to show his command of the full range of his 

horn, with the perfectly played low notes that are almost his 

exclusive property. His melodies were still gli-ding over the 

rhythm section and basic time, with sureness and inner drive, 

and no excess notes. 

The first take of Sleepy Time Gal was much simpler than the 

run-through, and there was some trouble with the 

introduction. Allen is still more used to recording for the old 

flat acetate record blanks rather than tape, and he had been 

counting off the tempos to the group at a whisper. But with 

tape it´s easy to cut splice, and remove a downbeat or a countoff. 

“You can count it off out loud, Red,” Edwards reminded 

him. 

At the end of another take, Edwards apparently saw 

something was about to happen, and he reached for his mike 

to say over the studio loudspeakers, “ How are the chops? 

Can we do one more right away?” 

"Yeah, sure, my man!” immediately from Allen. And then 

they did the best Sleepy Time Gal yet. 

This time Allen came into the engineering booth to hear the 

playback and sat beside Van Gelder´s elaborate array of dials 

and knobs. He raised and curved his eyebrows at a 

particularly lyric turn of phrase in his own improvising, pretty 

much the way any listener would in following the music. 

By 2 p.m. they were into I Ain't Got Nobody; on his vocal 

Red was gliding through as many as six notes in singing just 

the opening word “I.” After the run-through, Edwards 

suggested that Allen blow another trumpet chorus on the final 

take. Again, Allen´s ideas were fresh and different each time 

they ran the piece down, and he still glided over the basic 

one-two-three-four of the rhythm with perfect poise. His 

trumpet alone might make the whole group swing. He 

counted them off loudly now for the final take, “ONE! 

TWO!” And at the end, after the reverberations had settled, 

there was the inevitable Red Allen genial cry of "Nice!” 

Almost his trademark. 

Then, a short break as some visitors arrived, Van Gelder 

immediately gave them a firm invitation to sit quietly in the 

studio and stay out of the booth. Jerry Potter came in to ask 

for a little more mike on his bass drum. “Can you bring it up a 

little?” Then I can relax. I have to keep leaning on it 

otherwise.” 

“Okay, we´ll try. It´s not easy to do.” 

In the studio designer and photographer Don Schlitten, there 

to get a picture for the LP album cover. had his lights and 

shutters going. Allen wasn´t bothered. Nervous or not, Red 

Allen had been strictly business from the beginning. And he 

was obviously impatient to get back to work. 

Later, they were well into a new version of one of Allen´s 

early recordings, There´s a House in Harlem, and Red was 

getting deep growl effects the way he does on his open horn, 

without a plunger. Again, every version was different. Van 

Gelder remarked for about the third time that they should be 

recording everything including the warm-ups and runthroughs. 

And again, he shook his head in appreciation of 

how well Red was playing. 

Edwards stopped the take, remarking on the intro, and 

drummer Lannie Scott and bassist Frank Skeete worked it out 

together before the tape was rolled again. 

They began Just in Time, a more recent show tune, from 

Bells Are Ringing. “Everybody plays that thing now,” a 

visitor remarked. “I guess it´s become a jazz standard already. 

I heard Art Farmer do it the other day.” There was some 

trouble again with the intro so Red took it himself 

unaccompanied. They went through the piece once and Allen 

was after Jerry Potter again. “Let me hear a little more of that 

bass drum, please." The ending was “up,” loudly and broadly 

signaling the finish of the piece, just as the group does to a 

club audience. 

Another break, this one officially called by Edwards. Red 

was still anxious to get back to work and he toyed around on

his horn, playing the next piece he wanted to do, Nice Work 

if You Can Get It. “Johnny Hodges has a record of that,” 

remarked Lannie Scott. “Did you hear it?” 

By the time Edwards suggested they go back to work, Red 

had relaxed at least long enough to be showing a visitor a 

color picture he has of his mother, himself, and his 

granddaughter-his “gran” as he calls her-four generations of 

the Allen family. But he broke off abruptly and was back at 

his mike at the suggestion they resume playing. 

On the take of Nice Work, Edwards encouraged, “Make it 

clean.” Red´s variations rolled off easily and with a rare and 

very personal asymmetry. 

In the studio, the quartet then began to run down a piece 

that seemed both familiar and not familiar, a piece that 

sounded like the blues, and was not exactly the blues, and 

was thirty-two bars long. When they get the routine set, 

Edwards asked for the title. Biffly Blues said Allen-a new 

version of the first record he ever did under his own name. 

One take and for the time being everyone agreed with 

Edward´s comment, “That´s it. It won´t go down any better 

than that.” 

As they were running through St Louis Blues in the studio. 

there was talk in the booth about “still another record of that 

one,” but Edwards decided that if they did something 

different with it, then it should be recorded. They did, of 

course. 

It was getting late, nearly 4 p.m., and Edwards did some 

quick calculations from the timings recorded in his notes on 

the session. “Red, why not stretch out with a few more 

- 105 - 

choruses on this,” he said into the studio mike. “We will 

have enough time for it on the LP.” While the tapes were 

rolling, Allen suddenly went down very low on his horn 

again, growling out notes for almost two choruses. One take, 

as usual, did the blues. 

The date was nearly over now. Edwards made more 

calculations on timing, and then stepped into the studio to 

suggest to Allen they do a longer version of Biffly Blues. 

Agreed. “What does that title mean, Red?” a visitor asked 

hurriedly, hoping to get his question in before the tapes 

rolled again, “My nickname-when I was a kid,” he smiled. 

“My folks used to call me Biffly Bam when I wanted to be a 

baseball player. You know-biff, bam-hit. Wham!” 

After a rough start-Red had placed his horn and chops in 

too much of a hurry-they got though a long taping on Biffly 

Blues with Edwards conducting and encouraging through 

the glass of the booth-waving his arms emphatically at the 

rhythm section, as Allen concentrated on his solo choruses. 

(Creative A & R work, it´s called.) 

“You know,” offered Potter at the end, "that Biffly Blues is 

the kind of piece that could hit.” 

“Maybe,” said a visitor. “You can never tell about those 

things. Anyway, it sounds just as fresh as when he first did it 

thirty years ago.” 

“No. Fresher. Because Red is fresher,” said another 

onlooker softly. “You can´t date that kind of talent. And 

he´s himself, and that means he´s got things nobody else 

could pick up on.” 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Martin Williams"Condition Red (Allen, That is)" in Down Beat 8/30/62: (same as on covernotes of Prestige-LP: 

Heny"Red"Allen,Jr. belonged to an illustrious line of 1929, but like many a veteran professional he still approached 

jazz trumpeters from New Orleans,a line which began with a record date with a kind of sound apprehension and a slightly 

Buddy Bolden (to many people, the first jazz musician), nervous determination that everything shall go well. 

and which included King Oliver and Louis Armstrong. The session represented on this LP, as I described it in 

After 1929, Allen was a member of the Luis Russell band, Down Beat in the issue of August 30, 1962, had been set 

well remembered for its drive, its swing, and its solos by Red up by Esmond Edwards for one o'clock on June 5, 1962, 

Allen. In the early thirties he joined Fletcher Henderson, and at the New Jersey studios of Rudy Van Gelder, just across 

his solos with that bands seemed so much a part of the the George Washington Bridge from Manhattan, and was to 

celebrated Hen-derson arrangements that when other bands feature the quartet Red Allen had recently been working 

played those scores, other trumpeters usually followed the with in clubs like the Embers in New York and the Palmer 

outlines of Henry Allen's recorded improvisations. It was House in Chicago. 

evident that Allen had develo-ped one of the most personal Allen, with his group, pulled up his car in front of Van 

trumpet styles after Armstrong. 

Gelder's early-almost forty-five minutes early in fact. He 

In the mid-thirties, Allen joined Louis Armstrong, and wanted everything to be relaxed and easy. So there was 

received the singular honor of being a featured soloist, with plenty of time to set up the drums, plenty of time to get 

billing, in the band led by the most celebrated jazz trumpeter. acquainted with the room. Allen leaned over on the back of 

As a sideman on record dates, Allen also recorded with some the studio piano and studied his papers, wearing a pair of 

of the most illustrious names and popular figures of the jazz of glasses that gave him a studied air, an air that few who have 

two eras-and beyond-King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney watched the exuberantly powerful Red Allen on the 

Bechet, the "Chicagoans," Lionel Hampton, Fats Waller, Don bandstand would recognize. 

Redman, Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw-the list goes on. 

(continues almost the same as above “HENRY RED” from 

By 1940, after a stay with Benny Goodman, Allen had his (*)A little before 1 PM…). (then added): Indeed, they don't play 

own group-one of the most advanced small ensembles of the like that any more; with Red Allen gone, they shall not play 

time, incidentally-and he was on his own from that time on. that way again. But the memorial he would like most, I think, 

One of the outstanding characteristics of Allen's playing is not for us to lament the loss so much but to hear what he 

was the freedom with which he phrased-probably no jazz left us, feel it, and enjoy. 

soloist between Armstrong and Lester Young played with (Martin Williams is the author of Where's the Melody? A 

greater rhythmic ease and natural swing than Red Allen. For Listener's Introduction to Jazz and Jazz Masters of New 

me, a program of ballads and blues by Red Allen held Orleans, and is a regular contributor on jazz to the New York 

promise of being one of the superior pleasures in jazz. Times and Down Beat). 

Allen 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------had 

been recording as a leader of his own group since 

Michael Shera about Xtra 5o32, In Jazz Journal 8-67: This is predictable about his work was its unpredictability! His 

arguably the best record Henry Allen made in the period singing, too, has the same rhythmic subtlety and relaxation 

between the end of the war and his recent untimely death. as his playing. He can also be extremely funny, too, as 

He had not made many records in his last few years, anyone who had heard Let Me Misss You Baby from a 

which is a great pity, because up until immediately before long-deleted American Victor album called 'Bread, Butter 

he died he was playing more inventively than in any And Jam in Hi-Fi', will testify. (I was most surprised by 

previous part of his career. 

the omission of any mention of his singing in Barry 

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about his work at this McRae's recent short article). 

time, considering that he had been recording for over On this record, he is beard with his regular quartet, and 

thirty years, was a new rhythmic subtlety which is apparent this is probably the best way to hear him. The programme 

in his pre-war work, but which he developed to a much includes old Allen favourites, most notably Biffly Blues 

greater degree in his latter years. He was a master of and House In Harlem. However, like all forward-thinking 

dynamics, and could produce the widest range of different musicians, he does not rely solely on his old repertoire, 

tones of any trumpeter. His playing was always beautifully and so we find him playing a fairly modern standard, Just 

relaxed, but never lazy. In fact there is always a hint of In Time. Every track, however, is extremely successful, 

tension, which adds a subtle bite. The only thing that was and the record is unreservedly recommended.

- 106 - 

Dover Lake Land News, Thu. 9/27/62p22 Music Makers - News And Views About Music And The People Who Make It 

by Harold Plartey (Swingsville 2034) 

"Mr. Allen" - Henry "Red" Allen is 

one of the real giants of jazz. Nobody 

plays a trumpet just like Red Allen and 

his new "Swingsville" album proves it. 

The New Orleans trumpet ace plays 

with a natural swing and rhythmic 

ease. and his control and dynamics 

point up his individual style. 

The album should have been called 

"The Amazing Mr. Allen," for Red 

plays a program of ballads and blues, 

he swings, he sings and he entertains 

all the way through. His low register 

playing is beau-tiful to hear, and there's 

plenty of it. 

The group has been playing such plush 

establishments as The Embers in NYC 

and The Palmer House in Chicago. 

The rhythm section plays with a loose, 

swinging beat with Lannie Scott, piano: 

Jerry Potter, bass, and Frank Skeete, 

drums, and it's the best rhythm section I 

have ever heard Red play with. 

Take your pick as to which is the best 

of the eight slices in the album. Mr. 

Allen sings a couple (in his own inimitable 

style) with "I Ain't Got Nobody" 

and "Cherry" as pace breakers on 

opposite sides. There's the ever popular 

"St. Louis Blues" and "Biffly Blues" in 

the blues department and "Nice Work If 

You Can Get It" and "Just In Time" in 

the popuöar category. 

You pay your money and you take 

your pick, but you'll find that Red Allen 

was never better than he is in this album. 

============================================================================= 

John Postgate about XTRA 5032, in Jazz Monthly lo/67-, The more I hear of TRUMPET MAN – Henry”Red 

the late Henry Allen's recordings, the more convinced I become that he was 

one of the few really great jazz musicians. His style was set in broad outline 

as long ago as 1930, but it did not remain static and indeed, improved 

gradually throughout his life. Both he and Roy Eldridge regarded any 

suggestion of mutual influence as risible, but they do have certain resemblances. 

On this issue, for example, the analogy between the two musicians is quite 

striking on THERE'S A HOUSE IN HARLEM: here Allen uses a strained 

tone very typical of Eldridge might have slipped into a "buzz" tone, Allen 

makes use of an open rasp. But the resemblance between the two is fairly 

superficial, arising from their common debt to Armstrong, and the fact that 

both are what one might call "coarse" trumpeters. Allen's style was in fact 

highly original, and its most pronounced characteristic was its wide ranging 

quality: to enjoy Allen one must accept that the music will move from 

delicacy to stridency in a matter of bare; it will not, generally speaking, build 

to a climax, but will rather occupy the ears continuously by setting up musical 

patterns and dislocating them. This manner of playing can be ineffably tedious 

in the hand of untalented: The post-Parker practice of saxophonists of keeping 

on blowing in the hope that something interesting might happen underlies 

much of my lack of sympathy for hard bop and its off-shoots. 

Allen's approach is perfectly illustrated in the to me-absolutely brilliant 

performance of JUST IN TIME on this issue: the theme is stated, idiosyncratically, 

over the first sixteen bars, then a protracted phrase of remarkable 

melodic delicacy takes care of the repetition. Two choruses of fertile, 

somewhat understated variations and contrasts follow, switching from 

light suggestion to coarse growl as bar follows bar; no climax is reached 

so, characteristically, a show-biz type is used to bring the performance to 

an end. A capsule of the essential Allen: a sophisticated primitive, who 

developed an untutored style into something that had a rare consistency 

and logic, even at a cerebral level. 

The jagged quality of his music-jagged both in mood and in melodic struc- TRUMPET MAN – Henry”Red Allen, the 

ture-often caused Allen's playing to conflict with established canons of jazz New Orleans-born trumpet man whose horn 

taste, which is why, I think, so many jazz fans have tended to dismiss him. has made him one of the most popular jazz 

Yet once one gets into rapport with him, even his beloved tear-up of musicians around, is going home to visit 

CHERRY takes on a wayward kind of beauty. This record has many delights his 78-year old mother, Mrs.Juretta Allen, 

from his Douanier Rousseau of the jazz trumpet - SLEEPY TIME GIRL and who still lives in the little Newton Street 

BIFFLY blues (a 32-bar blues in a minor key) are particularly notable house where “Red” was born in January, 

performances - but I think he was not retirely relaxed at the session. The 1908. CD:6/30/62p16 (in larger size the same 

proceedings lack, some of the ebullience of the rather similar "FEELING photo was used by Jan Evensmo in his book). 

GOOD",.(CBS-624oo) recorded a few years later; the rhythm section is rather 

too formal and Allen fluffs once or twice. At 30 minutes playing-time the 

record is also rather short, but it is acoustically much better and its average 

jazz quality is only marginally below that of the later recording. The 

economics of the record business caused Allen's latter-day music to be rather 

poorly represented on record; as an example of his real genius, away from a 

rabble-rousing context, this issue is strongly recommended. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Down Beat's Annual Combo Directory 6/21/62:: “Henry Red Allen” - In recent 

years Allen has been rediscovered by critics and praised as the best of the last 

of the red-hot trumpeters. When he is good, he's very very good, even if 

some of his groups are horrid. representative recording: Verve 1025, Red VV:6/28/62p7 (shortened) 

Allen Plays King Oliver 

prob mid-late June 62, New Orleans, vacation of Red Allen, CD:6/30/62p17 with 

photo on the right side; (compare it with June-59 on page 68) 

7/4/62 NBC Today Tv-show,- - HENRY"RED"ALLEN QUARTET: - as 6/5/62 

pos. another (d = ?Ronnie Cole as 1/8/63) 9:30 tape, which was; a little bit too fast , 

0:23 female narr. RA-CD-23 

2:52 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) RA-CD-23 VV:6/28/62p7 (shortened) 

1:03 speech by female interviewer with Red Allen about his recently recording session RA-CD-23 

and dates in Cleveland, Embers, Indianapolis; Chicago London House ; 

0:36 male narr. RA-CD-23 

2:53 LOVER COME BACK TO ME (S.Romberg) RA-CD-23 

1:41 JUST IN TIME /cut (Comden-Green-Styne) RA-CD-23

- 107 - 

7/7/62 NPT, VoA-bc-No….. “Newport Jazz Festival”- Concert LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND THE ALL STARS: Louis 

Armstrong (t,v) Trummy Young (tb,v) Joe Darensbourg (cl) Billy Kyle (p) Bill Cronk (b) Danny Barcelona (d) Jewel 

Brown (v) Yank Lawson (t*), J. C. Higginbotham (tb**) added (complete session on transcription with 15 sides is unissued) 

3:22 ** DEAR OLD SOUTHLAND / JCH-CD-10 

3:49 * ** WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN –vJB & band & audience / JCH-CD-10 

3:08 * ** STRUTTIN’ WITH SOME BARBECUE / JCH-CD-10 

1962 by Dan /Morgenstern in Jazz Journal Oct. 1962, Vol.15, No 10p4: Only in the case of Louis Armstrong, who was 

saddled with the well-meant but unconstructive presence of Yank Lawson and J.C. Higginbotham, .… 

late Juli-until mid Aug.62, several weeks in Columbus, Benny Klein´s – Red Allen Quartet w. Lannie Scott, Franklin Skeete, Jerry Potter 

Citizen-Journal, Columbus, Ohio, without date 

Red Allen Quartet Keeps Emergency 

Squad Alert - by Abe Zajdan 

At first glance, the situaion at 

Benny Klein's, which always seems 

just a moment away from the 

emergency squad, appears to be well 

in hand for the next couple of weeks 

Henry (Red) Allen has moved his 

quartet into the Broad – and - High 

tinderbox for a couple of weeks and 

the after-hours voluptuaries who call 

Klein's "home" were happily in town 

by Allen's showmanship and music. 

THE BIG JAZZMAN with the quiet, 

gravel-voiced trumpet swings the 

familiar standards with an easy gait 

without quite beating them to a frenetic 

death. His sidemen - Lannie Scott, the 

pianist, Franklin Skeets, bass, and 

Jerry Potter, drums - are careful to 

sustain the Allen touch. Allen is a 

veteran who has made the grand tour of 

the nation's niteries since leaving his 

New Orleans home and the 

Mississippi riverboats. He hasn't left 

his savoir-faire behind. 

THE SHOWBILL also includes the 

Manhattan Twisters, two shapely 

young ladies accompanied by a male 

partner who do the twist with the 

enthusiasm of one who is trying to 

disengage himself from an octopus. 

Some of the spectators also join in. 

So does Benny Klein's blonde hostess. 

After the first set, they rolled back the 

deep-pile carpeting, so I presume a 

stand-by emergency squad wouldn't he 

a bad idea after all. (in the same 

source Louis Armstrong & his All 

Stars was announced for one week 

starting Mo.8/6/62 at The Maramor 

================================================================================================ 

ca. Aug.62, N.Y.C.-CENTRAL PLAZA- Red Allen band & Ed Hall Trio; 

Jack Bradley & Jeann Failow in Bul.H.C.F.Sept.62: Avent la fermeture annuelle, le Central Plaza a terminé la saison en 

beauté, avec un orchestre comprenant Red Allen(t) Eddie Barefield(cl) J.C.Higginbothen(tb) Lanny Scott et Zutty 

Singleton, auquel le Trio d'Edmund Hall avec Don Frye au piano et Jo Jones á la batterie, a fait une sévére concurrence... 

9/7/62 Erie, Pa., Rainbow Gardens, Waldameer Park – Red Allen; (Jazz Report) 

Sept.62, West Hampton, N.Y. - Dune Deck Hotel - Red Allen (Down Beat 9/27/62) 

last week of Dec.62, Cleveland, poss. Theatrical Grill – with at least two telecasts – Red Allen Quartet (Jazz Report) 

"Trumpeter Red Allen celebrated his 55th birthday on his opening night at London House, though his actual birthday was the 

day before" (Down Beat.2/14/63) 

1/8-1/27/63, Chic., London House; from this time recorded for 3/15/63 WBBM-ONS - RED 

ALLEN QUARTET; Red Allen (t,v) Lannie Scott (p) Frank Skeete (b) Ronnie Cole (d) 

ONS-5828 ………………………. tape wanted 

……………………… 

……………………… 

……………………… 

……………………… 

same date & loc.; 3/22/63 WBBM-ONS: same as above 30 min.tape 

ONS-5831 0:22 theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE - ann. on ens. (H.Allen) RA-CD-23/ 

2:45 IT'S ALLRIGHT WITH ME (Cole Porter) --- / 

7:22 SATIN DOLL (Ellington-Strayhorn) Flutegrove FL6/ --- / 

6:00 I WANT A LITTLE GIRL (Murray-Mencher) --- / --- / 

5:13 MEDLEY: - BYE BYE BLACKBIRD --- / 

- MUSIC GOES ROUND AND ROUND --- / 

3:30 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) --- / 

John Chilton in “Ride, Red, Ride” p172: … Lannie Scott was also featured on some of the Chicago broadcasts and plays 

well on a faster than usual version of 'Satin Doll', on which Red's solo is full of interesting gaps where he deliberately pauses 

for dramatic effect. The quartet's version of 'I Want a Little Girl' is a little too ornamental. but Lannie Scott shows that he, 

like Sammy Price, was a versatile pianist. 

1/14/63 Chic., WBBM-bc or -Tv, “Herb Lyon Show” – HENRY “RED” ALLEN QUARTET: same as above 

………………………… tape wanted 

CHERRY feat. fast – Skeete (Don Redman) tape wanted 

………………………… 

1/26/63 Chic., ..….-TV, “THE MARTIN FAYE SHOW” – HENRY”RED”ALLEN QUARTET: same as above 

3:00 YOU'D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME -ann. by Allen RA-CD-23 

3:56 ST.JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) RA-CD-24 

Coda Feb.63: Red is at London House, Chicago for two, maybe three weeks. His accompaniment - … He guestes on the Herb Lyon 

show on Jan.14th, he mostly just played, keeping the trumpet tricks to a minimum. Skeete was featured on a very fast CHERRY. 

- 108 -

Chicago Daily News Sat. 1/5/63 OPENINGS THIS WEEK (with photo), Tuesday: Trumpeter Henry “Red” Allen and his 

quartet at London House. It´s Allen´s birthday, too 

Chicago Sun Times-Tu., 1/8/63p44 

Tuesday Night it´s Red Allen and his jazz combo at the London House. Next Monday it´ll be Steve Allen on Ch.7. 

Chicago unknown undated 1963 press clip: 

Tower Ticker by Herb Lyon (look also in the disco: 1/14/63 WBBM-Herb Lyon Show with red Allen): 

… Best Bet for Tonight Ol´pro, Henry (Red) Allen and his quiet jazz, moving into the London House. … 

PC-2/9/63p13: Henry (Red) Allen's soft-toned King trumpet will be missed at the London House where he and his sharpely 

rehearsed group including Lannie Scott, piano; Ronnie Coles, drums, and Frank Skeete, bass … 

1/28 – first week in Feb.63; one week engagement at Dayton, Ohio, Kenkel´s (2/7/63 NYC- recorded concert “Musicians Aid Society) 

Journal Herald, Dayton, Ohio; Wed. 1/31/63 

Jazz Great “Red” Allen Sparks Solid 

Quartet Now At Kenkel 

By Brainard Platt - "Nice, man, nice." 

This is the best way to sum up the 

performance of Henry "Red" Allen and 

his quartet at Kenkel's this week, in his 

own words. 

Allen, one of the jazz greats, plays the 

softest trumpet ever, but when he takes 

off he can tear your heart out. 

He gives every number his own touch, 

like "Ride, Red, Ride" and his own 

"Rag Mop," for instance. 

He will take the lead with a number of 

soft choruses. break out with a few hot 

licks and rest his trumpet on the piano 

or mid his arm, while he boats out the 

rhythm with his hands.. 

Or he may take off through the audience, 

playing so softly with what he 

calls his "controlled trumpet" that it is a 

delight to hear. 

He is so good that Jack Kenkel feels 

this is the greatest group ever booked 

into the restaurant, hopes to get him 

back after his next month-long run at 

the Embers in New York. 

Allen has been playing with the best 

since he started at the age of 8 with his 

father's band in his native New Orleans. 

He took off at the age of 21, playing 

on the riverboats, and has performed 

with all of the best, Louis Armstrong, 

King Oliver, Fate Marble, Walter Pichon. 

And just recently, he was selected to 

lead a band of the greatest on the TV 

spectacular, "Chicago and All that Jazz." 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jack Bradley, Bul.H.C.F. March-63: N.Y.C.-Willie Smith"The Lion" ne se produit que rarement. Meis nous fúmes invités 

á une PARTY qu'il donna en l'honneur de Jane (sa compagne), oú nous retrouvámes Red Allen et son drummer Ronnie 

Cole (le fils de Rupert Cole), qui firent un peu de musique. Willie Smith joua AIN'T MISBERAVIN' et son ECHOES OF 

SPRING. Les meilleurs moments de Red Allen: ALL OF ME et MACK THE KNIFE 

Down Beat 3/28/63: Radio Station WNEW has begun a series called "Music Spectacular", 30-minute jazz shows emceed by 

Bob Landers on alternate Saturday at 2 p.m. First in the series was by a group of ex-Count Basies sidemen including Buddy 

Tate, Earl Warren, Buck Clayton, and Jo Jones. The second features Henry Red Allen with Tony Parenti, Cutty Cutshall, 

Ralph Sutton, Benny Moten, and Mickey Sheen … 

2/7/63 NYC., Program for “Musicians Aid Society” recorded for 2/16/63 Sat. 2 p.m. WNEW-“Music Spectacular” – JAM 

SESSION: Red Allen (t,v) Tony Parenti (cl) Cutty Cutshall (tb) Ralph Sutton (p) Benny Moten (b) Mickey Sheen (d) 

2:30 MEMPHIS BLUES (fast played) (Cl.& Sp.Williams) Phoenix-24/RA-CD-19/ 

4:27 YELLOW DOG BLUES (Handy-Pace) --- / --- / 

3:03 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) --- / --- / 

4:15 FIDGETY FEET (LaRocca-Shields-Sigman) --- / --- / 

Honky Tonk Train p solo RS (M.L.Lewis) tape wanted (detailed source Boris Rose-collection) 

theme: ALGIERS BOUNCE (H.Allen) tape wanted (detailed source B.R.-collection) 

IAJRC-… Jack Sohmer about PHOENIX 24: (A=1944) THE THEME; RED JUMP; RIDE, RED, RIDE; DARK EYES; DEAR OLD 

SOUTHLAND; GET THE MOP; JUST A FEELING; (B=Dec.57) WILD MAN BLUES; ROSETTA (C=Feb.63) MEMPHIS BLUES; 

YELLOW DOG BLUES; CHERRY; FIDGETY FEET: 

The final cuts seem of Metropolitan origin, with the curiously 

antiquated Parenti clarinet dominating in all areas but 

imagination. Though locked into a way of playing that had 

become dated by the late 20's, through sheer persistence he 

had turned this Shieldsian rigidity into a tool of immeasurable 

satisfaction to all but fellow musicians. By contrast, Red and 

the others sound like modernists, in a more traditional setting, 

one faithful to the legacy of the ODJB, Parenti would have 

felt more at home. But here. despite his obvious fluency, the 

effect is that of disconcerting obtrusion. 

Trevor Tolley about Phoenix-24 in an undated Jazz Journal: 

The last four tracks on the record are from 1963 by a group 

that included ex-Condonites Cutty Cutshall, Tony Parenti 

and Ralph Sutton. They play Cherry and Fidgety Feet nicely 

enough, but there is nothing out of the ordinary. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

MUSICIANS AID SOCIETY IS JUST THAT 

NYAN-6/1/63p15: Musicians and performers are the first to 

give - and they give the commodity of their talent. 

This has been the case recently when an all star group led by 

Count Basie performed for a radio program on behalf of the 

Musicians Aid Society. MC was Billy Taylor and the show 

was aired over Station WNEW with cooperation of Local 802 

of the American Federation of Musicians 

Musicians Aid Society is not a new organization but Jack 

Crystal has been busily reactivating it lately. (cont.on next page 

- 109 -

Crystal, of Commodore Record Co., a 

long-time friend of jazz and the men 

who make it has given employment 

to many at Central Plaza in lower 

Manhattan, where there are jazz 

sessions each weekend. He has also 

organized benefits for the individual 

musicians when needed. 

He doesn't stop there. He brings music 

to shut-ins at Kingsbridge Veterans 

Hospital in the Bronx and has been so 

doing for fifteen years. A recent benefit 

concert for thrailing clarinetist raised over 

$2,000. Trumpeter Louis Metcalf, also 

active in the Musicians Aid Society, 

personally sold 135 tickets. Over 100 

musicians turned out, to give of their time 

and talent. On Broadway 

The purpose of the organization is to help 

the senior citizens of music who have become, 

because of illness or age, unable 

to work. Crystal has offices of the 

Musicians Aid Society at 1697 Broadway. 

3/11/63 Mo., NYC., Palm Café – Camp Fund Affair with Red Allen as guest 

THE MEN OF THE HOUR - This group was snapped at the Palm Café last Monday 

Night at the Camp Fund affair enjoying the company of each other for a few moments, 

with no females allowed. From left: Bow Williams, Ralph Bastone, George Williams, 

Red Allen and Marty Liss. NYAN:3/16/63p15 

Among the musicians who have played to 

aid the Society are the following: 

On Feb.7: Red Allen, Cutty Cutshall, 

Tony Parenti, Ralph Sutton, Benny 

Moten and Mickey Sheen. 

A second program featured Count Basie, 

Buck Clayton, Dicky Wells, Earl warren, 

Buddy Tate, Rodney Richardson, Gene 

Ramey and Jo Jones. 

A third program combined the talents of 

the Clara Ward Singers and the Dukes of 

Dixieland. 

Down Beat 5/9/63: Red Allen's group at the Metropole included Lannie Scott, Franklin Skeete, Ronnie Cole (d), ... 

poss.Aug.63, NYC., Bourbon Street; guests: 

Louis Armstrong , Max Kaminsky, Red Allen; 

VV:8/15&22/63p9: house band for two weeks 

Marlow Morris Duo; 

VV:8/29/63p10: Dick Wellstood & Hayes 

Alvis for two weeks; 

Louis, Max, and Red at the short-lived Bourbon Street on Forty-Eighth Street. It looks as though they are watching 

the club close. (Eddie Condon-Scrapbook); (an alternate photo “Red & Louis” is in Chilton´s “Ride Red Ride”,p121)

- 109.1 - 

9/21/63 Louisville, KY opening day at WHAS-TV Crusade For Children; Henry Red Allen (t,v) & Quartet: Lannie Scott (p) 

Frank Skeete (b) poss. Ronnie Cole (d) to be seen on you-tube from www.youtu.be/Hu11zq68ly8 

5:48 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) RA-DVD-1/RA-CD-24/ 

................... more wanted from WHAS-TV-archive www.whascrusade.org 

................... more wanted 

======================================================================================== 

Scrapbook from HENRY „RED“ ALLEN 

About his appearance at 10th annual WHAS 

Crusade For Children Sept. 21 & 22, 1963 

remark: The original scrapbook is in B4 format with clips out of newspapers and 

programmes in original. Josephine Allen, Red´s daughter in law, gave it to the 

Red Allen collection of Franz Hoffmann, for a reduced A4 compilation with 

scanned text and reduced photos. 

============================================== 

pay attention on one photo with the band of Cozy Cole 

1963 Crusade Signs 

Jazzman Red' Allen 

10th WHAS event set 

for September 21-22 

by LOGAN POPE, Courier- 

Journal Staff Writer clip-9/1/63 

NEW ORLEANS jazzman Henry"Red" 

Allen and his quartet are to appear on 

the 10th annual WHAS-TV Crusade 

For Children September 21 and 22. 

Allen is the first entertainer that 

WHAS has announced as a headliner 

for its 16 1 /2-hour telethon to benefit 

mentally and physically handicapped 

children in the Kentuckiana area. As in 

the past nine years, the Crusade will 

run from 10 p.m. Saturday (September 

21) through 2:30 p.m. Sunday, 

carried simultaneously on WHAS 

radio and television. 

Allen is one of the "old-time" brass 

men who took the jazz traditions of New 

Orleans into the rest of the country 

during the 1920's and 1930's. He learned 

the trumpet from his father, a brass-band 

leader, and marched with his father's 

band while still in short pants. 

He played with bands headed by George 

Lewis, Eddie Jackson, Fats Pichon, Fate 

Marable, and Joe "King" Oliver. 

Jazz historian Dom Cerulli writes: 

"During the 1930's, while Oliver's star 

declined, Allen's rose continuously. His 

style was lyrical and not bound so strictly 

to the beat. He forged a style of his own 

which was unlike that of Louis Armstrong, 

and which was reflected in the later 

works of such stalwarts as Roy Eldridge 

and Dizzy Gillespie. 

"He still plays a personal, fiercely blue 

trumpet … and, while his vehicles are 

the standards of Dixieland, his trumpet 

work in the frames of these tunes is 

rarely bounded by the usual rules governing 

improvisation in this area." 

Last year's Crusade For Children raised 

a record-breaking $256,649, of which 

$242,231 was available for grants to handicapped-children's 

agencies in Kentucky 

and Southern Indiana. The money contributed 

in Indiana goes back to agencies in 

that state, and contributions in Kentucky 

remain for Kentucky agencies cont.:

continue from last page: 

Expenses for the 1962 Crusade 

were kept to a record low of 

$17,555, or 6.8 percent of funds 

collected. 

Of the 45 grants made from the 

1962 funds, seven totaling $37,458 

went to Hoosier organizations, 

while $199.499 was divided 

among 38 Kentucky groups. 

Allocations of the Crusade funds 

are made by members of the panel 

of the WHAS radio show "The 

Moral Side of The News"-Rabbi J. 

J. Gittleman, Temple Adath 

Jeshurun; Dr. Duke K. McCall, 

president of Southern Baptist 

Theological Seminary: the Rt. Rev. 

Monsignor Felix N. Pitt. executive 

secretary of the Catholic School 

Board, and Dr. Paul Stauffer, First 

- 109.2 - 

Red Allen Ork. On Crusade 

THE LOUISVILLE DEFENDER Thu.9/5/63 

with the same photo as on the above article 

Henry "Red" Allen - one of the jazz immortals - is 

destined to be one of this year's top attractions. He 

plays his trumpet in a style that is at the same time 

dynamic and forceful while lyrical and to not bound 

strictly to the beat. He plays the jazz and Dixieland 

that is fast beco-ming hard to come by and is often 

described as "precious" and "rare". 

Two singing groups have been announced. The 45 

voice Thorobred Chorus, 1962 International 

Barbershop Champions and the Motet Singers, one of 

the top choral organizations in the South. This will be 

the seventh Crusade for the Motet Singers. 

Three lovely vocalist are slated for duty during this 

year's Crusade. They are WHAS' Jo Ann Hale., 1961 

Crusade Queen Sherry Sizemore and Kentucky Opera 

Association star Carol Sladen 

New Orleans jazzman 

Henry "Red" Allen and 

quartet will appear on this 

year's Crusade for Children, 

which is scheduled for 

Christian Church 

September 21-22 

==================================================================== 

Week of September 29, 1963 firemen's collections being personally 

poured into the fish bowl by the men 

who bring in many thousands of dollars 

each year. Not until all have reported 

does the Crusade close with the singing 

of "Cod Bless America 

Eighteen hours after the show opened 

on Saturday evening with local and 

When the curtain carne down on the national stars headlining the first few 

10th annual Crusade for Children, new hours of entertainment, the last fireman 

chapters in the lives of mentally and physi- walked onto the stage with his bag full 

cally handicapped children of Kentucky of money. TV-in the BLUE CRASS 

and Southern Indiana started being written. 

======================= 

A highlight this time of year is the 

Individuals and organizations of the area WHAS Crusade for Children scheduled to 

contributed $260,948 when the 18-hour start at 10:00 p. m. this Saturday. 

Crusade seen over WHAS-TV, Chan- Name stars will be on hand to entertain but 

nel (11) and heard over WHAS radio the success depends on you and your 

came to its climax, This is the largest contributions received to carry an WHAS CRUSADE FOR CHILDREN - 

amount ever shown on the giant tote work for the physically handicap-ped 

board when the last volunteer firemen 

The Pope-Russell Dancers! Repertoire 

children of the Kentucky and Sou-thern 

marched across the stage. One of the 

ranges from jazz to musical comedy and 

Indiana area. Week of Sept.15, 63 

many traditions with the Crusade is the 

from tap to ballet. 

============================================================= 

WHAS Crusade For Children's Marathon' Week of September 15, 1963 

A decade is a long time. As the tenth 

WHAS Crusade For Children approaches, 

this fact is clearly demonstrated 

by infants, handicapped at birth, who 

have grown to a normal, healthy childhood 

through the help of Crusade funds; 

by dreams that have materialized into 

clinics and hospitals for handicapped 

children in this span of time; and by a 

re-education of thousands who held 

misconceptions about the mentally 

sick. Ten years is a long time, but a lot 

has been done in these years. 

TV in the Blue Grass 

At 10 p. m. on Sat., Sept.21, (11), the 

curtain in Louisville's giant Memorial 

Auditorium will rise on the 1983 

"WHAS Crusade For Children." 

For 16 1/2 hours national and local 

stars, technicians, musicians, and 

literally hundreds of volunteer workers 

from every walk of life will do their 

dead level best to raise cold, hard cash 

for the handicapped children of 

Kentucky and Southern Indiana. 

Henry"Red"Allen June Valli . 

The star line up this year reads like a 

major television network special. 

First of the national stars announced by 

Crusade officials was jazz trumpetplaying 

immortal Henry "Red" Allen. 

The only nationally known act to 

return to the Crusade static will be 

Homer and Jethro, the "oooh that's 

corny" duo. The corn pone wit of 

Henry (Homer) Doyle and Kenneth 

(Jethro) Burns is now legendary. 

Randy Atcher Johnny Johnston

Romantic singer Johnnie Johnston, June Valli, one of America's 

top vocalists. "Stephen Foster Story" star Jay Willoughby 

will make his fourth appearance on the Crusade this year. 

Other local performers include Randy Atelier, Cactus Tom 

Brooks, Phyllis Knight and Ray Shelton, Jay Crouse and Fred 

Wiche, the Red River Ramblers, the Patsy Bloor Dancers, the 

Hayloft Hoedowncrs, & others. 

The entire Crusade will be carried on WHAS-TV. 

Crusade's Host—Jim Walton Week of September 15, 1963 

- 109.3 - 

Stars Ready To Shine In Crusade For 

Children Tonight 

Several of the stars of the WHAS Crusade For Children, 

which starts its 16 1 /2-hour run at 10 tonight on Channel 11, are 

shown "warming up" their vocal cords for the big telethon. They 

are (standing) Larry Donoho, King of the 1963 Crusade, 

Kenneth Burns ("Jethro" of "Homer and Jethro"), and jazzman 

Henry "Red" Allen. Seated are Henry Doyle ("Homer") and 

June Valli of "Crying In The Chapel" fame. Singer Johnny 

Johnston didn't arrive in time for last night's "warm-up." 

SEP 21, 1963 

================================================================================ 

Go Without Sleep For Fun Tonight SEP 21 1963 

This is the night the stars go 

sleepless—because they'll be wide 

awake singing, dancing, joking, and 

asking for contri-butions to the 10th 

annual WHAS Crusade For Children. 

The Crusade, WHAS's annual plea for 

aid for handicapped children of 

Kentucky and Sou-thern Indiana, will 

begin its 16 1/2-hour reign on Channel 

11 at 10 tonight. And it'll be after 2:30 

tomorrow afternoon before most of the 

stars get to sleep. 

Last year's Crusade netted $256,649 

for 45 agencies in Kentucky and Southern 

Indiana. All of the money went to agencies 

in the area. None of it was sent to 

national headquarters of any of the aid 

groups. 

This year's Crusade is prob-ably the 

biggest collection of stage, screen, and 

recording stars ever assembled on a single 

stage in Kentucky. 

Television viewers will be able to 

watch the likes of Johnny Johnston, 

June Valli, Homer and Jethro, 

jazzman Henry "Red" Allen, the Pope- 

Russell Dancers, featuring Mareni di 

Napoli, current dan-cing sensations of the 

East Coast nightclub circuit, and the Motet 

Singers and cartoon star Mighty Mouse 

and scores of others. 

Johnston is currently master of ceremonies 

of A.B.C.-TV's "Make That 

Spare," seen here on Channel 32. He has 

starred on Broadway and in numerous 

movies and his recordings include some 

of the all-time best-sellers. 

He introduced such hits as "Old Black 

Magic,". "Laura." and '"I Dori´t Want 

To Walk Without You." He makes frequent 

guest appearances on television 

and appears in the nation's leading 

nightclubs. 

Emcee on A.B.C.-TV 

Miss Valli's career started booming 

from the night she won on Arthur 

Godfrey's Talent Scouts TV Show. 

Since then, she has starred in "The Hit 

Parade," "Stop The Music," and "The 

June Valli Show," all on TV. 

M A R E N I D I N A P O L I 

_________Crusade Dancer____ . 

She's an international star at the box 

office, attracting record throngs to 

numerous nightclubs and theaters in the 

United States and Europe. 

Her recordings, including such hits 

as "Crying In The Chapel," 

"Unchained Melody," and "Young and 

Foolish," are international hits. 

The story of Homer and Jethro, who 

set a new style in cornpone singing, is 

legend. They were discovered singing 

on a Knoxville radio station. 

From there, their career zoomed to 

recording stardom, appearances in 

the 

nation's top clubs and theaters, and to 

guest spots on such TV shows as Jack 

Paar, Steve Allen, Perry Como, Tennessee 

Ernie Ford, and others. 

The local and regional stars also appearing 

on the Crusade include Jay 

Willoughby, star of "The Stephen Foster 

Story," the Thorobred Chorus, opera 

singer Carole Sladen, Randy Ateher, 

Phyllis Knight, "Cactus" Tom Brooks, 

the Irvin twins of "Grand Ole Opry" 

fame, singers Janet Brooks and Sherry 

Sizemore, and a host of others. 

Also appearing will be the king and 

queen of this year's Crusade, singer 

Larry Donoho and accordionist Linda 

Graham, who'll be crowned by Johnston 

and Miss Valli. Dudley Saunders 

-----------------------------------------

- 109.4 - 

THE KICKOFF . . . The Patsy Bloor dancers took the stage at Memorial Auditorium last night to 

start the 10th annual WHAS Crusade for Children, which will continue until 2:30 p.m. today. 

'Ring Our Little Bell' WHAS Crusade Under Way With Lots Of Talent, Coffee 

9 / 2 2 / 6 3 : By PHIL NORMAN 

A team of schoolgirls, dancing to the tune of 

"Love Is Sweeping The Country," helped 

open the 1963 WHAS Crusade for Children 

last night in Memorial Auditorium. 

The girls, members of the Patsy Bloor 

dancers, shared the opening spot with 

Jay Willoughby and the motet singers, 

who presented a special version of 

"Give A Little Whistle." 

A New Version 

The lyrics sung by Willoughby, star of 

Bardstown 's "Stephen Foster Story," 

went like this: "Just dial our little 

number, "Ring our little bell, "Call and 

pledge your help with mousy, "Then 

we'll give a little yell." - The Crusade 

began at 10 p.m. In the first 2 hours and 

25 minutes $28,090 was pledged. 

The 161-hour radio and television 

marathon, marking the Crusade's 10th 

annual plea for money to help children 

with afflictions of all kinds, will end at 

2:30 p.m. today. 

Last year's Crusade brought donations 

of $256.649 but Vie. tor A. Sholis, vicepresident 

and director of WHAS, said 

no specific goal is ever set because "the 

need is limitless." 

Always Need More 

He said available funds are never sufficient 

to meet the needs of the 45 Kentucky 

and Southern Indiana children's 

agencies that were served list year. 

In a statement near the begin-ning of 

the show, Barry Bingham, Jr., assistant 

to the president of WHAS, Inc., 

called the project "a triumph beyond 

the highest hopes of those who gathered 

here for the first Crusade in 1954.” 

A lineup of well-rehearsed entertainment 

was scheduled to run into the wee hours. 

The bill included such performers as 

Homer and Jethro. singers June Valli and 

Johnny Johnston, jazzman Henry "Red" 

Allen, and the Pope-Russell Dancers. 

Crusade personalities from this area 

include master of ceremonies Jim Walton, 

Bobby Lewis and Janet Brooks, Jo Ann 

Hale and Sherry Size. more, Phyllis Knight 

and Carole Slayden, the Thorobred 

Chorus, Randy Atcher, "Cactus" Tom 

Brooks, and the Red River Ramblers. 

The Crusade queen, Linda Graham, 

14, was determined to remain in the 

show despite an attack of flu that 

sidelined her Friday. "I just had to 

come out for this," said Linda as she 

rehear-sed her accor-dian act. Linda 

and the Crusade king, singer Larry 

Donoho, 16, won their titles in talent 

competition. 

As usual, however, the real stars of the 

Crusade were the crippled, blind, deaf, 

and other handicapped children who 

came on the stage on behalf of the 

Crusade's cause. Others will be introdu- 

ced this morning in a segment dramatizing 

the work being done with children 

who have physical and mental handicaps. 

Up All Night 

Hundreds of volunteer work-ers were 

staying up all night to man about 50 

telephones and several adding machines, 

and perform countless other chores behind 

the scenes. Among the paraphenalia in the 

basement of the auditorium were two 

large coffee machines to keep all awake 

PASSING THE BOOT ... Helping 

collect contributions to the WHAS 

Crusade for Children yesterday was 

Donald Adcock, Mockingbird Valley 

Road. Adcock, representing the St. Matthews 

Fire Department, received 

donations from motorists on Shelbyville 

Road at St. Matthews Avenue

- 109.5 - 

SEP 22, 1963: It's Miracle Time By BILL LADD, Courier-Journal TV Editor 

Torrents of money, floods of love . . . that is the '63 Crusade For Children 

THE ANNUAL miracle is about to from you and me. 

knew we had listeners and viewers. I 

happen. This minute, as you read this Some will come from the clenched hands knew that the people of this area must 

over your coffee, the people of of handicapped children themselves. have more feeling of responsi-bility for 

Kentuckiana are bringing it to pass. On the stage at Memorial Auditorium, our cause than they had shown. 

Thousands of men, women and children the huge tote board wilt record the "I was very heart-sick and bone-weary. 

in their homes, their Sunday schools, their extent of our care for those less fortu- "Then, with the morning, a crowd began 

churches and on the streets and roads nate than ourselves. 

to form. You could feel the change in 

are being touched by the magic of the In a few days, when you have mailed the atmosphere backstage. People too 

10th annual WHAS Crusade for Children, in your pledge, a group of ministers will tired to move of their own free effort 

Within the next few hours, a year of parcel out the money to dedicated groups came alive! 

planning and work and 16 1/2 hours of in the two-state area which have worth- Children began to file past, dropping 

intensive campai-gning will surge to its while projects but no other source of funds. their savings into our goldfish bowls. 

climax. 

And even as they hand out the money, People stopped by on their way to 

Into glass fishbowls on the stage at men and woman will be planning the church to leave with us concrete evi- 

Memorial Auditorium will pour a torrent 11th Crusade. 

dence that they believed that which they 

of pennies. nickles, dimes, bills and On the stage, the smallest group of any were on their way to hear. 

checks to ease the way and improve the of those participating—the performers— "In those last few hours, we more than 

lot of handicapped children throughout will marvel at the annual miracle. made our goal. 

Kentuckiana. 

Through the years, almost every perfor- "That, I sincerely believe, was the finest 

The torrent will gush from the gigantic mer who has taken part has wiped away hour I have ever spent in show business." 

boots of 100 volunteer fire chiefs, and sweat and tears and tried to express his And that was before the days when 100 

from the hands of children. 

sensations as the magic began to work. volunteer fire depart-ments took part! 

It will flow from the church collection Perhaps none has done it better than When the show ends this after-noon, 

plate, and from the pickle jars into Garry Moore, star of very first radio- the cast will move to the footlights and 

which barten-ders have been stuffing TV marathon on WHAS. 

take a collective bow. If they bow extra 

their customers' change. 

This is what he said on C.B.S., coast- low, it will be because the bow they take 

It will be In the form of checks from to-coast, about the 1954 program: is for you. In these last hours, you are 

businessmen and from union treasuries. "We had slaved all night. 

the show, and on you rests its success. 

It will come from clubs and bowling "There was about $25,000 on the Hurry with that second cup. 

leagues, and from lonely old ladies, and scoreboard for about 10 hours of work. I You can still make these exciting hours! 

======================================================================================================== 

SEP 23, 1963: Crusade Puts On A Thriller With Cavalry-Style Finish 

By DUDLEY SAUNDERS • 

WHAS and Channel 11 could have 

taught Alfred Hitchcock a thing or two 

about suspense yesterday. 

The 10th annual WHAS Crusade for 

Children was easily the best thriller of 

the new television season. 

The 18-hour-and-5-minute telethon 

was a real nail-biter during the last few 

hours when a lot of us - especially the 

newcomers - were beginning to wonder 

when and if the money was ever going 

to arrive. 

To those of us who had not seen any of 

the previous tele-thons, the suspense 

started building about breakfast time 

when we realized the Crusade was more 

than $200,000 shy of last year's receipts. 

Stars Were Worried 

It looked to us newcomers that, despite 

all the careful plan-ning and hard work 

and talent of about 1.200 volunteer workers 

at Memorial Auditorium, this year's 

venture would fall horribly shy of the 

$256,649 collected last. year. 

You could almost tell the new people 

from the veterans back-stage yesterday 

morning. The new people were beginning 

to chain-smoke and look forlorn. 

The suspense was so great that June 

Valli, Johnny John-ston, Henry "Red" 

Allen, and Homer and Jethro risked 

miss-ing their planes by sticking around 

long after they had made their final appearances. 

They wanted to see whether 

the Crusade would "make it." 

But the old pros didn't seem overly 

worried. just tired. They knew from 

experience that the Crusade is a 

suspense show. 

"Don't sweat it," the old pros comforted 

the likes of me. "'It'll come. It'll come." 

And it did, like a snowball turning into 

an avalanche, or a truck careening down 

Pike's Peak without brakes. By the time 

the show went off the air at the steaming, 

noisy old audi-torium, the tote board read 

$260.-948, well over last year's record. 

Jerry Hall, 12, of Clarksville, Ind., with 

cash-filled firemen's boots. 

----------------------------------------- 

The big "suspense" show also had 

some of the elements of a big budget 

horse opera, with the cavalry riding to 

the rescue in the nick of time. 

The cavalry in this case was several 

thousand volunteer firemen who started 

pouring in about noon, their fire-fighting 

boots and flashy helmets over-flowing 

with money. 

And just as in the horse operas, the 

cavalry - firemen sounded their charge 

to the rescue - not with trumpets but 

blaring sirens. Those sirens probably 

sounded as good to the Crusade workers 

as the cavalry charge ever sounded to 

beleaguered pioneers. 

But the firemen weren't alone. 

It seemed as though just about every 

church, civic group, and Boy Scout 

troop in Kentucki-ana showed up, too. 

And so did a lot of just plain folks who 

canvassed their neighborhoods and kids 

who emptied their piggy banks. 

A veteran of several previous Crusades 

said it for me: "I knew they would come. 

But, man, I just wish they wouldn't wait 

so long. My heart can't stand it. I knew 

they would come, but I was beginning to 

be afraid maybe they wouldn't this year." 

Ditto! 

Incidentally, the Crusade came on 

strong Saturday night with a sort of 

Jackie Gleason opener — a big singing 

and dancing chorus, a quick parade of 

stars and real light. timing. Singer Jay 

Willoughby set a fast opening pace and 

high standard for all the national and 

regional talent which followed him. 

======================

- 109.6 - 

RECORD SIGN-OFF . . . The tote board registered a record $260,948 in donations and pledges as volunteers of the 1963 WHAS 

"Crusade For Children" signed off the radio-television appeal at 4:05 p.m. yesterday with a chorus of "God Bless America." 

Crusade may Over Top 18-Hour Telethon Nets $260,948 For Children 

By DEAN DUNCAN 

A longer-than-ever WHAS "Crusades 

For Children" went off the air 

yesterday with a record $260,948 

pledged and donated for the benefit of 

handicapped children in Kentucky 

and Southern Indiana. 

Drums rolled, trumpets wailed, 

and weary volunteers crowded onto 

the stage in Memorial Auditorium at 

4:05 p.m. to end the 10th annual fundraising 

telethon with a rousing version 

of "God Bless America." 

The $260.948 shown by tote-board 

was unofficial. The figure was expected 

to go higher. 

Even as the nonstop television-radio 

appeal signed off, WHAS entertainer 

Randy Atcher was announcing the 

receipt of an additional $1,558.44 in 

collec-tions from the Corydon, Ind.. 

Fire Department. 

Records Tumble 

Records tumbled like acrobats at this 

year's Crusade. 

The $260,948 replaced last year's 

$227.554 as the largest amount 

pledged or contributed while the 

telethon was still on thee air. In fact, 

the sign-off figure topped 1962's record 

total collection of $256,649. 

The 1963 telethon also was the longest. 

It started at 10 p.m. Saturday and lasted 

18 hours, 5 minutes. The old record 

was last year's 17 1/2 hours. 

After the curtain rang down, one of 

the biggest smiles on the stage was 

worn by Victor A. Sholis, WHAS 

vice-president and director. Of the 

public response to the appeal, he said: 

"It shows what a magnificent community 

we live in." 

As he spoke, entertainers and behindthe-scene 

volunteers exchanged hearty 

congratulations on jobs well done. 

Many had been on the go since the 

tele-thon starter, refueling themselves 

periodically with coffee and food 

donated by merchants and served free 

of charge in the auditorium basement. 

Many Stay All Night 

Lured by the attraction of an entertainment 

bill beyond the price of many a 

major television producer, a sizable 

crowd kept an overnight vigil in the 

auditorium. 

There were songs by such national 

entertainment personalities as June 

Valli, Johnny Johnston, and Homer and 

Jethro. The all-star lineup also included 

jazzman Henry "Red" Allen and the 

Pope-Russell Dancers. 

Regional and local talent included Jay 

Willoughby, Etcher, "Cactus" Tom 

Brooks, Phyllis Knight, Carole Slayden, 

the Tho-robred Chorus, the Red River 

Ramblers, Bobby Lewis, Janet Brooks, 

Jo Ann Hale, Sherry Sizemore, the Irvin 

Twins. Crusade Queen Linda Graham, 

and Crusade King Larry Donoho. 

======================= 

SEP 23, 1963 

TINY CRUSADER . . . 

Three-year-old Jeffery Tanselle, Pewee 

Valley, crou-ched among money-filled 

boots for a bit of rest yesterday after helping 

the Pewee Valley Fire Department 

lug the donations to the stage of Memorial 

Audi-torium for presentation to the 

1963 WHAS "Crusade For 

Children.":

- 109.7 - 

RECORD $260,948 PLEDGED SEP 23/19/63 

City Stays Up All Night - And Gives-For Handicapped 

All through the night, people gave. The 

next day, they kept giving. 

And when the WHAS Crusade for 

Children signed off the air yesterday 

after-noon, a record $260,948 had been 

donated or pledged for the benefit of 

handi-capped children in Kentucky and 

Southern Indiana. 

The 10th annual Crusade was not only 

the biggest money raiser ever, but also 

the longest. 

It began at 10 p.m. Saturday at Memorial 

Auditorium and didn't stop until 18 

hours and 5 minutes later, at 4:05 p.m. 

Last year's Crusade, which set a duration 

record, was 17 1/2 hours long. 

The amount rolling into the till this 

year compared with the $227,554 record 

amount contributed or donated last year 

while the Crusade was still on the air. 

The amount at sign-off time even 

surpassed the total record collection of 

last year when all figures were tallied. 

This was $256,649. 

Commented Victor A.Sholls, WHAS 

vice.president and di-rector: "It shows 

what a magnificent community we live in." 

This yeear's record amount was still an 

unofficial figure and it is expected that 

the total will be higher. 

The marathon television and radio 

appeal got sparkle from the appearances 

of national and local entertainment 

personalities. The talent covered the 

gamut from pop singer June Valli to 

jazzman Henry "Red" Allen. 

The rolling of drums, the blast of 

trumpets, songs, and patter kept the 

show moving until the end. 

Then bleary-eyed volunteers crowded 

onto the stage of the auditorium to sing 

a fervent "God Bless America." 

At noon yesterday the $61,-000 mark 

was reached. After that, donations seemed 

to cascade into the coffers as collection 

teams from fire departments arrived. 

By 1:30 the $100,000 mark was reached. 

It was signaled with the release of 

balloons from stage rafters. There was 

more fanfare when the announcement 

of $200,000 donated was made at 3:10. 

The biggest gift-$32,587-came from 

126 churches and missions of the 

Louisville Catholic Archdiocese. The 

Rev. R. E. Dentinger took 5 minutes to 

read the list of donors. 

Other denominations also back the 

Crusade and this year conti-nued their 

practice of making individual contributions. 

The "parade of children" 

yesterday included many youngsters 

who brought contributions from their 

Sunday-School classmates. 

Some Still To Report 

Jim Walton of WHAS, who for the 

10th straight year was master of ceremonies, 

said pledges and donations 

came in at about the same rate as last 

year. The 35 minutes of extra time made 

the difference, he said. 

As the appeal was closing, WHAS star 

Randy Atcher was announcing the 

receipt of an additional $1.558.44 from 

the Corydon, Ind., Fire Department. 

Jo-Ann Mattingly, 6, clung tightly to 

the jar of money she brought to the 

Crusade For Children. Phyllis Knight 

offered help -but Jo-Ann had to be sure 

some-one "more official" took it. 

And about 10 fire department were still 

unreported at sign-off time. 

About 70 fire department representatives 

dumped boot-fuls of money in fishbowls 

at Walton's feet. The St. Matthews 

Volunteer Fire Department scored 

highest, with $12.878 in collections. 

Second-best collec-tors reported were 

the members of the Pleasure Ridge 

Volunteer Fire Department with $10,758 

Stars Helped Show 

Among the national stars len-ding their 

time and talent to the Crusade were June 

Valli, Johnny Johnston, Homer and Jethro, 

the Pope-Russell Dancers, and Henry 

"Red" Russell. Regional and local talent 

included Archer, Jay Willoughby, 

"Cactus" Tom Brooks, Phyllis Knight, 

Carole Slayden, the Thorobred Chorus, 

the Red River Ramblers, Bobby Lewis, 

Janet Brooks, Jo Ann Hale, Sherry 

Sizemore, the Irvin Twins, Crusade 

Queen Linda Graham, and Crusade 

King Larry Donoho. 

WHAS announcer Jim Walton began 

winning her confidence as she shyly 

reached his micro-phone. Capitulation! 

Walton was official enough. She collected 

the $3.55 on her street. (Weller) 

===================================================================================================== 

The Louisville Defender, Thursday, September 26, 1963 

VETERAN DISCUSSION - Jazz immortal Henry "Red" Allen and 

Marine Reserve Staff Sergeant Willis S. Evans, Jr., 3600 Montclair Ave., 

swap stories about the "Good old days." Allen talks jazzland music as he has 

known it and played it since he got his start years ago in New Orleans, and 

Sgt. Evans talks of his ten years helping with the WHAS Crusade For 

Children. The picture was made on the giant stage of Louisville's Memo-rial 

Auditorium this past weekend during the annual drive to raise funds for the 

handicapped children of Kentucky and Southern Indiana. An all-time high 

record has been set again this year with some $260,948 pledged and donated 

to the community effort. Crusade officials are urging persons to fulfill their 

pledges as soon as possible so that the task of allocating the funds may be 

started as soon as possible. 

================================================================ 

END of the collected clips about the 

Sep.1963 LOUISVILLE WHAS Crusade appearance

Henry “Red” Allen 

– Jazz As 

Rejuvenating Joy 

by Nat Hentoff in 

International Musici- 

an June-63 pp22-23 

One of the most persistently buoyant 

phenomena in jazz is trumpeter Henry 

"Red" Allen. At fifty-five, he still performs 

with the zest and obvious delight 

in improvisation of men thirty years 

younger. On the stand, Allen is an exuberant 

extrovert in his determination to 

sustain the excitement of his audiences. 

Privately, Allen is a shy, soft-spoken man 

who combines pride in his accomplish- 

Ments and heritage with an amiability of 

temperamnent which has made him an 

exceedingly popular musician among 

jazzmen of widely varying ages and styles. 

The enveloping warmth which Allen 

generates has been a major factor in his 

having enjoyed a number of exceptionally 

long engagements throughout the country. 

In 1954, he went into the Metropole 

in New York for two weeks, and stayed 

for seven years. In previous years, he had 

stretched a two-week date at the Down 

Beat in Chicago to six years, and another 

fortnight at New York's Cafe Society to 

a two-year stand. Red has the capacity 

not only to attract sizable audiences, but 

to draw them back again and again. Aside 

from his ebullient, after - dark personality, 

Red's power comes from his impressively 

resourceful command of the trumpet. 

His melodic sense is particularly 

arresting and persistently fresh. As critic 

Martin Williams has observed, "One of 

the outstanding characteristics of Allen's 

playing is the freedom with which he 

phrases. Probably no jazz soloist between 

Armstrong and Lester Young plays with 

greater rhythmic ease and natural swing 

than Red Allen." 

He is also an affectingly personal singer, 

particularly on ballads which he 

illuminates with husky poignancy and 

the same kind of irresistible swing which 

characterizes his playing. The gentleness 

and sensitivity of Allen at home and with 

his friends make him so tenderly effective 

as a ballad interpreter. When his 

high good humor and gusto are added to 

that kind of lyricism, the result is one of 

the most diversified stylists in jazz. 

Henry "Red" Allen comes of a distinguished 

jazz lineage. He was born in 

Algiers, Louisiana, on January 7, 1908. 

His father, Henry Allen, Sr., led a 

notable brass band which was part of the 

New Orleans scene for more than forty 

years. The young Allen was passing out 

music to the band members almost as 

soon as he could walk, and he was 

playing and marching by the age of 

eight. Many of his first influences were 

trumpeters who played in the senior 

Allen's band: Kid Rena, Buddy Petit and 

Chris Kelly. Later there were the 

recordings of Louis Armstrong, who had 

left New Orleans by the time Allen was 


a full-time professional player. By 

1926,Allen was playing on the riverboats 

with Fate Marable's bands, and he went 

further away from home when he joined 

King Oliver in St. Louis in 1927. 

Red had two chances to come to New 

York by the end of the 1920's - offers 

from both Duke Ellington and Luis Russell. 

Since the Russell band had more of 

his home-town friends than the Ellington 

unit, Red chose Russell. Once in New 

York, Red's reputation among musicians 

began to increase precipitously. During 

one session at the Rhythm Club in Harlem, 

the visiting Fletcher Henderson heard 

Allen demonstrate that he could impovise 

in any key - a feat which 'was comparatively 

rare among hornmen at the 

time. Henderson remembered the experience 

and hired Allen in 1933. Allen was 

then featured in the Blue Rhythm Band 

from 1934 to 1936, and joined Louis 

Armstrong's orchestra from 1937-1940. 

During the 1930's, Allen became a 

potent influence on the jazz scene. As 

Leonard Feather observes in his Encyclopedia 

of Jazz, "More than any other 

hot jazz trumpet artist before him he 

seemed to think in terms of long, flowing 

melodic lines and to play with a sense of 

continuity." Allen had full freedom to 

expand his singular style when he became 

a leader of his own combos in 1940. 

During the next decade, his small units 

produced consistently stimulating, 

searingly explosive jazz. With such sidemen 

as J. C. Higginbotham, Edmond 

Hall, pianist Ken Kersey and the neglected 

altoist, Don Stovall, Allen's units 

focused on the essence of driving, spontaneous, 

careeningly unpredictable jazz. 

Since leaving the Metropole in 1961, 

Allen had been leading a successful 

quartet in such regular locations for him 

as the Embers in New York, the London 

House in Chicago, the Theatrical Grill 

in Cleveland, and on college tours with 

comedians Shelley Berman and Bob 

Newhart. Allen has so extensive a 

repertory and so resilient a style that he 

fits easily into a wide gamut of musical 

contexts. He is a total professional, and 

yet he alsoretains the irrepressible thrust 

of a man who is committed to jazz because 

he enjoys it so much. "To this day," 

says Allen, "I get a little more enthusiastic 

after each chorus. I'm never tired of 

playing because I never know exactly 

what's going to happen next. This music 

can really keep you young." 

Allen is both respectful of the jazz 

tradition and also eager to keep informed 

of new developments in the music. The 

world - wide spread of that tradition was 

impressed on him in 1959 when, during 

a European tour, he went to visit Fatty 

George's jazz club in Vienna. There, at 

the entrance, was a huge picture of one 

of his father's marching bands. "It was 

one of the biggest surprises of my life," 

Allen recalls, "and a very moving experience." 

At the same time, Allen also 

appreciates the fact that many of the 

younger players know and respect his 

work. "You know," he grins, "I made a 

record a few years ago, and one of the 

critics wrote that I sounded as if I'd been 

listening to Miles Davis. The fact is that 

Miles used to come around to hear me 

during his first years in New York. I like 

Miles' work very much, but I'd been 

playing the way I did on the record for a 

long time before I ever heard Miles." 

In whatever city he appears, Allen 

takes the time to hear the other visiting 

musicians in town—men like Miles 

Davis, Max Roach, Gerry Mulligan, 

and another favorite, Dizzy Gillespie. 

"That's one of the reasons jazz stays so 

absorbing," Red explains. "It's always 

changing, and I like to hear those 

changes. I've changed some myself. And 

that's why I have no fear about the future 

of jazz. This music can't die out while 

there are always new generations of 

musicians trying new things. I only hope 

that they also combine their inno-vations 

with listening to some of the players 

who have gone before them." 

When not on the road, Red lives in the 

Bronx with his wife, Pearly May. His 

son, Henry Allen, III, studied trumpet, 

but is now a policeman. Red also delights 

in his two grandchildren, eight-yeas 

Alcornette and three-year-old Juretta. 

The latter is named after his mother; 

now seventy-nine, and still living in 

New Orleans. 

This reporter has been stening to Red 

Allen for more than twenty years. I first 

encountered his music in Boston where, 

characteristically, Red had come for a 

short engagement and had remained well 

over a year. Then, as now, I was compelled 

to frequent wherever he played the 

unflagging inventiveness and scope of 

the man's music. He can transmute a 

popular song into an intimately personal 

story, and in the next number, he can 

galvanize his audience into feet-stamping 

exultancy - often spurred by his own 

exclamatory asides ("Nice! V-e-r-y 

Nice!"). And then he can settle into a 

blues that distills centuries of Afro- 

American musical experiences and is at 

the same time penetratingly contemporary. 

As one of Allen's admirers, 

Clark Terry says, "Whenever I think 

of the real blues, I think automatically 

of Red." 

For all the spontaneity of his playing, 

Red is also an uncommonly conscientious 

craftsman. He balances his sets 

with care, and, as I've seen at television 

shows and rehearsals for other occasions, 

he has a superior sense of organization. 

Without raising his voice or seeming in 

the least flurried, he is able to draw the 

maximum capacity from whatever musicians 

are working with him His own 

love and respect for jazz is contagious; 

and the reason for the durability of his 

appeal is that Red, like jazz, has never 

been content to settle into comfortably 

familiar patterns. Each night, Red Allen 

is rejuvenated - rejuvenated by the challenges 

and substantial pleasures of making 

his living by communicating to others 

his spontaneous emotions and the accumulated 

experience of fifty years of 

making his horn a natural extension of 

his own ardent self.

Down Beat 8/29/63 Red At Metropole till further notice 

John Chilton in Ride, Red, Ride, p176: 

Throughout 1963 Red's quartet played 

further bookings at the Metropole 

(with Ronnie Cole in place of Jerry 

Potter). The management were not slow 

to observe that Red's return brought 

back cus-tomers who had not visited 

the bar in a long time, and accordingly 

they gave Allen a series of dates that 

stretched into spring 1964. Drummer 

Barry Martyn visited the Metropole 

during this period (in conversation with 

John Chilton): 

In 1964 I was on tour with Kid 

Thomas. We had a night off in Bridgeport, 

Connecticut, so I suggested to 

Tom that we go into New York. He 

was pleased with the idea and got all 

dressed up. We caught the train in 

and decided we'd go to the Metropole 

to see Red Allen. Someone must have 

told Red that Kid Thomas was in the 

house because he made a big shebang 

about it from the stage and when the 

intermission came he sat down with us 

and he and Kid Thomas began talking 

- 109b - 

about the old days. But neither of 

them mentioned the celebrated 

occasion when they had battled 

against each other for the prize of a 

leather satchel. I thought how much 

I'd like to hear them talk about that so 

I brought the subject up by saying 'Is 

this the first time you've met since you 

had that cutting contest?' Red affected 

not to remember anything about this, 

but Kid Thomas said he didn't think 

they had met since then, but neither of 

them elaborated and the conversation 

went on to other things. By then about 

ten people had gathered around to 

hear what these old were talking 

about, so Red became expansive 

while old Tom guys just sat listening; 

then Red said something to one of the 

crowd about his father having the 

greatest brass band in New Orleans. 

Suddenly Tom piped up, 'I worked in 

your daddy's band and it wasn't too 

good. 'Well, I thought that Red might 

explode, but actually he sat there 

calmly and then said 'Maybe it wasn't 

that good, but it was history', and both 

men chuckled. 

Barry Martyn soon returned to the 

Metropole and saw Red working there 

with his quartet, which had Sammy Price 

on piano and a young bassist and 

drummer. Red was playing opposite 

Woody Herman's Big Band, who were 

on stage when Martyn arrived (in 

conversation with John Chilton): 

I think this must have been one of 

Woody's noisiest bands. They finished 

their set and on came Red and the 

rhythm section. He absolutely took 

the place over and in no time at all he 

had all the people hollering and 

cheering, and the crowd let it be 

known they didn't want Woody 

Herman's Band to go back on. It was 

just about the most remarkable scene 

I've ever witnessed in my years as a 

musician. It was a perfect example of 

showmanship and New Orleans jazz 

winning over audience. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

9/28/63 Sat., 9 p.m., Central Plaza – 2nd Benefit concert For Musicians Aid Society: bands of Vic Dickenson and Louis Metcalf; 

guests artists include the following: Henry”Red”Allen, Herman Autrey, Buck Clayton, Wild Bill Davison, Louis Metcalf, Pee Wee 

Erwin (t) Tyree Glenn, Jimmy Archey, Herb Flemming, Conrad Janis, Vic Dickenson (tb) Buster Bailey, Tony Parenti, Garvin 

Bushell, Eddie Barefield (cl) Cliff Jackson, Marty Napoleon, Red Richards, Hank Duncan, Sammy Price, Clarence Johnson (p) 

Panama Francis, Jimmy Crawford, Joe Jones, Herb Cowens, Hap Gormley (d) 

NYAN:9/28/63p16; In M.Selchow´s book “Vic Dickenson” is a photo of Herb Flemming & Vic Dickenson from this concert. 

10/28-11/9/63, Can., Toronto - Colonial Tavern: Henry Red Allen / prob.at the same time J.C.Higginbotham, Hank DeAmico 

(cl) George Wettling played also 

Red Allen´s manager Jack Bradley obviously accompanmied the band and listed in his notebook special band features: 

Tuesday October 29, Jack wrote, "Ride Red Ride," "I Ain't Got Nobody" and "How Long Blues." 

Sunday, November 3, Jack wrote that Red performed the following numbers: A "swinging 'Cherry,'" "St. Louis Blues," 

"How Long Blues," "Begin the Beguine," "Bye Bye Blues" and "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." 

mid Nov.63, Metropole ; RED ALLEN TRIO: Sammy Price, Eddie Locke vs. JACK TEAGARDEN BAND: Sol Yaged, Barrett Deems; 

Heiner Mückenburger “Meet Me Where they Play the Blues” about Verve 8465: 

Mitte November 1963 erlebte der Kritiker Whitney Balliett 

im »Metropole« in New York die Gruppen von Jack Teagarden 

und dem Trompeter Henry »Red« Allen im Wechselspiel. 

Ballietts Rezension dürfte eine der letzten eingehenderen 

Würdigungen der Wirkung und Spielweise unseres Meisters 

sein. Nur zwei Monate später war Teagarden tot. Balliett 

notierte damals: 

»Es wurde schnell klar, nicht nur in ihrem Spiel, sondern 

auch in ihrem Verhalten, daß es für das Geheimnis ihrer 

Ausstrahlung keine einheitliche Erklärung gibt. Genau 

genommen gehen Teagarden und Allen sogar in vollkommen 

gegensätzlicher Weise zu Werke - Teagarden hält zurück, 

während Allen in herausfordernder Weise austeilt. Teagardens 

Stil ist seit 1927, als er zum ersten Mal voll entfaltet 

nach New York kam und anfing, die geistigen Grundvorstellungen 

für das zu bilden, was er mit jedem Stück anfangen 

wollte, immer ein Muster an Sauberkeit gewesen. Das geht 

so: er nimmt ein neues Stück in Angriff, indem er sich im 

Kopf das bestmögliche Solo ausmalt und das im Gedächtnis 

behält; was dann aus seiner Posaune kommt, ist die größte 

Annäherung an sein Gedächtnis, die er eben schafft. So gibt 

es keinen Griff ins Leere, kein In-Eine-Sackgasse-Geraten, 

wenig Verschwendung. Diese Arbeitsweise, verbunden mit 

einer erstaunlich unverminderten Technik, machte die 

bestehende Gleichmäßigkeit seines Werkes aus. Allerdings, 

bei genauem Hinhören entdeckt man todsicher in jedem 

Chorus wenigstens eine Überraschung. So war das letzte 

Woche bei Teagarden-Hymnen wie St.James Infirmary, A 

Hundred Years From Today, Basin Street Blues, Stars Fell 

On Alabama und Muskrat Ramble. Bei vielen Nummern 

blieb Teagarden, der nie mehr als einen improvisierten 

Chorus auf einmal spielte, aber auch ganz einfach still und 

überließ das Geschehen seinen Kollegen. Er hat seine 

Inspiration in Kaffeelöffeln gemessen, und vom Grunde der 

Tasse ist bislang nichts zu sehen.. 

Allen, auf der anderen Seite, schwimmt manchmal hin 

und her zwischen großer Schönheit und dem Gemeinplatz 

einer einzigen Phrase. Vergraben in seine Trompete in dieser 

Nacht schreit er, knurrt er, gellt er, tanzt dabei herum (Teagarden's 

Bewegungen beschränken sich darauf, daß er zum 

Mikrofon und von dort zurücktritt) und schwenkt er Schlußtöne 

wie Fahnen, oft acht oder zehn Takte lang ausgehalten, 

und dann plötzlich sanfte Folgen zusammengesetzt aus tiefen, 

dunklen Phasen, versprühenden Läufen und diesen großen, 

rund-buckligen blue notes, die immer sein Spiel geprägt 

haben. Aber diese nachdenklichen Zusammenspiele, wenn 

man sie überhaupt mitbekam, verflogen so schnell, daß es 

schwer fiel zu glauben, daß sie sich jemals ereignet hatten. 

Kurz gesagt, Allen spielte und spielte und spielte laut, leise, 

glänzend, schwach - als ob sein Non-Stop-Verbrauch von 

Energie nur noch mehr Energie erzeugen würde. 

Alles, was über Teagardens und Allens Begleiter (bei 

Teagarden war u.a. Barrett Deams und Sol Yaged, bei Allen 

Eddie Locke und Sammy Price) zu sagen ist, ist, daß sie für 

einen gehörigen Rückhalt für ihre Leader sorgten. Auch 

zeigten sie, versteckt zwar nur, die Unterschiede zwischen 

ihren Chefs auf: von der Bühne aus prüften sich Allens Leute 

sorgfältig und mit Vergnügen in dem großen Spiegel, der die 

Wand gegenüber der Metropole-Bühne bildet. Als 

Teagardens Musiker zufällig ihre eigenen Blicke einfingen, 

wendeten sie schnell und wie Schafe die Augen ab.«

- 110 - 

12/11/63, N.Y.C. - LUIS RUSSELL died."His funeral was attended by many of his old band, Henry 'Red' Allen, Charlie 

Holmes, J.C. Higginbotham, Greely Walton, Bingie Madison and Howard Johnson, all being present. It is a happy thought 

that he left behind him such a fine selection of recordings which will serve as an everlasting memorial to the LUIS RUSSELL 

ORCHESTRA." by Harald Grut, J.J.3-64, complete article see RA bio-disco-part-1a, p58 

VICTORIA SPIVEY “BLUES IS MY BUSINESS” – LUIS RUSSELL in Rec.Research 4-1967 (complete in part-1a, p76): 

… After this date (10/1/29) I did not see Luis again until 1937 

when he was the pianist with Pops Armstrong swingin´ band at 

New York City's Paramount Theatre. My husband Billy 

Adams, thanks to Joe Glaser, was placed in Pops' show. Billy, 

who was a wonderful tap dancer, liked only the piano and 

drummer to accompany him. Luis went out of his way to give 

Billy the most splendid type of piano accompaniment and 

certainly helped to make Billy even more sensational than 

ever. As the years passed on I just seemed to miss meeting 

Luis time after time. Just a few months ago I made a 

determined effort to find Luis here in New York City. Finally 

Red Allen gave me his address and I learned that Luis had 

been remanied and was living up in Washington Heights in 

NYC, and also that Luis was very ill. On Wednesday, Nov. 24, 

1963, Len Kunstadt, J. C. Higginbotham, and myself went to 

Luis' home where we enjoyed a friendly chat with him and his 

lovely wife, Carline who we understand is a talented guitarist 

and opera singer. The gravely ill Luis was indeed jolly and he 

had high hopes to recover. A few days after the delightful 

meeting with Luis and his wife I called them to find out how 

everything was - and I was so happy to hear how he sounded 

so at ease. Sadly, about 10 days later Luis Russell was gone 

and I lost another great pal. There are so many wonderful 

things I can say about him as a musician and as a person. Just 

ask all that knew him, and you will find out that he was tops. 

My best to his little family and keep them safe and sound. And 

long live the memory of King Luis. 

late Dec.63, N.Y.C., Central Plaza, - JACK CRYSTAL-BENEFIT CONCERT personnel: see below,including the Red Allen 

Quartet: Sammy Price, Frank Skeete, Eddie Locke; J.C.Higginbotham & Dickie Wells with Buddy Blacklock, Eddie Condon, 

Benny Moten, George Wettling; IRA GITLER in Down Beat 1/30/64: 

The Central Plaza, where the late Jack Crystal had run 

countless sessions, was the scene of a huge, benefit for his 

family last month. Crystal's great popularity' among Dixie-land 

and mainstream musicians was attested to by the large number 

of men who showed up to donate their services. Many played, 

but the confusion that usually reigns at events of this kind kept 

others from performing. 

The paying audience was tremendous. The benefit was 

supposed to start at 7 p.m. By 6:30 there was a huge line on 

Second Ave., outside the entrance to the hall. In no time, all 

the space in the huge, fifth-floor ballroom was taken, and the 

overflow was directed to a. smaller room on the third floor. 

Bands shuttled back and forth between the floors, playing for 

both gatherings. 

One of the hits of the evening was the opening trombone duo 

of J.C.Higginbotham and Dickie Wells, backed by Buddy 

Blacklock, piano; Benny Moten, bass; and George Wettling, 

drums. The veteran trombonists, who did My Buddy and I May 

Be Wrong, had not rehearsed, but they spontaneously 

developed their unison and harmony and played four- and 

eight-bar exchanges. Their individual styles were highly 

complementary. 

Another spirited set featured tenor saxophonists Bud Freeman 

and Bob Wilber, trumpeter Max Kaminsky, trombonist 

Cutty Cutshall, bassist John Giuffrida, and drummer Morey 

Feld. Eddie Condon was on stage for this one, "conducting" 

the group. Then he left the stand, and clarinetist Peanuts 

Hucko and bassist Bob Haggart replaced Freeman and 

Giuffrida. Dave McKenna was added on piano. While 

Condon was on, the group played 1 Found a New Baby and 

Fats Waller's Squeeze Me. Freeman was fine and Wilber 

outstanding in a Lester Youngish attitude. Kaminsky's horn had 

plenty of punch and virility. When Hucko and Haggart 

appeared, the group did South Rampart Street Parade. 

Between Higginbotham-Wells and Condon, there was a 

succession of combos beginning with trumpeter Henry (Red) 

Allen, (Sammy Price, piano; Frank Skeete,bass; Eddie 

Locke, drums), continuing with the Village Stom-pers 

(including Joe Muranyi, clarinet), the Fingerlake Five 

(trombonist Herb Flemming and drummer ,Manzie Johnson 

added), and ending with clarinetist Sol Yaged (Warren 

Chiasson, vibraharp; Marty Napoleon, piano; Johnson, 

drums), who broke it up with After You've Gone, and 

trumpeter Pee Wee Erwin (Tony Parenti, clarinet; Tyree 

Glenn, Miff Synes, trombones; Hank Duncan, piano; Les 

Demerle, drums). Singer Beulah Bryant appeared with the 

Erwin group. 

After Hucko's set, things degenerated with two "amateur" 

groups, the Easy Riders from Bridgeport, Conn., whose car 

had broken down four times en route to New York, and the 

Southampton Dixie, Racing & Clambake Society Jazz Band. 

The former group, led by trombonist Bill Bissonette, at least 

had a spirited feel, as rough around the edges as it was. The 

Southampton crew was typical of the showy, soul-less, young 

Dixie revivalist groups that seem to per-petuate themselves in 

collegiate circles. The drummer was one of the worst I have 

ever heard. A metronome, put in his place, would have played 

with more heart. 

It would be unfair to say the crowd did not love the 

Southampton aggregation, but it is also pertinent to point out 

that the same audience would not be quiet when trumpeter Joe 

Thomas began the next set with a heartfelt version of I'm in 

the Mood for Love. 

With Thomas were Cozy Cole, drums; Rudy Rutherford, 

alto saxophone, clarinet, flute; Steve Benoric, clarinet; and 

Duncan, piano. Later in the set, George Wein sat in on piano, 

Russell (Big Chief) Moore vigorously played trombone, 

Victoria Spivey sang, and Jimmy McPartland blew big 

cornet in a fine version of When the .Saints Go Marching In. 

McPartland, who served as emcee through most of the 

evening, announced that approximately $3,000 had been 

collected. 

The long evening, which started well, ended up in a kind of 

hodge-podge. Both Benoric and Miss Spivey were guilty of 

some untimely mugging and body gyrations, though Miss 

Spivey did sing what seemed to be (the public-address system 

was not faithfully reproducing her words) a worthy blues 

tribute to Crystal. 

As someone ironically said, "If Jack had been here, there 

wouldn't have been all this confusion. He knew how to make 

these benefits run smoothly.,, 

1/8/64, N.Y.C. - CECIL SCOTT FUNERAL (died 1/6) Jeann Failows & Jack Bradley in Bul.H.C.F.Feb.64: Le foule était si 

dense á l'lenterrement de Cecil Scott qu'il nous fut impossible d'entrer. Parmi ceux qui restèrent dehors avec nous, citons Dicky 

Wells, Sandy Williams, J.C.Higginbotham, Edgar Currence, Willie Smith"Le Lion", Red Allen, Sammy Price, Noble 

Sissle, Eubie Blake, Victoria Spivey, Don Redman, Sonny Greer, Wingie Carpenter, etc ... Nous n'oublierons jamais notre 

cher ami disparu: Cecil Scott.

- 111 - 

1964 throughout at the Metropole, houseband: HENRY "RED" ALLEN Quartet incl.Sammy Price or His All Stars 

except when on his tour through England 4/16-ca.5/7/64 

"HENRY "HENRY "RED" "RED" ALLEN ALLEN IS IS THE THE MOST MOST MOST AVANTGARDE 

AVANTGARDE 

TRUMPET TRUMPET PLAYER PLAYER IN IN NEW NEW YORK YORK CITY 

CITY 

TRUMPET PLAYER IN NEW YORK CITY" by Don Ellis in Down Beat 1/28/64: 

Every time 

I have gone 

to the Metropole 

to see 

Henry (Red) 

Allen during 

the last two 

or three 

years, I have 

said to myself, "It can't be true. He must 

just be having a very good night. All 

those wild things he is doing must just 

be lucky accidents! After all, he's been 

around almost as long as Louis, and it is 

simply impossible that he could be 

playing that modern." 

Well, a few weeks ago, after hearing 

Red on a slow Tuesday night with only 

a handful of people in the club-the type 

of night that would be very uninspiring 

to most artists -I became convinced that 

Red Allen is the most creative and avantgarde 

trumpet player in New York. 

What other trumpet player plays such 

asymetrical rhythms and manages to 

make them swing besides? What other 

trumpeter plays ideas that may begin as 

a whisper, rise to a brassy shout, and 

suddenly become a whisper again, with 

no discernable predictability? Who else 

has the amazing variety of tonal colors, 

bends, smears, half-valve effects, rips, 

glissandos, flutter-tonguing (a favorite 

on a high D), all combined with iron 

chops and complete control of even the 

softest, most subtle, tone production? 

What makes all this even more incredible 

is the fact that he does all this 

within a "mainstream" context and with 

a flair for showmanship that appears to 

keep the squarest entertained. 

The arrangements the group plays are 

consistently interesting: no overlong 

solos, imaginative balancing of ensembles 

and solos, tasteful featuring of the 

other members of the band. His patter 

between sets is hilarious and, again, 

never quite predictable - as drummer 

Jake Hanna (a wit in his own right), who 

was working opposite him and has heard 

him hundreds of times, pointed out to 

me that Tuesday. 

Henry Allen Jr. was born in Algiers, 

La., in 1908. He was playing with 

clarinetist George Lewis in 1923 and 

worked on the river boats with Fate 

Marable. About 1927 he was with King 

Oliver in Chicago; 1933 found him with 

Fletcher Henderson, and in the period of 

1937 to 1940 he played with Louis 

Armstrong's big band. This means he 

was in on almost the very beginnings of 

jazz and has been in there ever since. 

It is phenomenal that he is still one of 

the most exciting, creative jazz players 

of all time. 

I am reminded of a couple years ago 

when I was on vacation in New Orleans 

and had the opportunity to hear a band 

that had George Lewis and Slow Drag 

Pavageau among its members. None of 

the personnel in the band looked younger 

than 60, and Slow Drag was about 

74 (some of them might have been older 

than that). They played in a place that 

looked like an old barn, and the only 

remuneration they received was that 

dropped into a hat by the few customers 

who sat on the floor and benches. Nevertheless, 

this was one of my most 

memorable and exciting jazz listening 

experiences. These men played with 

more fire, feeling, and swing than 

almost anything I had ever heard before. 

Slow Drag played the bass with 

unbelievable drive, never once letting 

up. And they played long sets. 

At the same time their music was, in 

its way, creative. That is, within the 

limits they had set for themselves, each 

appeared to be creating fresh ideas. I 

noticed how greatly this contrasted with 

some other players of "older" styles (and 

even new ones) whom I had heard, the 

ones who are much too prevalent, who 

seem merely to repeat in a rather lackadaisical 

way the same things they have 

been doing, or heard others do, thousands 

of times before. I was astonished, 

because these men were different. One 

of the reasons is probably that they 

forged the style they are still playing 

today, and the framework is broad 

enough for them still to create within it. 

Which brings me back to Red Allen. 

There are countless "influences" on 

Red's style no doubt, but he is able to 

use these in a completely original way 

and still create within the style. He is 

one of the major jazz improvisers, in the 

truest sense of the word. 

Other trumpeters may be able to play 

faster or higher than Red (al-though his 

facility and range are remarkable), but 

no one has a wider scope of effects to 

draw upon, and no one is more subtle 

rhythmically and in the use of dynamics 

and asymetrical phrases than Henry 

(Red) Allen. 

These things make him the most avantgarde 

trumpet player in New York, and 

if one thinks this is exaggerated, he had 

better go and listen to Red again - closely. 

Another admirer of Red Allen's playing was Miles Davis, who guested the Metropole regularly and stated that “Red 

Allen was a musicians' musician.” below due to the 62/6/5 session on p103

- 112 - 

Jan.1964, NYC., HERB FLEMMING'S STATLER HOTEL ORCH. & Red Allen as guest (E.Biagioni: Herb Flemming) 

Harry Sheppard-Fred Martin-Dave Albittini-Joe Wilder-Marty Napoleon-Red Allen-Herb Flemming-Mme Sheppard(bass-g) 

early Feb.64-N.Y.C.-Metropole - JAM SESSION - RED ALLEN BAND versus MARTY NAPOLEON QUINTET: 

Stanley Dance in J.J. 3-64 p17. ..at the Metropole, Shorty 

Baker was playing opposite Red Allen as part of Marty 

Napoleon's quintet. Shorty was on the wagon and sounding 

great. (The past month, you gather, has been a superior one 

for trumpet.) The two groups got together for a jam session 

and there were interesting happenings. One night we heard 

them start off with a very, very slow SWEET GEORGIA 

BROWN, Shorty playing melody and Red noodling behind. 

Maybe Red was encouraged by Shorty's presence, but we 

heard several sets from him barely marred by the 

extravagance the joint demands. His fierce instructions to 

the males to KISS THE BABY (their female companion) 

are often very funny. One guy was unsuspectingly sitting 

there with a couple of women, when he was ordered to kiss 

the baby. He complied, kissed the better-looking one, but 

then Red called,"Kiss your spare!" The spare never was any 

bargain, but Red insisted and won. 

NYAN-2/29/64p15: Our old friend and longtime supporter, Henry “Red”Allen, is trumpeting Dixie and the Blues to the footstamping 

delight of SRO buffs at the Metropole, 49th St. and 7th Ave. His accomplices in merriment are Sammy Price, 

piano, Jerry Potter, tubs, and FranklinSkeete on a big bad bass. … 

same source: ?Dan Burley & Billy Rowe – NYAN-2/29/64p17: AFTER LISTENING TO Sam Price, Red Allen, Jerry 

Potter and Franklin Skeete at the Metropole, we walked across the street with Sam to enjoy the soul food of the 

Copper Rail where Rose, Mickey and Della make everyone happy with their recipes. 

3/23/64 Mo., NYC., Metropole - opening date Lionel Hampton Band vs. 

Red Allen Quartet; 

NYAN-3/28/64p18: Lionel Hampton's big band introduced a new tune 

“Compilcity” at its Metropole opening Monday night – a number one usually 

hears played by such modern small groups as the Modern Jazz Quartet. It 

went over big. … 

… Jay C.Higginbotham's band at the Room at the Bottom should be 

playing “Doctor, Doctor” instead of Dixieland. Last week Higgy was 

suffering pleurisy, trumpet player had the flu and drummer George Wettling 

was ill with diabetis. Still they played 

the only examplary advert. of alto-sax-player “Red Allen” 

which I have found in the press-papers: VV-12/5/63p18


THE FANTASTIC RED ALLEN New Jazz Records - Max Jones in Melody Maker 8/19/67p27 about Xtra-5032 (1962) 

DON ELLIS wrote earlier this year: " Red Allen is a fantastic 

trumpet player and reveals an incredible imagination. He 

makes use of almost every device mechanically and physically 

possible on the trumpet." 

He was talking about Allen's quartet album, "Feeling Good," 

with Sammy Price on piano, but most of his comments would 

apply to this set, made a few years before. 

The instrumentation is the same in each case, and routines 

and approaches are similar though Red sang more vocals on 

the later recording. 

Here he sings only on "I Ain't Got" and that excellent Don 

Redman number, "Cherry" (the only tune common to both 

sets). The singing, as always, is gruff and gutty, full of 

punched out phrases alive with the swing, humour and 

peculiar tone qualities which mark much of his trumpet work. 

As for the blowing, he produces something unexpected on 

every track and works hard to keep the music sounding fresh 

and stimulating. He is particularly fine and fanciful at the 

beginning of "Ain't Got" and "Sleepy Time," and all through 

the old " House In Harlem." 

Much commanding blues playing can be heard on 

"St Louis," also some of the flutter-growl effects which Red 

used extensively in his later years. I am not too partial to this 

kind of tonal harshness, but it is one of the ways Red used to 

increase tension or give variety to a longish solo outing, and it 

occurs quite a few times in the set. 

He was always an innovator, with an audacious outlook on 

harmony, tone and phrasing; his liking for dry, even waspish 

sounds, not really pleasing to the ear, can perhaps be seen as 

another of his before-his-time stylisms. 

Very good performances in respect of tonal manipulation are 

"Just In Time" and "Biffly Blues," the latter an original 

recorded by Allen on the first session made under his name. 

And remarkable ideas lie thick on "Nice Work." 

But all those devices mentioned by Don Ellis are on display 

somewhere, and at Xtra's low price the album should be 

snapped up by trumpet lovers and users. As Ellis says, again: " 

Most other trumpeters of any era, with their relatively limited 

scope, seem very tame and pale in comparison to Red Allen." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

JAZZ DYING? RED STILL DRIVES A CAD 

MM Editor Jack Hutton calls it at the Metropole, New York, to talk to veteran New Orleans trumpeter RED ALLEN 

– due in Britain next month to tour with some of our top bands. Melody Maker 3/14/64 

RED ALLEN'S face looks as though it 

were hewn out of teak. Especially when 

he's blasting away on his King trumpet 

on the bandstand of New York's Metropole, 

above and behind the bar. 

Red and his quartet - bassist Franklin 

Skeet s, drummer Gerry Potter and pianist 

Sammy Price -have a lot of opposition. 

The roar of traffic on Seventh Avenue, 

the thing of the bar tills and the indifference 

of much of the audience. 

Red takes them all on and wins. 

He has a curious style of showmanship 

which consists mainly of bending and 

swooping, physically following his 

playing, removing one hand from his 

horn and shouting "Nice" and "My Man!" 

in his gruff New Orleans accent. 

Gusto 

He hits high ones with ease ("I can 

usually git what I go for") plays those 

odd intervals which has earned him the 

tag of the first bop trumpet player, and 

growls on his instrument with gusto. 

He attacks individuals at the bar with 

stabbing staccato notes until they either 

applaud or drink up and go. Most stay. 

On the night I was there he plugged 

Melody Maker over the mike, insisted 

on a hand for the paper from bewildered 

barflies and played "A closer walk with 

thee" - presumably for me. 

With hardly a pause he switched into 

"Lover come back" and then dug up 

"Pleasin' Paul". 

His playing packs pulsating vitality, his 

tone crackles and his fiery approach is ; 

charged with excitement. 

The set over, Red slung a massive arm 

round my shoulders, growled "Nice!" 

and steered me across Seventh Avenue to 

a bar across the street. I wondered how 

the guvnor of the Metropole took that. 

On the way Red stopped at a 1964 

Cadillac and opened the boot. Somehow 

it seemed incongruous to see pictures of 

Henry Allen Snr. and his New Orleans 

Brass Band coming out of the glossy 

Cadillac. 

In the bar Red waved to Coleman 

Hawkins and Big Chief Russell Moore, 

who happened to be there (New York's 

like that) and settled in a booth. 

The scrapbook was produced and Brian 

Rust would have gone potty as the pictures 

of early New Orleans musicians 

were uncovered. Oscar Celestin, Alphonse 

Picou, Bunk, - they were all there. 

Drinking sherry - he'd given up Scotch 

for Lent - Red told me he's been at the 

Metropole for ten years off and on, was 

56, and was gassed at the thought of 

coming to Britain next month to guest 

with Alex Welsh, Sandy Brown, Bruce 

Turner and Humphrey Lyttelton. 

Classic 

He raved about Louis : Armstrong, who 

often turns up at his house unexpectedly, 

and Coleman Hawkins, with whom he 

plays weekend gigs. 

He is a great admirer of Pee Wee 

Russell and says: "I've known Pee Wee 

and played with him most of my life. 

And believe me, I don't play with people 

I don't like." 

Red paused to growl "Nice. My Man!" 

and wave to some of the customer from 

the Metropole who seem to have 

followed him across Seventh Avenue. 

Red has been a New Yorker for years 

and has a good • gig connection which 

makes him far more fortunate than most 

of the city's jazzmen. Few run Cadillacs. 

Or cars - period. 

He does the odd TV spot and a few 

record dates. But he doesn't own one of 

the many classic sides he played on. 

"Well, you know how it is man," he 

grunted. "You loan them out over the 

years ' . and that's the end." 

Red downed the sherry and headed 

back f or the Metropole for another set. 

He felt like singing and out came "How 

long" and 'St. Louis Blues". Although 

only ten people or so were present the 

excitement came back with Allen. 

One senses he's having a ball and the 

feeling comes across. 

Just as the bar was closing-at 2.30 am 

and we were saying goodnight, Red lost 

a cuff link when he gave one of his 

stylish flourishes. Staff and customers 

searched the Metropole without success. 

"Never mind," growled Red, "I'll send 

this one to Wingie Manone." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 113- 

intermission chapter: 16th April - 5th May 1964 

RED ALLEN TOUR IN ENGLAND WITH LOCAL BANDS 

4/16 Manchester, Sports Guild - Art Taylor All Stars; & others 

4/17 same - Alex Welsh B. ; 4/18 same - Sandy Brown Band; 

4/19 same - Bruce Turner B.; 4/20 same - Humphrey Lyttelton B. 

4/23 Bath, Regency, Ballroom, - Alex Welsh Band; 

4/24 Stoke-On-Trent, Pavillon, - Alex Welsh Band; 

4/25 Nottingham, Dancing Slipper, - Alex Welsh Band; 

4/25 evening., London, Mardon, - Alex Welsh Band; 

4/26 London, Marquee Club - H.Lyttelton Band; 

4/27-30 unknown engagements in and around London; 

5/1 Westminster Central Hal1, - Red Allen All Stars; 

5/2 or 5/3 Manchester, MSG, - Alex Welsh Band; 

5/5 Shepherds Bush-BBC-2 TV - Alex Welsh Band, 2 parts; 

FOREWORDS: - Red Allen Introductions for UK-Audiences & about the Manchester Sports Guild 

M.Williams,"Henry Red": In early 1964, Allen made it overseas on his own, and, according to the reviews he received, 

"made it" is putting it mildly. In Manchester, England, he appeared in a most remarkable, complex establishment called The 

Manchester Sports Guild, a threefloor building, with "live" mainstream jazz by a big band in residence in a large hall-there is 

even a "folk"lounge. One reviewer declared that Allen, working singly with local musicians, had done more to revitalize 

British jazz in his brief stay than several touring American big bands. At Manchester, Allen received the citation for his 

contribution to jazz, an event which he numbers among the three things in his life that he will always remember. "It has 

nothing to do with finance. It is a feeling that you're wanted. That helps a guy very much." … 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Red Allen for Britain ALBERT MC CARTHY Jazz Monthly, April 1964 

Henry "Red" Allen will be appearing in this country during 

April, definite dates already being:-… 

This tour is unusual in as far as it is being sponsored, on a 

non-commercial basis, by the Manchester Sports Guild in 

connection with their 10th anniversary. This organisation has 

sponsored jazz clubs and activities since its inception, but their 

latest venture is one which deserves the support of every jazz 

follower able to get to the concerts. It may well be that if this 

tour is successful the idea may be extended to bring other 

American musicians to this country. 

For years many readers have shared my regret that jazz 

followers seem unable to form an organisation that would, as 

one part of its activities, introduce American musicians to this 

country who would not otherwise appear. The Manchester 

Sports Guild has taken up the idea in a very practical fashion 

and one hopes that the support it receives will be sufficient for 

it to feel encouraged to go ahead with the sponsoring of other 

visits. 

Readers can obtain any further details from J. Swinnerton, 

Jazz Organiser, The Manchester Sports Guild, Sports and 

Social Centre, 8-10 Long Millgate, Manchester, 3 ('phone 

DEAnsgate 2964 and 4668). 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

“COOL BLUES RED - The Night “VISION” Joins The Jazzmen; by Gibbs McCall & Clarence Henley, Daily Mail … 

JAZZ trumpeter Henry”Red”Allen had Henry, born the son of a brass bands- backing him included Humphrey Lyttelt- 

to leave New Orleans, his birthplace and man in 1908-in the raw years of jazzon (above, left)-at Manchester Sports Guild 

cradle of the Blues, to find true lovers of grew up alongside the legendary names: and Social Centre, in Long Millgate. 

his kind of music. 

Kid Ory, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Fans came from all over the country to 

His search ended in a smoke-hazed Armstrong. 

hear – but the guild lost money. 

cellar-under an office block in Manchester. Now he is 56, and a legend himself. A spokesman said: “We were not out 

“After the fantastic welcome I've had I Some experts say he plays a “bluer” to make a profit. We just wanted to hear 

realise that jazz appreciation here is far blues than Armstrong. 

a great jazz musician. 

higher than in America,” he said. He played four nights-British jazzmen (with single photos of Lyttelton / Allen) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

A KID WHO PLAYED HORN IN STREET PARADES by Jack Swinnerton, in Focus Feb.64, No.1 

Henry "Red" Allen was born in the 

Algiers district of New Orleans on the 

7th January, 1908. His father, Henry 

Allen, Snr., as many jazz sages will 

know, was the leader of the legendary 

Allens' Brass Band of New Orleans, 

which, during its lifetime, could boast 

such well-known New Orleans musicians 

as King Oliyer (then known less regally 

as Joe), Buddy Petit, Papa Celestin and 

Punch Miller. 

Henry James Allen, Jnr., like one of his 

contemporaries, Louis Armstrong, had 

many affectionate nicknames bestowed 

upon him in his time. In his home town 

then and now, he is. known simply as 

Sonny." But he also acquired the rather 

bizarre nickname of "Biffly Bam," coined 

from one of his recordings, although for 

many years he was known as Henry 

Allen, Jnr., as a mark of respect to his 

father. He is now usually referred to as 

"Red" Allen due to his ruddy countenatice 

during solo. 

STREET PARADES 

At the early age of eight years "Red" 

played alto horn in his father's band, 

taking part in numerous street parades - 

unfortunately, young Henry's leg were so 

short at that time that his father had to 

carry him most of the way. What a sight 

that must have been; 

Henry, Snr., marching along playing 

comet and carrying his young son (lustily 

blowing alto horn), in his arms. Later 

"Red" switched to trumpet and became a 

very powerful musician, as did so many 

of the New Orleans musicians who 

played a lot of music in the open air. 

"Red" Allen came to the attention of 

jazz enthusiasts outside New Orleans in 

1927 when Je "King"Oliver brought him 

to St. Louis to join his band there. 

However "Red" didn't stay long with the 

"King" - as he said -in his own words, 

“… in those days you had to be twentyone 

before you were on your own . . . I 

was one of the obedient guys - I loved 

my parents!" 

JAZZ MASTERPIECES 

Two years later pianist Luis Russell 

formed his own group and' "Red" was 

once more sent for. The recordings this 

band cut have rightly taken their place as 

masterpieces of jazz music. As a group 

their fire and inspiration have seldom 

been equalled. Unfortunately, British 

recording companies neglected these 

waxings to an unbelievable extent, so that 

anyone wishing to obtain them must 

peruse the Continental record catalogues. 

Since this time "Red's" name has 

become well known to jazz lovers 

throughout the world, with records such 

as, "It Should Be You" (1929); "Rosetta" 

(1935), "Canal St. Blues" (1940); "The 

Crawl" (1946); "Algiers Bounce" (1958), 

and many others. He has been a member 

of, or recorded with. bands led by Jelly 

Roll Morton, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, 

Sidney Bechet, Luis Russell, James 

P.Johnson, George Lewis, Fats Waller, 

Billy Banks and Kid Ory. "Red's" numerous 

appearances at New York's "Metropole" 

have increased his reputation even 

more'. 

KID ORY TOUR 

Some members may have been lucky 

enough to see "Red" at Manchester's Free 

Trade Hall some four years ago when he 

was touring with the Kid Ory band. At 

that time "Red" said, "… Kid was a 

colleague and contemporary of my father 

… so that makes him boss …" Due to this 

"Red's" own strong personality tended to 

be somewhat stifled. However, in April, 

we shall have a wonderful opportunity of 

seeing, and bearing, Henry "Red" Allen 

in the role of musical leader, a position 

which will allow his ideas and technique 

to flow to the fullest. 

Next issue: A discussion of "Red" 

Allen's musical role in jazz

- 114- 

Red Allen's'Story: Part Two - THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC Focus March l964, No.2 

During Red Allen's only previous British tour in 1959, he was approached by a leading critic between concerts with the Kid 

Ory band, and, knowing Red's reputation as a colourful talkative personality, the critic cheeerfully anticipated being swamped 

with Red's opinion on jazz, musicians, the Ory band, and all manner of subjects. However, although Red was clearly interested 

in the questions put to him, the critic received merely a polite, matter-of-fact and unembroidered answer to his every question. 

Imagine that critic's surprise then, when, on meeting up with Allen a couple of days later, he spent a most absorbing couple of 

hours hearing Red's reminiscences and views on jazz in general. 

This little story serves to illustrate that 

the personality of the man is strongly 

reflected, as with all good jazz musicians, 

in his music. One moment he will play 

most subdued and melodic phrases, his 

control delicate but absolute; then his full 

toned trumpet will glide down to a 

throaty mutter, his control being such 

that he has little need of a mute, and, in 

fact, rarely uses one, then he will break 

into a breathtaking musical flight, 

staggering in its portrayal of inventiveness 

excitement, drive and power. 

The influence of Louis Armstrong is 

strong in many jazz trumpet players, and 

certainly it is in Red Allen; at least in so 

far as approach, power, phrasing and the 

particular jazz language used are 

concerned. Allen, however, is too much 

of an individualist to sound exactly like 

Armstrong in the way that. for example, 

Jabbo Smith sometimes did. 

Red's power comes from his remarkable 

command of his instrument, his 

melodic sense is particularly arresting 

and perennially fresh. As one noted critic 

has observed, "One of the out-standing 

characteristics of Allen's playing is the 

freedom with which he phrases. Probably 

no jazz soloist between Armstrong and 

Lester Young plays with greater 

rhythmic ease and natural swing . . ." 

Allen is also a singer of some repute, 

and particularly shines with ballad, which 

he illuminates with the same kind of 

irrestistable swing which characterises 

his playing. 

With such an extensive repertoire, and 

so resilient a style, Allen fits easily into a 

wide range of musical contexts. For the 

traditionalists here is a man who has 

never gone far from the real roots of jazz. 

and roots go as deep as any - so much so 

that when quoted names of men in a 

current New Orleans band he is known to 

have said, a little impatiently,"… yeah, 

yeah, I .know 'em. That's my home town 

you know 

During the thirties Allen became an 

important figure on the American jazz 

scene. Thinking, as he does, in long, 

flowing melodic lines, and with his 

ability to play with a sense of continuity, 

he was a natural for the swing music of 

that era. 

When he started his own small group in 

the 40's, the pre-requisite was always for 

stimulating, similary exuberant musicians 

like himself. and in the company of such 

men as Sidney Bechet, Edmond Hall 

and J.C.Higginbottom he could hardly 

have been disappointed. 

Whenever possible Red takes the opportunitv 

of listening to modern jazz 

musicians - men like Mile Davis, Max 

Roach, Gerry Mulligan, and, a big 

favourite of his, Dizzy Gillespie. "That's 

one of the reasons jazz stays so absorbing," 

says Red, "it's always changing, 

and I like to hear these changes." 

For all his spontanaiety, Red remains a 

conscientious craftsman, he balances his 

programme carefully, and has a good 

sense of organisation. Without seeming 

in the least bit flurried he drawn the 

maximum capacity from whichever 

musicians are playing with him, and 

every time he plays he is rejuvenated by 

the challenges and pleasures of 

communicating his feelings to others. 

Not only will April be a memorable 

month in the history of the Guild, when 

Red's four-night stand here forms part of 

our tenth anniversary celebrations, but it 

will also be a time which jazz enthusiats 

will remember for the rest of' their lives. 

J.Sw. 

COMING SOON - Jack Swinnerton in Focus - April 64, No.3: 

In just a few days Henry 'Red' Allen will be here at'the M.S.G. Centr'e and the plans and preparations 

of months past will culminate in JAZZ - AS YOU WANT TO HEAR IT PLAYED. 

It would he both foolish and inaccurate 

to claim that all of Red's recordings are 

superb. The jazz musician without an 

"off day" just does not exist. It can be 

fairly stated, though, that much of Red's 

work has maintained the very high 

standard set by his earliest recordings. 

The role of musicians he has both led 

and played for (as mentioned in parts 1 

and 2 of this series) is both extensive and 

impressive, each recording, or group of 

recordings, revealing just a little more of 

the many outstanding features of the 

playing of this great musician. 

For example, the never-bettered 

recording of "Swing Out" by Red Allen's' 

New York Orchestra in 1929, shows his 

considerable technique both in the 

ensemble passages and in the now classic 

Allen solo. In direct contrast, his later 

recording of "Canal Street Blues" 

portrays him at his most subdued. 

The recordings of Red Allen are often 

featured over our cellar loud-speakers 

prior to the start of, and during the 

intervals of our regular jazz sessions and, 

as you will realise these will be more 

concentrated during the two weeks 

before the arrival of Allen. Thus, the 

few people not already very familiar with 

his past work will have the opportunity of 

hearing some of this super jazz. 

But what of his actual appearances at 

the M.S.G. itself ? 

The four bands selected to appear 

alongside Red Allen at this centre were 

chosen with care. It was fat from a case 

of merely grouping four of the leading 

British jazz groups and saying, "Red 

should be happy enough there." 

Red Allen has always been particularly 

fond of Dixieland jazz and many of 

his best recordings have featured. him 

alongside America's finest exponents in 

the field. What more natural, then, than to 

open our series of concerts with Alex 

Welsh and his band, Britain's best group 

playing in this style? As well as the 

complementary sounds we shall hear 

from the two different musicians, other 

interesting comparisons spring to mind. 

Red Allen and trombonist Roy 

Crimmins, for example. 

When discussing jazz clarinetists, most 

discerning fans will rate Sandy Brown 

very highly in the world class. Sandy has 

also been fortunate in maintaining an 

excellent small group which, including 

as it does, men like Al Fairweather and 

Danny Moss, is a combination which will 

bring out the most lyrical side of Red. 

Most of our regular visitors will know of 

the recent personnel changes in the 

Bruce Turner Jump Band. Bruce has 

been heard to say that he felt he was 

being drawn away from his chosen style, 

and that his music was suffering. in 

consequence – hence the group changes. 

"Do we see the last traces of the 

legitimate approach to jazz by men … 

like, Earl Hines, Buck Clayton and 

Henry Allen?" was Bruce Turner's query 

in die February issue of this magazine. 

Whether we agree with Bruce or not, 

we will soon have the opportunity of 

hearing him play with one of his idols - a 

prospect which I know Bruce to be 

extremely thrilled about. 

"… We applaud Red Allen for a performance 

right up in the majestic class" 

wrote Humphrey Lyttleton after Allen's 

last visit to this country. Having always 

considered Humph's own play-ing not to 

be lacking in this quality, the combination 

of these musicians should provide a 

particularly exciting evening of jazz. 

next issue: reviews about the MSG-sessions 

Red Allen in UK-1964 (issued 1966)


RED ALLEN IN MANCHESTER JACK HUTTON in Melody Maker 4/25/64 

HENRY RED ALLEN sat in a firstclass 

compartment on the way to 

Manchester last Thursday morning. 

Opposite sat two bowler-hatted 

gentlemen reading The Times. 

Without a word of warning Red 

unzipped his trumpet valise, produced 

his horn and started to blow. The two 

copies of The Times were gently 

lowered. Two pairs of astonished eyes 

under two bowlers beheld Red. Then 

slowly, and without a word being said, 

the two copies of The Times were raised 

again. And Red blew on. 

It was a hilarious start to a thrilling 

occasion. A glorious event which 

opened a lot of jazz eyes in this country. 

There was the quality of Red's 

playing for example. Superb control 

and searing excitement. 

There was the tremendous improvement 

of the Alex Welsh band. A great 

sound built on what must be the best 

rhythm section of its kind in the country. 

HEALTHY 

And there was the startling achievement 

of the Manchester Sports Guild 

who had actually imported a real, live 

American jazz star and managed to get a 

sell-out. 

Hats off to these mighty Mancunians. 

At a time when many jazz sounds are 

going to the wall and people who 

profess love of the music are sheepishly 

shuffling their feet, these Manchester 

fans are showing the country the way. 

Two people are largely responsible for 

this healthy state of affairs - the Guild's 

jazz organiser, Jack Swinnerton and the 

general secretary, L. C. Jenkins. 

Jenks, as he insists on being called, has 

been running the Guild's affairs for over 

ten years. Jazz is only one of the activities 

of the Social Centre. You can have a 

go at fencing, for instance, or tackle a 

Japanese judo instructor brought over 

from Japan to be resident teacher. 

Presenting Red Allen to their members 

was a dream that came true for Jenks 

and Jack Swinnerton. A dream made 

possible by the members who turn up at 

the rate of 1,250 a week for six nights of 

jazz while the folk and country-andwestern 

"rooms" on the same premises 

are also crowded. 

These Manchester jazz fans paid 10s. 

each to hear the Dutch Swing College. 

"London fans gloomily ask what can be 

done," says Jenks. "Tell them to pay 

13s. 6d. to hear Red Allen. That's what 

we've done." 

And it was worth it. 

When the hastily rigged up pots 

picked out Red in his blue jacket 

making his entry to the jazz club on 

Friday night, the capacity crowd 

jumped to welcome him with pre-sold 

enthusiasm gleaming on every face. 

FINEST 

The Alex Welsh boys on the stand 

beamed seven warm welcomes. Middleaged 

addicts up from London fidgeted in 

anticipation. Schoolmaster enthu-siasts 

adjusted their woollen ties. 

And rip-roaring Red, the showman 

jazzman from New Orleans via New 

York, muttered "Nice! Nice!" and blew 

his way in tentatively on "Jazz Band 

Ball", warmed up further on "Yellow 

Dog" and was wailing with "Rosetta". 

"Indiana", "Canal Street" and "Spider 

Crawl". 

The Welsh band took fire. Drummer 

Lennie Hastings played one of his finest 

sessions. New men Jim Douglas, guitar, 

and Ron Mathewson, bass, fitted like 

kid gloves. 

Pianist Fred Hunt looked delighted to 

have just rejoined his mates, and frontliners 

Roy Crimmins, Al Gay and Alex 

seemed six feet in this air 

Red crackled out the thick brassy tone. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

He whispered and shouted, slipped 

daringly across the pinnacles of far-out 

phrases, and stated good old standbys 

with solidity and simplicity. 

While the Welshmen were soloing, he 

strode about the back of the stand as 

though looking over distant hills. Then 

he'd urge the crowd: "Make him happy, 

make him happy. My man." 

His own playing is full of constant 

surprises - tenderness and tearing 

toughness. Odd intervals, dirty growls 

and bell-like high notes with a milewide 

streak of the blues throbbing 

through everything he plays.. 

He had the crowd shrieking back "Oh 

Yeah" in answer to his urgent pleas on 

"St. James", and knocking themselves 

out with his throaty vocals. 

And as Lennie Hastings emphatically 

thundered out the final four bars of the 

night, Red was nearly mobbed on the 

stand. 

What else could any self-respecting 

jazz fan do after such a performance? 

The day before, at a musical press 

conference in the social centre, we'd had 

tantalising glimpses of the genial giant 

as he jammed away on Count Basie 

numbers with the Don Mitchell Big 

Band. 

COBWEBS 

And again when he mixed it up with 

the Art Taylor All-Stars and guest 

enthusiast Ernie Tomasso on clarinet. 

But, naturally, it was the opening show 

with the swinging Welsh band that 

climaxed this great jazz occasion. 

Henry Red Allen blew away all the 

jazz cobwebs with dignified showmanship 

and pure playing ability. 

In connection with the north you keep 

hearing the phrase "Where there's muck 

there's brass." 

Well, in Manchester last Friday there 

was no muck but a hell of a lot of brass.

- 115- 

'TO ABSENT FRIENDS': - THE A.G.M. REPORT. Focus Juni 1964 

For those Members who could not (or could not bothered) to 

attend the Centre's annual general meeting on June 18th, here 

is the report which the secretary presented at the meeting: 

'Because of certain later references to Manchester Sports 

Guild promotions and responsibility I feel that first a few 

words should be said regarding the dividing line between the 

Guild and the Sports and Social Centre. Originally the Centre 

was brought into existence as a subsidiary of the Guild, but, 

with the passing of the 1961 Licensing Act, it was essential 

that the Centre be given its own constitution, elected 

committee and its members have full voting rights, etc. 

From then the Centre has been divorced from the Guild insofar 

as accounts, activities, etc., are concerned though occasions do 

arise whereby the Centre shares in and profits by certain Guild 

activities. Broadly speaking the Guild is concerned with the 

sports and other activities OUTSIDE the Centre whereas, of 

course, the Centre Committee is responsible only for the activities 

taking place here at 8/10, Long Millgate. 

"The year just ended has been a memorable one largely because 

of the part which the Centre has played in celebrating the tenth 

anniversary of the inception of the Guild. 

The outstanding event was, of course, the visit of Henry "Red" 

Allen, as a result of which the Centre jazz section has become 

probably the best known club in Great Britain - and certainly 

one of the most praised,. for the publicity obtained from this 

visit cannot be under-estimated. Already it has brought 

wholehearted co-operation for all future plans from many of 

the country's leading jazz writers - and from one of the two 

most important writers and critics of jazz in America. 

It brought us, too, very many new members of the real jazz 

enthusiastic type, though it was disappointing to find that 

many of our normal regulars were missing from these sessions. 

In case it was the price, let me add that, though the Centre did 

not bear the brunt of the cost of "Red's" tour, it was called upon 

to pay an average of £180 per night for the cost of Red plus band 

and thus an admission of 13/6d. was justified. Even this is small 

compared with charges for concerts made locally and here one 

had the blessing of some good ale and "club atmosphere." 

JAZZ POLICY 

"During the year, also, we have seen a continuation of policy 

which has brought the jazz fans most of the top British and 

European bands. 

"We have pioneered a few more ideas some of which have not 

been successful but this is inevitable if we are to maintain our 

standard and scope of jazz attraction. 

"In the world of folk music, we have seen a big change of policy 

for, instead of a resident group, we have switched to a policy 

similar to that employed in the jazz and this has resulted in visits 

of some of the best British artistes and groups plus a couple of 

American visitors. All in all reasonable progress is being made 

with Frank Duffy doing a good job as resident singing host. 

"Due to more attention being given to the planning of the 

centre, and in part to its greater use by members for private 

functions such as birthday and wedding parties, the bar takings 

have increased by almost £2,000 and- we have had a third bar 

installed in the ballroom. This, of course, has meant increased 

staff with the usual increase in staff problems but here I must 

pay tribute to the stalwarts who are still with us at the end of 

another year and whose work has been greatly appreciated, 

namely, Lil, Betty, Vi, David, Jim and Ted (though the latter 

now only helps out in emergencies for he has since become 

our very excellent and conscientious part time accountant). 

Others have come and gone, flourished for a moment and then 

faded into the night - could it be that you don't tip enough? 

During the year,. too, we investigated the possibility of 

transferring to tank beer but action was suspended. 

"One or two slight improvements in the facilities have been 

achieved too, notably the installation of an urinal in the first 

floor gents' and the addition of an extra washbasin in the ground 

floor ladies' toilet. Slight changes have taken place in the 

decor and the visit of "Red" Allen inspired two new murals in 

the lounge. Changes have been made in the games in the 

lounge though the chief pastime is still talking and drinking. 

"The year has brought a few setbacks as one might expect. 

The Performing Rights' Society, realising that we were paying 

more for the bands we employ to entertain, found some sort of 

logic which justifies their demanding an in creased rental. … 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Sinclair Trail EDITORIAL in Jazz Journal, April 1964 

It is with the keenest appreciation of his Ben Webster and Muggsy Spanier. More Play me one of those good old slow 

talents, that we warmly welcome to this power to their elbow! 

blues, please Henry, and I will go away 

country Henry 'Red' Allen. This is the The last time I beard Henry 'Red' Allen, happy. 

second time Mr. Allen has been here, the he was leading a band 'at the Metropole The dates of the tour are from … 

last time being in company with Kid Ory in New York. Not all the drinkers who Further bookings are being arranged; all 

and his Band. On this present tour he frequent that famous bar quite dig the enquiries to the Manchester Sports 

will be accompanied by bands of Alex jazz as she-should-be-dug, but Henry Guild. The other jazz package to be tou- 

Welsh, Sandy Brown, the Bruce Turner went on every night and trotted out his ring here is that featuring Ella Fitzgerald, 

and Humphrey Lyttelton. 

special brand of hot New Orleans horn Roy Eldridge and Oscar Peterson. Their 

The tour is being arranged and spon- with very few, if any, bows towards April dates are: 2nd City Hall, Newcastle; 

sored by the Manchester Sports Guild to commercialism. His trumpet tone was as 3rd Odeon, Glasgow; 4th Odeon, Notting- 

commemorate their 10th anniversary and brassy and humid as ever, his singing as ham; 5th Odeon, Leeds; 6th Fairfield Hall, 

it is to be hoped that their courage-ous guttural and swinging as in his heyday. Croydon; 8th Free Trade Hall, 

venture into the realms of promotion will As with most New Orleans musicians, Manchester; 9th Guildhall, Portsmouth; 

be an outstanding success. If this is the Henry is also quite a bit of an entertai- 10th Colston Hall, Bristol; 11th Odeon, 

case, and surely every jazz lover worthy ner, for he was taught as a young musi- Lewisham; I2th Odeon, Hammersmith. 

of the name will want to catch the cian that in addition to mastering your Another distinguished visitor is that 

playing of this great trumpet player, the instrument it was also necessary to sell- lyricist of the tenor saxophone, Stan 

Sports Guild. have it in mind to bring that-stuff. As a blues player there is Getz, who has a month's engagement at 

over such figures as Pee Wee Russell, probably no better man playing today. Ronnie Scott's Club. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Sinclair Trail: EDITORIAL in Jazz Journal, June 1964, p5 

I had always been led to believe that up mediocre, but I don't think I have ever Manchester Sports Guild was under the 

North, the British people are even less witnessed such whole-sale jollification as expert guidance of the Guild's Secretary, 

emotional and given to display than we that which took place in Manchester on the resolute Mr. Jenkins. It says much for 

of the South. It isn't true! In my time I the opening night of Henry'Red'Allen's 'Jenks' organising capabilities and 

have witnessed a great number of jazz recent tour. To say that the evening went persuasive tongue that although the 

events, all over the world - from the gay with a swing, would be nothing short of refreshments were as liberal as manna 

abandon of the Nice Festival about which the understatement of the year. To recap. from above (and much stronger), 

I wrote last month, to the ugly scenes The night previous to Henry's opening everyone appeared to retire in excellent 

which occurred at Newport, America and had been the occasion of a spirituous order - if full of bonhomie and good 

Beaulieu, Hants a few unhappy summers clambake, more rightly called a Press spirits. Music had been provided by 

ago. I have heard a lot of good jazz at Reception. 

various Mancunian groups, and Henry 

such places, mixed inevitably with the The whole, good affair, sponsored by the played with all of them. No matter what

their musical denominations were, Henry 

blew along with them all. In actual fact 

leaving nothing to chance and making 

sure that his chops were in perfect working 

order, Henry had even played a little 

music on the train journey from London 

to Manchester - much to the 

bewilderment, - I am told, of a small but 

select group of fellow passengers. 

The Manchester Sports Guild concerts 

have been dealt with elsewhere in this 

issue, but I feel I must be allowed to 

make a comment or two on Henry 'Red's' 

musicianship. When I stated in the April 

editorial that Master Allen was an 

entertainer, I was guilty of an 

understatement, he is more than that. 

Here is a musician of the old school who 

pulls out all the stops all the time he is 

working. He makes it his business to see 

that his audience are having a good time, 

but never lets them lose sight of the fact 

- 116- 

that it is jazz they are listening to. I 

recently read somewhere that at some 

conference of critics in America, it was 

bemoaned that jazz was dying. One of 

the reasons pointing to its death was 

what was called the 'total lack of audience 

participation' in jazz concerts today: Well, 

otherwise than jazz has been on the way 

out for thirty years or more to my 

knowledge, I have never seen more active 

audience participation than that I 

witnessed on Friday. 17th April at the 

Manchester Sports Guild. Before jazz 

became too pretentious, it was a 

musician's job to see that the paying 

customers were having a good time. 

Henry Allen, that expert old jongleur, 

does just that and with the biggest will in 

the world. He gets them singing, he 

makes them clap on the beat, he directs 

his accompanying band with a series of 

and the same time finds time to play a 

considerable amount of hot horn. His 

control is quite fantastic. Without the aid 

of a mute, he can play a solo within an 

inch of your eardrum. No one in the 

audience will miss a single cadence and 

the recipient of the musical gesture gains 

nothing but pleasure from the doing of it. 

Indeed one bearded Lancastrian publicly 

stated that be would never wash his right 

ear again, after Henry had dictated a 

whole chorus of St. Louis Blues into his 

orifice. 

Needless to say the applause at the end 

of Allen's opening concert was loud, 

long and rapturous. It was deserved, for 

Henry 'Red' Allen is a doer, a right 

willing worker in the cause for jazz! 

How I wish there were many more like 

him around today. 

cunning flicks of the elbows, and at one 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

HENRY "RED" ALLEN to Valeric Wilmer Jazz Monthly, June 1964 

THE JAZZ AUDIENCE falls roughly 

into two categories: those who stay home 

with their records and those who prefer 

their music 'live'. Both kinds of 

enthusiast are equally important to the 

jazz musician for he must have someone 

to buy his records just as he must have 

people to snap their fingers and buy the 

drinks in clubs where he works. There 

has been a lot of controversy lately about 

the entertainment content of a jazz 

performance. Some musicians feel that 

the music itself should be enough, and 

quite rightly, too. Why should they make 

concessions to the audience? But listening 

to jazz should be synonymous 

with enjoyment, and for those who like 

to pat their feet and shout their encouragement, 

there is something a trifle 

inhibitory about a musician who makes 

no announcements and looks as gloomy 

as a pall-bearer. That's why musicians 

like Henry Allen are a god-send to the 

raving section of the audience. When he 

was here recently everyone who came 

into contact with him had a ball. Each 

number was announced, the musicians 

swung like never before, and after every 

solo Henry admonished the crowd to 

"make him happy!" Faces you thought 

could never show emotion beamed at you 

every-where, much liquor was consumed, 

and a good time was had by all. Listening 

to Henry blow was my idea of what jazz 

is all about. 

And so was talking to the man. No 

question was too much of a drag to 

answer, and he even patiently reiterated 

his New Orleans story for the millionth 

time. I asked him about this business of 

showmanship. After his decade at the 

"Metropole". he should know. 

"All the early musicians had it, you had 

to, but the ones who came on the scene 

late had nothing. I think it's odd, too. I 

don't think you should have the 

expression like you're doing a dare-devil 

stunt but maybe for some guys that's the 

way they feel it and want to express 

themselves. I wouldn't want to interfere; 

to each his own, I suppose. But the 

funny thing is that Dizzy has that 

personality and most of them copied 

from him so why didn't they find out 

about it? 

"If you want to compare things, though 

all the older guys continue to work, so 

that's all I can say. I never did bother to 

find out why one went one way and one 

the other. I couldn't put anybody down 

for the way they play. But I don't go for 

putting people in different categories like 

Dixieland, Chicago, West Coast and so 

on. I played with the Chicago Rhythm 

Kings, with Eddie Condon and all those 

boys and I'd never been to Chicago in my 

life! Look at Coleman Hawkins - play 

with everybody. 

"I have played a number in a more 

modern vein, Queer Notions, way back 

with Fletcher Henderson. When you're 

out there playing those horns you don't 

have time to analyse those things, else 

you turn out to be a frustrated musician. 

As long as anyone's playing music it's 

alright with me because I love it." 

Henry, who was born in 1908 in 

Algiers, Louisiana, played alongside 

Louis Armstrong in Henry Allen Snr's 

brass band in New Orleans. Growing up 

at the same time as Louis, he was 

naturally influenced by the older man's 

work, but still emerged with an extremely 

personal style. "I suppose all of the New 

Orleans trumpet players impressed me, 

guys like King Oliver, Chris Kelly, Punch 

Miller and Kid Rena, and I sup-pose I 

listened to Louis, too. But I can't explain 

who was the cause of me playing the way 

I do. I didn't pay it too much mind, I was 

just playing like I felt, but I like anything 

Louis did and still do, you know what I 

mean." 

EVEN so, Red displayed a relatively 

advanced approach on some of his 

records made with Fletcher Henderson 

and others in the 'thirties, things like 

Body and Soul and Queer Notions. "I 

used to drift off a bit, I suppose, but I 

didn't really have any conscious thought in 

mind of modernising anything. May-be 

some things rubbed off. I played fast, 

though. One of the fastest things I ever 

did was Ride Red Ride, and as for going 

through the changes, there was Body and 

Soul, but I do listen to everybody, you 

know. 

"Bop didn't bother me. This was just 

another style. It's all kind of new chords, 

but all of them wind up with the same 

spark-plug." I asked Henry why so many 

trumpet players double on vocals and 

received the characteristic answer that 

"The only difference is that they also 

play the trumpet! A lot of people sing but 

they can't play nothing else, there's no 

real reason. I got a record of me singing 

back in 1929. Patrol Wagon Blues, so I 

must have been doing a little singing 

before that!" 

We talked about his association on 

several recording dates with Jelly Roll 

Morton. "He sure wrote some pretty 

tunes. Sweet Substitute stands out in my 

mind because I use the number a lot. I 

made a lot of sides with him before that 

date with the Red Hot Peppers. Jelly 

always spoke his mind, but he was doing 

no more than Cassius Clay. Clay did 

what he said he was going to do and 

that's just what Jelly did. He had a pretty 

voice too, so really he had it going for 

him. It's just like another trumpet player; 

he may not be the greatest but there's 

something there that I like. Then another 

trumpet player is good but you just don't 

like his personality." 

I carefully suggested that some people 

felt Morton's piano was lacking in swing 

and was rebutted by "I couldn't say what 

swing is. I only play from my feelings. 

But as a pianist there's many people 

haven't played The Pearls as yet-maybe 

after Jelly they just don't wanna try. All I 

know is that they're still using his 

numbers to swing by." 

And that was that. I interviewed the 

man backstage at the BBC TV Theatre 

and the place was rapidly filling up with 

Allen admirers. Everyone, Henry 

included, was more intent on drinking 

before the final telerecording, so leaving 

behind such touchy points as trying to 

define 'swing'. we breezed round to the 

local. Come back soon, Henry, we need 

you here.

- 117- 

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

here, anyway. Sure enough, just through 

the centre of the town came the police 

siren and the patrol car waved Jelly over 

to the kerb. Jelly got out and walked 

forward to the police car. Red couldn't 

- 118- 

hear his excuses, and finally Morton 

returned to his car with one of the 

policemen. Jelly got in, closed the door 

and switched on the engine. The cop 

leaned in through the window. He 

spoke. 'It's been great to meet you, Jelly. 

And I'll tell Uncle George you sent your 

regards 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jenks' piece - Focus Juni 1964 p2 

"It will never quite be the same," is a comment which was 

heard often in early May and, of course, it referred to the visit 

of Henry 'Red' Allen and to the five superb sessions he 

played in the Jazz Cellar. No, that is not quite right, for in 

addition to the five scheduled sessions, he played, too, on the 

night of the Press Conference, with the Don Mitchell Big 

Band, with the Art Taylor All-Stars and even with the 

modern quartet which was "got up' on the spot. He provided 

a breath of wonderful jazz air and it and it was interesting to 

note the large numbers of members who, though originally 

planning to come for one session only, returned again and 

again. Henry had captivated them not only by his playing but by 

his personally and drive and by being such a 'damned nice guy.' 

Of course, there will be others to follow but that first experience 

will probably remain with us for as long as our 

memories still function and perhaps it is best described by 

Henry's own word "N I C E." Thanks Henry, and may you 

have a happy and successful time until we see you again 

coming out with that wide grin and flourish of trumpet to 

excite us once more. 

Whilst I am about it, let me tell you,, too, that the outcome of 

visits from many press and T.V. critics, etc., to these sessions 

was or us to learn that we are, in fact (which supports our belief) 

about the best jazz club in Great Britain. And when you get 

that stated, in writing, by people who have travelled over 200 

miles to be present and whose experience covers a large part 

of the U.K. jazz scene, even a cynic like me must believe it. 

We are, in fact, the only jazz club with so many sessions per 

week, who stick strictly to JAZZ – a fact which is a source of 

amazement to many folk from other parts. So it is worth while 

patting ourselves on the back for once. 

For those of you who are regular jazz attenders and missed these 

sessions I can only say I'm sorry for you and hope that next 

time you will think twice about absenting your-selves from 

such a treat. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

From JACK FLORIN'S JAZZ ROUNDABOUT in MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS 24 April 1964 

I hope none of you missed Henry 'Red' Allen's four appearances at the Manchester Sports Guild last week-end. What a 

character and what a musician! He blows loud and hot, soft and sweet, but we knew this from his records, many of which. of 

course, are now collectors' items and real gems of jazz. To see him 'in the flesh' is a revelation. He has one of the strongest 

personalities I have ever seen and he is a superb player and a wonderful showman. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

JAZZBEAT EXCLUSIVE – HENRY “RED” ALLEN talks to Peter Clayton, Jazzbeat , May-64 

I'VE always suspected that Red Allen's 

magnificent face might have served as a 

model for the lemon in the Idris ad. 

Crumpled and scored, it's smiled at me 

for years from photographs. But because I 

missed him when he was over here last 

(with Kid Ory), it never occurred to me 

that it would ever smile at me in the 

flesh; certainly not on Manchester 

Central Station, at any rate. 

MSG CELEBRATES 

I'd reckoned without a remarkable 

organization called the Manchester Sports 

Guild. Precisely the Guild is, and how it 

comes to embrace an enchanting mixture 

of drinking, judo and jazz, is beyond the 

scope of this piece. What does matter is 

that Henry Alien Jr's presence in this 

country in 1964 is due to the fact that this 

is how the Guild chooses to celebrate its 

tenth anniversary. That's the sort of 

institution it is. 

Anyhow, on an unbright but unwet 

afternoon in April, there he was, coming 

up the platform between Phil Robertson 

of the Davison office and Jack 

Swinnerton of the Sports Guild. Meeting 

him were the MSG's General Secretary, 

L, C. Jenkins (who has dispensed with 

actual names in favour of simply 

"Jenks") and myself. 

TALKIN' TO YA 

The first chance to become involved in a 

proper conversation with Henry Allen 

came soon after lunch. It was a little like 

opening a pop-up edition of "Hear Me 

Talkin' To Ya" to be able to actually 

watch rambling stories of Fate Marable 

and Jelly Roll Morton being recounted 

across the table. 

“When I left Marable to go to New York, 

he says to me, 'If you see Jelly, tell him 

hello from me. He used to work for me, 

way back'. Well. after a while I did find 

Jelly, and I told him what Marable said, 

including that bit about working for him. 

'Work for him', says Jelly; 'I didn't work 

for him. I just let him use my name when 

things was tough for him," 

"Later on I saw Fate Marable again, and I 

told him what Jelly had told me, just to 

see what he'd do. 'Wasn't like that at all', 

Mar'ble says. 'I used to give Jelly a few 

gigs when he wasn't working'." 

Red laughed with huge relish. Then he 

added: "For years I tried to get those two 

to meet up. I wanted to see how they'd 

tell that story to each other." 

RED RECEPTION 

There were some other gems. I used to 

hold the bottle in the Luis Russell band, 

because I was the only one who didn't 

drink." And another one about Marable: 

"He didn't like anyone to give him 

notice. Preferred the other ways round. 

So once when I told I was going up to 

New York to make some records, he 

points to me and says to the rest of the 

band: 'Now he's got to be real good, so 

I'm sending him up to New York to make 

records. You work hard, maybe I'll send 

you'." 

In the evening the Guild put on a reception 

in Henry Allen's honour. Now the 

MSG is almost the only stronghold of 

jazz still left in Manchester, and most of 

the city's jazz activities are concentrated 

there. Red sat in with three of the four 

groups which played during the course of 

the evening. He joined the John Mitchell 

orchestra. a sort of Basie-esque outfit, for 

Splanky and a couple more, and did 

several numbers, among them splendid 

versions of Tin Roof and St. James 

Infirmary, with the Art Taylor All-Stars. 

As far as I know there's no equivalent of 

the John Mitchell band (a made-up 

name, I gather, to avoid the embarrassments 

of nominal leadership) playing 

in London in public. With four reeds, 

three trumpets, one trombone and a 

three piece rhythm section, it makes a 

huge sound. I believe the arranged passages 

and mainly transcribed from 

existing Quincy Jones, Basie and similar 

recordings, but the band has good solo 

strength and an absolutely ferocious 

attack. it is semi-pro, I'm told. 

NO ART 

The Art Taylor All-Stars is a good band 

with an unfortunate name. There's 

nobody called Art Taylor in it, I gather, 

and, as Alan Stephens points out (Alan 

does a lot of writing about the Manchester 

scene) "All-Stars" is a bit strong, no 

matter how good they are. But they are 

good. They play a very openhearted 

Dixieland-onwards kind of music, with a 

powerful, shapely lead from trumpeter 

Doug Whaley. 

At one point they were joined not only 

by Red Allen but also by Ernie Tomaso, 

who was once with Harry Gold and 

played in New York for a short time with 

Jack Teagarden and others four or five 

years ago. A fluent player in the cleantoned, 

Goodman tradition. he added that 

final dash of professional confidence to 

the session. 

Allen seemed to be playing as well as 

ever. The long, thoughtful phrases, that 

controlled, sometimes almost imperceptible 

growl, those sudden flashes of great 

heat, like the opening of a furnace door, 

were all there. And this, mark you, was 

only at a reception. I'll leave George 

Ellis, who was able to stay for some of 

the concerts, to comment on the public 

Red Allen. (Next month Ed.).

- 119- 

16th April - 5th May 1964 RED ALLEN TOUR IN ENGLAND WITH LOCAL BANDS 

4/16/64, Manchester, Sports Guild, Sports & Social Center: guest parts with some local bands like with John Mitchell 

orchestra lead from trumpeter Doug Whaley, added oldtime Ernie Tomaso; Art Taylor All Stars, 

4/17/64 Fri., same location – Red Allen (t,v) & ALEX WELSH BAND (personnel see 5/5/64) – standard program: 

Yellow Dog Blues; Rosetta; Just A Closer Walk With Thee; St.James Infirmary; Patrol Wagon Blues; Canal Street Blues; 

St.Louis Blues; The Saints; - & At Jazz Band Ball; Indiana; Sweet Georgia Brown; Basin Street Blues; Spider Crawl; How 

Long Blues; Bugle Call Rag; Who Stole The Lock; I Ain't Got Nobody; 

4/18/64 Sat., same location – Red Allen (t,v) & SANDY BROWN BAND: Al Fairweather (t) Sandy Brown (cl) Danny Moss 

(ts) Keith Ingham (p) Colin Bates (rhythm): - standard program & Jazz Me Blues; Rag Mop; Creole Love Call; Do Not 

Nothing 'Til …; High Society; Cherry; Biffly Blues; House In Harlem; Sweet Substitute; Muskrate Ramble; 

4/19/64 Sun., same location - Red Allen (t,v) & BRUCE TURNER JUMP BAND: Ray Crane (t) Pete Strange (tb) Bruce 

Turner (cl,as) unknown (p) Jim Bray (b) John Armitage(d) – standard program & West End Blues; Tishomingo Blues; Cherry 

Red; How Long Blues; All Of Me; Snowy Morning Blues; … 

4/20/64 Mo., same location – Red Allen (t,v) & HUMPHREY LYTTELTON BAND: Humphrey Lyttelton (t) Tony Coe (cl,ts) 

Joe Temperley (bars) Eddie Harvey (p,tb) Pete Blannin (b) Eddie Taylor (d) – standard program & … 

4/20-4/21, days off; unknown date, one short news-reel for TV with music and interviews was made in Southhampton 

4/23/64 Thur., Bath, Regency, Ballroom, - Red Allen (t,v) & Alex Welsh Band 

4/24/64 Fri., Stoke-On-Trent, Trentham Gardens Pavillon, same as above 

4/25/64 Sat. afternoon, Nottingham, Dancing Slipper, -same as above 

Sat. evening, London, Mordon,at the Crown, same as above , Archie Semple (cl) added on five sides incl. Sweet Lorreine; 

4/26/64 Sun., London, Marquee Club – Red Allen (t,v) & HUMPHREY LYTTELTON BAND: same as 4/20; Shiny Stocking; 

Swingin' The Blues; (both without Allen); Struttin' With Some Barbecue; St.Louis Blues; Rosetta; Patrol Wagon Blues; Indiana; Sweet 

Substitute; St.James Infirmary; Sweet Lorreine; Just A Closer Walk; & Lennie Felix (p) Red Price (ts): When The Saints; 

4/27-30 unknown engagements around London 

between 4/27-4/30 or 5/4 Carmel Court, London, Doug Dobell´s party – Red Allen played solos to old records ; ( there's 

no balance between the rather quiet records and the loud RedAllen trumpet in the foreground.) John Chilton in “Ride Red Ride” 

p181: „During his brief stay in London, Red attended a party given by some of his most dedicated fans, icluding record-shop 

owner Doug Dobell, John Kendall, Eric Saunders and Ray Bolden. Some-one surreptitiously recorded part of his happy 

gathering and Red can be heard blowing his trumpet in tandem with the sound of some of his most celebrated recordings, 

proving that he had remembered arrangements recorded thirty years before 

(0:21 Mike Pointon BBC-1996-intro about the following Party (private taped with cassette faults)) RA-CD-41 

3:33 Jersey Lightning - Luis Russell ; RA(t) from 0:20-0:31; 1:05-1:17; 3:13-3:31 --- 

4/5/58 NYC, Johnny Hodges (as) Billy Strayhorn (p) Jimmy Woode (b), Sam Woodyard (d) (from Verve-8358) 

3:23 I Didn’t Know About You ( Ellington-B. Russell) RA(t) from 0:46-1:04; 2:36-2:49; --- 

3:48 Gone With The Wind ) RA(t) from 0:00-1:07; 1:46-2:27; 3:03-3:20; 3:30-3:48 --- 

4:02 Honey Hill plus Roy Eldridge (t) Vic Dickenson(tb) Ben Webster(ts) 0:24-2:20, 2:33; 2:44-2:46; 3:01-3:40 RA-CD-27 

2:01 Donegal Cradle - Spike Hughes: RA(t) from 0:24-1:13; 1:43-2:00 RA-CD-41 

2:39 Limehouse Blues - Fl.Henderson RA(t) from 0:00-0:37; 1:52-2:39 --- 

3:11 Shanghai Shuffle - Fl.Henderson RA(t) from 0:33-1:00; 2:23-2:53; 3:09-3:11; --- 

3:10 Big John Special by Fl.Henderson RA(t) at all RA-CD-26 

2:54 Happy As The Day Fl.Henderson RA(t) from 0:31-0:32; 0:55-1:03; 2:02-2:24; 2:51-2:53 RA-CD-41 

2:25 Happy Feet - Horace Henderson RA(t) from 1:30-2:06; 2:19-2:24 --- 

3:36 Rhythm Crazy - H. Henderson: RA(t) from 2:00-2:14; 2:41-2:51; --- 

3:05 Mahogany Hall Stomp by 3/5/29 L.Armstrong RA(t) at all RA-CD-27/ --- / 

5/1/64 Fri., Westminster Central Hall - HENRY"RED"ALLEN & HIS ALL STARS: Red Allen (t,v) Mac Duncan (tb) 

Sandy Brown (cl) Johnny Parker (p) Diz Disley (g) Jim Bray (b) Terry Cox (d) 

*intermissions-narration 53:23 private tape; poor quality 

4:57 HOW LONG BLUES -vRA (L.Carr) RA-CD-27/ 

-intro Parker-vRA(Brow&Parker)-Allen-Parker-vRA(Brown&Parker)-Disley 

*1:15 1:59 JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE (trad.) -intro Parker-Allen&Brown --- / 

*0:20 4:45 CANAL STREET BLUES (King Oliver) --- / 

-intro Parker-ens.-Duncan-Allen-Brown-ens. 

*0:50 5:23 WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN -vRA&ch (trad.) --- / 

-intro Cox-ens.-Brown-Cox brk-Duncan-Allen-vRA&ch-Parker-Bray-Cox-ens. 

4:10 encores -THE SAINTS -intro Cox-vRA&ch-Brown-Allen-Disley~Cox-ens.-Brown code- --- / 

*1:05 2:30 JELLY ROLL BLUES (Jelly Roll Morton) --- / 

-Parker-Allen in ens.-Parker-ens.-Allen-ens.- /cut 

*0:25 5:02 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA (P.Grainger) 

-Parker-Allen&Brown-vRA(Brown)-Allen-vRA-Allen --- / 

*0:19 4:32 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (Razaf-Waller) RA-CD-26/ --- / 

-Parker-Allen-Brown-Duncan-Allen-Allen in ens.- 

*0:24 3:16 BIFFLY BLUES (Red Allen) --- / 

-intro speech RA(Parker)-Allen in ens.-Parker--Allen in ens.- 

*0:16 3:30 RIDE! RED! RIDE! -vRA&ch (Millinder-Allen) --- / --- / 

-intro Parker-vRA&ch-Duncan~vRA&ch-grown-Allen in ens.-vRA(ens)-Allen in ens.- 

2:10 encore: RIDE! RED! RIDE! -vRA&ch-ens.-Allen in ens.- --- / 

6:26 ST. JAMES INFIRAMRY -vRA&ch (J.Primrose) --- / 

-intro Parker-vRA-Allen in ens.-vRA-Allen-Brown-vRA&ch-Allen 

a fine relaxed session with another UK-band; I do not know the tape owner for a better quality and perhaps some more of 

the reviewed sides were taped like: Sweet Substitute; Rosetta; Wild Man Blues; Indiana;

- 120- 

5/2 or 5/3 Manchester, MSG, - Red Allen ( t,v) & Alex Welsh Band – Farewell concert; 

5/5/64 Shepherds Bush. telerec.for BBC-2TV-Iazz 625; (part-1 on film-reel without ROSETTA) - RED ALLEN (t,v) & THE 

ALEX WELSH BAND: Alex Welsh (*t) Roy Crimmins(tb) Al Gay (cl,ts) Fred Hunt (p) Jim Douglas (g) Ronnie 

Mathewson (b) Lennie Hastings (d) Steve Race (narr.); Humphrey Lyttelton (introducing the TV-show) 

part-l: transmitted 7/21/64 BBC-2, jazz 625; repeated ca.1986; & 1990 w. intro of Slim Gaillard; also on film-reel but without Rosetta; 

*Beale Street Blues (without Allen) video-tape from 1986/RA-DVD-1/ 

*New Orleans {without Allen} --- /RA-DVD-1/ 

0:40 *intro: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) --- /RA-DVD-1/RA-CD-26 

6:05 ROSETTA & encore -vRA (Earl Hines-H.Wood) --- /RA-DVD-1/RA-CD-26 

7:30 ST. JAMES INFIRMARY & encore -vRA (J.Primrose) --- /RA-DVD-1/RA-CD-26 

2:00 JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE (trad.) --- /RA-DVD-1/RA-CD-26 

4:00 *WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN -vRA -AW in ens.lead & lst solo (trad.) --- /RA-DVD-1/RA-CD-26 

part-2: same date & loc., after change of clothes - see photo; transmitted on US-TV poor tape quality, not of deeper interest 

Dippermouth Blues (Oliver-Armstrong) (poss. only the A.Welsh Band-not on tape) listed in D.Meeker-2005 

0:45 theme: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) RA-CD-27 

7:20 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) RA-CD-27 

3:25 CANAL STREET BLUES (King Oliver) RA-CD-27 

3:15 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA (P.Grainger) RA-CD-27 

5:00 AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL & encore (LaRocca-Shields) / cut leave out RA-CD-27 

PLEASE (L.Robin-R.Rainger) (not on tape, listed in D.Meeker-2005) 

ST.JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) (not on tape, listed in D.Meeker-2005) 

ONE OF the things which make 

the study of jazz so absorbing is 

the fact that the first jazz record 

was made only forty-five years 

ago. Into that first half-century 

has been crammed a whole history-book 

of campaigns and triumphs. In fact the 

jazz student feels towards Jelly Roll 

Morton and King Oliver much as the 

general historian feels towards William 

Rufus or Richard I. 

Just a few of the legendary early jazzmen 

are still alive, and one of them - 

Henry 'Red' Allen - is the guest in Jazz 

625 tonight. He was born in 1908, comparatively 

late for a jazz veteran. But his 

father led one of the first brass bands in 

New Orleans, and as a boy, Henry marched 

with the band on its street parades. Later he 

worked on the Mississippi riverboats. 

Between 1929 and the outbreak of war with 

the bands of Louis Armstrong, Luis Russell, 

and Fletcher Henderson, he played his 

trumpet on many of the most important 

classic jazz recordings ever made. He created 

much jazz history, and observed even more. 

To the jazz enthusiast, seeing Henry Allen 

in the flesh is like meeting a soldier who 

served successively at Crecy, Waterloo and 

Ladysmith. He even looks like an old soldier. 

Perhaps the assault courses of the jazz 

modernists are beyond him now. But his 

rifle-drill is impeccable. And he makes a 

fine standard-bearer. STEVE RACE 

BBC-TV, Jazz 625, 5/5/1964 London, Theater Shepherd's part-1 : Fred Hunt (p) Roy Crimmins (tb) Alex Welsh (tp) 

Red Allen (tp) Al Gay (cl) Ron Matthewson (sb) Lennie Hastings (d) (courtesy Valerie Wilmer)

- 121- 

BBC-TV, Jazz 625, 5/5/1964 London, Theater Shepherd's part-2 : Roy Crimmins (tb) Ron Matthewson (sb) Alex 

Welsh (tp) Red Allen (tp) Lennie Hastings (d) (a change of clothings between the two parts) (courtesy Valerie Wilmer) 

NICE !' Red Allen at the MSG-bar (Focus-6-64) Red Allen & Ernie Tomaso at MSG 1964; (court.J.Jenkins);

- 122 -

- 123 - 

Henry'Red'Allen at The Manchester Sports Guild 

By G.E. LAMBERT 

in Jazz Journal, June 1964, p11-13 

The Manchester Sports Guild is an 

organisation to which amateur sports 

clubs in the area are affiliated. It was 

formed ten years ago with the primary 

aim of raising funds at a time when the 

impact of the television age was really 

beginning to make itself felt in club 

attendances and finances. To most people 

in the Manchester area the Guild is best 

known for its fine Sports and Social 

Centre in Long Millgate, where- the 

facilities include a spacious lounge/ bar, a 

ballroom – and more to the point here - a 

jazz cellar. In April of this year the Guild 

celebrated its tenth anniversary by 

presenting for four consecutive evenings 

the great New Orleans trumpeter Henry 

'Red' Allen. The choice of Henry and of 

the four bands which accompanied him 

was typical of the enlightened approach 

to jazz exhibited by the Guild. 

The jazz cellar is a long room with a 

small bandstand and a copiously stocked 

bar. The acoustics are good but not 

exceptional and the piano is no better 

than the average jazz club standard - i.e. 

pretty poor. The audience was attractive 

and appreciative and one could 

understand why so many well known 

jazz personalities from London were 

envious of the Mancunians and their fine 

jazz room. 

After four numbers by the Alex 

Welsh band on the Friday evening 

Henry Allen made his appearance and 

it soon became apparent that he was 

playing superbly, maintaining the 

standard he set with the Kid Ory band of 

1959. He now seems to be playing better 

trumpet than at any time in his long and 

distinguished career, that is if records are 

a true reflection of his earlier work. The 

erratic, rather sloppy manner of some of 

his playing has been replaced by a 

command of the horn which seems 

enhanced by the passing of the years. 

Although an angular or asymmetrical 

phrase some-times gave the music a quite 

dramatic effect there was never any trace 

of the seemingly deliberate vulgarity of A 

Sheridan Square, while his runs were as 

unique as ever without the sourness 

which was often evident in his playing. 

His repertoire over the four evenings was 

extensive-really an amalgam of standards 

along with numbers associated with his 

own career, including Indiana, Rosetta, 

Cherry, Yellow Dog Blues, St. Louis 

Blues, Biffly Blues, Patrol Wagon Blues, 

Spider Crawl, How Long Blues, Who 

Stole The Lock?, All Of Me, Tishomingo 

Blues, Snowy Morning Blues and a 

surprising Sweet Substitute, requested by 

the indefatigable Doug Dobell. The vocal 

choruses were full of personality and 

swing, while in his direction of the 

various bands Henry revealed a capacity 

for leadership of a rare order. To avoid 

the clash of two trumpets Alex Welsh 

left the stand for long periods on the 

opening night and was able to observe 

how well his band responded to the 

inspiration and example of the guest. The 

rhythm section played well, although not 

altogether without the stodginess which 

used to be the defining quality of local 

rhythm teams. Fred Hunt, a most 

excellent pianist, fought manfully with the 

piano while guitarist Jim Douglas 

provided some pleasant choruses, 

particularly on the blues. Al Gay played 

good clarinet and better tenor, his solos 

on the latter raising quite a few eyebrows 

among jazz critics pre-sent, the Freemanlike 

buoyancy of his playing being 

particularly pleasing. In combination 

with Roy Crimmins on trombone Gay 

was fine backing Red on the long blues 

numbers, their riffing having a swing 

which obviously inspired the trumpeter. 

Roy was in particularly good form on 

this evening and there were moments in 

the solos of all the players, including 

those of Alex when he returned to the 

stand, when the rhythm section eased off 

a little and a degree of musical 

excellence was reached which was quite 

beyond the modest scale of British jazz a 

few years ago. 

The more variable standards prevai-ling 

in the Sandy Brown Band were obvious 

the following evening by the end of the 

opening set. The rhythm section had a 

less organised and alltogether heavier 

sound, while Sandy had contributed a 

series of solos - including a real gem in 

Creole Love Call - which had an 

individuality beyond anything heard in 

the music of the more consistent Welsh 

band. Sandy's solos were equalled in 

jazzcraft and intelligence, if not in sheer 

personality, by those of Danny Moss. His 

inclusion in this unit has been criticised 

by some writers but his presence appears 

to have encouraged a more free type of 

ensemble as well as providing a solo 

voice in the same class as Brown. To 

play a tenor solo with rhythm in the 

middle of a set by a musician of Henry 

Allen's stature is to invite the most 

rigorous standard of comparison, but Do 

Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me was 

superb, admirable in construction and 

execution and a refreshing contrast to the 

more torrid sounds heard before and 

after. 

These two evenings had demonstrated 

the advantages of presenting quality jazz 

in a club setting and had revealed that 

Henry Allen remains, for all his current 

neglect, a very great jazz trumpeter. Yet 

on the Sunday evening with Bruce 

Turner's jump Band even this standard 

of excellence was surpassed. It was 

frankly the sort of jazz session which one 

never really expected to hear in England, 

an evening of easy, relaxed musicmaking 

reminiscent of the HarIem 

small group jazz of the 'thirties in 

which the music had a casual ease, a 

consistency of quality and a wide 

variety of mood. The rhythm section 

played throughout with a swing, a 

perfectly judged sense of dynamics and a 

relaxation which never wavered during a 

long evening's music. The hero of the 

session was unquestionably Red Allen, 

who played trumpet which surpassed 

even his finest recorded performances, 

but close behind - and to insert even so 

slight a reservation seems ungrateful - 

were Bruce Turner and drummer Johnny 

Armitage. The way in which the latter 

attended closely to the playing of the 

group and of each soloist and in which 

his alert playing responded to every shift 

of emphasis in the music were a constant 

delight to the ear. One may have beard 

drumming superior to this but never 

drumming which was more devoted to 

the music as a whole. The three piece 

section of unamplified guitar, bass and 

drums made a well-knit unit while the 

front line of Bruce, Ray Crane and Pete 

Strange produced a full and swinging 

ensemble. In solo, trumpeter Crane essayed 

an Eldridge inclined style while 

Strange blew an exciting amalgam of 

Matthew Gee, Booty Wood, Al Grey and 

Lawrence Brown which was bonded by his 

own interesting and developing musical 

personality. For years one has admired 

Bruce Turner's playing and to hear him 

follow an excellent Henry Allen solo in, 

say, Rosetta underlined the high standard 

he has established. Although one can 

detect echoes of the past in Bruce's work 

- Pete Brown, Hodges and Parker being 

the most prominent - his alto solos have a 

very distinct and very appealing 

personality, while on clarinet he plays 

with a jazz sound which is fast 

disappearing on this instrument. The 

form and jazz-craft, the fire and swing of 

his solos place him very high on any list 

of current altoists – his understanding of 

the jazz idiom certainly surpasses that of 

most of the current public idols and he 

uses the language with an ease rare in a 

non-American. To such a backing Henry 

Allen responded by playing at his best. 

The dynamic range used was far 

wider than that of any other jazz 

trumpeter I have heard; he is capable 

of a clear, ringing brass tone which 

projects itself with Armstrong-like 

majesty and power, while at times he 

played so quietly that the tone almost 

disappeared, yet so much is this man at 

one with his music that this tiny strand 

of sound was recognisably Henry 

Allen. The elaborate codas bedecked 

with unexpected intervals, the unusual 

growl effects and very individual 

rhythmic approach were contrasting 

aspects of a style which was unified by 

the intensely personal message of 

Henry's music. And message there 

was, for through-out this evening the 

music 'talked', the wonderful sounds 

emerging from the bandstand were a 

warm, living reflection of life. The 

music was wonderfully flexible in its 

emotional range: it had angry 

moments, still moments, it reflected 

joy, tenderness and a whole host of 

other things that one can put names to 

but which names never quite express. 

It was jazz which was unmistakably 

honest and which was unfailingly 

musical. On the blues - West End 

Blues, How Long, Tishomingo, Patrol 

Wagon, St. James Infirmary, - Henry 

told a story in a way that is almost 

wholly lost among musicians of later 

generations. On West End the long note

was growled on G in contrast to Louis' 

clear high C, but the cascading phrases 

which followed had a majesty similar 

to Louis' yet all his own with a tone 

and attack reminiscent of his Luis 

Russell days. 

When writers speak of jazz as a minor 

art one doubts if they have experienced 

evenings like this. 

One hardly dared to hope that the final 

evening of this four day festival would 

be of similar quality-and it was not. 

Humphrey Lyttelton has done so much 

for jazz in this country (and I don't just 

mean for,British jazz) that one hates to 

report the fact that his band gave much 

the poorest support to Red. For all the 

frequent grumbles there was nothing 

wrong with the instrumentation - so 

often a sore point among Lyttelton 

listeners although one fails to see why-or 

with the standard of musicianship. 

Basically thin trouble resolves into a 

question of style, for the modified Basie 

small group manner of the Lyttelton 

band, which suits a man like Buck 

Clayton so well, is quite the wrong 

backing for a player of Henry Allen's 

environment and methods. The modem 

style of the band's soloists other than the 

leader sounded mecha-nical when placed 

against the more personal methods of 

their guest. The Lyttelton sidemen 

produced a well engineered, rather brash 

sound and seemed to regard this as 

enough in itself; there was more 

formality in the music and less smiling 

on the bandstand on this evening, and 

the players showed little disposition to 

adapt their music to the needs of their 

eminent guest. Indeed Eddie Harvey 

persistently refused to follow Red's 

directions regarding the chords and 

seemed quite indifferent to the whole 

affair. All this obviously affected Red 

and although he played fine trumpet 

there was a lack of ease about his work 

which was in great contrast to what had 

been heard twenty four hours before. 

Apart from the pianist and the general 

lack of under-standing of Red's music 

the band played quite well, with especially 

- 124- 

good solos from Humph and Joe 

Temperley. One wonders if the band is 

running into the same sort of impasse 

which they faced in more traditional 

fields prior to Bruce Turner joining the 

group in the early 'fifties. At that time 

Humph's taste, intelligence and musical 

courage prevented the band from 

foundering in the morass of mechanical 

'trad'. Let us hope that he sees any 

dangers in his present situation with the 

same clarity. 

A final word of thanks is due to the 

people who made it possible for jazz to 

come alive in such a remarkable way in 

an English club. To L.C. Jenkins and 

Jack Swinnerton of the Manchester 

Sports Guild who organised Red's visit 

we owe a great deal; out of pure love of 

the music they devoted immense effort 

into organising the weekend, and it is 

their taste and know how which 

provided such fine surroundings for Red, 

musically and otherwise. But most of all 

our thanks are due to Henry Allen 

himself, who at the age of 54 spared no 

effort in playing, singing or band 

direction. Towards the end of Sunday's 

wonderful session he spoke of his 

father and of the old days in New 

Orleans and then played just one 

chorus-all melody of Just A Closer 

Walk With Thee in slow tempo. It had a 

beauty which could only have been 

manifest on an evening when the spirit 

of jazz was abroad - it was a piece of 

music which could only have been 

played by a man who was delighted and 

moved by the response of both musicians 

and audience. To see a man of Allen's 

musical stature - and one who has known 

so much neglect in recent years - so 

happy and so obviously enjoying his 

music was very pleasing in these rather 

sad days for the jazz veteran. The 

Manchester Sports Guild's first essay in 

jazz importation has succeeded beyond 

anyone's wildest dreams. This is the sort 

of jazz club we have always cried out for 

and which without doubt deserves our 

fullest support. 

POSTSCRIPT: At the end of his tour 

Henry Allen returned to the Manches- 

ter Sports Guild for a fare-well 

appearance with the Alex Welsh band. 

He again played beautifully, evoking the 

very spirit of jazz and reminding us that 

he is an even greater player today than 

he was in the Luis Russell days. Towards 

the end of the evening L.C. Jenkins, 

secretary of the Sports Guild, presented 

Red with a silver tea set for Mrs. Allen, 

inscribed To Pearly Mae from the 

Manchester Sports Guild in appreciation 

of the great pleasure which your 

husband gave to us when he played here 

in April 1964. Henry was visibly moved 

and when Alex Welsh made a further 

presentation of a pewter tankard-on 

behalf of the band Henry looked indeed 

a proud and happy man. In London the 

following day he told Sinclair Traill that 

this was the most moving thing that had 

ever happened to him. The real human 

communication and affection which have 

been present on these evenings between 

Henry, the bands and the audience is 

something unique in my jazz experience. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Red Allen - Manchester Sports Guild, Manchester, England –by Steve Voce in Down Beat 6/18/64: 

Allen, trumpet accompanied by the Alex 'Welsh Band, the Fairweather-Brown All-Stars, and the Bruce Turner Band. 

The Manchester Sports Guild -is a remarkable -club. Its three 

floors include a basement devoted to live mainstream jazz, a bar 

where one drinks to a background of jazz records, a modernjazz 

hall with a resident big band and obscurely titled 

phenomena of the current -British scene - a folk lounge where 

variously bearded gentlemen, who a few years ago -would 

have been jazz banjo players, mouth tuneless lyrics over the 

old three-chord trick. 

To celebrate the club's 10th anniversary, the two managers, L.C. 

Jenkins and Jack Swinnerton, decided to import an American 

musician, and. apparently simultaneous with the original idea 

Red Allen's was the first name mentioned. The choice was a 

wise one, for it is difficult to think of another musician who 

could have brought so much to the musicians and audiences. 

Allen's first night was in company with the Welsh band, a 

polished group of advanced Condonites. From the two-hour 

rehearsal in the afternoon, it was obvious that no mere blowing 

session was to follow. A thorough professional, who knows 

exactly what he wants, Allen struck up an immediate 

understanding with Welsh's men, who were quicker on the 

uptake than anyone had anticipated. Allen's eccentric codas and 

changes of key soon were mastered, and by the end of the 

rehearsal, everyone felt confident that this would be one of 

those good nights. 

Inspired by a very with-it audience (in addition to the staffs of 

most of the country's jazz magazines, the listeners were fans 

who had travelled from points as much as 200 miles. away), 

the Welsh band opened alone and played a set that reached 

peaks not normally scaled by such groups. Welsh's trumpet was 

particularly good, and the rhythm section was much improved 

by the presence of pianist Fred Hunt, who had rejoined the 

band that day after a year's absence. 

The opening At the Jazz Band Ball, with Allen's spotlighted 

and blue-jacketed entry, was a little obvious, and it was not 

until he bit down into Yellow Dog Blues and Rosetta that the 

full significance of what was happening became obvious . At 

the rehearsal Allen had gained the band's confidence, and 

now. the band was responding to him and, like a cup-final 

football team, was pulling out unknown reserves. Allen, 

playing with that reedy, almost sax-like tone of his, led the 

ensembles, prompted the soloists, and played like an angel 

Roy Crimmins.a trombonist based in -Bill Harris and Urbie 

Green, reacted most forcefully to the Allen stimulant and took 

off into a series of solos that softened some of the awe with 

which the audience was regarding the trumpet player.

Another liaison was set up between Allen and drummer 

Lennie Hastings, who, with the others, showed that English 

rhythm sections are not nearly as bad as –some Englishmen 

like to think. 

The second night brought Allen into the challenging company 

of the Fairweather-Brown All-Stars, an unorthodox group 

fronted by clarinetist Sandy,Brown and featuring trumpeter Al 

Fairweather .and tenorist Danny Moss. 

Brown plays in an angular and original way, somewhat like 

Pee Wee Russell in a Viking hat. On this night it was 

everybody paddle his own longboat, for Brown's men made no 

-concessions to the additional horn.- 

Again, because of Allen's subtlety, a buoyant band sound and 

beautifully instinctive backings to soloists would have given the 

casual listener the impression that the personnel had been 

together for 20 years. The Ben Webster-like tenor of Moss was 

particularly potent in solo, but, after Allen, the honors went to 

Brown, an original and brilliant creator. 

As on the two previous evenings, such Allen standards as 

Biffly Blues, Patrol Wagon Blues, and House in Harlem for 

Sale were given extended workouts when Allen played the third 

night with the Turner band. Here the pianoless rhythm section, 

pinned by the sensitive drumming of Johnny Armitage. 

provided a beautiful montage for free-blown jazz. 

Turner, an altoist of world class, matched Allen's solos with 

his own, and the two inspired each other to jazz 

consummations that overshadowed everything-else that had 

happened. Trombonist Pete Strange, very much in Allen's 

idiom, also played above himself. This was the finest session 

of the .three. 

Throughout his stay, Allen played with remarkable 

consistency and tastefulness. His eccentric style, which was 

ahead of its time 30 years ago, is still gilded with modernity, 

and it is obvious that he belongs, not in the shade of Louis 

Armstrong, but out front with Roy Eldridge and Buck 

Clayton. 

Some of his extraordinary effects were on display - the heavyvibrato 

growl, the muted effects without a mute, and the 

intricate precision of his rapid-fire fingering. 

Without pandering to his audiences, Allen involved them in 

his vocals and created the highly volatile atmospheres that 

built up at each session. It can be said that he has done more 

constructive work for British jazz in his short stay than several 

16-man groups have done during more intensive tours. 

The Sports Guild is working on the idea of bringing more 

musicians over. As far as this reviewer is concerned, they can 

keep bringing Red Allen. He's one of the timeless ones. 

THE VERDICT: GREAT by E. LAMBERT – MSG-Journal, Focus June-64 No.4.p7 (cont.series from p 114) 

True appreciation of Henry 'Red' Allen's April visit to the M.S.G. centre was felt by all who came to see this inspiring 

personality. Here are appreciations from two men who really know what they're talking about - the first from Eddie Lambert, 

'Jazz Journal' and 'Jazz Monthly,' correspondent, the second from Steve Voce, 'Jazz Journal' and 'Down Beat.' 

In the entire history of jazz in this country it is difficult to find a parallel to the achievement of the Sports Guild in 

bringing a jazz musician of Henry Allen's calibre to England for a series of club sessions. 

We are so used to hearing the great 

musicians of jazz on record or in the 

concert hall that it is easy to overlook the 

fact that neither the studio nor the 

concert stage is the natural habitat of the 

music. While we can hear many fine 

British groups in club conditions, for us 

the music of the great figures of jazz 

seems far removed from such surroundings. 

Yet, in fact, the reverse is true, as 

can be seen from the best commentators 

on the American jazz scene, such as 

Stanley Dance and Dan Morgenstern 

who report frequently on jazz sessions of 

the highest quality heard in clubs. The 

achievement of the Guild is that they 

brought one of the great musicians of 

jazz to Manchester to take part in 

sessions of a quality which would have 

brought forth the plaudits of Dance and 

Morgenstern had they occurred in New 

York City. FINEST SESSION 

The finest of the Henry Allen sessions I 

have attended at the time of writing was 

that with Bruce Turner's band, an 

evening of memorable jazz by any 

standard. To an even greater extent than 

on the other evenings Henry Allen 

demonstrated his continuing greatness as 

a jazz musician. These are sad days for 

the jazz veteran, with so many prominent 

writers seeing to consider that 

one new trumpeter is worth ten old ones 

and who regard the ability to play runs of 

harmonic complexity more praise-worthy 

than the ability to make music of 

character and distinction. 'But make no 

mistake about Red Allen's stature - his 

music has a mastery, a personality and a 

richness of expression which is only 

equalled by a handful of jazz trumpeters. 

On the night with Bruce, he played with 

an amazing variety of tone ranging from a 

mere whisper to a ringing, proud brass 

sound most refreshing in these days of 

trumpeters trying to kid us that they are 

operating on French horn. But to attempt 

to write a critique of Henry's performances 

would be to step beyond the scope of 

this article. Let us just repeat again that 

this was jazz trumpet playing of superb 

quality, equal at least to the very greatest 

of Henry's recordings. 

FINE SURROUNDINGS 

The Guild deserves praise also for the 

surroundings in which they presented 

Henry Allen. It is doubtful if there is a 

finer jazz room in the country than the 

M.S.G. cellar - certainly our London 

visitors were very envious. The room 

can get uncomfortable when crowded 

and perhaps the stage could be extended 

with advantage but the only real weak- 

spot is the piano, which should be 

replaced at once. 

One could not have elected four better 

bands than those of Alex Welsh, Sandy 

Brown, Bruce Turner and Humphrey 

Lyttleton to play with Red and in the 

event only Lyttleton's group was a 

disappointment. The band's modernised 

Basie style was unsuitable for a man of 

greatly differing manner and methods, but 

even so it was regrettable that some of 

Humph's musicians could not be 

bothered to even attempt to adapt their 

music to Allen's requirements. 

By contrast the Brown and Welsh bands 

fitted Henry's style naturally, but best of 

all was the Turner band. So impressed and 

inspired was Red by their playing that 

Pete Strange (tb) Roy Crane (t) Red Allen (t) Bruce Turner (as) (court. Jenks Jenkins)

he called for their arrangement of "Cherry 

Red" three times during the evening and 

played music of a quality scarcely ever 

beard at a jazz event in this country. 

To single out individual musicians 

from these three bands is, perhaps, 

invidious, but some mention must be 

made of the superb playing of Roy 

Crimmins, Al Gay, Fred Hunt, Danny 

Moss and the entire Turner band, especially 

drummer Johnny Armitage who 

was constantly alert to the needs of the 

music. So far as Bruce and Sandy are 

concerned their very high standing in 

jazz was more than confirmed by hearing 

them play alongside Henry Allen. 

Over the four days of the Guild's tenth 

birthday celebrations one heard a feast of 

fine jazz. Our thanks are due especially 

to the two men whose hard work, enthusiasm 

and excellent taste made the 

weekend possible - Guild secretary Jenks 

and jazz organiser Jack Swinnerton. But 

most of all our thanks must go to Henry 

"Red" Allen who, by his playing singing 

and almost impromptu band leading has 

made a host of friends and admirers in 

the Manchester area and beyond. 

Whatever the Sports Guild we planning 

next, and there are more first-magnitude 

jazz events in prospect, Henry Allen must 

surely be invited over again - and soon. 

- 126- 

Red Allen with the Alex Welsh Band (MSG-Journal-Focus June-64) 

RIDE, RED, RIDE - AND HE DID ! BY STEVE VOCE MSG-Journal, Focus June-64 No.4.p8 (cont.series) 

It was my tenuous reputation as All-England Champion Barbed Wire Hurdler (a title which I held until my tragic accident in 

1961) which got me my membership of the Manchester Sorts Guild. To hear another set of sessions like the one in April I 

would gladly strike out for the broken-glass-swallowed title. 

Somehow the sense that jazz history was 

about to be made hung about the Guild 

for weeks before Red Allen arrived. There 

was never any doubt in anyone's mind 

(least of all in the minds of Jenks and 

Jack Swinnerton) that this experiment 

was going to be a resounding success. 

But nobody thought that it would turn 

out to be the jazz idyll that it did. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't make the press 

reception on the Thursday, but when I 

did arrive in the middle of Friday afternoon's 

rehearsal, the ground was already 

Pete Strange (tb) Roy Crane (t) Red Allen (t) Bruce Turner (as) (court. Jenks Jenkins) 

heavily strewn with the jazz bodies who 

so nobly support the brewers at any great 

occasion: Sinclair Traill, editor of Jazz 

Journal; Jack Hutton, editor of the Melody 

Maker; Eddie Lambert of Jazz Journal; 

George Ellis of Jazz Beat; Jerry Dawson 

of the Melody Maker and Doug Dobell 

and Johnny Kendall of Dobell's Record 

Shop. Gerald Lascelles (Jazz Journal) 

and Peter Clayton (B.B.C.'s Jazz Scene) 

had been on the Thursday, but had left 

when they heard of my impending arrival. 

THE WORKER 

If you could have seen that rehearsal 

with the Welsh band, you would know 

that Red worked hard for his money. The 

technical standards of the musicians in the 

four accompanying bands left no room 

for criticism, and Red found that they 

were able to grasp the many innovations 

which he wanted to use. These bands 

must be given much credit for the 

masterful way in which they learned 

so much from him so

quickly - particularly in the case of the 

Welsh and Turner bands, where the 

various musicians fitted in as though they 

had been led by Red for twenty years. 

Once Red took the stage it became 

obvious that he is a thorough professional 

as well as one of the most telling 

weapons in the jazz armoury. 

It is possible that there are better jazz 

trumpeters than Red, but I can think of 

none, traditional or modern, who can play 

such an unwavering stream of tasteful and 

apparently limitless jazz. For there is no 

question that Mr. Allen is one hundred 

per cent a jazz musician. 

AUDIENCE REACTION 

It was remarkable also to watch the 

way in which Red handled his audience. 

Hardened jazz fans usually sit stonyfaced 

and glassy-eyed with awe in the 

face of one of their idols, but on these 

nights Red had everyone involved and 

singing to his requirements with no 

trouble at all. I don't believe I have seen 

any artiste give such a concentrated and 

yet relaxed performance - and I don't 

think any one member of the audience 

would have thought for one second of 

asking for a penny of their money back. 

Red mixed with his audience, too. He 

is one of the most likeable and 

appreciative Americans - his only worry 

during his stay was that no one would let 

him buy drinks for anyone. His delightful 

asides (for instance, his repeated yells to 

Jack Swinnerton in mid-number - "How's 

my man Jack") and his immediate 

compliance with any requests for 

numbers or auto-graphs endeared him in a 

way which will never be forgotten. ("He 

just sat there and talked to me!" said 

someone in ecstatic delight after Red had 

signed his shirt during the interval. 

What were the highlights ? It was ALL 

highlights, but my own personal 

thermometer blew over on hearing the 

Alex Welsh band entirely integrated 

behind Allen's lead - Roy Crimmins 

always amazes on these occasions, and 

other outstanding individual performances 

came from Alex, Lennie 

Hastings and Ronnie Mathieson. But the 

Welsh band succeeded as a group, and 

were probably the ideal European group 

for the job. A CHALLENGE 

Saturday brought Red the challenge of 

Sandy Brown's very creative and 

unorthodox settings. In this group, Red's 

pithy and sometimes almost saxlike tone 

stood out very clearly. Danny Moss, for me 

our finest tenorist, reverted 

subconsciously to early Ben Webster 

sounds and blew with great heart and 

taste-shades of the late 'thirties and 

memories of Chuck Berry's records with 

Red in all this. 

But the individual who reacted most of 

all to the Allen stimulus was predic-tably 

Bruce Turner. After due thought, I am 

convinced that this was Bruce's finest 

hour and the way in which Red enthused 

over him had no basis in flattery. 

Suddenly the scene was 52nd Street in 

1940, and one found that Red, whose 

musical associates over the years have 

- 127- 

Jack Swinnerton-Red Allen-“Jenks“ Jenkins, at the MSG 

Red Allen with a tankward from the Welsh band and a silver tea set for 

Pearlie Mae from the MSG 

usually been Coleman Hawkins, Jay C. 

Higginbotham and Buster Bailey, was 

suddenly home. 

Pete Strange, already a convincing 

threat to Roy Crimmins as a trombonist, 

followed through as indeed did Ray 

Crane and the superb rhythm section led 

by Johnny Armitage and Jim Bray. 

Jenks and Jack Swinnerton are already 

discussing who to bring over next. As 

far as I'm concerned they can keep on 

bringing Red Allen. At the moment I 

don't really think I want to hear anyone 

else - unless they have Red Allen with 

them ! This has been a brave experiment 

which has been an enor-mous success in 

jazz terms. 

But the real honours must go to Jenks, 

one of the most talented organisers I 

have encountered; to Jack Swinnerton, 

who is one of the people who really 

likes jazz; to Betty, who debts for Jenks 

and who did such a good job in washing 

Red's shirts, and to the staff who pulled 

God knows how many different kinds of 

muscles in keeping us all supplied by 

the finest bar service in many miles. 

I think it is true to say that everyone 

involved in the operation was in it for 

the sake of jazz and not for financial 

gain. When you think about that, you 

will realise that this is something 

remarkable. It is only right that such 

efforts should be tnet with a success 

which will stay, in my memory at least, 

for ever. 

===========================0

- 128- 

Recollection of a Great Occasion - By George Ellis Jazz Writer in MSG-Journal-Focus June-64 (series cont.); 

( There were several occasions used by jazz researchers to speak with Red Allen about his wellknown and unknown record sessions; 

see also the record party on page-119; another article by Alun Morgan in J.Monthly 11/66 is reprinted in the Red Allen-Disco pVIII;) 

I wondered if "Red" would remember me, for since the Kid 

Ory tour we had only exchanged short notes and the inevitable 

Christmas cards. I need not have worried, he remembered me, 

no, I'm not being big-headed, here's a man who remembers the 

exact personnels of records he made in 1929. In fact, at one 

time during that fantastic week-end, he spent some time 

with me sorting out his own and Irving Randolph's solos 

on the 1934 Fletcher Henderson sessions. He not only 

played his own solos, tightly muted - it was 12:45 a.m. and 

"we don't want to disturb anyone" he played Randolph's 

too. I mumbled something completely inadequate about him 

being fantastic. He's a modest man, but he wasn't embarrassed 

for long. "Man, wat a fertile brain, I'm telling ya" was all he said. 

Musically, the performances with the Alex Welsh and Sandy 

Brown bands were just about perfect, and another thing that 

was just about perfect, and I don't know whether you regular 

visitors to the Guild realise this, was the layout of the cellar, 

and the tremendous atmosphere and enthusiasm which 

prevailed throughout. 

"Another thing - a bar on the premises must help. I have 

been to many clubs where coke and coffee are the only 

beverages served, and one has to go out for anything stronger. 

Sometimes this means leaving a good session still swinging, 

and, in the winter, it can be plain murder. 

"Yes, those sessions in April will live with me for a long 

time, and my thanks, on your behalf as well as mine, to all 

who made them possible. 

"May I add that having seen Manchester in the daylight, my 

opinions of your city have changed very much for the better. 

And I don't think I have ever been anywhere in the world where 

so much is going on. Dance clubs, beat clubs, and everyone 

really looking as if they have somewhere to go. I was in the 

street at around 7:30 p.m. on my first evening, and suddenly 

all these teenagers appeared almost from nowhere, to find 

their delights in cinema, theatre club, or what have you. It 

was all rather like the old Pied Piper stuff in modern dress. 

"In addition to the music, there were many other memories. 

Henry's adaptability to Northern beer, for one: 'We'll be back in 

ten minutes - just enough time for a Number 3.' Also, having 

breakfast at the hotel with Enie Sharples sitting at the next table, 

and getting roped in for a party given by Barry Ansell at Barry's 

Record Rendezvous. His charming assistant told me, when I 

noted the amount of pop material around, that 80 per cent of 

their sales consist of jazz records. I don't know how good 

business is at the moment, but the hospitality is beyond 

question. And that goes for all your organisers at the Sports 

Guild, too. I hope I shall be able to return before very long." 

Red Allen & Alan Elsdon (t) at MSG-64 (court.J.Jenkins) 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

HENRY 'RED' ALLEN a report from George Ellis in Jazzbeat June-64p12 

INVITATIONS to press receptions 

seldom come my way, and even if they 

did, it would be difficult for me to accept 

most of them. The position of the part 

time jazz writer who is also a family 

man is a precarious one to say the least, 

particularly when long travel-ling 

schedules are also involved. 

However, I was asked to attend the 

reception for Henry "Red" Allen at the 

Manchester Sport Guild's tenth anniversary 

celebrations, and accepted gladly. 

A wise decision too, because the 

experience proved to be, to coin a new 

phrase, something else. One of the finest 

jazz weekends I have ever attended 

possibly because of my lack of exposure 

to this kind of situation. I am not so 

accustomed to visiting American jazzmen 

that there are no kicks anymore, 

and yet - I'm sure even the most 

hardened old jazz critic would have 

found much to delight him at 

Manchester. 

The word fantastic has become very 

overworked in jazz writing, but to use it 

to describe "Red" Allen seems an 

inadequate way co convey the impact of 

the man and his music. His opening 

dates, with Alex Welsh on the first night, 

Sandy Brown on the second, were so 

diverse in character and programme 

that - but let's start at the beginning, 

By now the circumstances leading up 

to the tour and the connection with the 

Manchester Sports Guild .should be 

well known. The Guild, always an 

enthusiastic supporter of jazz clubs and 

activities, has sponsored Allen's visit on 

a non-commercial basis to mark their 

first ten years of life. If it proves 

successful, and I cannot see at this stage 

how it can be otherwise, further visits by 

American jazz stars may be forthcoming. 

The names of Pee Wee Russell and 

Muggsy Spanier have already been 

mentioned in connection with guest 

appearances later in the year, a major 

project .which I hope will eventually 

become a reality- 

L.C. Jenkins, or "Jenks", the General 

Secretary, and Jack Swinnerton, the jazz 

Organiser for the Guild, spent most of 

the weekend going round on a cloud 

looking very happy, as did most of us. 

The press reception was an enormous, 

success, and in addition to our own Peter 

Clayton, I spotted Sinclair Traill, Gerald 

Lascelles, Eddy Lambert, all of "Jazz 

Journal", Frank Dixon of BBC 

Manchester, Jack Hutton, MM Editor, 

together with Northern corespondent 

Jerry Dawson. Jack Swinnerton lost no 

time in mentioning that my dear friend 

Steve Voce would be along for the first 

concerts, and it was obvious that a good 

punch up was expected by one and all. It 

didn't happen, but that's another story. 

Allowing us all time to sample the 

wines and spirits, Henry arrived in 

excellent shape in the middle of a very 

entertaining set by a local piano, bass 

and drums trio. 

Next to a take the stand were another 

local group, this time an eleven piece 

Basie styled outfit. Although they used 

all Count's material, the soloists all had 

something new to say, and I was 

particularly impressed by the alto, tenor 

and trombone. "Red" sat listening intently 

to two numbers, and then quite suddenly 

took his trumpet from the leather case, 

assembled it, and joined the band during 

the middle of "Peace Pipe", a number he 

has probably never attempted before. 

After several staggering solo choruses, 

he roared into the final ensemble, 

playing along with the trumpet section. 

Sinclair Traill was the first to offer, 

congratulations. Henry's reply was a 

classic. "Oh, man, we play 'em all, we 

play 'em all". Later the Art Taylor All 

Stars played several numbers and again 

Henry was there joining in. The style, 

closely modelled on the Louis Armstrong 

group, was interpreted with enthusiasm, 

and I really enjoyed the showing of the 

local trumpet man, who played with 

spirit and good taste in what must have

een very nerve racking circumstances. 

The two evenings that followed were 

preceded in each case by short after-noon 

rehearsals with each group, and Henry 

varied his programme according-ly. So 

the only numbers common to both 

nightswere Yellow Dog /Rosetta/ Just A 

Closer Walk/St.James Infirmary/ Patrol 

Wagon Blues/Canal Street Blues/ St. 

Louis Blues / The Saints. 

Even the last named, which has been 

run into the ground in no uncertain 

manner, took on a new magic with "Red" 

directing the marching. 

The Alex Welsh band, obviously 

happy about the return of pianist Fred 

Hunt, now has a new look rhythm 

section, Jim Douglas(g) Ronnie 

Mathewson(b) Lennie Hastings (d). They 

were on top form for their num-bers with 

"Red", "Jazz Band Ball", "Indiana", 

"Sweet Georgia Brown", "Basin Street 

Blues", "Spider Crawl", "How Long 

Blues", "Bugle Call Rag", "Who Stole 

The Lock" and "I Ain't Got Nobody". A 

pity perhaps that Archie Semple was not 

around, he and "Red" on "Spider" would 

have been a knock-out. But I must not 

detract from the great showing of the 

Welsh band. 

If I were asked to single out one player 

from the first session, I think Roy Crimmins 

would be that man, with a special 

word for that great rhythm section. 

Watch Ronnie Mathewson too, he looks 

even younger than Tony Coe, but he 

knows what it's all about! 

The Sandy Brown session contained 

much vintage Allen material, "Jazz Me 

Blues", "High Society", "Cherry","Biffly 

Blues", "House In Harlem", "Sweet 

Substitute", "Rag Mop" and "Muskrat 

Ramble". "Harlem", "Substitute" and 

"Rag Mop" played in quick succession, 

took in about twelve year span of Allen 

recordings in as many minutes, with 

Henry's vocal on "Substitute" a moving 

tribute to Jelly Roll Morton, 

Honours inside the Sandy Brown Band 

were fairly evenly divided, Al 

Fairweather and Danny Moss both 

played well. Sandy, never less than 

excellent, played some magnificent 

solos, and "Red" was very impressed 

with pianist Keith Ingham, who joined 

the band some three weeks ago. I agree, 

Keith is undoubtedly on his way. 

. 

- 129- 

NEXT MONTH. "Red" Allen's later appearances, more experiences in Manchester, and an exclusive discussion with "Red" 

which reveals valuable information abouthis early recordings 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

THE HENRY “RED” ALLEN TOUR PART-2 by George Ellis, Jazzbeat July-64 p22 

"RED" Allen sat astride a bar stool in 

the Manchester Sports Guild. It was 

12.30 a.m. and the first great session 

with the Alex Welsh Band was over. 

The customers had left the club premises 

over an hour before, most of them 

reluctantly. But as Henry had pointed 

out after rounding the whole evening off 

with a roof-raising "St.Louis Blues" - 

"We have three more nights to go, and 

we don't want to blow the licence!" So 

there we were, discussing the old 

sessions, and Henry was really in there. 

The truth is, you don't have to talk 

records to "Red" he will talk records to 

you, and there is not a chance of guesswork. 

If he was on a record date, he 

remembers, studio, company, personnels, 

the lot! Mention of the Lionel Hampton 

session of October 1939 had Henry reminiscing 

right away. "There was Higgy, 

Earl Bostic, Charlie Christian, Big Sid, 

Clyde Hart and old Artie Bernstein. 

Hamp and Big Sid took the vocal on 

'Heebie Jeebies'." We got round to the 

Waller Buddies of 1929. Even now, 

doubt exists in print concerning Allen's 

presence on some of these. "Lookin' 

Good But Feelin' Bad"/"I Need Someone 

Like You"' for example. Henry again. 

"Now Leonard Davis was a fine player, 

but he didn't sound anything like me. I 

made that date, and I can tell you all the 

boys on it". And he did. "Jack Teagarden 

played a few, notes on vibes too !" 

The famous Rhythmakers sides came in 

for some comment. "The loot was short 

on that session. They told Billy Banks 

they paid us. They told us they paid 

Billy Banks. I don't recall that we ever 

did get our cheques !" Of course, money 

was hard to come by in those days. 

Henry remembered a recording of "The 

Gold Diggers Song" with Benny Morton 

in 1934. This number was full of the

"Blue Skies Are Round The Corner" kind 

of philosophy so typical of the years 

immediately following the depression. 

"We're in the money, we've got a lot of 

what it takes to get along" was a part of 

the lyric. On the session "Red" sang his 

own version - "I got myself some 

money, the skies are so sunny". "Two 

days after the record was issued, the 

land-lord came round to say how glad he 

was, to hear the good news" "Red" 

chuckled at the recollection. 

I asked about the Armstrong/ Russell 

Okeh sessions of 1929. "Red" agreed 

that it was possible he played some of 

the solo trumpet on "Bessie Couldn't 

Help It". Tapes of these doubtful items 

will soon be en route to him in New 

York, and I'm sure his findings will be 

most helpful. 

On the subject of the 1934 Henderson 

sessions he was most enlightening. Both 

Peter Clayton and myself found it 

difficult to recognise with certainty 

Allen and Irving Randolph when the 

records were re-issued here recently, but 

"Red" had no such trouble. "Will we 

disturb anyone". He glanced around and 

slid the mute into place. The only time I 

saw him use one during the tour, incidentally. 

" 'Rug Cutters Swing' was me it 

was my number anyway" he said. " 

'Limehouse Blues' was me too, but now, 

you take 'Big john's Special'. Remember 

this solo?" He played note for note f'rom 

the record. "That was Randolph, but later 

after the ensemble" - he broke, off again 

to illustrate musically - "that was me". 

What do you say to a man with a 

memory sharp enough to remember not 

only his own solos, but the next man's 

too? I mumbled something incoherent 

about the incredibility of the situation. 

"Red" leaned across to confide. "Man, 

what a fertile brain, I'm tellin' you!" 

- 130- 

Henry is very conscious of past 

achievements, and spoke with obvious 

pride of his father, Henry Allen Senior, 

and the band he led. He talked fondly of 

his mother, now well over eighty years 

of age, and his son, who is a member of 

the New York police force. "I've two 

grandchildren, you know" he said, and 

then, changing the subject suddenly, 

"Say, did I ever tell you about Marty 

Napoleon's pants?". I shook my head. 

"Well, you see, one night at the 

Metropole, I lost one of my cufflinks. 

Couldn't find it anywhere, I was upset, 

and the boys were sympathetic. But 

Marty just laughed, and said I should 

send the one I had left to Wingy Manone. 

some days later Marty's pants split right 

down the seam just about five minutes 

before we were to take the stand. stand. 

He was in a panic. 'What shall I do, Red' 

he asked. I told him to send 'em to Peg 

Leg Bates !" 

During the first weekend in Manchester, 

many people spoke. to "Red", and I 

never saw him less than politely attentive 

throughout it all. He has perhaps the 

most bendable ear in- jazz, and it 

certainly took a pounding on this tour. 

ABOUT THE LONDON SESSIONS 

When he arrived in London for his first 

date (at the Crown, Morden) "Red" 

told me how much he had enjoyed 

playing with "so many fine musicians" at 

Manchester. I think he was surprised and 

delighted by the Bruce Turner Jump 

Band, and I regret I could not stay for 

what observers tell me was a great night. 

The Morden session was memorable, 

with both "Red" and the Alex Welsh 

Band consolidating their Northern success. 

Archie Semple guested for five 

numbers, including "Sweet Lorraine", not 

featured in earlier appearances as far as I 

know. Allen, impressed by Semple, 

requested an extra round of applause at 

the end of the set for "Clarinet Archie". 

Roy Crimmins again excelled. 

The Sunday date at the Marquee 

with the Humphrey Lyttelton Band 

was another exciting occasion, culminating 

in an extended "Saints" with 

Lennie Felix and Red Price added to an 

already crowded stage. 

The much publicised concert at the 

Central Hall, Westminster, was in the 

main musically satisfying, although the 

hall was totally unsuitable for this kind 

of shindig. Allen was accompanied by 

Sandy Brown, Mac Duncan, Johnny 

Parker, Diz Disley, Jim Bray and Terry 

Cox. Although individual honours, after 

"Red", went to Brown and Parker, the 

little group played well, with the exception 

of trombonist Duncan, who must 

have been joking. I understand he was 

second choice only second? I heard 

many criticisms, my own view is that he 

played like a Pee Wee Hunt all night! 

Again "Red" treated us to some new 

material during this value for money two 

hour concert - "Honeysuckle Rose" 

(remarkable!), "Jelly Roll Blues", "Ride 

Red Ride" and "Wild Man Blues". 

On the night prior to his departure for 

the USA, "Red" telerecorded two 

shows for BBC-2 at Shepherds Bush. 

Once again backed by the Welsh boys, 

he offered one new performance in "Bill 

Bailey Won't You Please Come Home" 

But his diverse treatments of even the 

most played tunes was at all times a 

delight. Doug Dobell summed it up very 

neatly after Red's second night at 

Manchester when confronted by an 

analytical type who insisted that Allen 

had played better than on the previous 

night. "You must realise" said Doug 

"Red is always better!" 

Looking back, it was a tremendous 

three weeks. Come back soon, "Red" 

and "make us happy". 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

HENRY RED' ALLEN and the HUMPHREY LYTTELTON BAND 1964; 

A comment on the Henry 'Red' Allen session from Humphrey Lyttelton in Jazz Journal, July 1964,p.27 

I have thought twice before commenting on 

G.E.Lambert's review (p124)of my band 

with Red Allen. Red's visit gene-rated 

such high-voltage emotion that to barge in 

with mundane observations is rather like 

crashing into a cathedral on roller-skates. 

Furthermore, the name 'G.E.Lambert' 

like H.G.Wells, G.K.Chesterton or H.M. 

Customs - exudes an authority which one 

hesitates to challenge. I am grateful to 

Steve Voce for telling me that 'G.E.Lambert' 

really answers to the name of Eddie 

and that he is 'a magnificent fall-about 

specialist who goes off like a cuckooclock 

after a fixed number of pints'. 

Reassured that he is really just like you 

and me (well, you anyway), I charge 

fall-about Eddie with gross unfairness to 

Henry Allen. To suggest that a man who 

was born just one year before fellow- 

New-Orleanian Lester Young is unable 

to settle into 'modified Basie small group' 

surroundings, what-ever they may be, is 

surely a gross libel on his musicianship. 

We heard him five years ago in New 

York sit-ting in with .'Sir Charles' 

Thompson's Trio - and we didn't notice 

that 'Sir Charles' insulted his guest by 

switching on a special style for him. 

Worse still is the suggestion that Henry 

Allen is some worthy but unfortunate 

old character from the past who has 

'known so much neglect in recent years'. 

Throughout the 'fifties Red fronted the 

house-band at the Metropole - second 

only to Birdland as a New York jazz 

Mecca. Since then he has fulfilled 

regular engagements at The Embers, the 

much-sought-after venue from which 

Jonah Jones was launched to his pop 

success. Only the grossest kind of 

sentimentalising can equate The Embers 

with the rice-fields of New Iberia or Red 

Allen with a sort of latter-day Bunk 

Johnson. Looking round at the fate of 

some of his contemporaries, Red may 

well count himself a persistent success, 

and expressions of saccharine sympathy 

about his 'neglect' are hardly flattering, if 

well-meant. 

Having said this, let me agree with 

G.E.Lambert that our session with Henry 

Allen was not a happy one. Indeed, it 

was probably my least-enjoy-able 

experience in fifteen years of band 

leading. The reason for this may well 

make Fallabout Eddie go off like Big 

Ben, but it must be stated. The afternoon 

rehearsal went off smoothly, and our 

offers to adapt our instrumentation to suit 

Henry were emphatically turned down. 

'Just you play your way, and I'll be with 

you'. It was all the more surprising, 

therefore, when shortly after the start of 

his first set, Red took violent exception 

to the expression on the back of Eddie 

Harvey's head - an area which I have 

hitherto regarded as just about as 

scrutable as a coconut. It became 

obvious that something was wrong when 

Red began interrupting all the piano 

solos by calling in another soloist and 

shouting for chords which Eddie was 

actually playing at the time. It's ironical 

that this fate should have befallen Eddie 

Harvey, who was drum-med out of 

George Webb's Dixielanders seventeen 

years ago for copying J.C. Higginbotham 

and who knew the chords of Patrol 

Wagon Blues when G. E. Lambert was 

falling about on ginger pop at 

Chadderton Grammar school. It was an 

odd accident that brought things to a 

head. All bands have standing jokes, and 

one of ours is that record by Willie 'The 

Lion' Smith in which he purports to give 

a history of piano styles - '1926 - we're 

movin' up!' Red referred in an announcement 

to a recording session '1929', and 

Joe Temperley, partly by reflex action

and partly to relieve the tension on the 

stand, murmured 'We're movin' up!' 

Overhearing this, Red misinterpreted it as 

a dig at himself and, momentarily losing 

his temper, started to harangue the band 

over the microphone, starting 'I can 

move up on you guys any time!' For the 

rest of the set, the startled musicians 

were disturbed by a persistent rumbling 

of angry asides. It is a tribute to their 

respect for Red that they kept plugging 

on regardless instead of calling it a day 

and hot-footing it to the bar. From this 

point on it was an occasion, not for 

beaming smiles or expressions of 

ecstasy, but for concentrating grimly on 

making the best of the session. Fallabout 

Eddie heard 'more formality' in the 

music than on previous nights, and 

seems to amibute this to rigidness on the 

part of the band. But with the inclusion 

for nine-tenths of the session of 

clarinettist Ernie Tomasso - a genial and 

meritorious character who, within 

- 131- 

minutes of his demise, will undoubtedly 

be sitting-in with the Almighty-there was 

little chance for the band to assert itself 

at all. Fortunately, Red recovered before 

the end of the night and most of the 

audience, barring one man who informed 

me at every opportunity that 'he 

comes from New Orleans' and offered to 

teach me Muskrat Ramble, seemed to be 

quite happy about it all. At the end of 

the session, a man who might well have 

been G.E.Lambert himself, except that 

he was vertical and seemed quite steady 

on his feet, asked me why 'it hadn't 

happened tonight'. Well, now he knows. 

Up against the bar afterwards, we asked 

Red what seemed to be the trouble. He 

said 'I thought your piano-player was 

putting me down'. Luckily, a long hard 

look at the front of Eddie Harvey's head 

convinced him that he had been wrong, 

and the whole affair ended, as these little 

upsets so often do, with the principle 

characters draped round each other in an 

attitude of eternal friendship. The 

following Sunday at The Marquee, it 

was as if the misunderstanding had never 

taken place, and a roaring time was had 

by all-although one critic couldn't refrain 

from cashing in on the gossip which had 

filtered south by claiming that two or 

three of my musicians 'didn't look 

congenial'. At the end of the evening, 

'Red' and Eddie Harvey exchanged 

addresses and I have no doubt that Ed's 

name will be added to Henry's meticulous 

Christmas card list. And when it's all 

over and done with, in comes Fall-about 

Eddie, guessing, speculating, putting 

two and two together to make five-in fact, 

falling about. The moral of this story is 

that critics who succumb to emotion, 

who make deductions from musicians' 

expressions and who skimp the painstaking 

fact-finding which good journalism 

demands, invariably end up on their 

backsides, with or without the aid of a 

fixed number of pints. 

HENRY 'RED' ALLEN and the Humphrey Lyttelton Band - by Peter Vacher in Jazz Monthly, July 1964 

RED ALLEN was last in England in 

1959 as a member of Kid Ory's Creole 

Jazz Band. His playing then was a 

surprise to many, even though he 

subordinated his powerful personality in 

his position as sideman to Ory. 

The current opportunity to hear Allen 

working with the best British bands as 

featured soloist was one to be valued. 

His presence in England was due to the 

enterprise of the Manchester Sports 

Guild, an organization sponsoring many 

sporting and other activities, who 

brought him over to mark their tenth 

anniversary. 

On the Sunday night of April 26th, 

Red was working with the Humphrey 

Lyttelton Band, quite the best of the 

British groups following the mainstream 

persuasion. The band's own opening set 

included Shiny Stockings and Swin-gin' 

the blues and really their sound is not 

unlike the groups of ex-Basie men led, all 

too infrequently, by Buck Clayton. The 

leader's trumpet combines the influences 

of Buck and Louis Armstrong to most 

exciting effect - always a jazz-man in his 

every turn of phrase, Humph builds fine 

solos, complemented by firm, riffed 

backings from his frontliners. The 

drumming of Eddie Taylor, exact and 

incisive, underpins the band in exciting 

style. This band can offer a range of 

excellent, often underrated, soloists with 

voices of their own, working from neat, 

direct, arranged settings. 

With the entrance of Allen, the band 

reverted to something nearer the true 

New Orleans sound, with Coe switching 

to clarinet and Harvey playing more 

trombone than piano. 

Henry Allen is a natural, a jazz original. 

His compelling stage presence, stature 

and effortless command of his horn 

immediately held the attention of an 

audience including many musicians and 

jazz commentators. His previous visit 

and recordings had not fully prepared us 

for his quixotic, fast-moving and alltogether 

fresh methods of solo construction. 

The range of numbers; Struttin' with 

some barbecue, St. Louis blues, Rosetta, 

Patrol wagon blues, Indiana, Sweet 

substitute, St. James Infirmary, Sweet 

Lorraine, Just a closer walk and The 

Saints, do not necessarily suggest the 

likelihood of original treatment but each 

was given as thorough a baring open as 

it will ever receive. The Lyttelton band 

was put through its paces by this veteran; 

there being no arrangements or preconceived 

structure to the tunes, the band 

had to allow for key changes, codas and 

extended variations, each depending on 

the inspiration of the moment. They 

came out with great credit with only an 

occasional chaotic moment. 

Allen is, of course, a consummate showman. 

His Marquee audience responded 

enthusiastically to all the element of 

showmanship; the cries of 'Make him 

happy!' as a solo finished, the hand 

raised to further dramatise a final note, 

the ebullient stage movements and gesticulated 

emphasis throughout a solo. 

Much has been written about Red 

Allen's trumpet style and much can still 

be said. The typical structure to a solo 

fascinated, with usually a whispered 

opening involving a repeated phrase; as 

though settling into position and then a 

real exploration. The extraordinary intervals 

and unexpected turns of attack 

compelled one's attention since each was 

done with facile confidence and case. 

No mistimed or misplaced note. At times, 

lagging behind the beat, at others, percussively 

on the beat, growling. muttering 

through the horn, scarcely making a 

sound above the shaft of air whistling 

through, bending a note, blasting a riff 

two or three times over, a stark high note 

followed by a low moan, Red Allen was 

a revelation to his listeners. 

His subdued openings had the bell-like 

stillness of tone of Shorty Baker; while 

when playing to blues, the direct quality 

of early Louis Armstrong was often to be 

heard. A fascinating complex man, this 

Red Allen, capable of the most sensitive 

music and the brashest of overtures; a 

style mixing the traditional with frequent 

suggestions or the modern. His codas 

to a tune, torn off with tremendous 

technique, using multiple sequences of 

notes, invariably brought the audience to 

their feet to salute this giant. 

He sang on nearly all the numbers. 

Sometimes subtle, at times strident, his 

vocal work was more straight-forward but 

no less swinging than his trumpeting.. 

Towards the end of the evening, a jam 

session started with additional musicians. 

The Saints was chosen - and transformed 

by tempo changes, key changes and a 

whole variety of treatments. As a 

preliminary, in time-honou-red style, Red 

played Just a closer walk very slowly, 

very quietly and then led the band into 

jammed choruses of The Saints, 

exchanging solos with Humph, and 

completely overthrowing one's concept 

of this traditionalist anthem as an item 

gutted of all meaning. A great evening. 

As Red said, after generous tributes to 

band and audience: 'We'll leave you now 

with one word-nice!' And so it was. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

HENRY "RED" ALLEN in J.J.9-64:(letter): "I heard Humphrey Lyttelton in London five years ago using Luis Russell's 

arrangement and my solo as recorded. I suggest Humphrey stop gorillaing jobs and let his superiors Bob Wallis and Ken Colyer 

have a chance. Old Humph should spend some time with great musicians as Sandy Brown and Bruce Turner or at least spend a 

week with Alex Welsh's full band (contact manager Phil Robertson). If Humph should reorganise, get ideas from my man Diz 

(Guitar) Disley, John (Dobell) Kendall, Jack (MSG) Swinnerton or Alan (Coloroll) Gatward. We movin' up my man Humph. I 

may move to England. ("Cheers for G.E.Lambert")

My Involvement - Jack Swinnerton in Jazz Times July-1982 

Ron Mathieson, Fred Hunt, Henry Red Allen holding the 

presentation tankard, Alex Welsh, Jim Douglas./ 

Jack Swinnerton+”Jenks”Jenkins 

Whichever way I juggled the names, the choice came up 

between two, Jack Teagarden and Henry 'Red' Allen - as a 

bonus, both excellent singers too! This was in about Oct. 

1963, and the decision had to be made quickly for the April 

1964 event. Both Teagarden and Allen had played in Manchester 

before, the former jointly leading a group with Earl 

Hines and Allen as a member of Kid Ory's band. Apart from 

countless times on record, of course, these were the only 

occasions I had heard them. Whilst Allen was the lesser 

known, he seemed to be going through a more creative phase, 

and was the more exciting personality - would certainly win 

over an audience with his exuberance and showmanship alone, 

and so the decision was made. In the event, Jack had only a 

couple of months to live and he died the following January, 

knowing nothing of these deliberations. 

Next would come the problem of maknig some financial 

sense out of what could scarely fail to lose some money - not 

really that important because the event was the thing - but 

naturally, one tries to lose as little as possible. The jazz cellar, 

with its relatively small capacity, could scarcely hope to cover 

the total costs without an absolutely astronomical admission 

price. We had to set about doing a national promotion, and 

attempt to persuade other clubs into taking this fairly 

expensive package, sold as 'Henry 'Red' Allen' with the Alex 

Welsh Band'. Bill Kinnell, promoter and iazz enthusiast 

needed no persuading and eagerly booked one night, and one 

Gerald Bright at Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent took 

another - he surprisingly turned out to be ex-dance band leader 

Geraldo operating under his real name in a new job. In the 

London area, the Crown Morden was interested and 

businessman Alan Gatward booked a special at the Central 

Hall, Westminster insisting on a totally different accompanying 

personnel of his own choice. The Marquee also booked Allen, 

but this time along with Humph and not Alex. We managed to 

negotiate Radio and TV interviews in the regions, and I recall 

going to Southampton with Red for a five minute TV 

appearance. 

I would now be necessary to begin some intensive prepublicity 

amongst our members and the public in general. It must 

he appreciated that only a small proportion of people would 

have even heard of Allen before 1964 - we were far from 

being the large crowd of knowledgeable enthusiasts that that the 

passing of time and nostalgia tends to suggest. The general 

members had to realize just what a musical treat lay in store, 

only the dedicated knew and they would not fill the cellar. 

Firstly, I played my collection of Red Allen records dating 

from all periods of his career, on our internal system regularly 

and interest was quickly stimulated. Next came our own 

magazine. This had been an office duplicated series of news 

sheets about our various activities, stapled together and given 

out at the door. We decided to go into print in the run-up to 

Red Allen, and in our first issue - I had come up with the 

name 'Focus' – appeared in Feb.1964. UP until the appearance 

of Allen, all jazz articles were my contribution, barring 

welcome guest articles from such as Ken Colyer and Bruce 

- 132- 

Turner, (two of the more reticent people around writing for us 

must say something about their confidence in our aims) which 

is not a boast, because I was the only one around at first 

prepared to attempt it. Immeasurably more experienced and 

talented writers - such as Eddie Lambert or Steve Voce were 

not yet around to contribute. In the February issue, I tried to 

draw attention to Allen's background, recordings and previous 

concert appearances, whilst part 2 would be about the man and 

his musical style. The third and final part of this serialisation 

was largely a speculation on the type of music we should 

expect from Allen and his four accompanying groups. 

Nationally, people began to sit up and take notice, and -there 

was some initial but understandable scepticism e.g. "Should 

be good, if it comes off" etc., and Melody Maker on 23rd Nov., 

1963 pondered "Red Allen here on solo tour?" Nearer the time 

it began to build into a positive furore of anticipation. The 

usually cynical Albert McCarthy of Jazz Monthly was moved 

to say ... "for years many readers have shared my regret that 

jazz followers seem unable to form an organisation that would 

introduce American musicians to this country - - - the 

Manchester Sports Guild has taken up the idea in a very 

practical fashion - - - ". Early in March and following a Duke 

Ellington concert at the Free Trade Hall Steve Voce paid us 

the first of many welcome visits, "we can only urge you to join 

- - - this is jazz in ideal surroundings" he enthused. 

We held our press reception on Thursday 16th April 1964. 

After meeting Red Allen at London Airport the night before, 

we returned by train to Manchester Central, and were joined 

for lunch by Peter Clayton and Jenks. Much has been written 

about Red's charm and easy manner, and we were entertained by 

stories of his New Orleans youth, and touring with Jelly Roll 

Morten in the thirties and I became aware of just what a personality 

I had booked at that point. George Ellis would later write 

about Allen's incredible memory - he would not only remember 

and play his own solos from the 1934 Fletcher Henderson 

set, for example, but also those of other trumpeters in the same 

band, and to sort out the confusion, would play their solos tool 

as George said, "How can you make adequate to that?" 

We had confidence and pride in our local musicians and had 

gladly given the Don Mitchell Orchestra, who played for us 

every Tuesday evening, and the Art Taylor All Stars the opportunity 

to play with Red Allen and the Welsh band at the press 

reception. The room was teaming with specially invited members, 

and numerous guests from far and wide. The Daily Express 

even mentioned on its society page that the Hon. Gerald 

Lascelles had cancelled engagements to be with us, and he had 

arrived with Sinclair Traill. Up from Dobell's Record Shop on 

Charing Cross Road were Doug Dobbell and John Kendall 

whilst George Ellis, Steve Voce, Peter Clayton, G.E.'Eddie' 

Lambert were there from the specialist jazz press. Too numerous 

to mention everyone, local writers, friends and rnembers with 

special contributions to some aspect or other of the Guild were 

there to enjoy an introduction to the coming weekend. Playing 

with their customary ferocious attack, the Don Mitchell

orchestra were eventually joined by Allen. It is 

impossible now to describe the moment that we heard those 

first dynamic notes. We had worked so very hard over six 

months or more to bring this whole thing off, enduring many 

frustrations, irritations and frayed tempers. Now, impossibly, 

he was amongst us. A fleeting smile of satisfaction passed 

- 133- 

between Jenks and I, and then it was back to the various 

guests. The whole four day weekend, still one of the best 

remembered jazz occasions we have had in this country, lay in 

front of us to bring who knows what. (Next Month: The 

weekend and the aftermath. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

My Involvement - Jack Swinnerton in Jazz Times Aug.1982 

The press reception was over, and the anticipation of the 

weekend of jazz was reinforced. Henry 'Red' Allen, our first 

import of a top American musician, was now installed in the 

Millgate Hotel, next door but one. The Thursday evening had 

been a foretaste, and Red was apparently playing as well as 

ever. Backing from the local groups, the Don Mitchell 

Orchestra and the Art Taylor All Stars (as a coincidence 

neither group had anyone of that name in it) plus the Alex 

Welsh Band, none of whom had had even a moments chance 

of rehearsal, was pretty good in the circumstances. Alan Hare 

has just reminded me of those first notes of Allen with the 

Don Mitchell Orchestra, riding along with the group before 

feeling his way into the number, as one of those rare electric 

moments that jazz can throw up but neither of us, at this late 

date, can now remember the number being played. In 

consulting Peter Clayton's review of the evening in "Jazz 

Beat", I note that local trumpet player Doug Whaley gets an 

honourable mention for a fine performance that night. 

The first of the four nights of the tour were all held at the 

M.S.G., an extended weekend, and what we then thought 

would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - I think we claimed 

in the press that this would be a weekend to tell your 

grandchildren about. (After twenty eight years many of you 

will now have grandchildren - have you told them yet?). 

Whilst some criticism was later raised at my selection of 

accompanying groups, one in particular, I would still stand by 

them today from 1964 availabilities. We had somehow to back 

Allen with the famous, yet musically correct bands in the land, 

and appeal to as many of our members as possible. Henry 

Allen, if you think about it for a moment, was an obvious 

choice to attract various tastes - a faultless New Orleans 

pedigree, with his Luis Russell / Fletcher Henderson 'middle 

period' fans, and celebrated for his Metropole showmanship he 

could also claim the respect of the modernists. To quote "New 

Grove Dictionary" ,in the 1960s, he drew the attention of free 

jazz players'. I had selected the bands of Alex Welsh, Sandy 

Brown / Al Fairweather, Bruce Turner, and Humphrey 

Lyttelton to play successive nights in that sequence. All the 

leaders were very familiar with the traditional forms of jazz 

and were all how eagerly exploring somewhat wider fields, as 

Allen himself had done years before. 

To my later surprise, a private criticism of my selection came 

from Allen himself. He was quite happy by then, late in the 

tour, with all the bands he had played with, but I apparently 

made a mistake in omitting his friend Ken Colyer from the 

schedules – thinking about it today, it is still difficult to 

imagine that one working, great fan as I was and am of Ken's 

music. I was quite taken aback when, on the next of his 

frequent visits, a slighted Ken quietly criticised me for the 

same thing. (it's much too late to find out now - did they get 

together in anticipation of a second tour?) 

The atmosphere of those four days was new to me and, I 

imagine, seldom experienced since. They were not the usual 

concert or club sessions at all, but rather a complete 

experience. Members were wandering in and out all day and 

could be seen chatting to Red Allen at the bar over lunch. 

Later in the afternoon, hearing his first strains of rehearsal for 

the evening performance, they would happily wander 

downstairs, drinks in hand, to unobtrusively absorb 

the atmosphere, to this 'behind-the-scenes' look at how it was 

going to happen. It was moving to see Allen relishing the 

attention of us considerably (in the main) younger fans, and he 

seemed quite sincere when he told me that the whole thing had 

been the most satisfying of his musical career. This is not the 

place to have a detailed account of the music to 

be heard on those four nights - written about at length at the 

time (almost half of Jazz Journal June 1964 was a review of 

the weekend), after such a passage of time I would only be 

consulting contemporary reviews to remember all the details. 

On the Friday night, Alex Welsh and the band supported 

Allen. This was the post Archie Semple group and featured 

Roy Crimmins, Al Gay, Fred Hunt Jim Douglas, Rom 

Mathewson and Lennie Hastings. Welsh stepped down for 

lengthy periods to allow Allen to lead, able to observe along 

with the rest of us how well his band responded to a completely 

different style of trumpet. Anticipating the first 

appearance of Allen through the door at the bottom of the 

cellar steps, the crowd, with half an eye at that end of the 

room, could suddenly hear the first notes from the connecting 

yard of the Millgate Hotel as Allen leaped through the fire 

door, trumpet brandished. An absurd gimmick on paper, it was 

quite an effective introduction to the evening's jazz, as I recall. 

Saturday brought the Sandy, Brown/Al Fairweather band, a 

much more loosely constructed sound than the Welsh band. As 

you would expect, stand-out support for Allen came from the 

late Sandy Brown, closely followed by Danny Moss on tenor. 

(One of the many people we have lost in the intervening years, 

Sandy's brilliance well merited the ovations on his many 

M.S.G. appearances.) 

Usually regarded as the finest night of the tour was the Sunday 

session accompanying Bruce Turner's Jump Band. The superb 

way in which Allen and Turner were immediately on the same 

wavelength is still a vivid memory. Writing in Jazz Journal, 

G.E. Lambert stated "When writers speak of jazz as a minor 

art one doubts if they have experienced evenings like this." 

(The late Eddie Lambert was one of the staunchest supporters 

of jazz at the M.S.G., although never failing to criticise us if 

he thought it necessary. One of the best dozen or so writers on 

jazz that this country ever produced, his joyful enthusiasm and 

well nigh incredible knowledge of music will not be forgotten. 

It was sad that he died at such a relatively young age.) 

Work behind the scenes would sometimes keep me away from 

the music for lengthy periods, and the Monday evening session 

with Humphrey Lyttelton, or at least the celebrated on stand 

disagreement escaped me. Apparently, a real or imagined 

incident sparked a quarrel between Allen and 

Eddie Harvey, much reported upon and it seems blown out of 

all proportion, which has tended to overshadow the musical 

qualities of the evening. Whilst Eddie Lambert eventually 

clashed in the press with Lyttelton himself , he reported that 

Humph and Joe Temperley were playing particularly well - 

certainly I detected no lack of harmony during 'staff drinks' 

after the session. This incident has attained such notoriety, that 

Jim Gobolt saw fit to ignore most of the Guild's efforts in the 

1960's, but cover this occasion in great detail in his recent 

book "A History of Jazz In Britain 1950 - 1970". 

Having booked some of my annual holiday from work, 

following the Monday session, I went on tour with Red Allen 

travelling mainly by train and meeting the Welsh Band at the 

various destinations. I was probably foolish not to have 

attempted to record some of the conversations on these long 

journeys, but it may well have put a strain on the natural flow 

to some extent. Allen seemed happier talking about his earlier 

days in New Orleans, of his father's band and the men who 

played in it, and was as much in awe of the generation of New 

Orleans musicians who preceded him as we were. Grateful for 

the opportunity to play in this country, he said he would like 

me to write a book, with his assistance, on his life and music - 

it didn't come to anything of course, and I had no intention of 

pursuing something I could not do justice to - but it was a 

memorable and flattering occasion for a young enthusiast. 

Commuters on these sometimes crowded rush hour journeys 

would often be surprised as Allen, keeping his embouchure 

ship shape, would remove his mouthpiece from his pocket and 

blow soundlessly at regular intervals, whilst I would contrive 

to look as if it were a mere every day event so as not to excite 

curiosity or explanations. 

Besides the four nights at the M.S.G., we had now successfully 

negotiated Morden, Brighton, Bath, Trentham Gardens, Nottingham 

and Red-car with the Welsh Band. I have previously

- 134- 

mentioned the special at Westminster Hall, and the Marquee 

session with Humphrey (all reports say no lack of harmony there, 

although I was not present at that one). 

At the end of the tour, Henry & Alex Welsh returned to the MSG. 

for one final farewell appearance. On behalf of the M.S.G. he 

was presented with a silver tea set for Mrs Allen, inscribed "To 

Pearly May From the Manchester Sports Guild in appreciation 

of the great pleasure which your husband gave to us when he 

played here in April 1964." Alex Welsh then made a further 

presentation of a pewter tankard on behalf of the band. (I had 

got Henry hooked on Youngers No.3 by then - he would even 

shout to passing waiters in mid-number, "a pint of No.3 for my 

man Jack and I" - and so he immediately filled up his tankard.) 

He told Sinclair Traill that the evening had been the most 

moving thing to have ever happened to him and, to quote 

Lambert again, "The real human communication and affection 

which has been present on these evenings between Henry, the 

bands and the audience is something unique in my experience." 

The occasionally resurrected Jazz 625 programme, bye the way, 

does not do justice to Allen's work on this tour, and is of more 

interest today as a recording of the 1964 Welsh Band just prior 

to Barnes and Williams. 

Everyone now sat up and took notice. Somewhat overwhelmed 

by all the clamour and publicity, we needed a breathing space to 

take stock, but the jazz press had other ideas. Suspecting that 

we might regard the Allen tour as just a one-off (and we let 

them drink that briefly, until the strain became too much) out 

came a deluge of comprehensive reviews and glowing tributes. 

Jazz Beat (a sign of the times, grown out of Jazz News and, as 

the title suggests, now featuring articles an such as The Rolling 

Stones) gave reviews by both Peter Clayton and George Ellis, 

whilst Jazz Journal really went to town with no less than three 

reviews in one single issue. Sinclair Traill, Steve Voce and 

Eddie Lambert, all came out with tremendous acclaim - I think 

I can read between the lines now and see a great big thank 

you, but carry on with the good work if you want some of the 

level of publicity again. Lambert's review, of course, contained 

his criticism of the Lyttelton Band. As a true advertising man 

all my working life, I could have jumped for joy when the 

following month Humph blasted into Eddie in response - 

there's nothing like publicity, and it was now certain that we 

would bridge the six months gap between Allen and our next 

promotion in the full glare of attention. 

Unfortunately, Red Allen was reading all this back home and 

took great exception Although I never did get around to asking 

him, and as he seemed to be the best of friends with Humphrey 

Lyttelton and his band in the end, something else must have 

been the cause of his anger. Today, I suspect that the title and 

accornpanying photo to Humph's article was the offence. Only 

the length of a long letter really, editor Traill had blown up 

Humph's piece into a double page spread, including a two 

third page squared up half-tone photograph of the back of 

Allen's head, and a one third page title cried out, "The back of 

his head". It seemed likely that Allen translated this into a 

criticism of himself, e.g. "glad to see the back of you", when 

the content quite clearly refers to the back of Ed Harvey's 

head. Allen's stung response to Jazz Journal, a hasty and ill 

considered effort, (also reproduced in full in Jim Godbolt's 

book) suggested that Humph be wise enough to disband and 

consult various people - including an excruciatingly embarrassed 

Jack Swinnerton - about a suitable replacement personnel. 

Eddie Lambert and I were enjoying a quick but uneasy drink as 

Humphrey Lyttelton, on his next M.S.G. engagement, came 

rushing through the door. Kind enough not to immediately 

probe me for any tips about replacement musicians, a quick 

smile to a hesitant Eddie, and it was back to business as usual. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

BETWEEN YOU & ME - RED ALLEN & SANDY BROWN BAND AT CENTRAL HALL, 5/1/64 

by John Postgate in J.Monthly,9-64, p.6 unforeseeable : where another trumpeter one of the disappearing generation of 

I think the clue to Red Allen’s playing might play a whole number well or jazz showmen, capable of turning a 

lies in the fact that he switches from badly, Allen would produce an arresting potential shambles into a memorable 

good to bad so rapidly that the incau- and sensitive phrase which might then evening’s entertainment. This he did in 

tious listener becomes quite deluded. In lead to a series of tasteless shrieks, or, London on the first of May, against 

numbers such as Ride Red Ride or conversely, use a rabble-rousing rasp to every obstacle. But he did more than 

Indiana, there can be little doubt that introduce a phrase of rare delicacy and that; at intervals during the effervescent 

Red Allen’s customary performances are taste. I particularly recall his version of uproar he lifted the curtain and gave us a 

frightful. Certainly, at the Central Hall St. James Infirmary which, after a good glimpse of the very essence of jazz 

concert in May this year, the only start, seemed to degenerate during his 

interest of these particular numbers was vocal, despite audience participation. 

in guessing how soon the uproar would Then, quite suddenly, Allen initiated his 

floor the accompanying group. solo with a curious, twisted phrase that 

(Parenthetically, why were we privile- quite made up for everything. I cannot 

ged to bear such a lousy accompanying remember it precisely (unfortunately), 

group? Britain can do so much better but only Allen could have produced it, 

than that these days.) But despite a half- and I can record that the two hardened 

empty house. had acoustics and an jazz fans that were with me that evening 

altogether deterrent atmosphere, Allen’s spotted it quite independently. And there 

London concert provided for me, some were many moments like this, in Sweet 

of the best moments of beauty I have Substitute, Yellow Dog Blues, Rosetta 

experienced in many years of listening and the magnificent Wild Man Blues. 

to jazz. They were always quite Allen, as Sinclair Traill has written is 

at MSG-1964: Pete Strange-Bruce Turner-Red Allen-Jim Bray; John Armitage-Pete Strange-Red Allen-Bruce Turner

- 134a - 

=========================================================================================== 

SANDY BROWN SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 148 APRIL 2009 by John Latham (UK); President: Stan Greig 

Re. Sandy and Red Allen (No.142), Keith Ingham writes stage connected to each other by a long curly cable. The music 

from New York 'As regards the Red Allen-Sandy Brown date was fairly unmemorable, the three front men seemed very 

(Manchester Sports Guild 18th April 1964), I don't really have detached from each other. It struck me – ardent Sandy fan 

anything specific to say. (ed. Keith was pianist on the gig). All though I was – that Sandy was particularly out of touch & 

I remember is that Red really liked the band and Sandy who Duncan's playing was largely irrelevant. Being close up to the 

he felt was an adventurous musician who could play with enormous mahogany chops of Henry Allen, though, was 

anyone regardless of styles. I do remember Red asking me to unforgettable. Sandy had a most untypically fancy shirt on I 

accom-pany him on several of his appearances with other remember. After the show we all reconvened in Ward's Irish 

bands, which was a little awkward - to replace the regular House (well, it was the nearest) & in due course I found 

piano player! 

I knew a lot of Red's repertoire but at the time he had a big 

myself next to Sandy at the bar. He looked very dubious. I 

selling LP out on American Columbia and was playing selections 

thanked him for the music – as you do –and he said "It'd have 

from that – apart from standard jazz tunes like Cherry and been a lot better if I wasn't so fucking pissed!" That explained 

Sweet Substitute. Red loved to play Feeling Good from the a lot – he'd been at some lunchtime party I think which had 

Broadway hit show The Roar Of The Greasepaint by Tony compromised his condition somewhat (or more than). Red 

Newley and Leslie Bricasse, which I happened to know. I do was magnificent in the pub, standing & taking on all conver- 

know that Red felt that some of the musicians thought he was sational corners with a constantly replenished (by others) half- 

just a showman with an act instead of the great musician he pint glass of Scotch, and there were plenty of luminaries 

was. After all Don Ellis had famously called him "the most present. John (downstairs at Dobells') Kendall was at his 

avantgarde trumpet player in New York." I remember he felt elbow & I remember Diz Disley was there, tho' whether he 

particularly slighted by some of Humph's band and all this led was part of the band I can't say (Ed He was!); so were Kay 

to some acrimonious correspondence in the Melody Maker Bolden & Brian Peerless. I never saw the pictures we took, 

which was a shame, especially for Humph who loved Red's but if John Anfill's portfolio still exists...? 

playing. Anyhow, it is all so long ago, but he was very happy 

with Sandy's band and of course with Alex Welsh. Naturally 

there was an element of "showmanship" in Red's playing, but 

he was leading a successful quartet at the time in the USA 

with Sammy Price on piano and gigging at the famous 

Metropole in New York's Times Square area, where the band 

played above the bar. On a visit to New York I recall seeing 

the Woody Herman band all in a line up above the bar, with 

Woody conducting thanks to a long mirror on the opposite 

wall. Of course it would have helped if Red had brought some 

lead sheets of his repertoire with him, but there it was! 

Ted Percy writes 'About three letters ago (No.142), mention 

was made of the concert at the Central Hall Westminster which 

teamed Sandy with Red Allen. I were, there, and have been 

trying to assemble my somewhat obfuscated memories of it. It 

happened at a somewhat unlikely time of day -- Sunday afternoon? 

The gig was put on by a man whose name was I think Jim 

Gatward who was ' something in T.V' – tall, slim, good 

looking & well spoken as I recall, and with plenty of lipstick 

(applied by ecstatic female admirers to his cheeks – well, you 

know what I mean). The band was of his assembling, I think. 

In front there were Red, Sandy and Ken Colyer's trombonist Mac 

Duncan. Not so sure about the others. (Ed. 1st May 1964. Red, 

Sandy, Mac, Johnny Parker (p), Diz Disley (g) Jim Bray (b), M.S.G.1964: Red Allen (t) Diz Disley (g) unknown 

Terry Cox (d)). I was there helping photographer John Anfill 

by holding his mammoth flash apparatus & directing it at his 

chosen subject. This meant we were hopping about on the

Sammy Price & Red Allen, Detroit May-1964 

(photo from this date- courtesy Duncan Schiedt) 

- 135 - 

May 1964, back to the Metropole, with a short date in Detroit 

“What Do They Want?”-Sammy Price Autobio- 

1989p70: Then I went and joined Henry Red Allen 

at the Metropole. The band played five nights a 

week. This was a turning point because I was 

working with someone who understood me and 

knew that I kidded a lot but most of the time I 

meant what I said. I stayed with red eight Years, 

until he got sick. Red was my best friend and I 

considered myself his best friend. He was hell to 

get along with musically because he was so 

sensitive, but I got along with him by telling him I 

made him sound good. And it was true. I knew the 

main ingredients of that particular pie. (cont.on 

p.138) 

S.P. in conversation with Peter Clayton on BBC Radio- 

2; 11/2/79: … I worked with Red for eight years 

and in all that time I do not remember having one 

rehearsal. … 

some words about Jam-sessions by Buck 

Clayton (DownBeat interview 6/4/64): ...Looking 

back on his formative years, Clayton fondly 

remembered the jam ses-sions in Kansas City, 

"Just three hours away from Parson." "We used 

to have jam sessions every day," he said. ",There 

were so many bands to hear, and we idolized 

them. There were so many clubs, so many 

musicians, and we were like brothers." He said 

he feels fortunate that he grew up in the time of 

the jam sessions. "We always used to try and 

practice end improve," he said and then added 

ruefully, "until the union banned all sessions. I 

think that's another thing that has hurt young 

musicians.No more free playing. "I remember 

sessions in N.Y. with Hawk, Lester and Don 

Byas, who sit for hours and battle each other. 

And ROY ELDRIDGE and HENRY (RED) 

ALLEN, who would just sit and drink and 

"blow. "... 

6/8/64 Mo., NYC., Dawn Café , guest Red Allen 

MONDAY NIGHTING – Frieda Harris, hostess at the recent Monday Night Get-together at the Dawn Café which aided the 

Amsterdam News Camp Fund, beams in the admiring attention of. From left: Ted Green, Bill Betcher (Four Roses), Frank 

Correy(White Horse Scotch) and Henry Red Allen, famed trumpeter now appearing at the Metropole. NYAN-6/13/64p18 

7/2/64, NPT.,R.I. - NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL: Joe Thomas (t) ?J.C.Higginbotham (tb) George Wein or ?Billy 

Taylor (p) Slam Stewart (b) Jo Jones (d) 

life rec. 4:42 I'm In The Mood For Love RCA-LPM 3369/RCA RD 7755/JCH-CD-10/ 

7/2/64 same loc.: Joe Thomas, Muggsy Spanier, Wingy Manone (t) Lou McCarity, J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Ed Hall, 

Peanuts Hucko (cl) Bud Freeman (ts) George Wein (p) Slam Stewart (b) Jo Jones (d) 

8:19 That's A Plenty from VoA-… /JCH-CD-10/ 

4:42 Dear Old Southland -feat. J.C.Higginbotham (tb) from VoA-… / --- / 

GREAT MOMENTS OF JAZZ - GEORGE WEIN on RCA-1965: I'm in the Mood for Love - This belongs to Joe Thomas, 

with an assist by J.C. Higginbotham. Thomas is one of the most underrated musicians in jazz history. Always a favorite of 

critics, he has never received the public acclaim he deserves. Here is a beautiful example of his sensitive approach to 

improvisation in a style that is all but lost to jazz. Higgy is, of course, the man who has led the way for the technical approach 

to the modern jazz trombone. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

BAA-7/11/64p11: SATCHMO GETS JAZZ FEST OFF WINGING - Newport, R.I. (UPI) 

Rain couldn't dampen the spirits of jazz 

enthusiasts Thursday night once Louis 

Satchmo Armstrong began giving them a 

bit of “Hello Dolly.” 

A beefed up squad of200 policemen 

reported no trouble as about 5,000 persons 

were on hand at Free body Park for the 

opening of the 11th annual Newport Jazz 

Festival despite gloomy weather forecasts. 

Only a few hundred left their seats 

for shelter, when the rain came down 

as Satchmo sang, trumpeted, stomped 

and grinned through “Hello Dolly.” 

APPLAUSE for such greats as 

Wingy Manone, J.C.Higginbotham, Jo 

Jones and Slam Stewart was 

responsive, but it took Satchmo and his 

special version of “Hello Dolly” to 

bring the wild applause, the whistles, 

shouts and spontaneous dancing in the 

aisles so well known to the jazz festival. 

Satchmo came back for six encores as 

he stomped and sang. Armstrong kept 

the pace of the great moments of jazz 

theme with his well known “Blueberry 

Hill,” “Sleepy Time Down South,” and 

“Mack The Knife.”

- 136 - 

7/20/64 NYC., Carnegie Hall -"SALUTE TO EDDIE CONDON"- telerec.by Charles Arden for Chandell Prod./WABC-TV; lst 

concert of a series put together by writer Richard Gehman; another one was on WABC-TV 3/27/65; personnel see on the 

advertisement NYAN:7/18/64p18; the late Bob Hilbert had found only a poor tape fragment from repeated broadcast 7/20/65; 

tape-part-3: Red Allen (t,v) Pee Wee Russell (c1) unknown rhythm poss. Joe Bushkin (p) Zutty.Singleton (d) 

tape part-5: Bobby Hackett, Yank Lawson (t) J.C.Higginbotham (tb) Pee Wee Russell, Bob Wilber (cl) Willie"The 

Lion"Smith (p) Zutty Singleton (d) 

part-1: Jazz Band Ball feat.poss. J.McPartland, C.Cutshall, Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Russell 

part-2: Tailgate Ramble feat. Wingy Manone, poss.Bob Wilber, v-Johnny Mercer 

part-3: I AIN´T GOT NOBODY -vRA with a wonderful Pee Wee solo cassette wanted 

part-4: Jazz Me Blues feat. Yank Lawson, Pee Wee Russell, poss.Dick Hyman 

part-5: Royal Garden Blues 

“Pee Wee Russell – The Life of a Jazzman” by Bob Hilbert 1993, p261: 

There was a "Tribute to Eddie Condon" held 

at Carnegie Hall shortly after midnight, July 

21, with Sammy Davis, Jr., scheduled to he 

the master of ceremonies. But Davis, who was 

appearing in Philadelphia in Golden Boy, said 

he was too fatigued to make the trip to New 

York and cancelled at the last minute. The 

affair was staged to help pay for the three 

prostate operations Condon had undergone 

since his return from the Asian tour. Condon 

was not happy with the event, which featured 

Bob Crosby's band and Woody Herman's 

Thundering Herd. For a man who had spent 

his career in opposition to the big bands, the 

choices were not appropriate and put Condon, 

who had been drinking heavily, into a surly 

mood. 

Some of the figures Condon had been 

associated with through the years were on hand, 

----------------------------------------------------------- 

HONOR EDDIE CONDON MON. 

CD-7/18/64p16: – Many leading Negro stars 

will take part in the “Salute To Eddie Condon” 

honoring his more than 40 years in show 

business to be held Monday, July 20 at 11 p.m. 

however, including Johnny Mercer, Bud Freeman, 

Wingy Manone, J.C.Higginbotham, 

Cutty Cutshall, Willie "the Lion" Smith, Jack 

Lesberg,. Gene Schroeder, Bobby Hackett, 

Peanuts Hucko, George Wettling and Billy 

Butterfield. The high point of the concert 

was when Henry "Red" Allen sang and 

played "I Ain't Got Nobody" with a 

particularly effective backing by Pee Wee. 

"What Eddie proved," Pee Wee told 

Newsweek at the concert, "is that our music 

has vitality - it's alive. I've played both; this 

has more feeling." Clearly, following the 

Marshall Brown episode, Pee Wee was 

rethinking his antagonism to dixieland.The 

concert formed the basis for a television 

"tribute" which was recorded several months 

later with Davis as master of ceremonies, but 

without Pee Wee (& without Allen) 

------------------------------------------------------------- 

at Carnegie Hall. Sammy Davis Jr. is 

taking a helicopter from Philadelphia to be 

there. ZuttySingleton, J.C.Higginbotham, 

Red Allen and Billy Butterfield are among 

the other artists who will perform. 

advert.NYAN:7/18/64p18--- 

Sept.-Dec.64, Red & Sammy Price at Metropole; Down Beat: 9/11&9/24, l0/8&10/22 same; 

11/5&11/19 same; l2/2&17 same 

Art Hodes' Keyboard Reflections 

(Down Beat l0/22/64):. JIMMY RYAN'S ON 

52nd St. was the kind of night spot best 

described as a tavern-club. Occupancy by more 

than 120 persons was not only unlawful, it was 

also downright uncomfortable. Yet we packed 

them in on Sunday afternoons - a buck 

admission and "hear the jazz greats." 

Milt Gabler originated the sessions, but Jack 

Crystal gathered the talent. On any given 

Sunday afternoon you could see and hear such 

stalwarts as Pee Wee Russell, Eddie Condon, 

Mezz Mezzrow, Sidney Bechet, Max Kaminsky, 

Wild Bill Davison, George Brunis, Joe Sullivan, 

J.C.Higginbotham, Rod Cless, Hot Lips Page, 

GUTTY MAN CITED – J.C.Higginbotham, popular 

trombonist, was cited recently by the Hancock, N.Y. 

Rotary Club for his 40 years of playing trombone. The 

citation marked that Higgy is one of the “all time great trombonists”, 

has won more Downbeats awards that any other 

trombone player and his stylist of the gutty school of the 

Fats Waller, Earl Hines, James P.Johnson, 

Red Allen, etc. And on the last chorus of the 

last number (which would usually be Bugle 

Call Rag), the entire ensemble would blow. 

Man, that was something. 

During the week, Ryan's featured a trio. I'd 

worked there with Baby Dodds and Cecil 

Scott (& Chippie Hill) and with Mezz Mezzrow 

and Danny Alvin. 

Ryan's was a haven, though hardly the place 

you'd expect to meet Thelonious Monk, but 

that's where it happened. He was looking 

for a piano to play ... just “to play,” not a 

job, not pay. He asked, "You mind if I play 

while you guys are off, during intermission." 

The answer was "go ahead." 

The jukebox was disconnected, 

and Monk, with his dark 

glasses on, made it to the 

stand and played, all by himself 

and, I'd venture a guess, to 

himself. This we understood; 

he was welcome.... 

1930's. In addition to the signature of George H. Elwood, 

president of the Rotary Club, the citation also bore the 

signatures of the top jazz musicians who were appearing at the 

time with Higgy, Sammy Price, Benny Moten, George Reed, 

Herbert Hale, Jean Stevens and Doc Cheatham. (with portrait 

of Higgy) NYAN-10/31/64p19: 

"JAZZ TROMBONE-FIVE VIEWS" - J.C.Higginbotham – a longer article by Don Heckman in Down Beat 11/28,/64: 

early Dec.64 - Don Redman (died 11/30/64) Funeral with Red Allen,J.C.Higginbothen, Sandy Williams, Dicky Wells, 

Tyree Glenn, Red Richards, Herman Autrey, Joe Thomas, Honi Coles, Slim Thompson, Sam Theard, Buster Bailey, 

Major Holley, Keg Johnson, Zutty Singleton, Wingie Carpenter, Jimmy Crawford, Eddie Barefield, Harold Baker, Sonny 

Greer, Joe Glaser, Len Kunstadt, Dan Morgenstern, Stanley Dance, etc. (Jack Bradley,Bul.h.c.f.-Jan-1965 

Dec.64-July 65, N.Y.C., Metropole - Red Allen (House band) / & Max Kaminsky (to Feb.65); Gene Krupa 2/19-3/5; Roy 

Liberto April-5/17; Village Stompers 5/18-5/30; Gene Krupa to 6/12; Gillespie quintet 5/31-6/28;

- 137 - 

Feb.65, Conrad Janis took a band to the Metropole while Henry Red Allen took his group to Cleveland (for a brief season) 

(Down Beat 2/25/65) 

Feb until 3/4/65,-Cleveland , Ohio – Mushy Wexler's Theatrical Grill has been presenting Who's Who lately, with Henry 

Red Allen, Bill Maxted, Roy Liberto, Jonah Jones, and Jimmy and Marian McPartland. Teddy Wilson is to appear with 

his trio for two weeks ending March 6 at the downtown restaurant-nitery... (Down Beat 3/11/65) 

possibly this is the date or an unknown date 1964 after his Europe tour mentioned by John Chilton in “Ride Red Ride” p183: 

… where a hugh blow-up of the Don Ellis article was put on dispay … 

3/5/65 NYC., Metropole – return of Henry Red Allen as house band for longer times; Veteran drummer Sonny Greer did a 

week in March with Red's Allen Quartet; John Chilton names also Chuck Folds, piano temporarly for Sammy Price; 

Down Beat 3/11-3/25; 4/8-4/22; 5/6-5/20; 6/3-6/17/65 

NEW YORK JAZZ – Monday, March, 8th, 1965 by Don Brown in Coda 4/65: 

... The following night being Monday, 

traditional night off for musicians in 

New York, we moved from the sublime 

to the ridiculous and visited the 

Metropole (evidently Sunday it the offnight 

there) where Gene Krupa's 

Quartet was appearing. Fortunately, 

the evening was saved by the house 

band. Henry Red Allen's Quartet 

(Allen, Sammy Price, Bennie Moten 

and a drummer whose name escapes 

me) managed to play some warm and 

exciting music in the most unlikely 

surroundings imaginable. Henry Red 

Allen never fails to amaze the way he 

can combine out-and-out showman-ship 

with taste and imagination. We heard 

one full set and every tune but one was 

ways up-tempo with shouts of "Nice" 

and "Make him happy! Make him 

happy!" after every solo, humourous 

patter with members of the audience 

crowded up against the bar, and a 

general air of rowdiness. Yet Allen's 

NYAN-3/13/65p16: Gene Krupa , and Red Allen continue swinging nightly at the Metropole. 

Leonard Feather wrote an article about Red Allen in Down Beat 4/8/65: 

(surely used in earlier parts of this bio-disco) 

3/27/65, N.Y.C., Carnegie Hall – l0th Charlie Parker Memorial Concert (Red Allen is not 

mentioned in press-reports) 

4/9/65 Blue Lu Barker Farewell Party with Red Allen; Blue Lu and Danny moved to New 

Orleans in May-65; 

5/7/65 Fr. 8:30, New York School of Jazz - Benefit JAZZ PANORAMA, Part.III: Trombones and 

Part.IV: Strings; trombones: J.C.Higginbotham, Grachan Moncur III, Benny Powell; strings & 

rhythm: Hugh Lawson(p) Calo Scott (cello), William Blank(vln) Art Davis(b) Charlie 

Jackson(g) Art Davis(b) Frankie Dunlop(d) and at each concert New York School Jazz 

Ensemble; (short note in NYAN-5/1/65p23); advertised in NYAN-4/24/65p2------- 

a larger advert of the Village Voice 4/1/65p14 (reprint in Jazz Ad.Vol.3p1123) gives the complete 

programm: 4/2 Fr. Part.1 – Trumpet: Johnny Windhurst; Bill Hardman, Richard Williams; 4/9 Fr., 

Part.2 - Reeds: Bob Wilber, Jerome Richardson, Roland Alexander; 4/30 the above part 3 but was 

def.at 5/7; 5/7 part-4, see above; 5/14 part-5: drums: Zutty Singleton, Frankie Dunlop, Clifford 

Jarvis; 5/21 part-6 – piano, vibes: Jaki Byard, Roland Hanna, Hank Edmonds, Bobby Hutcherson; 

Concert Rhythm section for entire series: Roland Hanna(p) Art Davis(b) Frankie Dunlop(d) 

unknown engagement of Red Allen in mid June-65; he returned to the Metropole for the last June 

week; NYAN-6/19/65p22: Dizzy Gillespie's at the Metropole (opened 5/31), along with a 

group called the Watusi Girls, but the place doesn't seem right without Red Allen. … 

NYC., Metropole - The long-time house band, led by trumpeter Henry (Red) Allen, is out 

at 7/1/65; Down Beat 7/1/65: The latest New York Club to go discotheque is the Metropole. 

However the Times Square jazz landmark will continue to book name jazz attractions to work 

opposite live rock-and-roll groups and a line of frugging girls. The Village Stompers initiated 

the new policy 5/18, with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's quintet scheduled to open 5/31. 

Conversatiom with Doc Cheatham by Richard Rains, Storyville-14, Dec.67: When I spoke of 

Louis Metcalfe Doc said how well he was playing these days and then related sadly how, 

having made the Metropole what it was, Red Allen was rejected on his return from a *tour in 

favour of a succession of rock-and-roll bands. (*poss. this was the Blue Spruce Inn dates?); 

solos were models of thoughtful 

improvisation. An amazing man. After 

about half of a Gene Krupa "BENNY 

GOODMAN MEDLEY" we left the 

Metropole. I had hoped to hear Charlie 

Ventura but he has been replaced by a 

clarinetist (possibly Sol Yaged - we 

didn't stay long enough to find out) who 

plays Goodman's solos note for note 

including the clichés! Very original .... 

“What Do They Want?”-Sammy Price Autobio-1989p70: (cont.from p135 to the Aug.65 rec.session): 

...When I quit the band, it was out at the Blue Spruce Inn on Long Island. That where we made 

the record Feeling Good. Now let me tell you about that record. The Saturday night before the 

record date I said, "Red, I'm getting sick and tired of you again, so I gotta go." He said, "Bye." So on Sunday we were off. And 

*Monday he had this recording engagements with John Hammond for Feeling Good. And I knew that he would get Lannie Scott 

to go in as substitute. But I also knew that Lannie didn't know the tunes: he hadn't been playing with Red for eight(?) years. So 

this Monday night I went out. I got in my car and said, "Well, I might as well go help this turkey out," meaning Red. So I got in 

the car and drove all the way out to Long Island. When I walked in, John Hammond and Frank Driggs were there with Red. 

And Red said to John Hammond, "Here's this politician now." And I said, "Well, red. Come on man, I came out to make your 

sound good." So we made Feeling Good, Cherry, and all those other things. And that was the last time I played with Red, 

August 1965. (cont.a few months later when Red told him that he had cancer.) (*remark: the known alternate dates were 8/18 a Wed. 

and 6/30 a Tu.)

- 138 - 

Avantgarde Days: BLUE MON K & SUMMERTIME 

vs. Revival Days: THE SAINTS – DIDN´T HE RAMBLE 

Chapter-10: Red Allen Quartet & with the Alex Welsh Band in UK 1966/67 

Blue Spuce Inn 7/1/65-….; e.t.c.; Monterey-65; Newport-66; Final Days 

NYC., Metropole - The long-time house band, led by trumpeter Henry (Red) Allen, is out at 7/1/65; DB 7/1/65 

7/1-7/31/65; Roslyn - Blue Spruce Inn , Henry Red Allen Quartet; 

Red Allen left the Metropole for his last session at 6/30/65. and followed Marian & Jimmy McPartland; 

in July 65 Blue Spruce Inn, Roslyn during the first engagement from 7/1-31/65 – HENRY”RED”ALLEN QUARTET: Red Allen 

(t,v) Lannie Scott (*p) Bennie Moten (b) George Reed (d) /Storyville-/ 

-1 7:22 *ST. LOUIS BLUES -vRA (W.C.Handy (not on my tape, but issued) Meritt-27/STCD-8290/RACD25c 

-1 3:49 *ST. JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) RACD24/ --- / 

-1 3:07 *CARAVAN (Ellington-Mills-Tizal) Meritt-27/STCD-8290/ --- / 

-1 4:03 *LOVER COME BACK TO ME (S.Romberg) Meritt-27/STCO 8290/ --- / 

-2 3:28 *ST. JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) at the end announcing “Never On Sunday” / --- / 

-1 2:38 *NEVER ON SUNDAY (G.Moustaki) (it was played after ST JAMES) Meritt-27/STCD 8290/ --- / 

-1 2:57 *SATIN DOLL (Ellington-Strayhorn) Meritt-27/STCD 8290/ --- / 

-1 4:45 *MUSKRAT RAMBLE (Kid Ory) Meritt-27/STCD 8290/ --- / 

NYAN-8/7/65p22: … Red Allen was appearing at the Blue Spruce Inn in Roslyn, L.I. while his wife Pearly May was 

visiting in Michigan. … 

unknown engagements in early August 64; 

8/18 & 8/19/65 , same location; Sammy Price (p) for L.Scott; - dated by Frank Driggs, it was the day when Red Allen informed 

Sammy Price about his cancer. A wrong source gives 6/29&30/65, possibly due to Red Allen fan “Red” Metzger, who had mannaged 

the first engagement. The tape includes also the Lannie Scott session and was clued together by Will Warner from a lot of single tape 

clips given by Frank Driggs. 

-1 4:21 ALL OF ME -vRA (Simon-Mark) /RACD25c/ 

-1 8:30 MEDLEY: - DIDN'T'HE RAMBLE -vRA (Handy-Randall) - Meritt-27/STCO 8290/ --- / 

- JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE -vRA (trad.) - WHEN THE SAINTS -vRA (trad.) --- / --- / --- / 

-1 4:38 HELLO DOLLY -vRA (Herman) --- / --- / --- / 

-1 2:42 I'VE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO HER FACE from "M Fair Lady" --- / 

-1 3:00 YELLOW DOG BLUES -vRA, (without:"How Long Blues) (Handy-Pace/Carr) RA-CD-24 

-2 4:51 YELLOW DOG BLUES -vRA, interpolation"HOW LONG BLUES" (Handy-Pace/Carr) RA-CD-25 

-1 3:22 MEMPHIS STREET BLUES (W.C.Handy) Meritt-27/ STCD 8290/RACD25c 

-1 3:52 BLUE SPRUCE BOOGIE (Allen) Meritt-27/ STCD 8290/ RACD25c 

-1 2:32 GEE BABY, AIN'T I GOOD TO YOU -vRA (D.Redman-A.Razaf) CBS-62400/Col.2447/RA-CD-25 

-1 4:34 YOU'RE NOBODY TILL SOMEBODY LOVES YOU (Morgen-Stock-Cavanaugh) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 2:58 SWEET SUBSTITUTE -vRA (J.R.Morton) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 3:51 FEELING GOOD -vRA from"The Roar of the Greasepaint' (L.Bricusse-A.Newley) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 3:02 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA (P.Grainger) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-3 4:28 YELLOW DOG BLUES -vRA interpol."HOW LONG BLUES" (Handy-Pace; L.Carr) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 3:10 CRAZY BLUES (Mamie Srnith) Meritt-27/ ST CD8290/ RACD25c 

-1 8:14 I'M COMING VIRGINIA (W.M.Cook-D.Heywood) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 3:31 TRAV'LIN' ALL ALONE -vRA (J.C.Johnson) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 3:02 RAG MOP -vRA (J.L.Wills-0.Anderson -Allen) announcing the end of the 1st evening CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-1 3:48 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) CBS 63742/CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-2 3:25 FEELING GOOD -vRA (L.Bricusse-A.Newley) RA-CD-25 

-1 3:13 SIESTA AT THE FIESTA (H.Allen 1941) CBS 62400/Col.2447/ RA-CD-25 

-2 4:24 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) RA-CD-25 

-1 3:21 CANAL STREET BLUES (King Oliver) Meritt-27/STCD 8290/RA-CD-25c 

-2 2:36 GEE BABY, AIN'T I GOOD TO YOU -vRA (Don Redman-D.Anderson) RA-CD-25 

-3 3:31 FEELING GOOD -vRA (L.Bricusse-A.Newley) RA-CD-24 

-2 3:00 SIESTA AT THE FIESTA (H.Allen) RA-CD-24 

-1 2:40 PLEASIN' PAUL (H.Allen-P.Barbarin) Meritt-27/STCD 8290/RA-CD-25c 

-1 1:42 MACK THE KNIFE (Kurt Weil) Meritt-27/STCD 8290/RA-CD-25c 

-2 2:41 SWEET SUBSTITUTE -vRA (J.R.Morton RA-CD-25 

-4 3:52 YELLOW DOG BLUES -vRA interpol."HOW LONG BLUES" (Pace-Handy/Carr) RA-CD-24 

-2 2:34 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA (P.Grainger) RA-CD-25 

-2 2:22 TRAV'LIN' ALL ALONE -vRA (J.C.Johnson) RA-CD-25 

-2 4:34 YOU'RE NOBODY TILL SOMEBODY LOVES YOU (Morgen-Stock-Cavanaugh) RA-CD-25 

-2 6:28 MEDLEY: - DIDN'T'HE RAMBLE -vRA (Handy-Randall) - RA-CD-25 

- JUST A CLOSER WALK -vRA (trad.) - WHEN THE SAINTS -vRA (trad.) RA-CD-25 

-1 3:40 2nd Time Around - only piano & rhythm RACD25c 

-1 1:53 Fly Me To The Moon -only piano & rhythm uniss.item on G.Wilson´s tape; RACD25c

- 139 - 

according Sammy Price this was the last session in August-1965 he had played with Red Allen. On Merritt, Jerry Valburn gave 

the impression that only one life session were taped on two days in June-65 before the recording session. But on my tape all 

above tunes are in chronological order with partly up to three alternate takes. 

================================================================================ 

THE SUN, BALTIMORE. Sun., 4/17/66 - Allen Calls Children Home by John Goodspeed 

IT'S , good to hear Red Allen call his 

children home again on the new Columbia 

album, "Henry'Red'Allen / Feeling 

Good." It's probably true, as the liner 

notes say, that Allen is the last New 

Orleans trumpeter in the Buddy Bolden- 

King Oliver-Louis Armstrong tradition 

which insists that Bolden (who never 

recorded) could summon his fans a mile 

away, so loud and clear was his cornet 

tone. 

It's true, too, that Allen (recorded here 

on a recent job in a Long Island restaurant) 

is playing better than ever - better, 

for example, than he played during his 

last previous heyday when he led a New 

York band that usually included J. C. 

Higginbotham on trombone. Also true, 

although too heretical for mention on 

the album liner, is the fact that Red 

Allen plays better trumpet today than 

Louis Armstrong has played for years, 

even though the Allen style derives from 

the style that Armstrong made great 35 

years ago. 

Allen, whose age is given as "In his 

late fifties," was once a featured trumpeter 

in a band led by Louis Armstrong. 

That was no mean tribute to his talent, 

Don Ellis about Co.2447,in JAZZ, 4/67: 

This album should be required listening 

for all bebop and avant-garde trumpeters. 

Red Allen is a fantastic trumpet player 

and reveals an incredible imagination. 

He makes use of almost every device 

mechanically and physically possible 

on the trumpet. Most other trumpeters 

of any era with their relatively limited 

scope seem very tame and pale in 

even though Armstrong at the time (the 

1930s) had begun to contaminate his 

own supreme musical genius with a lot 

of vaudeville shenanigans. Allen himself 

tended to overdo things with scat 

singing, finishing high notes, smears, 

half-valve effects and general clowning. 

At the time of the last previ-ous firstclass 

jazz recordings that included him - 

those made around 1940 with Jelly Roll 

Morton leading his last session -Allen 

was not highly regarded by fastidious 

aficionados. Yet what sounded like hot 

cliches and second-rate Armstrong 

imitations then, sounds refreshing today. 

The Red Allen style of trumpeting has 

been buried for 25 years in a sea of 

joyless, angular, cool jazz. "Fealing 

Good" presents a classical master of 

New Orleans style, which is still the 

finest style ever developed (and which is 

not "Dixieland," the commercialized 

version that often passes for it). 

Only A Quartet 

Allen leads only a quartet on the new 

album, but even though the trombone 

and clarinet of the classical New 

Orleans "line" are missing the group 

produces some marvelous ( ensembel 

This album is a good example of Red 

Allen's "average" current playing and 

singing, and it is delightful. I say 

average because I have heard him play 

more inspired at times (the audience 

does not seem to be completely with 

him), but even under the most unenthusiastic 

circumstances Red comes out 

shining, and he does so here. 

All the tracks are of interest, but 

phrasing and improvised dynamics, 

aspects of jazz that have always been 

done best by New Orleans instrumentalists. 

Sammy Price, on piano, plays part 

"stride," part "barrelhouse," part "boogiewoogie" 

- all in almost flawless taste. 

Benny Moten swings hard and stays out 

of the way on bass violin. George Reed, 

anticipating Allen's every nuance and 

Price's every sound level, beats his drums 

to create great excitement through 

restraint - a technique that all but eliminates 

the monotonous and hysterical 

off-beat cymbal work that has dominated 

jazz since the Swing Era. 

They are best on "Sweet Substitute," a 

number Jelly Roll Morton Composed 

during his twilight in Washington and 

one which Allen (correctly) feels is 

beautiful. They are fine on "Yellow Dog 

Blues," "Cherry," "Trav'lin' All Alone, " 

"Rag Mop," "Patrol Wagor Blues," 

"Siesta at the Fiesta," "I'm Coming 

Virginia." ''Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to 

You" is happy but of fair quality. But 

Allen and company fail only on "Feeling 

Good" (from a recent musical) and 

"You're Nobody Somebody Loves You." 

The lyrics are too silly. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

comparation to Red Allen. 

my favorite by far is I'M COMING 

VIRGINIA. There is a great groove and 

Red sounds more and more inspired as 

the track goes on. He uses one of his 

favorite devices here: that of the false 

ending-counting off a new version while 

the band is holding the last note of the 

preceding. Each repeat seems to get 

more intense. This is a magnificent 

performance by one of the greatest jazz 

musician of all time. 

As I said before: required listening ... 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

REMEMBERING RED ALLEN TWENTY YEARS LATER – Meritt-27, 

RED ALLEN & HIS QUARTET LIVE 1965 

Toward the end of the Spring of 1965 

Henry "Red" Allen was booked into 

the beautiful Blue Spruce Inn in Roslyn 

Long Island. The original booking was 

for a two week period. Red was so 

popular with the audience that he was 

held over for two full months ! Early 

during this stand arrangements were 

made to make some test recordings. 

The acoustics and sound of a 

restaurant/club leave a lot to be desired. 

These tapes survived and were found 

recently in the basement (not mine) of 

a collector on Long Island. It should be 

noted here that the results of two nights 

of recording at the Blue Spruce Inn 

encouraged a major record company to 

come in later and record. The album 

was released in 1966. Many of the 

titles found on the commercial 

album release were on our tapes 

(different versions). It was our 

feeling that collectors of Red 

Allen's work would prefer and 

enjoy hearing numbers that did not 

duplicate those made around the 

same time. There is over twentyeight 

minutes of musical excitement 

and beauty on each side of 

this Meritt record release. Along 

with the record you will find an 

insert sheet with some background 

on Red Allen and the Blue Spruce 

Inn from an interview I did with 

David "Red" Metzger while this 

album was going into production. It 

is a happy celebration for us all 

remembers Henry "Red"Allen 

twenty years later. Jerry Valburn 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jerry Valburn on cover notes of Meritt: The following is an interview I conducted with David G. Metzger in the Spring of 1987. 

David, whose nickname is "Red" for both his red hair and his love of Red Allen, is a warm and friendly record collector living 

in Locust Valley (on Long Island) not too far from the location of the Blue Spruce Inn. As the story unfolds you will see that he 

was instrumental in getting Henry "Red" Allen booked into the inn and he spent a great deal of time there while the Allen 

group was performing. 

JV: Red can you give us a little history, a little background, on 

the Blue Spruce Inn. The location and when it opened.. How 

long you've been going there? 

DM: The Blue Spruce Inn was located on Northern Boulevard 

at the east end of the Roslyn bridge. It started back in the 

1930's and was one of the most popular restaurants on Long 

(cont. on the next page)

- 140 - 

Island at that time. I began going there after World War II 

when I started my career in the liquor business as a salesman. 

The owners of the Blue Spruce Inn were customers of mine. I 

used to go upstairs to their office to pick up my orders. By 

the 1960's they had a good music policy at the club 

booking in such artists as Teddy Wilson and Jimmy and 

Marion McPartland and their groups. Gene Ramey played 

with Teddy, I believe it was a quartet. As a matter of fact I had 

a drink with Teddy and Ramey joined us at my table. I was 

amazed to learn that he had been Charlie Parker's guardian! 

One day I went up to the office as usual. The two owners were 

talking about who they were going to book into the Inn as the 

next musical attraction. I more or less said, "How about Henry 

"Red" Allen." One of them turned around to the other and 

said, "Gee, that's a great idea. See if we can get hold of Red 

Allen." 

I went back a few weeks later to pick up my orders and they 

said to me, "Guess who's coming, we got Henry "Red" Allen." 

I was very pleased. 

JV: Were you there an his opening night ? 

DM: The first night he was there I showed up and it got to be 

that we renewed acquaintances. (I had previously spoken with 

him at the old Metropole when I was selling in New York and 

would stay in town to catch some good music. When I talked 

with him them I recall saying, "When are you going to come 

out and play a gig on Long Island?" He said, "Well "Red Man" 

when you get me that gig." Frankly, I had never expected him to 

play on Long Island.) 

I remember showing up one night and there were two engineers 

setting up microphones. They had their tape equipment set up in 

the hat cheek room. Both Lannie Scott and Sam-my Price were 

talking with Red. Red had had air argument with Sammy over 

a HARLOU button Sammy was wearing. I heard Red asking 

him to take it off saying that they were musicians and not 

politicians. Red was quite annoyed and when they started in to 

record the first set Lannie was at the piano and not Sammy. 

Later Red relented and used him in either the second or third 

sets. 

JV: How many sets did they play each night? How late did 

they play? 

DM: They started at the dinner hour about seven o'clock. I 

don't recall how many sets they played. I remember the 

firehouse next door. When the sirens went off the musicians 

Martin Williams covernotes on CO.CL 2447: Henry "Red" 

Allen, Jr., represents the final development of one of the great 

traditions in American music. The tradition, of course, is that of 

New Orleans' cornet and trumpet men. It begins with Buddy 

Bolden, the man who (at least to New Orleans musicians) first 

played jazz. It includes Freddie Keppard and King Oliver and 

Tommy Ladnier and Louis Armstrong. 

And it includes Red Allen, who had already begun to develop a 

personal style by the late Twenties, when he was a featured 

soloist with the Luis Russell orchestra. With Fletcher 

Henderson in the early Thirties, Allen helped set that 

archetypal group's classic swing-band style, and his solos were 

widely imitated by other trumpeters. Meanwhile, he had a 

separate and long-standing career as leader on his own 

recording dates. He worked with Benny Goodman. And for a 

while, Red Allen was a featured soloist, with billing, in Louis 

Armstrong's orchestra-perhaps the supreme compliment for any 

trumpeter or any jazzman. 

Henry Allen, Jr., now in his late fifties, has not settled into a 

complacent music which only occasionally recaptures former 

glories. He does not play "as well" as he ever played, either. In 

many ways he plays better. His trumpet techniques are so 

inventive, resourceful and personal that a younger brassman, 

Don Ellis, recently called him the most avant-garde trumpet 

player in New York. 

If this album were nothing else (and it is a great deal else) it 

would be a document of how this deceptively casual musician 

sounds before an audience, something which has never been 

captured on records before. For the audience here is decidedly 

Red Allen's kind of audience. The numbers were recorded at 

the Blue Spruce Inn, a suburban New York restaurant in 

Roslyn, Long Island. The Inn is not a jazz club, but its 

customers have been receptive to pianist Teddy Wilson, and 

Allen's quartet has become something of a fixture there. 

Before such an audience, Allen is genial and full of a kind of 

would stop playing. They played in the bar area of the Inn 

which didn't help the acoustics too much. I think they 

finished up around midnight. 

JV: How did the musicians get to the club? 

DM: Well, Sammy and Red would come in Red's Cadillac. I 

remember the license plate "H.R.A." 1 don't know how the 

others got there, probably on the railroad and someone from 

the club picked them up at the station. Red had auto-graphed 

all my records. I brought them over to the club. By the end of 

his stand there I was so broke, being there almost all the time, 

that Red was buying me drinks! 

JV: Did you find the music as exciting at the Blue Spruce 

Inn as when you heard Red playing with such men as Higgy, 

Hawk, PeeWee, and Claude Hopkins at the Metropole? 

DM: Red's playing was always top quality whether he was 

playing with larger groups or with a quartet. I always enjoyed 

him. Speaking of the Metropole I remember that Red was 

playing opposite Maynard Ferguson. A young bunch of guys 

were sitting their not paying much attention to Ferguson. 

When Red came on they all rushed up to speak to him and 

shake his hand. This "bunch" turned out to be the British rock 

group "The Animals". When I told my son Ronnie about this 

he was impressed but also disappointed that I didn't get their 

autograph. My boss was a jazz fan and told me if I were 

willing to work in New York he would give me all the jazz 

joints as customers, but, the Metropole was always C.O.D. 

JV: Did Red play any differently at the Blue Spruce Inn then 

he had when you heard him at the Metropole? 

When he first came to the Blue Spruce Inn he played slightly 

softened versions of his numbers and he played and sang alot 

of pop tunes. But at the time they made these test recordings 

he must have planned in advance to include many of his 

classic numbers. I remember seeing a lot of arrangements and 

scores spread out near the piano when they were recording. 

JV: Did you stay in touch with Red after he left the Blue 

Spruce Inn? 

DM: Red always sent me postcards from wherever he was 

playing both here and abroad. I called him at his home a 

couple of times. Red was such a nice guy. I remember one 

night bringing in a 78 album for him to autograph. When we 

discovered one of the records was broken, Red said nothing. 

he next night he brought me his copy of the original Vocalion 

as a gift! 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.-- 

amiable raucousness that titillates his listeners. At least, that is 

Red Allen on the surface. Under the surface, however, the 

entertainer is also an artist. 

To another professional, Allen's trumpet playing is a 

frequently astonishing array of bent notes; smeared notes; 

choked, half-valve notes; rips; glissandos; flutters; growls, and 

asymmetrical rhythms that somehow come out right. They are

delivered by a trumpeter with excellent control over the lowest 

and the most intimately whispered tones as well as over 

piercing, high-noted shouts. But the effects are not there for 

their own sake. They are parts of a sustained musical tissue 

held together by the force of Allen's personality and his innate 

gifts as an improviser - an aesthetic fact that can be readily 

appreciated and enjoyed by the squarest head in the house. 

Cherry , a tune from the late Twenties that was a standard 

by the time of the swing era, sets the tone of this collection 

well. It includes the first of the album's several instances of 

Sammy Price's repeated, informal piano introductions. There is 

a good-timely quality in Allen's playing and in Price's striding 

solo. Listen to Allen in his last chorus, making that horn growl 

expressively without a mute. And listen to h is voice. It is 

usually said that horn players in jazz imitate the human voice; 

here, it's perfectly clear that Allen's voice imitates his horn 

style. Listen to that repeated "CHE-erry," for instance. Or hear, 

on the boisterous but sincere reading of You're Nobody 'Til 

Somebody Loves You, how Allen handles the words "You'll 

never change it" in a trumpet-like burst of sounds. 

To come closer to the heart of the matter, perhaps, listen to 

I'm Coming Virginia. Allen's opening statement is a free 

rewriting of the melody, apparently made up of fragments and 

bits of the tune, interpolated embellishments, plus assorted 

licks and traditional jazz riffs. Yet it all hangs together with its 

own kind of emotional and melodic logic. And note that in 

Allen's second solo, he hardly touches the written melody at 

all. The piece was going well, evidently, for he encourages the 

- 140a - 

group to continue after a couple of "false" endings. 

This somewhat ornate version of Sweet Substitute returns 

Allen to the Jelly Roll Morton work he first recorded with the 

composer in 1940. Allen considers it one of the most beautiful 

songs ever written. 

Patrol Wagon Blues, signaled by Allen's fine, mockserious 

"Oh my goodness!" is another revisit to a piece Allen first 

recorded in 1930. 

In Yellow Dog Blues and the interpolated How Long, How 

Long Blues, we again hear Allen's slow blues in both its 

traditional twelve- and eight-bar structures. 

Rag Mop is a faster, lighter blues; it, too, is a new version. 

(For the true story on this one, consult the amiable nonsense of 

Allen's piece "Get the Mop," first recorded in 1946.) 

Trav'lin' All Alone, probably best remembered in Billie 

Holiday's version, is a piece also well suited to Allen's kind of 

performer's irony. Its words say one thing, but its melody and 

tempo seem to be conveying another. Its counterpart is the 

more recent Feeling Good, a nearly ideal Allen vehicle with 

its optimistic lyric, but with its undertone of deep melancholy. 

Above, I said something about "the squarest head," but to Red 

Allen, there are no squares. There are only the members of an 

audience whom he seeks to entertain with his music. The fact 

that Red Allen cuts deep enough as an entertainer to move and 

enlighten his hearers only means that Red Allen is a gifted 

man. Red Allen knows that he is gifted, and he uses his gifts 

with a kind of natural charity that should be the envy of all. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Doug Murray about FEELING GOOD-CBS SBPG-62400 in 

Storyville-4, Apr.66p31:RED ALLEN is one of the most 

unusual of jazz trumpet players. Much has been written about 

his unorthodox timing and his use of odd musical intervals. 

Unlike most jazzmen, he manages to steer clear of clichés and 

has even avoided, somehow, the trap of creating a set of 

clichés of his own. 

This is a live session. Allen plays and sings with a trio which 

includes Sammy Price, another musician unjustly neglected of 

late by the record companies. The music is typical of Allen's 

current playing, and anyone who was impressed by his recent 

tour of this country won't be 

disappointed. Material is well chosen and varied. 

Highlights of the set include 'Sweet Substitute' – he always did 

play this one well – a romping piano solo from Price on 'Siesta 

at the fiesta', some of the vocals, notably 'How long' and an 

especially fascinating trumpet solo on 'You're nobody 'til 

somebody loves you'. But the standard, making a small 

allowance for the very occasional bit of audience-baiting, is 

pretty consistent throughout; good-humoured swinging jazz by 

people who really know what they're doing. 

The recording quality leaves nothing to be desired and the 

audience is unobtrusive. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Kenny Dorham about, Col.2447 in DB-5/5/66; Rating ****: 

After the eight-bar introduction, to Cherry, Allen asks pianist 

Price for another, and he plays an additional eight. Red plays 

one 32-bar chorus and then sings a spirited chorus. The last 

eight remind me of Eddie (Cleanhead) Vinson. Price has a 

chorus, and then Red follows. He sings the last chorus, 

followed by an exchange of fours between Allen's trumpet and 

bass. They do quite a bit of juggling. The vocal is nice, 

fashioned from the era from which it came. It still is old-time. 

On Substitute a chorus by the trumpeter is followed by one by 

Price. Papa Red really "chirps" this one with a lot of feeling. 

One chorus out with a bird's eye - pause - stop-and-go 

cadenza. 

All Alone is entertaining in general, with instrumental solos. 

An old-time blues, Yellow Dog, with heavy sock cymbal 

accenting the second and fourth beats, is played well traditionally. 

After the trumpet solo, they go to C for Red's vocal of 

How Long' followed by some juggling of solos and out, plus 

the usual cadenza. 

The order on You're Nobody is a boogie introduction by 

pianist Price, the melody, a vocal chorus, a piano chorus, and 

then some juggling. Red cooks on the vocal; I've never heard 

so moving an application of this song. 

Fiesta is a swinger, kind of hot for these times, but a swinger. 

The format is very much the same as that for the other tunes. 

Feeling Good has the trumpet up front with growls, shakes, 

the whole works in the gifnmick-expression department. This 

guy has excellent delivery when he sing - showy. Patrol 

Wagon develops a grooving groove with a lot of heavy 

dynamics in the right places. You can still bear the music. 

On Virginia Price takes care of business. Drummer Reed is 

in there. They go out shouting. 

Gee, Baby is more or less a segue into the next tune, time 

being short. Rag Mop is a closer with vocals and excitement. 

Comments: This makes me want to hear some freedom 

music-avant-garde. I find it hard to give this a rating in accord 

with the standards of this magazine - that is, how records are 

rated - and still do justice to an artist who has paid some dues 

for quite a while and is a fine person. 

With the avant-garde musicians being such as they are and 

with Don Ellis' statement "Henry (Red) Allen is the most 

avant-garde trumpet player in New York," I am confused. But 

Allen is still very modern, considering his time in the 

business. And most of his contemporaries are finished 

musically. So four stars for Red Allen.

- 141 - 

Sinclair Traill about CBS-624oo,In Jazz Journal 4-66: 

With only one hour employed the leader had to be in very 

good form to put over an album such as this. Happily he was 

equal to the occasion, and the record is a decided success. 

Although Henry's trumpet playing is not perhaps quite so 

potent and flowing as it used to be in the old Luis Russell 

days, his tone was never better than on these tracks, a good hot 

jazz tone, still with the suggestion of plenty of reserve power. 

His singing, and he sings plenty on this album, is really aimed 

at the listener. The lyrics to Henry mean something, and as a 

true entertainer, he makes sure that you also will get the 

message. Sweet Substitute is a case in point. This is not just 

another Jelly Poll Morton tune to the trumpeter - it is a 

beautiful tune, with extraordinary lyrics, and that is the way he 

plays and sings it. His choruses on the blues, Yellow Dog (How 

Long interpolated) are beautifully timed, and he and Sammy 

Price feed one another with the practised hands of long jazz 

experience. Allen's beautifully phrased solo on his favourite 

Patrol Wagon is a splendid example of his unique method of 

melodic expression. The same can be said for his most unusual 

playing of Coming Virginia, where his second solo is played 

with growling intensity. But despite Allen's good trumpet 

form, the show comes near to being stolen by pianist Sammy 

Price. As accompanist to the lead horn, Sammy's work is 

beyond praise-feeding, interpolating, keeping the swing going 

and playing with an eloquence and earnestness which could 

hardly be bettered. He also solos with wonderful 

inventiveness, some of his stride work coming through with a 

real swinging impact. The work of Moten and Reed shows 

commendable spirit, and they lay down just that kind of beat 

Allen likes to rely on. 

Feeling Good was a good title for the album, as Henry was 

obviously feeling just that way, but the playing on this 

particular track is going to surprise quite a few people. When 

Don Ellis recently called Allen the most avant-garde trumpet 

player in New York, this is the track he must have been 

listening to. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

George Ellis about Record of The Month: CBS-BPG 62400 in JazzBeat April 1966p8: 

THOSE of us lucky enough to catch any of Henry Allen's 

recent appearances know only too well that he has lost none of 

his forward looking approach to the jazz trumpet and how it 

should be played. This new LP, well publicised by Henry 

during the tour ("Pick upon it, and help an old guy out!") only 

serves to make this fact more apparent. Recorded before an 

audience at the Blue Spruce Inn, a suburban New York 

restaurant in Roslyn, Long Island, this presents Allen in a 

quartet setting, with … .Price, a fine pianist in his own right, 

plays several excellent solos, and provides a sensitive backing 

to the surprises and exuberance displayed by Allen. 

Most of the numbers were not played by Henry on the 

London dates, in fact only "Sweet Substitute" and "Patrol 

Waggon" were featured. So we have the opportunity to sit 

back and enjoy some new material, like "Feeling Good" from 

"The Roar Of The Greasepaint," with a lyric that suits Allen's 

laconic vocal artistry as few contemporary songs do, or some 

new ideas on established favourites such as "Cherry" and 

"Trav'lin' All Alone." The long "I'm Coming Virginia," with a 

couple of "false" endings, is almost three separate versions of 

the same theme. All the unexpected twists are there, and the 

long and varied programme provides Allen with a chance to 

display just about every facet of his style. Although it is 

perhaps misleading to connect this very style with the avant 

garde, it cannot be denied that Henry is one of the most 

advanced musical thinkers, at fifty eight years of age, in jazz 

today. The many admirers of "Red" will buy this anyway, but I 

like to think it will reach some of those who bracket Allen 

with the Bunk Johnson, George Lewis and Kid Ory school. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Max Jones in undated Melody Maker 

RED ALLEN: "Feeling Good" 

MOST people who saw Red Allen on 

his recent visit would agree that he was 

playing well, with a nice balance 

between the hot and cool, and that his 

performance today shows only traces of 

the somewhat frantic period he passed 

through in the late Forties. 

"Feeling Good" is a fairly powerful 

reminder of Red's nimble trumpet and 

swingy, spluttery singing. As Allen said 

himself, it might have been improved by 

one or two extra horns, but as it is the 

album presents a set of good tunes put 

over with originality. 

"Cherry", the opener, is distinguished 

by fast, light trumpet flights, a humorous 

and rather Fats-like vocal and some 

stomping piano which Red says is 

Lannie Scott. 

Next comes "Substitute" (without the 

"s" so far as Henry is concerned), an 

intriguing Jelly Roll song which Red 

performs, vocally and instrumentally, 

with pronounced individuality. 

Like all great jazzmen, Allen is 

challenged by quality tunes. He ripples 

obliquely over the melodies of 

"Substitute", "All Alone", "You're 

Nobody" and "Gee Baby", loosing a 

couple of good, growly vocals on Don 

Redman's "Gee" and J. C. Johnson's 

"Alone". 

"Siesta", a brisk stomp which calls to 

mind the 1930's jam-ups, has very alert 

trumpet solo and bright keyboard 

striding up front and behind - also a little 

of the old fluttering to close 

.The Newly-Bricusse title song, from 

the "Greasepaint" show, makes an apt 

vehicle for Red; and "Yellow Dog" and 

"Patrol Wagon" confirm the bluesy 

strength of his slow-tempo playing with 

its always individual choice of notes. 

Two or three tracks hold soft passages 

reminiscent of Eldridge in tone and 

approach; no doubt the course of modern 

trumpet was charted from Louis by 

Allen, then Roy and Dizzy. Anyway, 

from track one to twelve Red strikes out 

warmly, hitting his notes like a true 

jazzman. M.J. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Laurie Wright about Red Allen Vol.2: Meritt 27 in Storyville-134, June-88p78: 

The second of a pair of Henry Allen releases submitted by parade his credentials to an audience and was fond of telling 

Jazz Music of Manchester and, even more than the one I of his part in his father's band and in trotting out a list of 

covered in the last issue, this is one for the dedicated Allen famous names with whom he'd worked, and a little of that 

enthusiast. Recorded privately during Allen's extended, creeps'in here. The final 8,5 minutes of the album are given 

engagement at the Blue Spruce Inn on Long Island, it features over to a New Orleans Medley which starts beautifully with 

Red in a quartet setting and the selection here gives a pretty some of his most sensitive playing leading into a slow, but 

good idea of the wealth of material that he included in his act. jaunty Saints. Just as I was settling down to enjoy what 

To be sure, there would be the odd standard, but this would be seemed like the best version since the de Paris Brothers, the 

set against something like Crazy Blues or Pleasin' Paul that tempo is doubled and we get about six minutes of tear-up, 

hadn't been played for years, or by something that was which no doubt pleased the audience, but sounds a little 

currently popular like Never On Sunday or Hello Dolly - here contrived on record, particularly with Allen shouting 

given a vastly different treatment to that offered by Louis. "Hallelujah" a couple of times! 

Red's playing here is mostly in his more flamboyant style The backing group is Lannie Scott or Sammy Price on piano; 

with, for my taste, too little attention given to ballad playing at Bennie Moten on bass and drummer George Reed, and they 

which he excelled in the right company and before the right provide entirely suitable and sympathetic accompaniment. 

audience. And it may be that the nightly audience at the Blue Recording quality, given the circumstances is surprisingly 

Spruce expected and got the up-tempo and tearaway Allen, for good. Not perhaps Red at his best, but still one for the Allen 

he was always sensitive to his audiences. He also liked to fan to watch out for. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 142 - 

unknown date at Princeton University – Red Allen with a pick-up band incl. J.C.Higginbotham and Kenny Davern; 

Kenny Davern in conversation with John Chilton Aug.97- “Ride, Red, Ride” p188: 

“I was working at the Cindarella Club in New York and 

Red kindly called there to pay me for the Princeton gig. 

Now, the Cinderella was in a very narrow thoroughfare. 

Red turned up in his Cadillac and left it outside while 

. 

he came in to pay me. Nothing could get past and hell was 

let loose, but Red remained totally relaxed and cheerful and 

nonchalant got into the Cadillac and drove off 

Monterey-65: Chris White-Rex Stewart-Clark Terry-John Hendricks-Dizzy Gillespie-Red Allen 

9/19/65 Sun. afternoon, Monterey Festival; VoA-.... from Tangier , taped in Spain - "Tribute to individual TRUMPET KINGS": 

Dizzy Gillespie (t,p,v,ann) Red Allen (t,v) Clark Terry (fl-h,v) Rex Stewart (c) & from DIZZY GILESPIE QUINTET: 

Christopher White (p on -3 & -7,b on -4-6) Kenny Barron(b on -3 & -7) Rudy Collins (d) & Jon Hendricks (v) part-1: 37:26 min. 

part-1: 4:14 intro words by Willis Connover about individual musicians RA-CD-13a 

0:37 ann. by Dizzy Gillespie 

10:07 SOMETIMES I´M HAPPY -vDG&JH (Caesar-Youmans) Curcio: Giganti del Jazz-22(I)/RA-CD-13a/RA-CD-13 

-ens-Allen-Terry-White brd-Dizzy-Dizzy in ens-vDG-vDG&JH- 

3:33 Stardust (H.Carmichael-M.Parish) -feat. C.Terry RA-CD-13a 

4:32 SLOW BLUES -vRApDG -feat.Red Allen-t-vRA(Stewart obl.)-Allen-piano by Dizzy RA-CD-13a/RA-CD-13 

4:17 Don't Get Around Much More -feat.Rex Stewart, -vJH, piano by Dizzy Giganti del Jazz-22(I)/ RA-CD-13a 

10:28 NIGHT IN TUNESIA -vDG&JH (Gillespie-Paparelli) -White intro-scatDG in ens-Terry RA-CD-13a/RA-CD-13 

-scatDG in ens-Allen-ens-Dizzy-ens-Stewart-ens-scat DG in ens-ens-scat DG in ens coda- 

0:14 ens-ann. RA-CD-13a 

part-2: -Mary Lou Williams, White, Collins & 8 singers: St.Martin de Porres; My Blue Heaven; Yestersay 

-Dizzy Gillespie & Festival Orch.: Birk´s Works; Dizzy´s Business; Angel City Suite; Road of Monterey 

unfortunately since 1978 I ve tried to find a better tape quality without result; this source was taped from an unballanced broadcast. 

9/17-9/19/65 Monterey - Jazz Festival - by Don DeMicheal in Down Beat 11/4/65 

ANY WAY One cares to look at the 

1965 Monterey Jan Festival, it made it. 

Not that all the music performed was 

of particularly high quality, but enough 

of it was to case any numbness brought 

on by sitting on those hard, narrow 

chairs that go cheek to cheek with 

outdoor musical events. 

Financially, general manager Jimmy 

Lyons and his staff celebrated the largest 

turnout in the festival's eight-year history 

- more than 30,000 paid attendance and a 

ticket-sale gross of better than $130,000, 

which does not include the percentage 

the festival got from parking and sales of 

food and of alcoholic beverages (even at 

$1 a shot, much booze was poured). 

If one is concerned with the social 

aspects, it was a warm and relaxed 

milieu (see last line of' above paragraph). 

And scenically, the Monterey County 

Fairgrounds, where the five concerts 

were staged Sept. 17-19, is the most 

attractive festival site in this country. 

There is something Lyons and the other 

Monterey officials might watch however: 

beware giving the festival a theme. This 

year it was a "tribute to the trumpet," 

supposedly to trace the history of the 

instrument in jazz. It's fine if a. festival 

hires a gaggle of trumpet players and 

merely announces that an extraordinary 

number of them will perform. But stop 

there, please. For if the words "tribute" 

and "history" are bandied about, questions 

such as "where's & Lee Morgan?" (as 

one record company official asked), 

"where's Kenny Dorham?" (as Dorham's 

brother asked). or "where's Roy 

Eldridge?" (as a magazine editor asked) 

may be raised. ("Where's Miles Davis?" 

He was in New York with a broken leg.) 

So all considered, perhaps it's best to 

forget grand-sounding themes-what is 

played at a festival is always the important 

thing, not what kind of fence is put 

around it (fences develop holes). … 

(shortened) … 

AN INTERESTING GROUPING; Of 

Stylists began the Sunday afternoon 

concert. Gillespie, Terry (playing 

fluegelhorn), and New Orleans-born 

trumpeter Henry (Red) Allen did a set 

that, while not outstanding, offered a 

good opportunity to compare three 

approaches to jazz. A unique fourth 

voice was added when Rex Stewart, 

with a borrowed trumpet, bounced on 

stage late in the set. Gillespie also played 

piano, and White and Collins from his 

quintet completed the group. 

Allen, Gillespie, and Terry exchanged 

choruses on Sometimes I´m Happy; 

Terry did a mellow Stardust, verse and 

chorus; Allen sang and played beautifully 

on a slow blues, his rough voice 

matching his rawedged, hot trumpeting; 

Stewart did his best playing of the 

weekend on Don't Get Around Much

- 143 - 

Anymore. The final number, A Night in chord structure (as do all Miss Williams' afternoon event was disappointing. 

Tunisia, brought all four brass men originals), and the singers, led by Tom Gillespie was featured with thefestival 

together, but Allen and Stewart Kenny, did a professional job on it, but it orchestra in Birk's Works, Dizzy's Business, 

seemed unfamiliar with the changes was not too moving emotionally. Not so two movements of Fuller's Angel City 

(which is understandable, since it is with the trio's version of My Blue Heaven, Suite, and On the Road to Monterey, also 

doubtful that it is a part of their usual Yesterdays, and a minor-key original. composed by Fuller. 

repertoires). 

Miss Williams was at her most imaginative Much of the writing sounded dated and, in 

The best part of Mary Lou Williams' on Yesterdays and the original. So bright some cases, hackneyed (the kind of music 

performance Sunday afternoon was not her was her playing and so clever her chord played for those big-city-rain-swept-streets 

St. Martin de Porres - a "serious" work voicing that Yesterdays did not sound as it scenes on television and in movies). The 

performed by eight voices and an were in a minor key, which it was. On the band played soggily, and more often than 

instrumental trio, dedicated to the first original, her lines snapped like not the music came out heavy. Gillespie, 

Negro saint - but the portion that featured bullwhipsand seemingly moved White to who seemed distraced bysome of the 

Miss Williams' piano, White's bass, and play a bass solo different in concept from playing behind him, performed com-petently 

Collins' drums. 

those he plays with the Gillespie quintet. but without the inspiration he brings to his 

The Porres composition has interesting The most ambitious portion of the Sunday music when he is at his best. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Whitney Balliett in The New Yorker 6/25/66: … (Red Allen's) technically perfect Terry number, he suddenly became himself. 

his solo was strained and his generally ebullient almost His characteristic long melodic lines had become airborne and 

vaudeville stage manner was distracted and uncertain. The next his tone had taken on its usual crackle. It was a slow blues and 

numbers was even less complimentary. In the middle of it, in it he constructed three august chorusaes, sang as many more 

Gillespie and Terry, joined by the singer Jon Hendricks, broke in a soft, husky high voice, then closed the number with a 

into some nonsense singing; Allen, who is one of the climatic, high-noted chorus. That night, Allen, who had arrived 

redoubtable jazz singers, was unaccountably left at the back of from New York just the day before, flew home. Little else in the 

the stage, his trumpet swinging idly from crossed hands, a bleak weekend matched him. … 

smile on his face. When Allen played again, after a slick, 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

MONTEREY SIGNS ARTISTS FOR JAZZ FESTIVAL: CD- Theme for this year's festival is “The Tribute To The 

9/4/65p14: Artists signed to date for the Eighth Annual Trumpet” according to Jimmy Lyons, Festival General 

Monterey Jazz Festival, Sep.17,18,19, are Louis Armstrong, Manager. Lions pointed out that the weekend festival will 

Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Henry James & his orchestra, feature the history of the trumpet in jazz, but will be 

Duke Ellington & his orchestra, Red Allen, Rex Stewart, musically balanced with a great variety of soloists, groups 

Harry”Sweets”Edison, and Muggsy Spanier. 

and orchestras featuring other instruments and vocalists.” 

occasionally fall-65, Blue Spruce Inn – Red Allen continued to work at several dates; 

occasionally Red Allen played together with his old Luis Russell friends on private meetings between his gigs: 

Higginbotham, Al Nicholas, Charlie Holmes, GreelyWalton, Pops Foster, Paul Barbarin; Unfortunately a plan of Richard 

B.Allen for a Luis Russell Band reunion never achieved fruition; “Red was was not bothered about the style of the resident 

group.” (source: John Chilton´s “Ride, Red, Ride” p191, as for the following information. 

late 1965, NYC., The Dom, a couple of set with Tony Scott Quartet (TonyScott & Quintet had played until late Sept. at the 

“Slugs”,242 East, 3rd St., then for several months at the Dom – often advertised, see JAZZ AD. Vol.3) 

VV-11/18/65p22 VV-11/4/65p12 &11/18p14 & 12/18p12 & many more 

Nov.65, first two weeks at NYC., L'Intrigue, a new club on W 56th St., Red Allen Quartet with ?Lannie Scott, ?Benny Moten, 

?George Reed; … Trombonist J.C.Higginbotham back from Denmark gig. … NYAN-11/20p22; Another source: Red Allen 

joined pianist Ronnie Ball and bassist Jimmy Rowser for two weeks. The club also features owner-singer Nancy Steele. 

Coda Dec/Jan-65/6: Red Allen had played two weeks at the L'Intrigue Club. Red signed for UK-tour 

commencing mid Feb. and lasting 3 weeks. Original idea was for Red to have Budd Johnson , Dicky Wells , Sir Charles 

Thompson, Gene Ramey and Cozy Cole, but Allen was signed to come alone. 

11/21/65 Sun. Groton, Holiday Inn Jazz Festival part-5 with Red Allen 

the below source or any other of the above 

clips is very probably out of: 

THE DAY, NEW LONDON, Conn., Fr. 11/19/65 

unknown source & date: (surely not: 11/21/54 

Billy Fellows a Smash! - Henry Red 

Allen Jazz Star Sun; by Eve Holiday 

HOLIDAY INN, GROTON - One of 

the giants of American jazz, none 

other than HENRY RED ALLEN, 

stars in the Holiday Inn Fall Festival 

of Jazz, Part Five, this Sunday, Nov. 

21, from 5 to 9:00 P.M. in the Quarter 

Deck Lounge. The man whose trumpet 

virtuosity is ranked right up there with 

Satchmo himself, the grand old pro of 

the Fletcher Henderson, Artie Shaw, 

Lucky Millinder and Webb bands, 

trumpet spark of the legendary house 

band at that hallowed capital of jazz, 

New York s Metropole – HENRY 

RED ALLEN - here at the Inn this 

Sunday! The venerable horn man, by 

the way, was the arranger for the big 

hit of several years back, "Ragmop", 

and wrote both music and lyrics for 

the classic "Ride, Red, Ride!" Come 

on over to the Inn this, Sunday, friends, 

for the great Henry Red Allen and his 

storied horn as they swing in Part Five 

of the Festival of, Jazz. …(Su.11/28 

Carmen McRae at Holiday Inn) 

=============================================================================================

- 144 - 

12/5/65, 3 p.m.-4 a.m, N.Y.C., Luigi's, Greenwich Village - lst SHORTY BAKER BENEFIT CONCERT; - for Shorty serious 

ill in the Veteran's Hospital. It began at 3 in the afternoon and ran full blast until 2 in the morning; Duke (p) Aaron Bell (b) 

Frankie Dunlap (d):Satin Doll / same & Max Kaminsky & Sol Yaged: … / Duke (p) Al Lucas (b) Hamilton (cl): C Jam / 

Clark Terry (p-t) Ram Ramirez (p)Herbie Lovelle (d) Aaron Bell (bb): Mubles / ... / Dicky Wells(tb) & Johnny Hodges & 

Son: Things Ain't … / Wells, Matthew Gee, Quentin Jackson, Benny Powell: ... / Roland Kirk & Aaron Bell (bb): ... / etc. 

among others were Sonny Greer, Red Allen, Howard McGhee, Jimmy Jones, Babs Gonzales, Big Nick Nicholas, Joe 

Newman, Tommy Flanagan, Marian McPartland, Bill Pemberton, Bobby Donaldson, Tony Scott, Jerome Richardson, Illinois 

Jacquet, Russell Procope, Harry Carney, Tom Whaley, Kenny Davern, ... (Stanley Dance, Jazz Journal 1/1966) 

( l0-nights later was a 2nd Baker benefit at Embers West, but without Red Allen) 

12/22/65, N.Y.C., Palm Gardens - PETE JOHNSON BENEFIT CONCERT - organised by Jack Bradley 

Bul.H.C.F.No.155/Feb.66: Huit orchestras se sont succédé (nous écrit Konrad Korsunsky) au concert organisé le 22 Dec. 

dernier per Jack Bradley et Jeann Failows au "Palm Gardens" de New York pour venir en aide a Pete Johnson. Participérent 

notamment á cette soirée: Max Kaminsky, Zutty Singleton, Cliff Jackson, Eddie Dougherty, Maxine Sullivan, Ruby Braff, 

Herman Autrey, Vic Dickenson, Red Richards, Red Allen, Milton Hinton, Jo Jones, Clerk Terry, Buddy Tate, Rudy 

Rutherford, Big Nick Nicholas, Jack Bradley va pouvoir adresser á Pete Johnson quelques centaines de dollars ... 

THE NEW YORK JAZZ BENEFIT SCENE by Dan Morgenstern, in Down Beat 3/1o/1966 (shortened): 

THE FIVE MAJOR jazz benefits held in New York during December differed in setting, turn , out, and atmosphere. 

There were two for trumpeter Harold (Shorty) Baker, 

stricken with a throat tumor, and one for long ailing pianist 

Pete Johnson, plus the afore-mentioned benefit for the family 

of the late Frank Haynes. The fifth had a more cheerful basis: 

it was held to raise funds for WBAI, a noncommercial, listener-suported 

FM station that devotes considerable time to jazz. 

The first Baker benefit was organized by Fred Profilio, a 

Brooklyn trucker and devoted jazz fan, and held at Luigi's, a 

long, narrow, low-ceilinged establishment in Greenwich 

Village. 

It was perhaps the longest jazz benefit on record, running 

without interruption from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m. There were 117 

musicians, plus numerous singers, taking part. Baker has 

been with Duke Ellington for several long stretches, and 

Ellington and several of his men dropped in after taping a 

television show in Brooklyn. The maestro himself offered 

Satin Doll to cheers and cries of "more" and retired gracefully. 

Johnny Hodges, a man who always takes his time, resisted 

all requests to play, contenting himself instead with several 

relaxed tastes at the bar. But he had brought his alto. 

Meanwhile, a trombone party was in progression the bandstand; 

the party participants were Dickie Wells, Quentin 

Jackson, Benny Powell, and Matthew Gee. Since all hands 

are seasoned section men, there was no problem with voicing 

riffs and other backgrounds as the solos progressed. There 

was a blues, with Wells' potent preaching outstanding (he also 

was responsible for most of the on-the-spot arran-ging), and 

there was a ballad medley, during which Powell scored with a 

moving I Left My Heart in San Francisco that might have 

gladdened Tony Bennett's heart. At least it warmed Hodges' 

heart enough to make him unpack his horn. (He was perhaps 

additionally warmed by the sure, steady drumming of his son, 

Johnny Hodges Jr., who was backing the trombonists. 

In front of the trombone choir, the alto saxophonist 

launched one of those blues-with-bridge originals of which he 

has a vast supply, and soon the impromptu group sounded 

like a welloiled Ellington unit of long standing. 

What followed was mostly anticlimactic - until the arrival of 

Roland Kirk. the amazing Kirk soon set sparks flying with 

his several instruments. He was backed by a group including 

Aaron Bell on tuba, who subsequently joined Kirk in an 

exchange of musical comments running the gamut from 

upper-register reed cries to gruff brass growls. 

Abandoning his other horns, Kirk next concentrated on 

tenor for a rousing rendition of I Found a New Baby, during 

which he and pianist Marty Napoleon generated tremendous 

swing. 

There were other good things: Red Allen playing and 

swinging in a relaxed mood, Ray Bryant's solid piano, the 

trumpets of Ruby Braff and Max Kaminsky, and a rare 

appearance by pianist Eddie Heywood. 

Most of the time, the place was packed, and it was clear that 

Harold Baker had made many friends in his profession: 

nearly everybody in the house seemed to know and care 

about the reason for his benefit. 

(without of interest: – 2nd Baker benefit concert ) 

AT THE BENEFIT FOR Pete Johnson, held a ?week 

later at the Palm Gardens, a dance hall on W.52nd St. (but 

much farther west than the old jazz block), the musicians 

turned out in strength, but a sizable audience failed to materialize. 

After deduction of expenses, only $180 was left for 

Johnson, proof that a jazz benefit, if not properly promoted, is 

not a built-in success. 

Musically, however, the event was gratifying, and a number 

of veteran and younger mainstreamers and traditionalists too 

seldom heard in New York had a chance to show their stuff. 

Two organized bands - Cliff Jackson's group from Jirnmy 

Ryan's, and Peanuts Hucko's quintet from Eddie Condon's 

club - started things. 

A highlight of the Ryanite's set (with pianist Dill Jones, of 

the Condon bunch, subbing for the delayed leader) was the 

splendid drumming of Zutty Singleton. Though he will 

celebrate his 68th birthday in May, Singleton plays with the 

vigor of a young man, and few drummers have so invigorating 

a beat and so much joy and spirit in their playing. Veteran 

New Orleans clarinetist Tony Parenti, Max Kaminsky 

(subbing for Wild Bill Davison), and Herb Gardner, a 

young Boston trombonist, also did well. Gardner, who has a 

big sound, guts and flexibility, had a chance to display his 

mastery of plunger trombone in the Tricky Sam Nanton vein 

with a group including Jackson (a man with his own brand of 

Harlem piano), Joe Muranyi (the leader of the successful 

Village Stompers and a fine clarinetist), and the little-known 

trumpeter Leon Eason, a player with a strongly Armstrongtinged 

conception. They followed the well-organized Hucko 

group, in which trumpeter Yank Lawson and trombonist 

Cutty Cutshall stood out. 

There followed a rare treat-a set by Maxine Sullivan. 

Though her hair is now gray, Miss Sullivan's voice has lost 

none of its youthful charm, and her relaxed, understated 

delivery was a welcome contrast to the histrionics of most 

current girl singers. 

The evening's two best instrumental sets came next. First, a 

delightful impromptu band headed by Ruby Braff, who 

also performed yeoman service as the evening's music coordinator. 

It included saxophonists Bob Wilber (curved 

soprano) and Eddie Barefield (alto), pianist Chuck Foldes 

(a young man with two good hands), bassist Bill Crow, and 

drummer Eddie Dougherty, one of the few musicians 

present who had worked with Johnson. 

With Braffs pungent, singing cornet at the helm, the band 

hit anything but a Dixielandish groove. It offered subtle, 

swinging sounds on Sometimes I'm Happy, a medium blues, 

Take the A Train, Undecided, and Between the Devil and the 

Deep Blue Sea. 

It was music of a kind all too rarely heard these days-and 

more's the pity. 

In addition to sterling work by Braff, there was Wilber, 

joyous and imaginative; Barefield, whose real horn is the 

alto, though he more often is heard on clarinet, and whose 

style destills the best of the Hodges-Benny Carter and Charlie 

Parker traditions; and a flowing, tasteful rhythm section. 

(cont. on the next page)

Next came the long overdue New York debut of the Saints 

and Sinners, perhaps the best organized group of its kind 

around today. Led by pianist Red Richards, this splendid 

little band has ensemble unity, solo strength, a fine rhythm 

section, and a repertoire from traditional to mainstream. 

The group's opener was But Not for Me, played in an easyswinging 

tempo, followed by Benny Carter's seldom-heard 

Blues in My Heart. Then came the solo showcases-Please 

Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone for Vic Dickenson's 

brilliant, sly trombone; Blueberry Hill for Herman Autrey's 

bright, steady trumpet and good-natured singing; I've Got a 

Right to Cry for Rudy Powell's clarinet, which was 

especially affective in the lower register, and Sleep, 

featuring Richards' deft piano in a trio setting (Frank 

Skeete, a strong bassist, sitting in for regular Danny Mastri, 

and Jackie Williams' steady, tasteful drums) 

After a brisk Lonesome Road, singer Jimmy Rushing 

joined the band, and as is his wont, broke up the place. The 

Saints and Sinners provided expert backing, with Vic 

Dickenson particularly fetching. 

It was hard to follow this strong performance, but Red 

Allen tried hard, aided by bassist Milt Hinton, drummer 

Jo Jones, and pianist Marty Napoleon. The trumpeter 

and the rhythm section were fine, but not much help was 

provided by Big Nick Nicholas, who played some good, 

pungent tenor, but for too long, and indulged himself in 

- 145 - 

his own brand of scat singing, fun only for a while. 

The next set held promise-what with trumpeter Clark 

Terry, tenorist Buddy Tate, Crow Wilber, Foldes, and 

French drummer Dave Pochonet. Terry had planned to 

introduce his old friend and fellow St. Louis trumpeter, Joe 

Thomas, after the first number, but that one number was all 

the group played. While all was going well, Big Nick 

emerged from backstage, barely gave Tate a chance to play, 

and attempted to challenge Terry to a scat duel. The trumpeter 

didn't lose his poise but was understandably irritated and 

brought the number to a fast conclusion. 

Thomas thus was forced to work with trombonist Snub 

Mosley, who had made plans for his own set. 

Mosley, who was one of the stars of Alphonse Trent's 

legendary big band of the late '20s, has a unique and 

explosive style, a big sound, and considerable showmanship. 

He also plays an instrument of his own devising-the slide 

saxophone, with a reed mouthpiece and trombone slide, 

emitting a sound like a soprano. 

Thomas' golden, lyrical sound and relaxed approach hadn't 

much chance in all this, but his wife, Babe Matthews, a fine 

singer with a style reminiscent of the late Ivie Anderson, 

scored with I Got It Bad. 

Since 1 a.m. was curfew for this event, the evening ended 

abruptly with Mosley's rendition of Red Top, Thomas 

managing to squeeze in a perfectly constructed solo 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

BENEFIT CONCERT HELD TO HELP PETE JOHNSON NYAN:12/25/65p18 

A giant jazz concert to aid pianist Pete 

Johnson, who has been inactive since 

1958 and who is badly in need of financial 

aid, was held Wednesday night at 

the Palm Gardens Ballroom on W.52nd 

St. at Eighth Ave. The affair was held 

under the auspices of Local 602 of the 

American Federation of Musicians. 

At press time the following musicians 

have offered to appear at this benefit: 

Blues shouter Jimmy Rushing and trumpeters 

Roy Eldridge and Clark Terry. 

This occasion will also mark the New 

York debut of the Saints and Sinners 

All Star Band. This local based band 

has toured the U.S. and Canada for the 

past five years but, surprisingly, has 

never appeared in New York City. The 

band features Red Richards, Herman 

Autrey, Vic Dickenson, Rudy Powell 

and Jackie Williams. 

Others Playing 

Also on the bill are pianists Marty 

Napoleon, Ray Bryant, Cliff Jackson, 

Eddie Wilcox, Dill Jones, Tony Aless; 

trumpeters Ruby Braff, Joe Thomas, 

Red Allen, Max Kaminsky, Leon Eason, 

Yank Lawson; trombonists Cutty Cutshall, 

Snub Mosely, Jimmy Cheatham, 

Herb Gardner; clarinets Peanuts Hucko, 

Tony Parenti, Joe Muranyi; saxophonists: 

Buddy Tate, Eddie Barefield, Big 

Nick Nicholas; bassists Milt Hinton, 

Gene Ramey, Arvell Shaw; drummers 

Sonny Greer, Zutty Singleton, Morey 

Feld, Eddie Dougherty, Marcus Foster. 

This concert will be the second work 

of the U.S. and Europe Fund Raising 

Project for Pete Johnson – the first being 

“The Pete Johnson Story,” a book about 

Pete edited by Hans J.Mauerer. 

In 1958 the pianist was felled by a 

stroke, complicated by heart trouble and 

diabetis. since then he has been in and 

out of hospitals and barely able to 

sustain himself on a small government 

disability allotment. 

The Kansas City pianist first gained 

fame at the renowned 1938 Spirituals to 

Swing concert at Carnegie Hall and 

soon became largely responsible for the 

term boogie woogie becoming a household 

name. For many years he was 

featured at Café Society along with 

pianists Meade Lux Lewis and Albert 

Ammons and blues shouter Joe Turner. 

In 1952 he toured with the Piano Parade 

which also headlined Art Tatum, Erroll 

Garner and Meade Lux Lewis. His last 

big year was 1958 when he toured 

Europe and appeared at the Newport 

Jazz Festival. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

early until late Feb.66, N.Y.C., Jimmy Ryan's longer 

engagement of Red Allen Trio (return after the UK-tour in 

April): 

Jimmy Ryan's is placking them nightly. This club really 

does phenomenal business, thanks to Red Allen, Tony 

Parenti, Cliff Jackson, Zutty Singleton, Marshall 

Brown. At the end of Feb., Red left for a 16 day tour of 

England with the Alex Welsh band. While he was out, 

he was ably replaced by Max Kaminsky. Coda 

April/May-66

- 146 - 

18th Feb.- 6th March 1966 UK "Red"Allen on a 17 days cross country tour 

with Alex,Welsh & his Band, the Bruce Turner Jump Band 

and jam sessions including one with the New Orleans All Stars 

2/18 Osterley, Rugby Football Club (AW) 2/28 Sunderland, Empire Theatre (AW&NOAS) 

2/19 Birmingham, Digbeth Institute (AW) 3/1 afternoon: Liverpool, University (AW) 

2/20 London, BBC-2 TV - 'JAZZ 625" (AW) 3/1 evening: London-Chelsea, Six Bells (BT&Mixed band) 

2/21 Bexley,_Kent, Black Prince (AW) 3/2 Norwich, Stuart Hall , advert on p 168 (AW) 

2/22 Stafford, Staffordshire Yeoman (AW) 3/3 Bath, Regency Ballroom (AW) 

2/23 Southhampton, Concord Jazz Club (AW) 3/4 afternoon: Crawley, Starlight Ballroom (AW) 

2/24 London. National Film Theatre (BT) evening: London, Ronnie Scott Club (Quartet) 

2/25 Lincoln, Co-Op Hall (AW) 3/5 Manchester, Sports Guide (AW) 

2/26 Nottingham, Dancing Slipper (AW) 3/6 afternoon: London, Douglas House (AW) 

2/27 Redcar, Coatham Hotel (AQ) 3/6 evening: London, 100 Club-Oxford Str. (AW) 

New Orleans All Stars: Alvin Alcorn, Keith Smith(t) Jimmy Archey(tb) Darnell Howard (cl) Alton Purnell(p) Pops 

Foster(b) Cie Frazier(d); Tour form 2/4 until 3/1/66 Quartet: Stan Tracey(p) Jeff Clyne(b) Bill Eyden(d) 

2/20/66 Sun., London Marquee Club, telerecorded BBC-2TV-"JAZZ 625", transmitted 8/24/66 Red Allen (t,v) ALEX WELSH 

& HIS BAND: Alex Welsh (t) Roy Williams (tb) Johnny Barnes (cl,ts) Fred Hunt (p) Jim Douglas (g) Ron Mathewson 

(b) Lennie Hastings (d) *intermission narr. by Humphrey Lyttelton video tape wanted)/ 30:24 tape 

Stan´s Dance (Buck Clayton) possibly without Red Allen , not on my tape, listed in David Meeker-2005) 

1:04 intro: music & announcement probably by Humphrey Lyttelton RA-CD-26 

0:41 theme: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) RA-CD-26 

*0:08 3:16 AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL (LaRocca-Shields) RA-CD-26 

*0:33 2:07 SWEET SUBSTITUTE -vRA (Jelly Roll Morton) RA-CD-26 

*0:20 4:18 CANAL STREET BLUES (King Oliver RA-CD-26 

*0:15 4:35 ST.LOUIS BLUES -vRA (W.C.Handy) RA-CD-26 

ROSETTA -vRA (Earl Hines) not on my tape, listed in David Meeker-2005) 

ALL OF ME -vRA (Seymour Simons-Gerald Marks) not on my tape, listed in David Meeker-2005) 

*0:15 4:51 MEDLEY: - JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE -spRA (trad.) RA-CD-26 

- DIDN'T HE RAMBLE -sp&vRA (Handy-Randall) RA-CD-26 

- WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN -spRA about N.O.men (trad.) RA-CD-26 

5:30 WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHIN IN -vRA&ch (trad.) RA-CD-26 

1:03 leave out announcement by the narrator & Red Allen RA-CD-26 

1:27 leave out: encore - WHEN THE SAINTS /cut RA-CD-26 

2/21/66 Mon., Bexley, Kent, Black Prince, "Red"Allen(t,v) & Alex Welsh & His Band: as above; private tape no longer exists 

DIDN'T HE RAMBLE ; WHEN THE SAINTS; NIGHT TRAIN; 

ST.LOUIS BLUES; HELLO DOLLY; ST. JAMES INFIRMARY & encore 

MUSKRAT RAMBLE; ALL OF ME; BILL BAILEY; 

2/24/66 London, National Film Theatre, HENRY"RED"ALLEN (t,v) & BRUCE TURNER JUMP BAND: Ray Crane(t) Pete Strange(tb) 

Bruce Turner(as,cl) Ronnie Gleaves(vib) Fred Hunt(p) Ron Rubens(b) Doug Higgins(d) unfortunately the private tape no longer exists 

BALLIN' THE JACK; SWEET SUBSTITUDE; CHERRY RED; 

ALL OF ME & encore ROSETTA; ST.JAMES INFIRMARY & encore 

JUST A CLOSER WALK DID'NT HE RAMBLE; WHEN THE SAINTS; 

3/1/66 Tue. evening, Chelsea. London, Six Bells, Red Allen (t.v) & A MIXED BAND: Sandy Brown (cl) Tony Coe (ts) 

Bruce Turner (as) Ronnie Gleaves (vib) Fred Hunt (p) Ron Rubens (b) Doug Higgins(d) session although the musicians 

have not found together, an interesting jumping session unfortunately private taped by the band boy in very poor sound quality, it’s a pity 

1:41 STRUTTIN' WITH SOME BARBECUE (Armstrong-Raye) RA-CD-29 

10:30 ST.LOUIS BLUES -vRA (W.C.Handy) RA-CD-29 

7:39 INDIANA (J.F.Henley) RA-CD-29 

3:55 ALL OF ME -vRA (Simon-Mark) RA-CD-29 

5:01 encore: ALL OF ME -vRA RA-CD-29 

4:39 PATROL WAGON BLUES -RA (P.Grainger) RA-CD-29 

6:44 WON'T YOU COME HOME BILL BAILEY -vRA (Cannon) RA-CD-29 


8:35 SWEET LORRAINE (C.Burwell-M.Parish) RA-CD-29 

2:10 encore: SWEET LORRAINE RA-CD-29 

5:27 RAG MOP -vRA (J.L.Wills-D.Anderson-H.Allen) RA-CD-29/RA-CD-26 

6:11 ST.JAMS INFIRMRY -vRA (J.Primrose) RA-CD-29 

5:25 TIN ROOF BLUES (N.O.R.K.) /RA-CD-26 

6:02 MEDLEY: DIDN'T HE RAMBLE - WHEN THE SAINTS -vRA (trad.) RA-CD-29 

3/4/66 Fri.afternoon, Crawley, Starlight Ballroom; Red Allen(t,v) & ALEX WELSH BAND: same as 2/20: 

1:57 JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE -vRA (trad) private taped of very poor quality RA-CD-36/& -34 

1:01 DIDN'T HE RAMBLE -vRA (Handy-Randall) RA-CD-36/& -34 

8:19 WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN & encore -vRA (trad.), RA-CD-36/& -34 

3/4/66 Fri. evening , London, Ronnie Scott's club RedAllen (t,v) guest appearance with Stan Tracey (p), Jeff Clyne (b) Bill Eyden(d) 

for three numbers - Summertime, a blues and Love Me Or Leave Me. (not taped)

- 147 - 

3/6/66 Sun.afternoon, London, Douglas House; Red Allen(t.v) & same as 2/20: private taped of poor quality, not of interest 

4:35 BODY AND SOUL -vRA (J.Green-E.Heyman-R.Sour) RA-CD-36/& -34 

6:55 ST. JAMES INFIRMRY -vRA (J.Primrose) RA-CD-36/& -34 

8:28 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) RA-CD-36/& -34 

0:18 theme: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) RA-CD-36/& -34 

3:18 AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL (LaRocca-Shields) RA-CD-36 


2:34 SWEET SUBSTITUTE -vRA (Jelly Roll Morton) RA-CD-36 

5:25 ROSETTA -vRA (W.H.Woods-Earl Hines) RA-CD-36/& -34 

6.35 BASIN STREET BLUES (Williams) RA-CD-36/& -34 

9:34 MEDLEY: - JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE -spRA (trad.) RA-CD-36 

- DIDN'T HE RAMBLE (Handy-Randall) - WHEN THE SAINTS with encore -sp&vRA (trad) 


4:48 RAG MOP -vRA (J.L.Willis-D.Anderson-H.Allen) RA-CD-37/& -34 

3/6/66 Sun.evening, London - 100 Club Oxford Street; same as above private taped of poor quality, not of much interest 

3:26 AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL (LaRocca-Shields) RA-CD-37 


3:09 SWEET SUBSTITUTE -vRA (Jelly Roll Morton) RA-CD-37 

6:41 ROSETTA -vRA (W.H.Woods-Earl Hines) RA-CD-37 

4:44 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA (Porter Grainger) RA-CD-37/& -34 

5:57 MEDLEY: - JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE -vRA (trad.) RA-CD-37 

- DIDN'T HE RAMBLE - I THOUGHT I HEARD BUDDY BOLDEN SAY -vRA (J.R. Morton) RA-CD-37//& -34 

5:19 WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN -vRA (trad.) RA-CD-37 

2:01 encore: WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN -vRA (trad.) RA-CD-37 


4:44 SWEET LORRAINE (Mitchell-Parish-Burwell) RA-CD-37/& -34 

10:41 ST.JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) RA-CD-37 

into leave out: BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE (Canon) RA-CD-37 

Dear Franz, 

Many thanks for the book, and I assure you it was 

of great interest to me. I learned about jazz, back in 

1935, with the Spike Hughes and Fletcher 

Henderson records with Red and Higgy. So sorry 

I was not able to help you. My band played with 

Henry Allen about twice - and I think there were 

tape recordings but they have disappeared off the 

face of the earth. 

Where are the great performers now? Only Benny 

Carter remains from the classic period. Someone 

should do a Carter discography soon ! 

Best wishes, I hope we will meet again soon, 

Bruce Turner 17/9/83 

37a High Street, 

Toddington, 

Beds, England 

Manchester 1964: Ray Crane-Pete Strange-Bruce Turner-Red Allen 

"RED'S BLUES" by Charles Fox in Jazz Times 3-4/4.66; "The Guardian"...: 2/18 Osterley: 

Far too many modern Jazz players neg- loosened up Louis Armstrong's INFIRMARY, complete with lip-thrills and 

lect dynamics. Their solos are often too symmetrical style, who fashioned a more audience-participation. 

long and too much on one level, techni- romantic approach, flaring across the bar- Somehow Allen contrives to be brash 

cally immaculate but lacking drama. lines, foreshadowing (along with Roy and sensitive almost simultaneously, his 

Henry'Red'Allen belongs to an earlier Eldridge) the innovations of Dizzy tone brassy and bold at one moment, 

breed. He known that vigour must be Gillespie. 

cloudy and expressive the next. Yet his 

balanced by restraint, that contrast is the On Friday evening the 58-year-old identity remains distinct, and he always 

secret that really matters. Certainly his trumpeter threw in a bit of rabble- sounds amazingly modern. No wonder 

methods paid off last Friday, when he rousing, including a treatment of that Don Ellis, 27 years his junior, 

completely captivated the very youthful "WHEN THE SAINTS" that made this recently called Allen the most avant- 

audience which crushed into the Osterley well-thumbed number sound surprisingly garde trumpet player in New York. 

Club for the first performance in Allen's fresh. But he also produced the ravishing Excellent support was given by the Alex 

17-day tour of Britain. 

PATROL WAGON BLUES, where his Welsh band, a group which grows more 

Showmanship, of course, is one of the singing achieves the same kind of ragged and more electric as the years roll by. Its 

crafts that Henry Allen has learnt over lyricism as his trumpet playing. There star soloist is Johnny Barnes, a unlike 

the years. His father was a band-master was a leisurely SWEET LORREINE either Harry Carney or Gerry Mulligan, a 

in New Orleans, and Allen worked with (melting into JUST A CLOSER WALK rare feat in itself. His playing has a 

King Oliver in the twenties, and with the WITH THEE, a version of BALLIN' flexibilty which must ,be hard to achieve 

Luis Russell and Fletcher Henderson THE JACK which made forget that on an instrument which has, as it where, 

bands in the thirties. Historically he is an Danny Kaye ever tempered with the song, a built-in time-lag. 

important musician, the man who and a melodramatic ST.JAMES 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 148 - 

Sinclair Traill in Jazz Journal 3/66:When Red Allen left here in 

the summer of 1964, after what had been a most successful tour, 

he told-me that he would be living for the day when he returned 

to once again blow his horn for British audiences. Henry's first 

visit to these shores, was to understate the case, a happy one. 

Outside jazz, and Red to me always evokes the very essence of 

the music , Henry built up a very real human bond of affection 

with all (well, nearly all) the bands with whom he played. Now 

back again, once more in harness with Alex Welsh, Red on his 

opening night, pulled out all the stops. And let's face it, the 

Welsh Band have improved enormously since, Henry played 

with them last. They were good then, now I should say they are 

remarkable. Roy Williams has become an exiting trombonist, 

and in Johnny Barnes the band have one of the best jazz 

musicians in the country today. As usual Alex himself is as 

a sound as a –bell, and the rhythm section have with time, 

learnt that it is not always necessary to play loudly to play 

good. drums. I think Henry was a little surprised at his 

opening at Osterley, but that he was happy with what he 

heard there. was not the slightest doubt. He led the band 

with power packed phrasing that had them all swinging, 

and his solos were played with that clean, open brass tone. 

Now and again he unleashed his own individual growl 

effects, his playing and singing being an intensely personal 

jazz message from one of the last of the truly great New 

Orleans jazz trumpeters. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

HENRY RED ALLEN by Albert McCarthy in Jazz Monthly 4/66: 

I heard Henry Allen on five occasions 

after his opening at the Osterley Jazz 

Club on 2/18. the venues being the "Six 

Bells" at Chelsea (3/1), a dance Hall at 

Crawley followed by an informal sitting 

at Ronnie Scott's Club (3/4) and during 

his final engagements of the tour on 3/6 

at Douglas House and loo Oxford 

Street. It is clear from a reasonably 

adequate opportunity to listen to him a 

different surroundings that reports based 

on a single performance can be and often 

are misleading. 

On the 6th I left Douglas House after 

the first set and am told that the second 

one was superior, but .this U.S.service 

men's club had an audience who seemed 

rather disinterested in the music, apart 

from a small minority, and significantly 

the loudest request was for The Saints. 

The later show at loo Oxford Street 

brought forth some fine playing from 

Henry, notably so when one bears in 

mind that he was struggling to overcome 

a bout of influenza at the time, and he 

was particularly delighted with the presensation, 

in the course of the evening, 

of a scroll from the West London Jazz 

Club Association in recognition of his 

acceptance of the presidency of that 

organisation. However, the oxygen 

content at l00 Oxford Street was rather 

below what I find tolerable and I was 

forced to seek air during parts of his 

sets. In view of this my impressions are 

taken from the four other engagements 

mentioned. 

Osterley Jazz Club, whose premises 

are the clubhouse of the rugby team 

which sponsors it, is not easy to reach 

and it says a great deal for the enterprise 

of the founders that they run into own 

bus service from Osterley station and 

other points to the club. In addition one 

must add that very few clubs are as 

hospitable to visiting jazz journalists. It 

now seems a tradition that tours of 

visiting soloists commence at Osterley 

and arriving after Henry Red Allen had 

commenced his first set it was immediately 

apparent that he was in good form 

both musically and personally. The 

familiar cries of "make him happy" and 

"nice" brought back memories of the 

Metropole where I heard Henry a great 

deal in 1958 and his repertoire was a 

balanced mixture of standards and 

numbers like Patrol Wagon Blues with 

which he is associated. 

The dance hall at Crawley was a less 

suitable venue and frankly one 

wondered why they bothered to book 

him to play a single set. Fortunately 

there were some jazz fans present and he 

soloed very well indeed, including here a 

version of Buddy Boden's Blues that was 

extremely striking. Later that night he 

visited Ronnie Scott's club and sat in 

with Stan Tracey(piano), Jeff Clyne 

(bass) and Bill Eyden (drms) for three 

numbers - Summertime, a blues and 

Love Me Or Leave Me. His version of 

Summertime was very fine, bringing out 

the full range of his dynamic contrasts 

and the obliqueness of his melodic 

variations, the trio, who had never 

played with him before, providing a very 

professional and apt backing. It was 

amusing to hear his success with what 

must have been a predominantly 

modernist audience in drawing the 

required responses to his "oh,yeh" 

routine! It may be that Henry play at the 

Scott club in future though he genially 

assured the audience that "I'm not giving 

an audition you know. " 

During all but about two engagements 

the accompanying band was Alex Welsh's 

and the praise which this group has 

received is merited. The rhythm section 

of Fred Hunt (p), Jim Douglas g) Ron 

Matthewson (b) and Lennie Hastings(d) 

is an integrated one and Hunt's sensitive 

support was much appreciated by Henry. 

Jim Douglas took a number of 

interesting solos, only once reverting to 

the dreaded banjo on a burlesque version 

by the band of When The Midnight Choo 

Choo Leaves For Alabam. Roy Wiliams 

is an excellent trombone soloist and 

Johnny Barnes reveals an individual style 

on baritone sax which I prefer to his 

admittedly very proficient clarinet 

playing. Alex Welsh himself did pot 

play with Henry Allen on any date at 

which I was present but prior to his 

guest taking the stand was heard in a 

number of well constructed and 

balanced solos. The present success of 

the Welsh band is heartening in as far as 

it seems to prove that an adherence to a 

policy of good music can ultimately be 

rewarded. 

The 'Six Bells' session was with a 

pick-up group which included Fred 

Hunt - at Henry Allen's request - from 

the Welsh band and a frontline of Bruce 

Turner(alto) Tony Coe(tenor) and 

Sandy Brown(clarinet). This was an 

uneven session but although there were 

rough spots these were more than offset 

by the brilliance of many of the solos 

and on this occasion Henry Allen played 

so superbly on many numbers, including 

a marvellous version of Sweet Lorraine, 

that the other musicians, including 

Ronnie Greaves(vibes), played well 

above themselves. There were so many 

fine solos that it is perhaps invidious to 

single out particular ones, but I recall in 

particular Bruce Turner's on Patrol Wagon 

and Sweet Lorraine, Sandy Brown's on 

Canal Streeet Blues and Tony Coe's on, 

of all numbers, The Saints. In retrospect I 

would say that this was one of the most 

stimulating jazz performances that I 

have heard in this country and it is 

fitting that the "Six Bells", saluted many 

years ago by Spike Hughes in his Six 

Bells Stampede, should now, under its 

jazz loving land-lord, Bill Nicholls - 

another great dispenser of hospitality 

incidentally-be one of' London's leading 

jazz centres. 

Henry Allen is a showman who believes 

in entertaining his audience, yet his 

raucous amiability on stand, to use 

Martin William's apt phrase, should not 

disguise the fact that he is a musician 

proud of his background and his contribution 

to jazz and one, above all, who at 

his best is one of the most creative 

performers in the history of the music. 

The amazing diversity of his playing is 

fascinating, for the interperses passages 

of great power and volume with others 

of extreme delicacy and makes the 

whole seem entirely logical. His control 

of dynamics can be equalled by few 

others and the tonal range he employs is 

considerable, including growl effects 

achieved without the aid of a plunger 

that are highly personal. The melodic 

variations on such numbers as Sweet 

Lorraine, Rosetta and Body And Soul 

are often oblique; sometimes 

extraordinarily imaginative, and he can 

sustain lengthy solos without becoming 

repetitious. It is no accident that 

musicians as diverse in style as Miles 

Davis, Don Ellis, Dizzy Gillespie and 

Louis Arm-strong are admirers of Allenhe 

was the only musician ever to get 

featured billing in Armstrong's big bandfor 

these men have assessed his worth 

rather better than many critics. Henry 

Allen played some of the finest jazz I 

have heard during this tour-his vocals 

are an extension of his trumpet playing 

in every sense-and when he returns to 

this country any jazz lover, irrespective of 

stylistic inclinations, should make every 

effort to hear him. 

To close on a personal note I might 

mention that while he was in this country 

I had the pleasure of tape recording his 

autobiography for future publication by 

Cassell's. The choice of a title came 

naturally - MAKE THEM HAPPY ! 

=================================================================================

Jazz Beat (UK) March-1966 p24 

henry allen now 

by Anthony Barnet 

HENRY RED ALLEN is one of the 

most rewarding trumpet players to listen 

to. His February/March tour is the third 

welcomed opportunity we have had in 

England in recent years to confirm the 

brilliance of his personality as an entertainer 

and a creative musician. 

Henry Allen was born in Algiers, Louisiana 

in 1908. He worked on the river 

boats with Fate Marable and later with 

King Oliver in Chicago, and Luis Russell. 

His emergence in the early 1930's as a 

major jazz soloist was assured by the time 

he joined Fletcher Henderson - though 

Whitney Balliett, in a fine chap-ter on 

Henry Allen in Dinosaurs in the Morning, 

notes well that the preeminence of Louis 

Armstrong during these years was 

unfortunate in as much as it helped to 

obscure the efforts and achieve-ments of 

other trumpet players some of whom, 

Henry Allen for example, had developed 

their own originality. During the late 

1930's Henry Allen was a member of the 

big band led by Louis Armstrong and 

from the 1940's onwards he prefer-red to 

play mostly in small groups with fine 

musicians such as J.C.Higginbotham and 

Buster Bailey. 

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of 

Henry Allen's work of the last decade is 

his assimilation of modern trumpet techniques 

and ideas which he has remodelled 

for his own purpose within the broad 

pattern he has used his life. His role as a 

link in the development of jazz trumpet 


have been overlooked for a while too 

long; you can trace a line through Henry 

Allen with, say, Bill Coleman, Roy 

Eldridge, Bill Dillard, Charlie Shavers, 

with Louis Armstrong at one end and 

Dizzy Gilles-pie at the other. 

In January 1965 trumpeter Don Ellis 

took the trouble to write for Down Beat 

an appreciation of Henry Allen and referred 

to him as "the most avant-garde 

trumpet player in New York City." Well, 

maybe there are people who like Henry 

Allen who took exception to that observation 

but there is a good measure of truth 

in it and Henry Allen's associa-tes on 

recordings over the last few years -Kid 

Ory included - haven't necessarily indicated 

the way of his playing. Instead it 

illustrates his standing as an essential-ly 

individual musician. The authority of his 

music is not questioned and he gives 

value to sessions which otherwise might 

be pointless. 

Henry Allen displays an exceptional 

sense of dynamics and rhythmical control. 

With his fine feeling for the blues this 

enables him to draw upon a remarkable 

range of effects which sustains in the 

listener a high level of interest. Instead of 

repeating time-proven phrases he is happy 

to search for fresh ideas, to take risks. But 

his ability is such that what first appears 

as a risk develops into an imaginatively 

constructed musical statement. If he is 

occasionally erratic then, in the face of his 

frequent succes-ses, he is all the more 

interesting. 

If any one doubts the value of hearing 

Henry Red Allen in person "he had", as 

style is hardly disputable though it may 

Don Ellis advised, "better go and listen to 

Red—closely". 

===================================================================================== 

REFLECTIONS ON "RED" George Ellis discusses the recent Henry Allen tour in Jazzbeat 4-1966 

THE task of covering several of Henry 

"Red" Allen's appearances in the South 

was one that I awaited with eager anticipation. 

I remembered Henry's last 

appearance here, and that mammoth 

Mancunian weekend in April, 1964, an 

event from which I recovered very slowly. 

This time there were to be several organisational 

changes. Almost the whole of 

the tour was pencilled in with the Alex 

Welsh Band. In the event, they were 

always in close and sparkling attendance, 

and this I think made for a closer liason 

between Allen and his accompanying 

musicians, if accompanying is indeed the 

right word. This Welsh Band, going 

from strength to strength these days, are 

more than just a good backing for an 

American star - they are also one of the 

finest jazz groups playing anywhere today. 

The tour was a strenuous one. Nineteen 

consecutive evenings of one nighters, 

Southampton, Nottingham, Norwich, 

and so on. "Man, we covered some 

territory," said Henry. The fact that he, 

at fifty eight, took everything in his 

stride was indicative of his tremendous 

energy, but more than this, never once 

did his remarkable improvisational 

ability show any signs of weakening. 

Although his repertoire varied little, the 

astonishing burst of extemporisation, that 

little something new when you were least 

prepared for it, were sufficient to bring a 

smile of pleasure to the many familiar 

faces of the critical fraternity always 

present. 

Certainly, the atmosphere on the 

opening night at the Osterley Rugby 

Football Club premises was electric. 

From the first bars of "Louisiana," the 

Welsh boys showed just why they are 

the automatic choice for the big occasion. 

Their stage presence, relaxed and yet 

confident, their good taste, in both solo 

and ensemble - all these things were 

apparent at once, There are no passengers 

in the Welsh band, every man is a 

star performer. Johnny Barnes, multiinstrumentalist 

supreme, went from baritone in 

the opening number to clarinet on a fast 

"Indiana," and then to alto for the band's 

celebrated version of "My Man." 

A strange coincidence indeed that this 

number was chosen to precede the star 

guest's appearance. Allen knows all 

about "My Man" but uses it purely as a 

greeting when spotting a familiar face in 

the audience. The inevitable "What ya 

say there, John" (to Kendall of Dobell's) 

and we were swept into a fast "Jazz 

Band Ball," followed in quick 

succession by "Hindustan," "Sweet 

Substitute" (Red's vocal still recalls Jelly 

Roll Morton), "Rosetta," "Canal Street 

Blues" and "Just A Closer Walk With 

Thee," culminating in an extended slow 

and fast work-out on what Henry refers 

to as "The Saints Marchin' In." No lack 

of ideas even on this old war-horse - all 

the fire, invention and unexpected 

embellishments so typical of the man - in 

fact Henry was playing better than ever. 

Obviously the audience thought so too, 

for when I returned after a little liquid 

refreshment, the house had just about 

doubled, or so it seemed. I spent the rest 

of the evening squatting on the stage edge, 

moving to the right when necessary to 

avoid Roy Williams' trombone slide. 

After the band had prepared the way 

with Dicky Well's arrangement of "Devil 

And The Deep Blue Sea" (a great 

success throughout the tour incidentally) 

and the "Midnight Choo Choo" had 

left for Alabam, Allen returned to a 

tremendous ovation. "St.Louis Blues," 

"St. James Infirmary," "Ballin The Jack," 

"Patrol Wagon Blues," "Sweet Lorraine" 

and a reprise of "Closer Walk" (both 

expertly lyrical), a fast "Bill Bailey," and 

it was all over. Clearly, a first night of 

some consequence. 

Many of the same numbers were 

played on the Marquee BBC 2 outing 

two nights later. Henry was superb on 

"Rosetta," and "All Of Me" provided a 

change from the established repertoire, 

with Red's laconic vocalising recalling 

his work with the pick-up groups on all 

those fine records during the mid-thir-ties. 

Definitely, a performance not to be 

missed when the show is televised. 

The following evening, at "The Black 

Prince," Bexley, although the atmos-

phere of the Osterley opener was missing, 

and a ghastly selection of "pop" 

records were played at full volume for 

half an hour during the interval, the 

playing by "Red" and the band hit the 

highest peak of all the performances I 

attended. Although Alex and the boys 

changed much of their programme - 

notable examples were a rocking "Night 

Train" and a "Stardust" for Roy 

Williams almost ruined by bad 

amplification - Henry kept his standard 

material (never the same solos anywayl) 

with two brilliant exceptions. Firstly, a 

"Hello Dolly" with a new dress, and then 

"Muskrat Ramble," on which the most 

incredible things happened. Like "The 

Saints" " Muskrat" may have been done 

to death, but it's a great number, and 

"Red's" treatment was astounding. I 

cannot put this over on paper. You 

simply had to be there. 

The evening at the National Film 

Theatre was only partially successful, in 

spite of the sell-out house. I don't 

particularly enjoy all those film snippets, 

- 149 - 

although it was good to see the Rex 

Stewart - Slim Gaillard - Slam Stewart 

sequence from "Hellzapoppin" again in 

spite of the poor quality. This was the 

only date that "Red" played away from 

the Alex Welsh Band. On this occasion, 

the Bruce Turner jump Band, with 

Fred Hunt guesting on piano, turned in a 

sound performance, but battled in vain 

to surmount the complete lack of 

atmosphere. It has to be admitted that 

the NFT is not a good place for jazz, and 

why, oh why, doesn't Bruce Turner do 

something about his announcing? After 

all, there's only one Spike Milligan! 

"Red" displayed all his fleet lyricism on 

"All Of Me" enhanced by the Turner alto, 

tried a new set of variations of "Rosetta," 

and interrupted his vocal on "St. James" 

to make way for some reflective piano 

variations from Hunt ("My man Fred"). 

"Cherry Red" featured Ronnie Gleaves 

on vibes, Pete Strange roaring away to 

little effect on trombone, Turner in a 

succession of brilliant choruses, before 

"Red" took over and played his best solo 

of the night. So on to the "Closer 

Walk"/"Saints" feature ("like you dug in 

the film," said Henry. refer-ring to the 

graveyard sequence shown earlier, the 

opening scene from "Pete Kelly's 

Blues") which by now was incorporating 

"Oh, Didn't He Ramble." A couple of 

good alto choruses from Bruce on this 

one. 

Allen's final appearance of the tour 

took place at jazzshows in Oxford 

Street on a very warm Sunday evening. 

Henry included "I Thought 1 Heard 

Buddy Bolden Say" with more of that 

Morton like vocal and a great trumpet 

chorus. He satisfied requests for "Canal 

Street" and "Sweet Lorraine" and played 

so well that it was almost impossible to 

believe that he had just completed 

nineteen consecutive appearances. It is 

said that when Vic Dickenson toured 

here recently he remarked "I wish I had 

Rockerfeller's money and Henry Allen's 

memory I " Speaking for myself I wish I 

had his stamina (and I don't mean dog 

food!). with below photo: 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Max Jones in Melody Maker 2/26/66. - RED ALLEN AT OSTERLEY 

HENRY ALLEN has been playing Jack" and "Bill Bailey", but those with Williams and • Johnny Barnes weighed 

trumpet for some forty-five years, but ears for what he's playing on his best in with good solos then and later. 

still retains his enthusiasm and indivi- choruses will nevertheless leave Red's Red Allen hounded out and seized the 

dual touch. 

recital with just that impression. crowd at once with a shout of "Look 

He Is, today, a remarkable figure in His tone, fluctuating between whisper out! St Louis," with a fast first chorus 

trumpet Jazz: a sort of traditional super- and blast, between the cool and the and tempo break-back for his vocal, and 

man whose wayward improvisations are vibrant, is not akin to those of most with a typical flutter-tongued ending. 

repeatedly surprising on account of their modernists - for which I am grateful. Throughout the show, Red never let 

modern character. 

On Friday's tour opening at Osterley, go of his grip on the audience. And the 

It may not he easy to create an impress- Allen took the stand after the Welsh band Welsh-men, joined again by Alex for 

sion of up-to-dateness via such ever- had warmed the crowd. Welsh was play- the finale, supplied the kind of support 

greens as "St Louis Blues", "Ballin The ing as well as I have heard him, and Roy that can best be called princely.—M.J. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Max Jones in Melody Maker about the 6/24/66 concert w.Bruce Turner 

HENRY ALLEN with Bruce Turner's Rex Stewart and Duke Ellington. Turner's band, tentative at times 

Jump Band at London's National Film Red's playing had the expected through rehearsal shortage, was well 

Theatre on Thursday was a different contrasts of tone and volume plus many blessed with solo talent. Lined up for the 

proposition from Allen with Alex Welsh; unexpected twists, and relaxed s1ow - occasion were Turner (alto, clt), Ray 

but still a satisfying one. He came on for tempo choruses on "Closer Walk", Crane (tpt), Pete Strange (tmb), Ron 

the second half - after a programme of "Saints" and "Rambly" were bonus Ruben (bass), Fred Hunt (pno), Ronnie 

film excerpts which featured Oscar pleasures. So were his casual vocals on Gleaves (vibes), and Doug Higgins 

Peterson, Bessie Smith, Ella Fitzgerald, three or four songs. 

(drs). — MJ 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

John Chilton in Storyville-June 1966p7(complete article in Long after that excellent but exhausting session had finished, 

part-1a, p9): Red' s entry to his session at the 'Six Bells', in an overcoated Red Allen heard of a fan who had travelled 

Chelsea provided a memorable moment. He waited in the along way to hear him, but through train delays had arrived 

shadows at the back of the hall, listening appreciatively to an too late. Henry promptly unzipped his case, muted his trumpet, 

all-star band's rendering of 'Strutting with some barbecue', then, and played a request for an ever-gratefull fan. Such is the 

the restless urge to join in proved too much - from a distance of warmth and kindliness of Henry 'Red' Allen, a big-framed, big- 

fully sixty feet Red swung along with the band for three of the hearted personality who has won life-long friends everywhere 

most exciting choruses that I've ever heard. 

from New Orleans to Newcastle. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

JAZZ TIMES 3-4 (4.66)-WLJS-NEWS: Henry'Red'Allen was officially 'inducted' as Honorary President of the West London 

Jazz Society on March 6th 1966, being presented with a certificate of office by Committee man John Boddy during a session at 

London's loo Club. Red subsequently enshrined you editor's name (Steve Lane) in song. I aim to return the compliment by 

adding a suitable verse to my band's version of "Oh Red". 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

PC-2/19/66p13: … According to A.D.Smith, cousin of Henry”Red”Allen, the 

tall trumpeter will have done a series of concerts in London by the time this 

drive hits the newsstands. He´ll return in March. 

PC-3/15/66p13: By this drivel hits the newsstands in foreign lands, Henry 

”Red”Allen will be “Feeling Good” after doing an afternoon and evening at the 

Douglas House and Jazz House respectively in London. 

Don Locke in Jazz Monthly 7/66: So Far an I can tell the Sunderland Empire 

must have been packed with the deaf on the night of 2/28th. The New Orleans 

All Stars shared the bill with Red Allen and the Alex Welsh Band, and I 

think most of us feared an anti-climax when Allen was used to open the concert. 

He didn't feel any happier after the opening number in the second half ("Not only 

are they all so old," someone whispered in my ear, "They are all so small") , but Red Allen – Jazzbeat 4-1966, but from 1964 

once 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------they 

settled down they played excellently. ...

- 150 - 

"New Orleans All Stars" back row from left: Jimmy Archey, 

Darnell Howard, "Cie" Frazier, front row from left: Alton 

Purnell, Alvin Alcorn, "Pops" Foster; 

Keith Smith covernotes 1974 on Rarities-60(complete article to 

Kid Ory-1959 on p78):… I first met 'Energy' as Henry Red Allen 

affectionately became known, in London when he was touring 

with Kid Ory's band, some twenty years ago. … 

Several years later, while Red was with the Alex Welsh band 

in Europe, we met again. At the same time I was in Europe with 

the "New Orleans All Stars" (see above) incl. Alvin Alcorn - 

Red's in-law and like Red, an ex-Kid Ory man, and myself also 

on trumpet), and during that tour the two bands did some 

concerts together. That was a ball! Red hadn't seen most of 

those guys in that All Star band for years, 

so these concerts were wetter than any army reunion party! 

During the night too - it didn't stop - with a crate of their 

favourite brew on board, "Newcastle Brown Ale", the coach 

drove off, and within no time the tales were flowing freely, 

Red in top form. 

Red learnt that, after that tour, I was coming to the States to 

live, and, on arrival he took me under his wing, chauffe-ring 

me from joint to joint in his proudest possession - his always 

new Cadillac. … His exuberant personality always comes to 

life in front of the public: - Red Allen was a beautiful person 

- His music remains beautiful. 

UK-77: Keith Smith(t) Ian Wheeler(cl,as) Dick Wellstood (p) 

Peter Ind (b) Barry Nicholls(d) SOME HEFTY CATS –Hefty 

J.HJ100: Red Rides Again; Sweet Lorraine, Don't Get Around; 

'S Wonderful; Blues At The Copley; Beale Street Blues/ China 

Boy; Save it Pretty Mama; ... 

JACK STINE: … in “Red Rides Again,” the secret is 

finally let out. Keith Smith is the closest thing to Red 

Allen, you´re ever likely to hear. Despite the advance notice 

that compares his playing to Eldridge and Armstrong, on this 

record it is all Red Allen and for me it is time that some 

such acknowledgement be made for this great trumpeter. In 

my book, no one played with such apparent ease and 

fluidity. He deserves some sort of ongoing testimony to his 

playing and it is no criticism to Keith Smith's originality to 

cite this kind of reference. You´ll hear what I mean when 

you hear the record. … 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"RED ALLEN IN ENGLAND - THE PRESIDENT PLAYS" by John Wurr - Jazz Times 3-4/Apr.66: (3/6-100 Club session): 

The l00 Club on Sunday, 6th March, was the scene of Henry money we also had some fine solos from Johnny Barnes, Roy 

'Red' Allen's last appearance of his latest British tour with the Williams, Fred Hunt and Jim Douglas, and throughout the 

Alex Welsh band. I had not heard Red Allen since the 1959 night the Welsh band played with their now customary 

Ory tour and was anxious to renew my acquaintance with his excellence. It was good to see Henry so obviously happy with 

scintillating trumpet sound. I was not disappointed. The evening his supporting musicians. 

had a further significance for WLJS members, for during the We also had John Boddy's little speech, valiantly spoken 

session John Boddy presented Mr. Allen with a scroll despite mutterings of "Shut up an' go wiv it" etc, and if 

commemorating this eminent jazzman's acceptance of the Henry's reply "I'M PRES" caused Mr.Lester Young to turn in 

Hon.Presidency of the Society. 

his grave, the enthusiasm with which it was said left us in no 

For a man of his age, Red Allen still has remarkable techni- doubt that he was pleased with the honour bestowed upon him. 

que, power and range, and he can also play quietly while still The Club was well filled (apparently a standard occurrence on 

retaining a beautiful fullness of sound. His tone runs the whole this most successful tour) and the audience loved every 

gamut - restrained and sweet in the melodic statements of slow moment. Henry's talent as an entertainer counted for much 

ballads, growling and melancholy in the blues, bright and (memo. to certain jazz musicians, who shall remain name-less: 

piercing in the climaxes of the up-tempo numbers. Add these as Red Allen, Earl Hines, Willie the Lion, and they'll tell you - 

qualities to a happy vocal style (latter-day champions of the the audience does matter). 

'coloured sound' really should look further than the Supremes It was good to see such a cross-section of musicians - the 

and James Brown) and his entertaining personality and we black countenances of Alton Purnell, Kid Sheik,and Capt. 

have - well, just Henry 'Red' Allen, jazz trumpeter, living John Handy were much in evidence and among the British 

legend and now President of the WLJS. 

contingent I noticed Wally Fawkes, Johnny Parker and Keith 

As well as the expected (but never boring) standards - Christie. Some well-known supporters were there as well; but 

DINAH, ST.JAMES INFIRMARY, ST.LOUIS BLUES, there was a lack of young faces (more of this in a later article). 

JAZZ BAND BALL, SWEET LORREINE - we heard verbal Listening to Red Allen I felt a pervading sense of history, Here 

and musical tributes to many of the old-timers whom he had was a man who grew up alongside King Oliver, Jelly Roll 

known and worked with - King Oliver (CANAL STREET Morton and all the others who are, to us, just names in 

BLUES), Jelly Roll Morton (SWEET SUBSTITUDE), Luis discographies and impersonal images on faded photographs. It 

Russell (PATROL WAGON BLUES) and an anthalogical is sad to think that there will come a day when men like Louis, 

reminiscense of New Orleans (CLOSER WALK, RAMBLE, Kid Ory, George Lewis - and Red Allen - will no longer be 

SAINTS, BUDDY BOLDEN'S BLUES), which reminded us with us and the umbilical cord that connects us with the birth 

where he was born and that his father was one of the Crescent of our favourite music will be severed for all time. Long live 

City's first and most famous brass band musicians. For our the President ! (Red died one year later!) 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

150.1 Addenda (special UK-booklet of 3 pages) 

remarks by Franz Hoffmann, Red Allen Collection: 

The following copy of the original booklet in 2007 reduced the text on a 

smaller layout, changed and completed the list of the tour dates according 

to the RED ALLEN BIO-DISCO pp146-151 ; ; and let out one W.Balliettarticle 

to be found in the BioDisco-parts 3 p73 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

in the programme follow the tour dates, 

listed more complete and detailed in the bio-disco-part-3p146 

RED ALLEN with ALEX WELSH & HIS BAND 

UK on a 17 days cross country tour 18th Feb.- 6th March 1966 

HENRY 'RED' ALLEN first made his debut in this country when he toured 

with the Kid Ory Band some years ago. He later made a highly successful tour 

accompanied by the Alex We1sh Band and now he makes a welcome return 

visit to.Great Britain once again accompanied by . Alex Welsh and his Band. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

On the following pages .of t h i s booklet you will find details of the tour 

together with biographical details of HENRY 'RED' ALLEN. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

========================================================================= 

THE CRITICS.SAY …….. "NICE MAN, NICE" (Lester A.Schonberg) 

Henry 'Red' Allen climbs on to the 

bandstand ... he caresses his horn 

with his massive hands .... and in a 

croaking. voice, says " .... nice, man, 

nice". Then he begins to play. 

And people discover that a programme 

of medium and slow ballads and blues 

by 'Red' Allen can be one of the superior 

musical pleasures in jazz. 

Henry knows how to help an audience 

experience the gamut of emotion which 

jazz and the blues offer.. To understand 

jazz is to love it. To love jazz you have 

but to listen to men like Louis Armstrong 

.... or Henry 'Red' Allen. The real thing 

can only be played from the heart and 

the soul by great musicians. Henry 

Allen is one of the great ones. 

When 'Red' plays the pick-up notes of 

Snowy Mornin' Bluer you can detect a 

mood which is the blues .... the sorrow 

of. people being expressed in the only 

universal language … music. They know 

Henry in Europe .... even the new citizens 

of the infant African nations understand 

him and his musical message 

… and nowhere In the world do people 

call 'Red' an ugly American. 

Allen's trumpet, one of the foremost 

horns in the musical world began its 

legendary career. in his home-town .... 

the fabled jazz environs of New Orleans 

('Red' first began playing with 

the Mississippi . playing with a mouse. Few other horn Blues, Body and Soul, Ride, Red, 

men have so much volume control. He Ride, Jelly Roll Blues, Biff'ly Blues 

can play with a mute .. or toss it away and 'Red's' own famous composition 

... and the open horn is no louder than 'Rag Mop', flow unfalteringly from his 

before. Nor has he stuffed cotton way horn. And the evening should last for 

down inside, out of sight, to muffle ever .... and it can't. But everyone has 

the sound and confuse the listeners. 'I experienced a new birth of hope, of 

just don't blow so hard', he says in all inspiration, of peaceful repose from a 

honesty. But don't kid yourself into maddening world. 

thinking that Henry Jr. can't blast off And you have never been to the kind 

when he feels the need. 'Red' Allen of funeral 'Red' Allen directs when he 

might give almost anyone lessons in conducts his own inimitable mourners' 

an adventurous use of dynamics. service with his rendition of 'When the 

Listen to him tee off on "Hindustan" Saints Come Marchin' in'. 

in his own fluid, muted version. You 

almost have to imagine the melody ... Harry James, while with Benny Good- 

he indulges in such soft, fanciful flights. man, paid Allen the high compliment 

Then his pianist, his drummer, and the of basing his solos on 'Wrappin' it Up', 

man on the string bass join the group, 'Down South Camp Meeting', and 'Big 

and they fit into the rhythm picture John's Special' directly on the ones 

like a long pair of milady´s gloves … Allen had recorded with Fletcher Hen- 

reserved, quiet, yet potentially dynamic. derson. Experts consider Allen's episode 

Then 'Red' rests his horn on the piano, on 'Wrapping' It Up' which includes 

and snaps his fingers, and claps his both solo, and call and response pat- 

hands. The audience comes alive.... terns with the group, one of the most 

they clap their hands as they join him perfect trumpet passages in recorded 

on the upbeat. When 'Red' returns that jazz. 

beautiful horn to his sensitive lips he 

leans into it gradually. Every bar (The following addition to the same 

becomes a little wider than its prede- article written by Lester A.Schonberg 

cessor and you get with it because was found in Red Allen´s scrapbook): 

he'll get through to you ... and everyone 

else in the room including the Get with it … and quickly. Man you 

Riverboats with Fate hired help. Allen is 'St. Vitus with a just can´t relax when you´re around 

Marable) And with his horn, he .brings beat'. He twitches in rhythm before the that nice man, Henry Allen. Your feet 

forth the sounds of jazz, and the warm music starts. He fingers that vibrant, move. You stop complaining about 

and beautiful notes of traditional straining horn as his sidemen musi- your shoes and just beat your feet. 

standards. 

cally hold the audience in anxious And you stop beating your gums and 

A hulk of a man, 'Red' offstage is a anticipation of 'Red's next outburst. instead you beat your hands. And old 

quiet, unassuming gentleman who is And soon the whole:crowd is swa- “Red” chases the blues away with his 

completely at ease with all people of ying, the room becomes alive, and wonderful therapeutic rhythm. And if 

all lands. On stage he's an entertainer 'Red' says "Let it roll". St. Louis any one man can do it, Henry Red 

who winsan audience over quickly, Blues,. Birth of the Blues, Bye Bye Allen can restore peace and harmony 

expertly, completely, with his gruff- Blackbird, Up the Lazy River, Mack to a troubled world. 

ness, his movements, his honesty, and the Knife, and the wonderful Basin He´ll get through to you. And it´s 

his sincere feelings for the music he Street Blues. And then everyone starts nice, man, mighty nice ! 

plays. 

calling for other favourites, and 'Red' 

He toys with the horn like a cat reacts to every request. Tishomingo 

=========================================================================

In another-book by Whitney Balliett, 

"The Sound of Surprise", first published 

in 1979 and subsequently published in 

Great Britain by the Jazz Book Club in 

1961, the author devotes another chapter 

to 'Red' Allen under the title "The 

Resurgence of Red Allen". The 

following is an extract from this chapter. 

"It has been nearly thirty years since 

'Red' Allen, the tireless, sad-faced 

trumpeter, became one of the first 

practitioners of the instrument to move 

away from the blanketing influence of 

Louis Armstrong. Today, at the age of 

forty-nine, he is an unspoiled, nonrepetitive 

musician who, astonishingly, 

is still widening his style. Allen left an 

identifiable mark on the early work of 

- 150.2 - 

Roy Eldridge, who, in turn, influenced 

Dizzy Gillespie, the present champion 

of modern jazz trumpeters. Allen is 

erratic, restless, and highly lyrical. 

Sustained legato phrases that undulate 

like a calming sea are linked by jumpy 

connective passages - full of sevenleague 

intervals and slightly flatted 

notes - that may or may not land on 

their feet. His thin, coppery tone, 

occasionally softens, but more often it 

pierces straight to the bone. Once in a 

while, too, he ascends wildly into the 

upper register or relies on technical 

tricks, such as a rapid, birdlike tremolo, 

achieved by fluttering two valves up 

and down, that sound more difficult 

than they are. At his best, Allen is one 

of the most eloquent of jazz musicians. 

His melodic feeling is governed 

almost completely by the blues; he 

infuses just about every tune with 

broadly played blue notes. In the past 

few years, a remarkable thing has 

happened to Allen's playing. alike 

many of his contemporaries, who tend 

to ignore what has come after them, he 

appears to have been listening to modern 

jazz. The unsteady staccato blare that 

has characterised his work now 

frequently gives way to a thoughtful, 

more generous tone and a myriad of 

soft glancing notes that resemble 

nothing so much as a nervous, 

vigorous Miles Davis”. 

=========================================================================== 

17th Feb.- 5th March 1967, UK - 17 days RED ALLEN & ALEX WELSH AND HIS BAND

- 150.3 - 

Exciting Start to Sixty Sivin Livin The Sad Basset Hound 1Face of Henry Red Allen, Giant Genius 

IT HAS NOT TAKEN THE 100 CLUB LONG to ZING into 1967. Bingo — it's only February and already Roger 

Manager Horton has two all-time greats lined up for you hot-diggity cats (hey bab a reebab) . 

IS THERE A MORE EXCITING TRUMPETER ALIVE THAN 

HENRY RED ALLEN ? This genial giant of a man (his publicity 

material describes him as "St. Vitus with a beat", which conveys the message 

though not, perhaps, in the best of taste) is our first resident of the year 

(Feb. 28th, March 1st, 2nd). Here's what American jazz-writer Whitney 

Balliett says about him: 

"The pre-eminence of Louis Armstrong from 1925 to 1935 had one 

unfortunate effect: It tended to blot out the originality and skill of several 

contemporary trumpeters who, although they listened to Armstrong, had 

pretty much gone their own way by 1930. 

Allen, the most steadfast, and a distinct influence on Roy Eldridge, who 

taught Dizzy Gillespie, who taught Miles Davis and so forth, is still 

playing (usually in New York) with more subtlety and warmth than at any 

time in his career. . . . A tall oval-faced man with a deceptively sad basset 

hound face, Allen, born in Algiers, Louisiana, had a spirited career ... he 

played briefly with King Oliver in 1927 and two years later he joined Luis 

Russell — possibly the neatest, hottest and most imaginative group of its 

time.... Allen's style ... its careless tone, its agility and a startling tendency 

to use unprecedentedly long legato phrases and strange notes and chords 

that jazz musicians hadn't, for the most part, had the technique or courage 

to use before ... seizes the listener's emotions, recharges them, and sends 

them fortified on their way ...." 

Yes, well, American jazz writers are like that, but no doubt about it, 

Henry Red Allen (accompanied, of course, by Alex Mauve Welsh) has 

proved a knock-out on previous visits and his three-night residency 

should be a highlight of the year. 

A HIGHLIGHT ! COME ON, YOU DECEPTIVELY SAD BASSET 

HOUNDS, OUT OF YOUR STYGIAN GLOOM AND INTO THE 

GREAT CARNIVAL OF LIFE ! 

This is Albert 

Nicholas, one of the 

great New Orleans 

clarinet kings, one of 

King Oliver's men, 

appearing for one 

night only (Feb. 3rd, 

a Friday) at the 100, 

accompanied by 

Alan Elsdon's band. 

Take an analogy with 

pain-ting. Guys like 

Red Allen and 

Nicholas are like 

Van Gogh and 

Renoir. Would you 

not flock in your 

thousands to dance 

to the music of Van 

Gogh and Renoir? 

Just because you're 

young there's no 

need to be ignorant 

========================================================================== 

The Dancing Slipper Ballroom presents Henry “Red” Allen with The Alex Welsh Band by John Chilton 

In the "Pictorial History of Jazz" there 

appears an early pictures of a New 

Orleans Marching Band, in the corner of 

the fading print a very young `second-liner 

is seen peeping admiringly at the ten 

senior musicians. Many years later, (at a 

recent Monterey Jazz Festival), the 

'second- liner', by now well-and-truly in 

the front line of jazz giants, was photographed 

playing alongside Dizzy Gillespie 

and other star moder-nists. The two 

pictures reveal the tremendously wide 

experience of the musician concerned - 

in at the birth of jazz and still contributing 

to to-day's developments - the 

musician is HENRY 'RED' ALLEN. 

Henry 'Red' Allen was born in Algiers, 

Louisiana on 7th January, 1908. At the 

age of 8, he was playing alto-horn in his 

father's famous marching band. After 

graduating to trumpet, Red spent his 

teens developinga reputation as an 

outstanding improviser. 

In 1927, Red accepted King Oliver's 

offer of two months' work in New York. 

He returned South for a spell with Fate 

Marable's legendary riverboat band 

before accepting an offer to return to 

New York to join Luis Russell's Band. 

From 1929, Red made his permanent 

home in New York and in that year 

began recording under his own name. In 

great demand, Red also recorded with 

Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, The 

Rhythmakers, Spike Hughes, King Oliver 

and Don Redman before joining Fletcher 

Henderson in 1931. With Henderson 

Red's approach to big band solo work 

became the model for many latter-day 

swing stars. 

After starring with the Mills Blue 

Rhythm Band, Henry joined Louis 

Armstrong's Orchestra leaving in 

September 1940 to form his own band. 

This sextet was one of the busiest and 

most popular groups on the American 

Jazz Scene during the 40's and 50's. Its 

personnel included, at various times, 

such stars as: J. C. Higginbotham, Ed. 

Hall, Buster Bailey, Sidney Bechet, Ben 

Webster and Cozy Cole. For many years, 

Red's regular appearances at "The 

Metropole" helped to revitalise live Jazz 

in New York. 

In 1959, Red made his first trip to 

Europe (as guest star with Kid Ory's 

Band). Since then, Red has enjoyed two 

enormously successful tours of Britain, 

the first of which was when, in April 

1964, The Manchester Sports Guild 

brought him over to play five memorable 

sessions in their club and then sent 

him on tour with the Alex Welsh Band - 

the band with whom you will be hearing 

him play on this tour. 

British jazz fans, for many years aware of 

Red Allen's greatness on record, were 

delighted with his in-person performances. 

His warmth and friendliness are 

instant, his vocals beautifully phrased 

and full of expression, his broad-toned 

technique remains unimpaired by time. 

Above all, he retains his zest for playing 

great jazz trumpet. 

Someone once asked Henry 'Red' Allen 

how he manages to give out such a great 

feeling of happiness. Red explained, 

"I've been a little fortunate in loving to 

play so much". We, the listeners, are 

doubly fortunate in being able to hear 

the great man once again in person. 

*********************************************************************************************** 

RED: financially quartets are good, but a couple more horns would help; by Max Jones in Melody Maker 2/26/66: 

IT is pleasant indeed to see once more 

the tall bulky figure of Henry Red Allen, 

striding the streets and i hotel corridors of 

Kensington, sampling the bitter and 

passing his customary verdict: "Nice, nice." 

Allen, now a fit and fighting fiftyeight, 

is here on his second tour as a 

"single". -Before the '64 visit, he came 

over with Kid Ory's band in '59. 

As usual, he sounds delighted to be in 

Britain. And this time he looks forward 

with keen pleasure to meeting such old 

friends as Pops Foster, Jimmy Archey 

and Alvin Alcorn. "Of course I've known 

George Foster and his brother since they 

were longshoremen in New Orleans. I 

left home with Foster the first time in 

1927. We. went to meet King Oliver in 

St. Louis. I didn't like it away from. 

home too well at first, so I came back 

and left again in '29." 

At most of his jobs these days Red works 

with a quartet. When he's completed his 

British tour, he takes one into the 

Theatrical Restaurant in Cleveland. 

"Quartets are pretty good for travelling 

use; " he explains. "You have your 

regular rhythm section, and you can play 

along with them without offending 

anyone. Then they're good for financial 

reasons. 

"Clubs won't pay for bigger bands - 

if they could cut you down to a single 

they'd be happy. Musically, a couple 

more horns would help. You know, 

someone like Buster Bailey - we,

understand each other - would make it 

more of a band. 

"But you have to study the financial 

side. When I was coming up, it didn't 

matter; I didn't mind if I didn't get paid. 

When I began in New Orleans, I didn't 

think it would ever be my living. To 

my way of thinking, If I was a millionaire 

I'd still be playing. 

"And I guess I would at that. I can 

see the point of people like Louis who 

want to go on playing. My father, 

Henry Allen Snr, used to play a few 

parades right up until a little bit before 

he passed, in 1952, at the age of 

seventyfive. 

"Of course, 'I was in my dad's band 

from eight years old, ever since I was 

old enough to march, and I used to 

pass the music out on parades. We 

used to carry the parts in little sacks, 

and I had those on my shoulder. 

"In those days, bands kept the names 

of the tunes they played secret, and 

my father cut the titles off all the 

music and numbered it instead. 

It is always tempting, in conversation 

with a New Orleans jazzman of Allen's 

experience, to try and add fragments 

- 151 - 

of information to the legends of 

Crescent City history. Recently, I 

talked to Pops Foster about Buddy 

Bolden, and now I was interested to 

see what Red knew of him. 

"Well, I never heard him, of course. 

He blew his top just before I was born, 

according to my dad. I knew about 

him, though, because he'd played with 

my father's brass band. 

"And I met him once - at the Louisiana- 

State Hospital where he was detained. I 

wanted to go and see him, and I went 

after I'd been In New York a while. I left 

New Orleans for the second time in '29, 

so I guess it was between 1930 and 1931. 

"I went into a, kind of yard where 

there were a lot of people talking or 

walking about, and asked someone for 

Charles Bolden. They said he was over 

there and I went up and spoke to him. 

"Aside from Bolden, I heard most of 

the old bands like Jack Carey. And I 

had a chance to play with a great many 

of them. "I was considered to have a 

keen ear and flexible 

mind, and I kept up 

with what was happening. 

Great trumpet 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

players like Guy Kelly and Kid Rena, 

they didn't need me to play, but they 

used to add me to the band sometimes 

because I knew what was popular on 

records, and they weren't interested in 

it. They played the way they played. 

But I' listened to everyone." 

Another temptation for interviewers 

is to find out which musician, past or 

present, is held in highest esteem by 

the man being interviewed. I put the 

"greatest ever" question to Allen. 

"I never think in terms of great players," 

he said after a while. I have different 

feelings for different players. 

Some guys can play an awful lot, and 

other play less but are friends of mine, 

which evens things up. 

"But I must say that when he's in 

shape, a guy like J.C.Higginbotham is 

a rough man to beat. Higgy, in his 

form, he's a most flexible player. He 

had everything; power, excitement, 

flexibility." 

=================================================================================== 

"BIRMINGHAM NEWS ROUND-UP" by 

Les Page in Jazz Times April-66: 

2/12,Birmingham session ... Lucky WLJS to 

get "Red" Allen as President. (Will U.S.A. 

imitate!). After the gala night at Midland 

Jazz Club with the Alex Welsh band, fiery, 

dynamic, swinging "Red"Allen remains, 

"My 

------------------------------------------------------man." 

… 

Red back next February 

US trumpeter-bandleader Henry Red 

Allen was present with a scroll commemorating 

his many years' service to jazz 

when he played his final date of the 66 

tour at London's 100 Club on Sunday. 

The scroll was presented by the West London 

Jazz Society. With it, Allen accepted the 

society's Honorary Presidency. 

Before he left London for New York on 

Monday, 'Allen' told the MM: "It as 

certainly been a fine tour for me. and I 

enjoyed working with Alex and the boys. In 

fact, everything was real wonderful." 

The Davison Agency reports that Red wlll 

return next February to make a similar tour. 

Melody Maker 3/12/66 MSG-1964 , Focus J une-64: Lennie Hastings-Ronnie Mathewson-Red-Fred Hunt-Al Gay 

=====================================================================================

- 152 - 

1966, UK BBC-bc Red Allen speech to records; (shortened music examples from 20 min. to 11:30) 

01 0:43 1935 Body And Soul by Red Allen in 1935; RA-CD-41/illustrated on RA-DVD-2 

02 2:38 Red Allen about New Orleans 1966 and the early days with his father; 1930: Panama RA-CD-41/ --- / 

03 2:56 about the Street Parades in New Orleans; unknown item by N.O.Revival Band RA-CD-41/ --- / 

04 3:12 about Fate Marable; then Jelly Roll Morton in N.Y.C.; J.R.Morton p-solo-piece RA-CD-41/ --- / 

05 1:51 about Eddie Condon & mixed bands; unknown Chicago band piece; close RA-CD-41/ --- / 

1966-UK unfortunately the long taped Red Allen-Autography in speech with Albert Mc Carthy is lost after McCarthy´s death; only 

the first part about his years in New Orleans 1906-29 was issued in Jazz Montly (look Red Allen bio-disco-part 1a) 

HENRY ALLEN – Discographical points in conversation with Alun Morgan-Feb.66, in Jazz Monthly 11/66 

detailed additions and correction by Red Allen of discographical points - reprinted in the RED ALLEN DISCO pVIII 

************************************* 

mid.March-66, NYC., for a longer engagement, Jimmy-Ryan's return of Red Allen, Red Allen has joined the house band – Red 

Allen, Max Kaminsky(t) Marshall Brown(tb) Tony Parenti(cl) Cliff Jackson, Don Frye (p) Zutty Singleton(d), 

(DownBeat 5/5/66 & Jack Bradley in Bul.h.c.f.-May-66) 

3/? /66, Sun., NYC., Shore Cafe, Brooklyn, Red Allen, Roy Eldridge, Ray Nance were among the guest-stars of Sunday Jamsessions 

(Down Beat, 4/17/66) 

March or April – engagement in Cleveland, theatrical Restaurant; (see above article) 

“… When he's completed his British tour, he takes one (quartet) into the Theatrical Restaurant in Cleveland.” 

Richard B. Allen Notes, dated April 18 1966: Richard B.Allen took Whitney and Nancy Balliet over to meet Professor 

Manetta with the thought that Manetta could show them many of the old buildings to Whitney. Whitney was especially 

interested in the Red Light District. We arrived at approximately 2.15 PM and had a long talk with Manetta about Red 

Allen, Emmett Hardy, Wingy Manone and, many other people and things. Freddy Kohlman, who was visiting New Orleans 

from Chicago came by to give a record to his old teacher, Manual Manetta. 

On the previous day, Manuel Manetta had discussed Emmett Hardy at length with, Dill Jones (A pianist from Wales, then 

resident in the USA), describing how he wrote out a variation on "Panama" for Emmett Hardy. This part was overheard by 

Red Allen and at Allen's request, Manetta wrote out the part for him. To Dill Jones he also gave more details ..... 

prob.5/15/66 Sun., Hunter College – Jazz Jamboree – Andy Kirk All Stars and others incl. J.C.Higginbotham 

NYAN-5/14/66p21: … Trombonist J.C.Higginbotham marked his ??? birthday on Wedenesday, 5/11. Higgy along with Joe 

Thomas, Eddy Barefield, Sonny Greer, Don Frye, Bill Pemberton and others appear with the Andy Kirk's All Stars at Jazz 

Jamboree at Hunter College on Sunday. 

… Henry “Red” Allen has his new Caddy, plus a hit Columbia record, “Feeling Good” … 

NYAN-7/1/66p20: … Vet trumpeter Red Allen is profiled in the current New Yorker; 

(see page 143 review from 6/25/66 about Monterey 1965 & on page-10 of the bio-disco-part-1a, “Such Sweet Thunder” 7/8/66) 

7/4/66 Mo. afternoon, NPT-Festival - "TUMPET WORKSHOP”- several bcs & TVs: telerec. by WGBH-TV Boston “NPT-Festival” 

NET-TV; repeated on 8/7/67 Chic.WITW-TV 10:30 p.m; also:”NPT-J.Fest.” WJAR-TV 1966-Outlet Broadc.Co., Providence, R.I.; 

all below sides are on VoA-13('66) or MUSA-4292B at Library of Congress number 196632p+1X, shelf number RGA 0105—0106 

(RWD 6105 A1. 6106 A1—B1); tape from Michael Steinman many years ago 

( ) sides and order on tape/non-commercial RA-CD-13a from broadcast on NET as "Jazz from Newport" Billy Taylor MC, 

part-1: Bag's Groove -feat.Kenny Dorham,Thad Jones, Howard McGhee(t) 

My One and Only Love -feat.Kenny Dorham 

I Can't Get Started -feat.Thad Jones 

I Remember April -feat.Howard McGhee 

Wee Dot -feat.Kenny Dorham, Thad Jones, Howard McGhee 

part-2: Red Allen (t,v) Clark Terrry (fl-h) Ruby Braff (c) George Wein (p) & ) Gene Taylor(b) 

in change: Vince Schaeffer or Billy Kay or Mike de Loise(d) (video/DVD wanted) 

(1) 2:15 words about Terry, Braff, Allen, to George Wein(p) 

(1) 6:25 LOVER COME BACK TO ME (S.Romberg) also on RA-CD-13 

-ens-Braff-Allen-Terry-Allen in ens-ens-Braff-Allen-Terry-Allen in ens- 

(2) 0:41 talk about Allen & Higginbotham at the Ken club, & Balliett's Allen review 

(2) 2:51 SUMMERTIME (Gershwin) -feat.Allen acc.by rhythm RA-CD-13 

private 4:35 ALL OF ME (Simon-Park) -feat.v&t Allen w.rhythm RA-CD-13 

Our Love Is Here to Stay -Ruby Braff(c) Ross Tompkins(p) Gene Taylor(b) Mike Deluse(dm) Teddi King(v) 

Keeping Out Of Mischief -same as above 

(3) 0:14+4:00 The Days Of Wine & Roses -Clark Terry (flgn, pocket trumpet) and Billy Taylor(p) replace Braff and Tompkins 

Rhythm-a-ning -same as above 

part-3: 'S Wonderful -Dizzy Gillespie & Bobby Hackett for Terry; Gig.DelJazz(I)GJ30/Europa Jazz(I) EJ1024 

On Green Dolphin Street -feat.Hackett 

I Got It Back & That Ain´t Good -feat.Hackett 

(4) 2:18 Struttin'With Some Barbecue -feat.Hackett(c) & Gillespie (start was cut) 

(5) 1:37+4:10 Siboney -feat.Dizzy Gillespie & Kenny Burrell(g) acc. by rhythm as above 

What´s New -feat.the same & Sid Shaefer(d) 

(6) 0:24+13:49 Disorder At The Border -JAM SESSION: Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Dorham, Thad Jones, Howard McGhee(t) 

Bobby Hackett, Ruby Braff(c), Clark Terry, Jimmy Owens(fl-h) Billy Taylor (p) Kenny Burrell (g) Gene Taylor(b) Vince Schaeffer (d) 

part-4: nightly guitar-workshop: (following sides were part of the above 

(7) 7:15 C.C.Rider -feat. Ronnie Cuber (ts) George Beson (g) Lannie Smith (org) B.Kay (d) RA-CD-51a 

(8) 2:20 Michelle -feat. Charlie Byrd (g) RA-CD-51a 

(9) 3:50 Nuages -feat.-Charlie Byrd (g) RA-CD-51a 

Who is able to help to find a video-tape from this WGBH-TV production or WJAR-TV 1966 Outlet Broadcast Co. ???

- 153 - 

NEWPORT 1966 JAZZ FESTIVAL - "Trumpet Workshop by.Dan Morgenstern in Down Beat 8/11/66. 

MONDAY AFTERNOON'S trumpet 

workshop-was one of the high points of 

the festival. It began with a trio of 

compatible stylists from what has been 

called the modern school: Kenny Dorham, 

Thad Jones, and Howard McGhee. 

They played together on Bags' Groove, 

Dorham warm and melodic, Jones 

brighter and more abstract, McGhee 

bold, brassy, and less complex. 

For their solo stints, Dorham and Jones 

chose ballads. My One and Only Love 

was movingly played by Dorham, who 

has of late become a master of lyrical 

melodic exposition and improvisation. 

Jones' I Can't Get Started, first chorus 

slow, second double-time, and then back 

to slow for the final eight bars, was the 

kind of performance one would love to 

hear again, topped off with a perfect 

coda. Jones has his own way. 

McGhee elected to play an up-tempo 1 

Remember April, which was an unwise 

decision. Its unexpectedness jarred the 

mood that had been established, and his 

playing, though competent, failed to prove 

that there had been any point to his action. 

The next three trumpeters were less 

directly related: Red Allen, Ruby Braff, 

and Clark Terry are three individualists 

of varied backgrounds. Nonetheless, their 

one joint effort, a moderate Lover, Come 

Back to Me, was a good example of 

musical togetherness. 

Contrasts in style were further emphasized 

by the fact that Allen played 

trumpet, Braff cornet, and Terry 

pocket trumpet. In the solos, Allen was 

stately and grave, Braff (with bucket 

mute) tender and romantic, getting off 

some startling, saxo-phone-like runs 

and making beauti-ful use of his full 

lower register, and Terry (again with 

plunger) joyous and declaniatory. 

Allen offered a measured 

Summertime, with fine sound and 

characteristic phrases, and a 

medium-tempo All of Me, on which 

he sang captivatingingly. 

The afternoon continued in a vocal 

groove, with singer Teddi King, backed 

by Braff in a telling demonstration, of 

the trumpet's potential as an accompanying 

instrument. Miss King sang 

pleasantly and with good time, doing 

the rarely heard verse to Keeping Out 

of Mischief. Braff's solo on this Fats 

Wafler tune was delectable. 

Terry did his two-horn bit on The 

Days of Wine and Roses, alternating 

four-bar phrases on fluegelhom and 

Harmon-muted trumpet. It's a cute 

turn, but Terry was more substantial 

on Lover. 

The juxtaposition of Bobby Hackett 

and Dizzy Gillespie, which followed, 

was one of those things that happen 

only at festivals. Despite the marked 

dissimilarity in rhythmic accents and 

phrasing, the two great trumpeters complemented 

each other perfectly, perhaps 

because both are masters of using 

chord changes as a basis for improvi- 

sation. Playing 

together on 'S 

Wonderful, the 

two made delightful, 

relaxed 

music and obviouslyappreciated 

each other's 

work. 

As his feature, 

Hackett did On 

Green Dolphin 

Street, I Got It 

Bad, and a joyful 

Struttin' with 

Some Barbecue, 

which Hackett 

dedicated to 

Louis Armstrong 

on his birthday. 

Gillespie returned,accompanied 

only by 

guitarist Kenny 

Burrell. With 

Harmon mute, 

he essayed a 

remarkably 

r e l a x e d a n d 

delicate Siboney. Though there was no 

tempo as such, the trumpeter's every 

note was loaded with swing. Joined 

by drummer Sid Shaeffer, Gillespie 

and Burrell improvised a moving, 

soaring What's New?, with a fine solo 

spot for the guitarist. 

Next it was jam session time, and, 

with Billy Taylor at the piano, Gillespie 

was joined by all the participating 

trumpeters except Allen, and a 

new face, that of fluegelhornist 

Jimmy Owens. After brief 

deliberation, the eight horns burst 

into Disorder at the Border, a 

vintage Gillespie opus, at racehorse 

tempo. 

The performance shone with 

fraternal spirit. Terry, Dorham, and 

Braff led off. Owens brought on the first 

climax with a rousing solo, followed by a 

fiery McGhee and a perfectly poised 

Hackett. And then it was time for the 

champ. Gillespie, egged on by spontaneous 

riffs, constructed a series of phenomenal 

choruses, swinging, leaping, and getting off 

some runs that seemed to defy the laws of 

gravity and human breath, control. It was a 

performance that brought a standing ovation 

and afterwards back-stage, hugs, kisses, and 

compliments from all the other players. 

NYAN-6/25/66p22

- 154 - 

NPT-TRUMPET WORKSHOP: Billy Taylor (p) Jimmy Owens, Clark Terry, Bobby Hackett, Gene Taylor (b) Kenny 

Dorham, Dizzy Gillespie, Howard McGhee, Ruby Braff, Kenny Burrell (g) 

prob.in J.J.-Aug-66: photo: J. Wallace, captions by Eliza.McFadden: … Red Allen, Ruby Braff and Clark Terry together and 

singly. … Red Allen, Terry, Hackett and Gillespie distinguished themselves in their different ways. 

OVER 54,000 ATTEND NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL PC:7/16/66p13: 

NPT, R.I.-When the Newport Jazz Festival 

ended after four days of jazz, jazz, jazz, 

the records revealed that over 54,000 jazz 

buffs attended the fete, equaling if not 

surpassing 1959's high mark. 

It took place during the hottest season of 

the year with the temperature soaring well 

over a hundred degrees. 

This was the first time in the 13 year history 

of the big festival that it didn't rain and 

there were no riots to mar the affair. 

Jazz about every big name in jazz circles 

performed with big bands of Duke Elling- 

ton, Count Basie and Woody Herman 

setting the pace. 

On the opening night when 10,000 fans 

jammed the new festival stadium, Nina 

Simone won a standing ovation for her 

rendition of the blues. 

Ella Fitzgerald joined Duke Ellington to 

create some of the same magic that was 

done on their Verve recording of “Ella at 

Duke's Place.” 

The Count brought his one time vocalist, 

Jimmy Rushing to sing with the Basie 

Band while another ex-Basie vocalist, Joe 

DUKE, BASIE, ELLA, etc., DRAP TOP NEWPORT CROWD BAA-7/16/66p11: 

NPT., R.I. - A record - breaking crowd of 

60,000 music lovers responded to the 1966 

Newport Jazz Festival here last week-end. 

Promoter George Wein put his 13th annual 

show in a new $200,000 auditorium and was 

well rewarded for his effort. 

BY BOOKING jazzdom's three top bands 

- Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Woody 

Herman - plus Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams, 

Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane 

and dozens of other leading jazz artists. 

Wein obviously wanted to give his new 

festival site a good sendoff. 

This week, Wein will present his first 

opera festival, featuring the Metropolitan 

Opera company. 

And his real money-maker, the Newport 

Folk Festival, is scheduled for July 21-24. 

Barbara Streisand will appear for a onenighter 

July 30. 

Each year, the fans seem to be less and 

less “far out.” The beer – swinging funny – 

hatted crew was all but missing this year 

and local police, ready for action were 

relegated largely to controlling traffic. 

Production was superb. 

THE WEATHER, hot and sunny, was 

made to order for the outdoor jazz session. 

They ranged from a super session Sunday 

night featuring Ella Fitzgerald singing 

magnificiently with Ellington, to Sunday 

morning jazz-oriented church services, to a 

Williams also thrilled fans as did Tony 

Bennett who teamed up with Woody 

Herman. 

Dizzy Gillespie, Red Allen, Clark 

Terry, Ruby Braff, Miles Davis and 

Bobby Hackett were just a few of the 

great trumpeters heard. 

Howard McGhee and his 16-piece band, 

Billy Taylor and you name the jazz artists 

who performed. 

All in all, it was a great festival. George 

Wein was the producer. 

healthy quotient of avantgarde jazz 

Saturday afternoon. HORACE SILVER'S 

appearance made the Saturday afternoon 

session understandable. 

John Coltrane, venturing more and more 

into the musical unknown, did get some 

interesting sounds out of his soprano sax 

on “My favorite Things.” And the Bill 

Dixon Quartet played only for itself. 

JOE WILLIAMS took the honors of the 

Saturday night concert, but Nina Simone 

was close behind. 

Teddy Wilson, Wein's inspiration on 

piano, kicked off the Sunday night session 

after a Dutch group of modern jazzmen 

warmed up the audience. 

JAZZ 'SPECTACULAR' SET MONDAY ON WTTW-TV (a repetition from telerecord-WGBH-TV) CD-8/5/67(!)p24 

Some of the world's leading jazz music 

Gillespie, Bobby Hackett and Jimmy 

Owens, and guitarists Charlie Byrd, 

George Benson, and Kenny Burrell will 

get together for an hour of spon-taneous 

music making when WTTW channel 

11presents “Jazz From Newport,” 1966 on 

Monday, Aug.7, at 10:30 p.m. 

The program consists of highlights 

from the Guitar and Trumpet workshops 

at the Newport Jazz Festival held in July 

last year. Other participants include Clark 

Terry, Ruby Braff, Thad Jones, Kenny 

Dorham, Howard McGhee, and the late 

Henry”Red”Allen on trumpet. George 

Wein, Billy Taylor andRuss Tompkins 

on piano; Vince Schaeffer, Billy Kaye 

and Mike de Loise on drums; and Gene 

Taylor on bass. 

Host Billy Taylor talks with the musicians 

about their styles and contributions 

to jazz music and introduces their numbers 

which include “St.LouisWoman” 

with Red Allen. “Days of Wine and 

Roses” with Clark Terry, “C.C.Rider” 

with George Benson's quintet, “Michelle” 

and “Nuage” with Charlie Byrd, and 

“Siboney” with Dizzy Gillespie and 

Kenny Burrell. The program ends with a 

“big bash” featuring all the trumpeters 

in “All Out Blues.” 

“Jazz From Newport,” 1966 was 

produced by WGBH-TV, Boston, for 

distribution on National Educational 

Television.

- 155 - 

7/31/66 Su., New Orleans, Bourbon Street , Dixieland Hall, Red Allen(t,v) & GEORGE FINOLA AND THE CHOSEN FEW: 

George Finola (c) Buddy Walton (guest-t) Wendall Eugene (tb) Raymond Burke (cl,tb) Freddie Neumann (p) Danny Barker 

(6string-bj) and Eugene Jones(d) 8/1/66 Dixieland Hall- WYES-TV – “RedAllen” ; early August several other concerts 

R.B.Allen notes: The management and crowd were most enthusiastic about the presence of Red Allen. Allen was featured on 

several numbers. The band played a variety of standard tunes with Allen taking occasional vocals. 

WDYMINO - JAZZ TIMES 3-9/ Sept.66: Henry Red Allen, trumpet man of fame and Honorary President of the British Jazz 

Society is in town on vacation, and has played many times at Preservation Hall. The most memorable perhaps was his first 

session with George Finola's Band with …Eugene Jones is the son of Chester Jones and usually plays with Clarence 'Frogman' 

Henry's rock n' roll band. 

New Orleans States Item 7/29/66 - Thomas Griffin notes: ..Trumpeter Henry”red”Allen (a contemporary of Louis Armstrong) 

checked in from Gotham; he'll sit in at Dixieland Hall for a Sunday matinee; too bad the time will conflict with Sharkey and 

His Kings of Dixieland (including Chink Martin, Sr. and Jr.) who'll be “jamming” at the Royal Orleans on the Jazz Club's 

summer series. … 

Louisiana weekly 8/13/66: The man who plays the supreme high note trumpet, Henry”Red”Allen, was in town last week and 

we missed him. He hails from the west bank of the river. He came in to takecare of some business and headed right back to 

the New York scene. … 

Down Beat 9/22/66: Red-Allen in town last month for a visit with his relations here, ... 

Coda Oct./Nov.66: Aug.66-New Orleans - Another visitor in Aug.was Red Allen who makes an annual trek to visit his 

mother in Algiers. 

8/1/66 New Orleans, DIXIELAND Hall "Working Press" program on WYES-TV 

Red Allen is a guest on the program. 

The panel consists of Bill Madden as 

m.c., Danny Barker, guitarist and assistant 

director of the New Orleans Jazz 

Museum, Richard B.Allen of Tulane 

University Jazz Archive, and cornet 

player George Finola. Finola had 

played with Red Allen at Dixieland Hall 

on the previous night. ' 

The program opens with a recent Red 

Allen LP on Columbia playing "Sweet 

Substitute". 

Red Allen was visiting New Orleans. 

Danny Barker greeted Henry Red Allen 

warmly, and complimented him. Danny 

Barker said that Red Allen visits New 

Orleans every year. Red Allen remarked 

that he was happy and has enjoyed 

seeing his friends and family. Richard 

Allen asked Red Allen about the best 

cornettists of yore. Red can't name the 

best. Some of the less good trumpet 

players were friends of his, so that 

evened things up (means what?). He 

remembers Chris Kelly, Kid Rena, 

Emest 'Punch' Miller, who gave Red a 

few lessons. And Peter Bocage, (Kid) 

Shots (Madison), Louis Armstrong and 

King Oliver. Henry Allen Sr. had all 

these in his band. From the time he was 

eight years old, Red knew these men in 

the band. He mentioned Kid Howard. 

Danny Barker adds Buddy Petit and Kid 

Rena (the latter named above). Red 

heard Emmett Hardy advertising on 

trucks. Richard Allen asked Finola about 

Professor Manuel Manetta, a teacher of 

music. Manetta had told Richard Allen 

that Emmett Hardy and Red Allen took 

lessons from him at the same time, (i.e. 

consecutive-ly.) Emmett Hardy played 

with George Brunis, the trombonist. 

There were six Brunies brothers: George, 

Abbie, Henry, Richard, Merritt and Rudy, 

and all of them were musical. Red Allen 

lived at 414 Newton Street, Algiers. The 

Brunies family lived across the street. 

One of Red's fondly remembered experiences 

was his trip to Europe. His first 

trip.there was with Kid Ory, booked by 

Norman Granz. He had worked with Kid 

Ory in King Oliver's band. In Fatty 

George's Club in Vienna, he saw a 

picture of his father, though his father 

had never been out of the United States. 

He heard Jack Carey , Jack Sims, (Joe) 

Howard, tp; Papa Celestin (On a JAZZ- 

MEN photo of his father's band?) Allen's 

brass band,was.not the.Paciflc. (Cf. 

Eddie Garland (?), April 20, 1971). The 

Pacific Brass Band had Buddy Johnson 

and Yank Johnson, Harrison Barnes, tb 

(who were Algieriens.) 

Red Allen got an offer from King Oliver 

to join his band. Red went from New 

Orleans to St. Louis, then to New York 

City. He met Luis Russell in New 

Orleans, but only got to know him when 

he went to New York. He did not go to 

Chicago, contrary to many people's 

impressions. After a long stay in New 

York, he returned to New Orleans, 

playing at the Pelican, which was then 

on Rampart Street. Red then joined Fate 

Marable,on the steamer Capitol. 

Red Allen received offers from both 

(Duke) Ellington..and Luis Russell. He 

accepted that of Luis Russell. (Loren?) 

Watson of Victor gave him a chance to 

record. He used Luis Russell's band, 

including (J. C.) Higginbotham and 

CharlieHolmes. He had dates with Luis 

Russell. Then, Louis Armstrong was 

featured with the band. (i.e. the band was 

under Louis Armstrong's name (twice?). 

Red was also featured with Luis 

Russell's band, and also featured with 

recordings by Jelly Roll Morton. Red 

was the house man with the Victor 

recording company. He didn't know Jelly 

Roll Morton in New Orleans. Red was 

on Jelly's last recording date in New 

York City. (Not so according to Rust. 

Jelly made a further recording as guest 

pianist with the NBC Chamber Music 

Society of Lower Basin Street.) Red was 

also on some recordings with Louis 

Armstrong and Luis Russell's band. He 

played some short solos on some of 

Louis Armstrong's records. 

Fletcher Henderson's band included 

Red Allen, Coleman Hawkins, John 

Kirby and Buster Bailey. They played 

numbers like "Nagasaki", "Talk of the 

Town". Red sang on "Nagasaki". Danny 

Barker said that Fletcher Henderson had 

the best band (in the country) at that 

period. Red thought that Louis Russell's 

band was the most fiery. 

On arrangements: there were more 

soloists with Luis Russell's band, such as 

J.C.Higginbotham and Albert Nicholas . 

Luis Russell played one chorus 

(written?) and then "head rhythm (head 

arrangements?). Fletcher Henderson 

used many head arrangements; he wrote 

many arrangements and had a larger band. 

Luis Russell was, from Panama, but 

spent most of his life in the USA. His 

band was a young one and included 

J.C.Higginbotham and Charlie Holmes. 

Its rhythm section was one of the finest, 

Red Allen thought. Paul Barbarin, the 

drummer, helped Red to join King 

Oliver's band. Paul Barbarin, Bill 

Johnson and Pops Foster, who was one 

of the first swing bassists around New 

York City, made up the Russell rhythm 

section. Simon (Marrero), Wellman 

Braud (added by Danny Barker) and Al 

Morgan, were in New York City. Braud 

was with Ellington's band. Danny Barker 

said these men caused the tuba men to 

take up the bass fiddle. (Danny Barker 

says?) They slapped the bass. On the 

change in New Orleans jazz: Red liked 

the music at the Dixieland Hall. George 

(Finola) was keeping up with the trend 

of what New Orleans jazz is noted for. 

Red had not heard many bands during 

this visit. Some are trying out other 

things. Red said "To each his own." This 

is not new to Red; he has probably tried 

everything. New Orleans audiences have 

always taken the music for granted, but 

always have loved it. There are more 

outstanding names from New Orleans 

than a any-where else. In Europe, they 

really go for New Orleans jazz. Red 

likes Alex Welsh's band. He played with 

Alex Welsh's and Humphrey Lyttelton's 

and other bands. "Melody Maker" is an 

older publication than "Down Beat". 

"Melody Maker" had an all-star band 

(poll?) before there was one here. European 

musicians are now developing their 

own style. They copied records well. 

Fate Marable's band was great. His men 

came from all over. They had to read 

music, so it was different from a (typical) 

New Orleans band. Fate Marable was not 

a jazz man, but he was a great musician. 

He always had at least two New Orleansians 

in his band. Red Allen could read 

before joining Marable, but he then 

found he had to study further. His father 

brought him up to read . One of the chief 

reasons he studied with Manuel Manetta 

was to learn to read. He was acquainted 

with marches and playing in various 

keys. He speeded up the phonograph as 

he played along with it, forcing him to 

play in different keys. Fate Marable was 

advanced, and used unorthodox keys

.Red Allen recorded with Sidney Bechet. 

Bechet played in Red's father's band, and 

they both played together. Red played 

bass drum with the Excelsior and Eureka 

(brass) bands. Red was also considered to 

be outstanding on the ukulele. According 

to Danny Baker, Red, as a teenager, was 

one of the best bass drummers in his 

father's band. George Finola asked about 

outstanding New York trumpet players 

when Red first arrived there (with the 

exception of Louis Armstrong and Red 

himself). Red named Bobby Stark, Rex 

Stewart, Louis Metcalf, Cootie Williams. 

Melvin (probably Melvin Herbert), Joe 

Smith and Jabbo Smith. Cutting contests 

were discussed. Red Nichols was around. 

Danny Barker said that Bix is George 

Finola's favorite. George Finola 

mentioned a New Yorker article on Red 

Allen. In Red Allen's opinion, Rex 

Stewart once cut Bix. He knew them 

equally well. Red says he was not nervous 

- 156 - 

at cutting contests since he had fans. 

Besides, he always had enough for a 

ticket back home.. 

Clint Bolton (then a Dixieland Hall 

employee), George Finola and Danny 

Barker made Red feel at home, so Red 

played this time. Before, Red felt that he 

and his father were neglected. He was 

born in New Orleans, actually in Algiers. 

He is not actually thinking of returning 

permanently to New Orleans. He played 

with Benny Goodman's band, along with 

various sidemen including Fletcher 

Henderson, Teddy Wilson and Charlie 

Christian. He recorded with the vocalist 

Lena Horne, when he was playing in 

Artie Shaw's band. 

Red Allen has played in many different 

styles. He plans to play in and around 

New York City. In February he will go to 

England as a single and he will probably 

play with Alex Welsh's English band. 

Danny Barker spoke about Guy Kelly 

and Red Allen, and how they used to 

have good battles of the bands. Red had 

battles against the Kid Thomas band in 

Algiers. They are good friends. Red saw 

Kid Sheik Cola and Captain John Handy 

in England. Red and George Lewis had a 

band together when George Lewis lived 

across the lake (Lake Pontchartrain). 

Red and John Casimir also had a band 

together. The Young Tuxedo Brass Band 

was John Casimir's. 

They spoke about styles and the ability 

to fit in. Red played with a Chicago style 

band before he went to Chicago for the 

first time in 1933. On influences on 

Red's style: he liked Buddy Petit, Kid 

Rena, Punch Miller, Louis Armstrong 

and all trumpet players. 

Bill Madden thanked Red Allen and the 

others taking part in the program. 

The program ended by playing Red's 

"Sweet Substitute" 

9/6/66, Orange, Connecticut - Traditional Jazz Club - Zutty Singleton - J.C. Higginbotham All Stars: Bill Barnes (t) J.C. 

Higginbotham (tb) Noel Kaletsky (reeds) Bill Sinclair (p) John Toumine (b) Dave Duquette (bj) ZuttySingleton (d) 

7:36 Sweet Georgia Brown Connecticut Traditional Jazz Club SLP5/JCH-CD-11 

7:57 St. Louis Blues --- /JCH-CD-11 

9/19-24/66, Boston outside - Lennie's - Red Allen with Herb Gardner(tb) Sammy Price(p) Coda Oct./Nov.66 

“What Do They Want?”-Sammy Price Autobio-1989p70: (cont.from p137 to the Aug.65 Blue Spruce Inn rec.session): 

“… So we made “Feeling Good”… And that was the last 

time I played with Red, August 1965. …Then a strange 

thing happened. a few months later (!?) he called me and 

said, “ You know what? You're losing one of your best 

friends.” I didn't know what the hell he was talking about. 

But he had cancer. And I said, “Well, so what?” And this is the 

way I used to talk to him. “So I'm losing one of my best 

friends? If you're talking about yourself, you're not my best 

friend.” Although he was. Shortly after he died , in 1967, I 

decided I'd had it in music, so then I got out again.” 

early Oct. 66, Unity Funeral Chapel; funeral services for Lucky Millinder; with Red Allen & J.C.Higginbotham 

Storyville-8(Jan.-67)p2 – Doug Dobell: While in New 

York Doug attended the funeral of Lucky Millinder, held 

at the Unity Funeral Chapel. There were dozens of show 

business and musical personalities there including J.C.Higginbotham, 

Red Allen, Pops Foster, Eddie Barefield, 

Noble Sissle and Lem Jackson to mention only a few. 

Lucky died on 5th October. In the news-paper cutting I 

was shown of this event. Doug is in the forefront of a 

photo taken at the funeral, he feels that this is unique , 

and since very few English jazz fans are likely to have 

been at a function of this kind, it probably is. 

New York had a lot to offer musically, but briefly, they 

were entertained by Red Allen, who owns the largest 

bottle of scotch in captivity – and through Victoria 

Spivey he was able to find many interesting spots and in 

one Louis Metcalfe was to be heard playing with Sonny 

White on piano, plus rhythm section. 

Oct.66, a Friday night jazz policy was initiated at Mike & 

Dave's Restaurant in downtown Brooklyn with Henry Red 

Allen, clarinettist Joe Muranyi, pianist Don Coates 

and drummer Sonny Greer as the first incubents; 

(Down Beat 11/17/78) 

Oct. 66, one week again, Boston - Lennie's-on-the- 

Turnpike, Red Allen played one week (DB-11/17/78) 

10/late/66 Cambridge, Mass., Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) - “THE COLLEGE CONCERT OF” PEE WEE RUSSELL 

(cl) & RED ALLEN (t,v) Steve Kuhn (p) Charlie Haden (b) Marty Morell (d) – Whitney Balliett – 

5:52 BLUE MONK (T.Monk) Impulse AS-9137/Jasmine JAS-78/RA-CD-20 

6:15 I WANT A LITTLE GIRL (M..Mencher-Be.Moll) --- / --- /RA-CD-20 

4:17 BODY AND SOUL -vRA (J.Green-E.Heyman-R.Sour) --- / --- /RA-CD-20 

4:08 Pee Wee's Blues (P.W.Russell) without RedA Allen --- / --- /RA-CD-20a 

4:04 2° EAST, 3° WEST (John Lewis) --- / --- /RA-CD-20 

6:57 GRADUATION BLUES -vRA (P.W.Russell) --- / --- /RA-CD-20

George Hoefer-Associate Editor, JAZZ & POP, cover-notes 

on IMP.-9137: Many jazz concerts have been recorded 

for posterity since the first in-person jam session -Jazz at 

the Philharmonic, Volume One- was reproduced on wax 

and released by Norman Granz in 1944. A good many of 

these live performances when played-back sound just as 

the listener would expect them to because artists in public 

presentations usually offer their best-known and most 

popular works. This Impulse album, recorded at a concert 

held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 

Cambridge in late October 1966, is not a run-of-the-mill 

production. There are several significant factors that set 

it apart from the ordinary. 

One of the most important facets of this particular recorded 

concert is the basic concept. The music hereon was 

used to illustrate a lecture on jazz given by the prominent 

and well-known jazz critic for the New Yorker, 

Whitney Balliett. In choosing the participating musicians, 

it was decided to feature two of the most endurable jazz 

giants, whose careers almost span the history of the music 

itself. To form a rhythm section for the two great improvisers-the 

late trumpeter Henry Allen and clarinetist Pee 

Wee Russell - three outstanding young jazzmen were 

selected. These players, pianist Kuhn, bassist Haden, and 

drummer Morell, are of the Sixties and each one has 

performed an integral part on some of the most musically 

advanced jazz records being produced today. 

On the surface this plan for the dual purpose of an 

illustrative concert and a projected record release would 

appear to be rather risky; but, both Mr. Balliett and record 

producer Bob Thiele possess an experienced insight into 

the creative potential of Mr. Allen and Mr. Russell. As 

listening to this set will bear out, their confidence was 

not misplaced. Here we have two veterans finding fresh 

inspiration evolved by a stimulating rhythmic framework 

that somehow prevents them from failing into any of their 

time-worn clichés. Instead, they are challenged, and as a 

result the listener is treated to fresh ideas from two of 

jazz music's masters. 

A few years ago Don Ellis, a prominent trumpeter and 

band-leader of the modern jazz school, wrote an illuminating 

evaluation of Red Allen's work. His premise was 

that Allen was basically an avantgarde horn man. Ellis 

was not alone in this judgment; throughout the past 20 

years there have been periodic articles by critics and 

musicians pointing out that Allen was not receiving his 

due credit as an artist. Being a New Orleans trumpeter, 

born in Algiers, Louisiana, Henry Allen travelled 

through the jazz world in the shadow of Louis Armstrong 

-even playing in Armstrong's big band for several years. 

On this concert performance, improvising in a modern 

context, trumpeter Allen bears out the fact he had 

considerably more to offer than a driving Dixieland 

style, pure showmanship, and an ability to reproduce 

effectively a popular melodic line. 

Allen is heard to good advantage on all the tracks 

except Pee Wee's Blues, which is, of course, Russell's 

superb specially. Red's featured track in this collection is a 

marvellously up-dated version of Body and Soul As on 

most of these tracks, there is an introduction by the. pianist, 

accompanied by drummer Morell's firm cymbal beat. On 

- 157 - 

his long trumpet solo, using a beautifully toned open-horn (as he 

does throughout the concert), Allen builds tension as the tempo 

subtly increases. His phrases are interesting and the performance is 

flavored with his inherent swing as he returns to the familiar melody. 

Alternating with his two horn solos, Allen performs two vocal 

interludes that vividly illustrate the old saw that musicians sing in a 

manner simulating their instrumental style. To those who are 

accustomed to Red's "whamp-whamps" and other showmanship 

vocal phrases, his singing on Body and Soul is somewhat of a 

revelation. It makes the listener wonder why his vocal talent was not 

exploited to more advantage through the years. 

This album had added significance due to the fact it was recorded 

only a few months before Allen's death on April 17, 1967 at the age 

of 60. The trumpeter, who played the riverboats with Fats Marable 

and Fats Pichon, worked long periods with the great pioneer jazz 

bands of King Oliver and Fletcher Henderson, and led his own 

sextet for almost 20 years, once said, "When I pass is when I retire I 

love to play; that horn is good for me." Amen-and this record legacy 

is good for jazz. 

Whenever Charles Ellsworth Russell plays these days-concerts, 

records, festivals, etc. he renders Pee Wee's Blues. Although the 

tune is a published number, he never plays it the same way twice 

and it has become a musical interlude wherein the great clarinetist 

mines the ideas he has stored-up during more than 30 years of jazz- 

playing. On his latest recordings Russell has show-cased a more 

musical approach to his improvisations and his former usage of surpri-

sing excursions into the tonal extremities of 

the clarinet has been replaced by sensitive 

building phrases, subtle trills, and a more 

relaxed rendering of his ideas. These recent 

developments are well-illustrated here. 

The remaining four numbers on this album 

highlight another important factor that 

makes this a worthwhile addition to jazz 

record libraries. This is the way in which 

Allen and Russell work together as a duo in 

musical inter-play. They have occasionally 

played on the same stage in jam session 

style, but there has never been, before this 

concert, a similar situation where they were 

called upon to complement each other's 

performance as a unit. 

On the old composition, I Want A Little 

Girl c. 1929, Allen plays the melodic line 

as Russell weaves in and out around the 

lead. Their ensemble sound as they play 

along together is noteworthy. Both players 

delve into hot phrasing that is subtle rather 

than frantic. The rendition is well-enhanced 

by a light piano solo that is suggestive of 

barrel-house style. This is accompanied by 

a deep-toned bass and the ever-present, but 

not overbearing drum work. 

The Pee Wee Russell original, Graduation 

Blues, is played with Allen offering a 

strong lead horn and also getting into short 

conversational bits with Russell. The 

trumpeter again sings, using traditional 

blues lyrics, and afterwards sending off Pee 

Wee with a characteristic "carry, carry on." 

On this track two of the rhythm trio 

perform beautiful solos that are highlights 

of the concert. Pianist Kuhn plays a 

fascinating solo in the blues idiom. He is 

followed by a thoughtful and beautifully 

toned bass solo by Charlie Haden. 

Those listeners to this album who recall 

seeing the Newport Jazz Festival movie, 

Jazz On A Summer's Day, will remember 

the haunting quality of sound produced by 

Thelonious Monk and His Quartet as they 

played pianist Monk's own composition, 

Blue Monk. The sound, so effective in the 

movie as a background for showing the 

sailboats on the water, is faithfully reproduced 

by concert group. Everyone contributes; 

with drummer Morell's playing on the 

cymbals offering inspiration to Russell, 

whose solo garners a good audience 

reaction. 

The most recent jazz composition included 

in the collection is 20 East, 30 West by John 

Lewis, the pianist-leader of the Modern 

Jazz Quartet. Again the group performs as 

though they were a regularly organized 

unit. Allen produces notes that are intricate 

- 158 - 

and well played. And especially notable 

counter-point is contributed by the 

clarinet during Allen's opening chorus. 

In the final analysis, this reproduced 

concert record serves to prove that jazz 

is a constantly growing and developing 

art form; but, it also vividly points out 

that it is worthwhile to keep in mind the 

jazz talents of the older stars and what 

they can contribute to the contemporary 

scene. 

Eddie Lambert in Jazz Monthly.8/68: 

It is rather surprising to find so 

knowledgeable a jazz writer as the late 

George Hoefer suggesting, as he does 

on the sleeve here, that there has never 

before been a situation where Allen and 

Russell have been "Called upon to 

complement each other's performance as 

a unit". Like so many other people 

George seamed to have forgotten those 

fine Rhythmakers session of 1932, 

whereon these two musicians offer 

some of the keenest and most coheisve 

two part ensembles on record. The 

casual ensemble passages on this album 

are pleasant enough but little more than 

'off the cuff' framework for the solos. 

The idea of the session seems to be 

prove that musicians of an older school 

can successfully take part in a concert 

using a modern jazz format and a 

modern rhythm section. The point is 

proved but the question remains as to 

whether it was worth proving in the first 

place. At best the rhythm section andthe 

horns maintain an uneasy alliance, 

and while compositions by Thelonious 

Monk and John Lewis may be an 

improvement on tired dixieland warhorses, 

they are far from ideal as 

Russell / Allen vehicles. 

This rhythm section tends to convince 

me further in my minority (or one, I 

think) view that jazz rhythm sections 

have deteriorated rather than improved. 

Charlie Haden gives a stunning display 

of bass playing and the drumming has 

drive and great discretion in keeping the 

balance within the section. They provide 

a sort of rhythmic continuum which is 

quite useless for musicians of Allen's 

and Russell's rhythmic approach. The 

way in which such a section leaves the 

soloist in isolation is perhaps best seen 

in the climaxes of Pee Wee's solos, when 

his increased volume simply sounds perverse, 

eccentric. Like so many modern 

rhythm sections this one is supremely 

efficient, but so far as either swing or 

band playing is concerned these 

musicians are thoroughly outpaced on 

this month's releases by the ill recorded 

veterans of Kid Ory's band (Voc.LAE- 

605). Not only does this section play in 

an academic fashion rhythmically, but 

the choice of chords on the part of the 

pianist is wayward in relation to the 

soloist. Haden has two brilliantly inconsequential 

solos, Kuhn a series of rather 

bodyless ones. This planist's use of 

blues devices on Graduation Blues 

has the sound of the academy in every 

note and I doubt if I have ever heard a 

poorer blues performance; by comparasion, 

an Art Hodes or a Mezz Mezzrow 

sound positive jazz masters. 

In such a context neither of the hornmen 

are at their best. Pee Wee 

frequently makes an unlikely context 

the setting for a fine performance, and 

his work here is good without reaching 

the heights of his best playing. 

Henry"Red" Allen, whose last recording 

this was, sounds ill at ease. The grunts, 

encouragements and chuckles which 

were characteristic happy Allen 

performance are almost wholly absent. 

His two vocals are strained and 

unrelaxed, but he gets in some 

trenchant trumpet choruses from time 

to time, notably in the blues numbers. 

A Pee Wee Russell-Henry Allen 

album could have been something very 

special, but attempting to prove a theory 

has rendered the result a jumble of 

fairly good playing which never really 

gets anywhere. Henry Allen's final 

session finds him playing in a curiously 

restric-ed manner; possibly this may be 

due to his health, or may be it is the 

result of a giant paring down his style 

to fit in with midget music. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Michael Shera about Imp.STPL-509, in Jazz Journal 9-68: 

Henry Red Allen and Pee Wee Russell have recorded 

together before, but only once since the Rhythmakers sessions 

of 1932. That was for the 'Seven Lively Arts' TV Show, in 

December, 1957. The concert under review takes on a further 

significance since it is ,probably Henry Allen's last record. 

Perhaps the most obvious aspect of the record is that the coleaders 

are playing with a modern rhythm section, and two of 

the tunes are not of the kind that Henry, at least, has been used 

to. Pee Wee Russell, on the other hand, has used a 

considerable amount of modern tunes on his recent records, 

and even once played with the composer of Blue Monk. The 

rhythm section plays very sympathetically, and there are no 

problems on that account, but Blue Monk, the opening tune, 

finds the horns sounding distinctly uncomfortable. Both are 

past masters of the unexpected, and their styles are better set 

off by tunes that are reasonably straight-forward. Things 

improve considerably with Little Girl, where Pee Wee 

weaves an oblique counterpoint to Red's lead. On Body And 

Soul, Allen delivers one of his superb vocals that makes the 

old standard sound like a completely new tune, and Pee Wee's 

Blues demonstrates that today, Pee Wee knows no master as 

a blues clarinet player. The other modern tune, John Lewis' 

Two Degrees East Three Degrees West, presents much less of 

a problem than Blue Monk, with excellent counterpoint by 

Russell to Allen's lead. The programme closes with a Pee Wee 

Russell original, Graduation Blues, with Allen contributing a 

further example of his good blues singing, and Russell playing 

another fine solo. Perhaps Allen's blues vocal style is a 

spiritual father of Clerk Terry's mumbling. In addition to apt 

accompaniment Steve Kuhn and Charlie Haden contribute 

stimulating solo work. A worthy memorial then, to Red Allen, 

and further testimony of Pee Wee's continuing greatness. 

Fortunately, the whole proceedings were also extremely well 

recorded, though I suppose that is almost inevitable with Bob 

Thiele in charge.

- 159- 

Jack Hutton in New Jazz Records in MELODY MAKER, 8/24/68 Page 12 - Subtle, soft jazz from two masters 

THE COLLEGE CONCERT (1966) - A LIVE concert 

made about six months before the sad death of Red Allen. Red 

doesn't sound at his very best. but his thick gutsy tone is 

beautiful throughout the record and his singing is poignant. 

The album at first hearing doesn't sound all that relaxed, but 

repeated plays uncover the subtleties of all the musicians and 

especially those of Pee Wee. Some of his meanderings seem 

to defy all laws of musical logic, other little passages seem the 

definite work of a grand master. His customary "Pee Wee's 

Blues " is delicate and sensitive - a little gem of a performance. 

Jazz writer Whitney Balliett arranged the concert and his 

idea of using a " modern " rhythm section turned out well. 

True there are some awkward gaps but the constant feeding by 

pianist Kuhn brings pleasant results. He is a thoughtful, 

forceful and melodic player. This is subtle, soft jazz and it 

needs an easy atmosphere to listen to it. Pee Wee and Red 

consolidate their positions as two of the most individual 

improvisors in the history of the music. — J.H. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

late Nov./early Dec.66, unknown location in Connecticut; “REUNION”-RED ALLEN (t) CAPTAIN JOHN HANDY (as) 

guest artists with BILL BISSONNETTE (tb) & HIS BAND: poss. Clive Wilson (t) Sammy Rimmington (cl) Bill Sinclair 

(p) Dick Griffith (bj) Dick McCarthy (b) Arthur Pulver (d) 

Jazz Times Vol.4 No.1, Jan.67: “CAPTAIN” JOHN HANDY has recently returned 

from New York where he made his first recording session for Victor 11/15-11/18 … 

He spent a weekend in Connecticut where he played two gigs with Sam 

Rimmington's band with guest stars H.Goodwin & Jimmy Archey from New York. 

He also worked one gig with BILL BISSONNETTE with guest star 

HENRY”RED”ALLEN on trumpet. 

Nov.&Dec.66, Friday nights at Mike & Dave's Restaurant, Brooklyn - Red Allen & 

Sonny Greer; (Down Beat-12/1&12/5/66 

Dec.66, N.Y.C. Five Spots - WHITNEY BALLIETT's PARTY on his published 

"SUCH SWEET THUNDER": Buddy Tate Band: Tate (ts) George Wein (p) 

Tommy Potter (b) Ruby Braff (c) Jo Jones(d) and then Buddy Rich for Jones and 

“the trumpet-player Henry (Red) Allen also mounted the stand for several numbers 

and singing and jamming …” (Down Beat 1/12/67) 

prob.Dec.66, Washington-Betty club, Red Allen followed singer Merge Dodson (Down Beat 1/12/67) 

l. to r.: “Higgy” – Ken Lowenstine – Dan Mavens – Bud Freeman – Bob Rix – Jimmy Weathers (Jazz Journal 4-70) 

12/10/66 Atlanta, Ga., telerec. for WAGA-TV - "HIGGGY COMES HOME" - J.C.HIGGINBOTHAM(tb) BUD 

FREEMAN (ts) Dan Havens (t) Jimmy Weathers (p) Bob Rix (b) Ken Lowenstine (d) any TV-clip wanted 

intro: In A Mellow Mood uniss.on LP /WAGA-30 min.telerec./wanted 

Confessin' --- / --- /wanted 

Rosetta --- / --- /wanted 

Dinah Cable KL-126601/ --- /JCH-CD-11 

St. James Infirmary --- / /JCH-CD-11 

Back Home In Indiana --- / /JCH-CD-11 

Blue Jay --- / /JCH-CD-11 

Sweet Georgia Brown --- / /JCH-CD-11 

Bye 'N' Bye --- / /JCH-CD-11 

Way Down Yonder In New Orleans --- / /JCH-CD-11 

Jingle Bells --- / /JCH-CD-11

- 160 - 

HIGGY COMES HOME by Dan Havens in Jazz Journal 4-70pp2-5 

Maybe it began in the summer of 1944. Chicago, the 

Loop, and Red Allen's Sextet. Six nights a week they 

beat it out in the Down Beat Room in the basement of the 

old Garrick Building. On the few of those nights a 

freckled, chubby kid of thirteen sat with his parents and 

cousin, his eyes smarting from tobacco smoke, cars 

unaware of the chink of change and click of ice-clubs. I 

was spellbound by the slide horn of a slender, brown, 

soft-spoken Negro called Higgy. Or maybe it began even 

earlier. During the forties J.C. Higginbotham had won 

first place as hot as hot trombonist in the annual jazz 

polls for four years running. Long before I ever heard 

him in person I'd memorized his solos on big band 

recordings like One O'Clock Jump and Bugle Call Rag 

by the Metronome All Stars. By the time he recorded 

those, his work with Louis Armstrong's band on dozens 

of Decca sides during the late thirties was already legend, 

and I could whistle most of his choruses by heart. 

But in the Downbeat Room I first heard live, gutty jazz in 

person. Listening to my father's collection of 78's since I 

was eight had taught me good jazz from bad, but it hadn't 

prepared me for the aliveness, the 'realness' of jazz in 

person. Hearing Higgy and Red, soaring on top of a 

chugging rhythm section, was an initiation into ecstasy. 

That first night I stepped into a world of music I have 

never really left. 

One morning last November my cousin Ken Lowentine 

called me from Atlanta. He'd looked up Higgy in New 

York during the summer and he said the old man was 

down and out in Harlem. Ken had taken him to Eddie 

Condon's and J.C. had made Yank Lawson, Cutty 

Cutshall and the Condon Mob sit up and listen for two 

sets. But Higgy was pretty well relegated to the jazz 

histories and nobody hired him much except for an 

occasional one-night saloon gig. The steady job at the 

Metropole had been gone for several years, and what was 

a trombone player going to do if all he knew was how to 

play his horn? 

Ken told me he wanted to do something for Higgy, to 

bring him back home to Atlanta for a recording. Maybe if 

he came back to his hometown to cut an album, to start 

all over again, maybe if some people heard it and the 

critics liked it, things might go better for him. Nice and 

sentimental, I said, but where's the money coming from? 

Who's going to put out the album? It was nice but crazy. 

Nice and crazy. Ken agreed. But some jazz fans in 

Atlanta were fired up about the idea arid had come up 

with the backing already. Paul Hemphill had mentioned 

it in his column for the Atlanta Journal, and the response 

in just one week had been heartwarming. Jzz fans were 

phoning daily, wanting to help in some way. So Atlanta 

was ready, Ken said. Was I? 

Play on an album with J.C.Higginbotham! My stomach 

knotted so hard I could barely mumble a yes. But are you 

sure you want me? Hell, I haven't worked with a band in 

more than a year except to sit in some. Ken said he 

thought I could handle it - he'd never heard me try 

anything I couldn't play. 

The phone calls came often those next few weeks. How 

were the charts coming? Well, I'd have to know some of 

Higgy's keys. But who was set for clarinet? Maybe Ed 

Hall, maybe Buster Bailey. Nothing definite yet. Then 

one day Ken called to say that Bud Freeman was going to 

do the album with us. 

The date was finally set for Saturday, December 10th. 

Ken wanted an in-person sound, so Rod Kinder was 

going to set up his recording studio like a cafe, with food 

and drinks. Some ninety jazz fans had been invited to 

watch the session. And something else had come up. Paul 

Shields, news director of WAGA-TV, had gotten caught 

up in the thing, and wanted to film a thirty-minute 

documentary in colour. Hemphill had done some more 

column on it in the Journal, and in general there was a 

good feeling in Atlanta over the coming session. It looked 

like it really would be a homecoming for Higgy. 

II 

Dear Old Southland. I left St. Louis in 25-degree weather, 

spitting sleet. I'd checked my suitcase, but I was uneasy 

about letting go of the horn with those arrangements, so I 

carried the case on the aeroplane and shoved it under my seat. 

Just over an hour later we touched down at Atlanta and I 

stepped off the jet, horn case under my arm. I hadn't expected 

the mild mid-sixties weather and the soft rain. It felt like 

spring. Ken was there to meet me and asked how I was. I 

said, fire, but with my mouth puckered, and I told him I'd had 

all my teeth pulled the day before. I said I could still whistle 

like hell. Ken said to can the funny stuff - we had to drive 

downtown to the motel to pick up Higgy and Bud. Higgy 

was taping the interview portion of the TV docu-mentary 

that night. 

After we got my bag and found the car Ken said things were 

all right for the session. I told him he looked good after seven 

years, only maybe a little thinner on top, and Ken said the 

same, only maybe I wasn't any thinner below. I laughed and 

asked him if he were going to play drums on the date and he 

said he was. As Ken threaded in and out of traffic heading 

downtown on the South Expressway I remembered when we 

had last played together. It was at my wedding reception, and 

he laughed when I said Ellie was still mad at me for that. I 

didn't dance much after the first waltz. 

It was raining harder when we turned off Peachtree Street 

into the driveway of the Atlanta Cabanna Motel. On one side 

of the sign out front it said 'Welcome Higgy and Bud,' and on 

the other, 'Welcome Bud and Higgy.' Ken said that -was real 

integrations equal time. After he parked we ran up the steps 

to shelter and then walked down to Higgy's door. 

When we stepped in I looked at Higgy for the first time in 

fifteen years. He looked old and hunched, although hardly 

greying, standing in his undershorts and slippers, one shoulder 

cocked higher than the other from a lifetime of cradling his 

trombone up there. His legs were so skinny they made his 

knees seem knobby. I'd forgotten about his protruding eyes, 

the one looking off to one side a little. But his voice had the 

soft, nasal warmth I remembered, and his smile was the same. 

It always made me think of a schoolboy thanking his favourite 

teacher. The room was messy, and the bed was littered with 

the Atlanta papers and a tray of food, half eaten. Higgy said 

the sleak was too big for him and he'd wrapped up the remains 

in a napkin for later when he'd watch Tv. He likes to watch 

old movies. 

Higginbotham said he remembered me; but I could tell he 

didn't. He was as warm as ever, and he even got my name 

right after Ken told him a few times. It was silly - I wanted 

him to remember me from before, but I knew he wouldn't. I 

didn't feel hurt or anything. I felt sorry for the old man, 

standing there in his shorts and slippers and looking tired. 

And then I felt bad feeling sorry for someone like Higgy who 

was so good, who had initiated me. After a fast hello Ken 

asked him to hurry up and get dressed for the interview, and 

then we went next door to meet Bud Freeman. 

Bud's room looked as if the maid had just cleaned it – everything 

neat, nothing unhung, no dirty ashtrays. It suited Bud, 

who was watching the 'Nutcracker Suite' on television. He 

was soft-spoken, suave, and polite as he greeted us .and shook 

hands. He asked me how I was, and I said, 'Fine'. But I saw 

the Oh-God-an-amateur look break the composure of his face 

for just an instant, and I was embarrassed. I couldn't blame 

him. In the car Ken had told me that a lot of Atlanta people 

kept asking him who was playing trumpet on the album and 

when he explained it was his cousin, a college professor, 

well, you know how it was. Bud had that look. 

After we sat down, Ken and I on the chairs, and Bud erect 

and poised on the edge of the bed, Bud asked Ken if he 

enjoyed the ballet. Ken said, 'Not really'. 'Well', Bud said, 

gesturing urbanely with a manicured hand, 'My wife was in 

ballet, you know. Oh? She's a child therapist now, you know?'

Oh, Bud thought the ballet was excellent. After all, there 

was so much . . . Well, you know . . . crap on television 

these days that the 'Nutcracker Suite' was refreshing. Was 

'crap' a good word for Friday night, Professor? I told him 

it was. Ken said it was a good Sunday morning word too. 

Then Ken said he didn't mean he disliked ballet. Only it 

didn't excite him much. Bud sat erect and smiling on the 

edge of the bed. The polite smile, the London tailormades, 

the urbane gestures as he spoke - they were all 

Bud Freeman. I decided he looked more like an 

investment broker than a tenor man. I liked him. 

Then Higgy knocked and walked into the room. Hi Bud. 

Man. Ken, this' jus' wunnerful, jus' wunnerful. Bes' thing 

ever happen t'me in my whole life, Ken. Ken I lov' ya, 

man. An' you, Bud - well, you know, man. An' you too, 

ah ... Ken said, Dan. Yeah, you too, ah, Dan. Les' all 

have a drink, huh Ken? But Ken said we had to gustle 

over for the TV interview, so we put on our coats and 

hurried out to the car in the rain. We headed for Ken's 

place to drop off Bud and me, and on the way we smoked 

and talked. All of us but Bud, who doesn't smoke. But he 

talks. He reads a lot and likes to talk about ideas. 

We were all thinking about the session the next day and 

the talk was mostly about jazz. Higgy got to reminiscing 

about some cats he thought were great, and the rest of us 

laughed because we had forgotten most of them. Higgy 

said that Hilton Jefferson was maybe the best alto man 

he'd ever heard – just as good as Hodges or Carter. Then 

Bud said Coleman Hawkins swung much more after 

Louis came along and taught everybody that marvellous 

gutbucket sound. Technique or even ideas weren't much. 

Bud said, unless you had that gutbucket sound. The best 

cats all had it. Higgy said, Amen, and fumbled for 

another cigarette. 

It went on like that for awhile, Ken dodging traffic and 

squinting through the rainy windshield, and all of us 

talking. When we got to Ken's, Marilyn and their three 

boys, John, Richard, and Chris, rushed out to greet me 

and ask a million questions all at once, fighting to carry 

my horn case in. Was my horn a new one? How could it 

fit in that little case? Could they blow it? Did I like jet 

planes? Could they blow it? Did I like jet planes? Was I 

really their cousin? I looked so much older, old enough 

to be their Daddy. It was wonderful, those fine boys, and 

I felt relaxed for the first time all day. Ken and Higgy left 

almost immediately for the interview and Marilyn got out 

some ice cream for Bud and the boys. Chocolate mocha 

something. I begged for a big bourbon, but loves ice 

cream, and soon he was playing penny ante poker with 

John and Richard - he provided all the money for the 

table. But lost $2.75 to the boys, and he grinned when 

they whooped and counted up their money. 

After Marilyn marched the boys off to bed the three of us 

talked about music. Well, really Bud talked about. music, 

and how it was from the heart, any kind, and how it was 

love. He said a musician would always play for another 

musician. 

It was probably close to 11 pm when Ken and Higgy 

returned from the interview. Higgy was wearing a 

cardigan sweater the studio had lent him to make him 

seem more casual - he'd liked it so much Paul Shields had 

given it to him. And he had his schoolboy smile and a 

warm hello for us. As soon as Higgy and Ken sat down 

with us, Bud started in on Zen Buddhism, about how 

beautiful it was. You can learn a lot from the East. If you 

were always humble you never lost pride. He liked that. 

The trouble with the world today was that people didn't 

laugh enough. Music could give them love and laughter, 

didn't we agree? Life is too short to go around worrying, 

isn't it? He said it earnestly and I knew he meant it. But I 

also thought it was ironic. I mean, Bud sitting there in his 

English tailor-mades, and no more night clubs to play, 

only London, Europe, the Newport Festival, and record 

dates. But he meant it. I knew he had come down to this 

- 161 - 

session for less than half his usual recording fee as a gesture 

of affection for Higgy. That was Bud. Music was love. 

I kept waiting for an opening to bring out my nine arrangements, 

and when I saw it would never come the way Bud was 

going, I brought them out anyway. Bud scanned them 

quickly, and I saw that look again. But Higgy looked over his 

parts slowly, singing the phrases in a toneless hum. Once 

when I tried to whistle a passage for him he gave me an 

angry look, so I kept quiet after that. When he was finished 

he looked up with that schoolboy smile and said, "They jus' 

fine, man. You worked hard on these - an' two specials jus' 

for me. Wunnerful. And then Higgy asked for one more short 

one before he went back to the motel. He said he'd warm up 

his chops on the charts in the morning. It was still pouring 

when we got back to Ken's, and there was Marilyn at the 

front door. Ken told her Paul Shields had been thinking of 

dropping the documentary because Higgy had seemed 

nervous during the interview. But we convinced him that the 

real film was in the session itself - the goofs, the good tunes, 

all the interplay in the band. So he said he was going ahead 

with it. 

Marilyn said she was glad for Higgy's sake. She was afraid 

the old man would be hurt if they cancelled the film. Yes, 

Ken said, we've been so busy worrying about the preliminaries 

we've kind of forgotten the reason we're doing it all, It's Higgy. 

I said he seemed in good spirits, only maybe tired-looking. 

Then we got to reminiscing about J.C. in his prime, with Red 

Allen at the Downbeat Room in Chicago, and how he could 

always make that last set, no matter how much whiskey he'd 

had, as long as he could prop his back against the wall, next 

to Alvin Burroughs, the drummer. He'd play towards the 

floor, eyes closed. But he'd play – and at any tempo, loud and 

clean. He was one hell of a trombonist. And so we talked on, 

mostly about Higgy, but also about our mortgages, and about 

baloney, sandwiches and being poor. 

III 

In the morning I woke up to the sound of Chris blowing my 

Reynolds. Cousin Dan, do you like bacon with your eggs? 

Sure, but stick a mute in that horn, boy. When Ken got up we 

sat down to eat, and the coffee was hot and the boys talked a 

lot and it was fine around the breakfast table. After-wards we 

hurried downtown to the caterer's to pick up the food, and I 

was thinking I hadn't even practised the horn. We were too 

late to pick up Bud and Higgy, they'd have to catch a cab to 

the session. Ken swore at traffic all the way to Kin-Tel 

Studios, and I kept worrying about no practice, and balancing 

a big tray of cheeses and shared ham on my knees. But we got 

there with nothing spilled. 

It was a big room with all the windows boarded up and baffled 

for acoustics, maybe 125 feet long and 50 wide. And Rod 

Kinder, who owned the studio, had really gotten a cafe effect 

with his checkered tablecloths and candles. There were some 

twenty tables set up, and even though there weren't many 

guests yet, the room was filling up with talk and laughter and 

tobacco smoke. Just right for a session, I thought. Near the 

entrance, beside the engineering booth, were the bar, tended 

by a Negro named William, and the buffet table. Down at the 

far end was the bandstand, and all I could see were 

microphon'es-mikes, mikes, and more mikes. I felt my 

stomach knot up, the way it had when Ken first asked me to 

play the session. This was it, no more preliminaries. 

Those mikes. There were only six, one per instrument, but 

with all the wires and TV cables and lights and cameras, it 

looked like an electronic jungle. We would have to stand 

pointing a little to the left of the audience, toward the piano. 

But once we started we just naturally pointed out toward the 

audience, so they shifted the horn mikes in front of us and 

forgot all about the acoustical wall. 

Pretty soon Higgy and Bud arrived. As soon as the audience 

saw them they applauded. Bud responded by smiling politely 

and nodding his head, but Higgy made as weeping bow. Then, 

wearing his schoolboy smile he walked slowly up to the stand, 

stopping at every table to shake hands and say hello. The 

two of them began to unpack their horns. Bud looked as

impeccably cool as always, and said hello with his usual 

politeness, but he still gave me that look. He wanted us to 

tune up together, so we did. He didn't bother to ask 

Higgy. I'd been running through some of the tunes with 

Jimmie Weathers, the pianist. 

'Higgy Comes Home' – In A Mellow Tone, Take One, and 

we kicked it off at 12:30 pm. We ran it all the way 

through, with solos, and Bud liked it, so he told the 

engineer we'd do it once more for keeps. It went off fine. 

Bud was wonderful. He sure had that gutbucket sound. 

Higgy was strong, and played to his audience, slipping 

around easily and humorously on his chorus. I played 

some growly muted stuff behind the sax and bone stuff 

on the first chorus, and all the solos in the middle 

swung,. Listening to the playback I decided right off I'd 

stay in the middle register and get my effects with a mute 

or from volume contrast and pauses. Nothing fancy for 

this boy from Edwardsville. Just play it clean and right in 

the middle. I was in tough company. And I knew it. But 

my first was good. I'd be all right. 

IV 

We sort of tacitly agreed we'd play maybe three or four 

tunes per set, and then break for a smoke or a drink. 

Higgy wore the same light-coloured sharkskin suit he'd 

worn the night before, and he kept his jacket on all 

afternoon. At first he was pulling and sweating hard. He 

kept wanting to break after two tunes, but Keith kept on 

him, telling him we had to get through. Even though 

nobody said it out loud, we were all scared he might have 

a heart attack, because in the car the night before, he'd 

told us about keeling over from one on a gig at Princeton 

with Jimmie McPartland. So we were all thinking about 

that. But J.C.Higginbotham is a professional all the way. 

He knew he had a job to do and he knew he would do it, 

even if we didn't. I think he enjoyed our nervousness over 

him. Bud would ask, Can we do one more, Jay? And 

Higgy would flash that schoolboy smile and say, If you 

say so, Bud. My Man. 

The first three or four sets went unevenly - half the session 

in time. The TV people wanted Higgy to do his old hits 

like Dear Old Southland, Georgia, 0n My Mind, and 

Pennies From Heaven. Southland is a very special 

number for J.C. Like anyone else, he learned it from the 

beautiful recording by Louis and Buck Washington. But 

it's a tough number because he takes it in a high key, and 

has to make it both sweet and hot. Well, he wasn't really 

up to it because he hadn't been playing for so long. But he 

did it for the documentary and for his fans. And a funny 

thing happened during the take. 

When the TV cameras started rolling, Higgy brought in 

the rhythm section with his usual Whaamp, whaamp, 

waving his horn like a baton. The audience loved his 

clowning. Everybody was doing fine until Higgy got to 

the minor passage, which Jimmie Weathers didn't know. 

Jimmie was so intense just following Higgy in the major 

part he never heard Higgy make the change. And I guess 

Higgy was minding his own high-note business so hard 

he didn't notice. It sounded awful and I was embarrassed, 

so I jumped up from off-camera and yelled, Hold it, hold 

it! Then I walked over to the piano and showed Jimmie 

and Bob Rix, the bassist, the minor change. What I didn't 

know was that Higgy didn't understand what I was doing. 

He'd been blowing with his eyes shut, and suddenly, just 

as he was reaching for a high one, his accompaniment 

quit, and there I was, my back to him, hunched over the 

piano. He got mad and made as if to hand me his horn, 

and said, 'Let him play the damn number if he wants to 

change the arrangement !' Well, Weathers and Rix 

quickly picked up the minor change, and as soon as I got 

off-camera they did the number again, this time without 

trouble. 

When Your're Smiling went well, with Higgy sounding 

like he did twenty years ago on the shuffle rhythm 

- 162 - 

chorus. And then we did Confessin', Saint James 

Infirmary,_and Pennies From Heaven pretty much as J. C. 

had done them hundreds of times before. On Confessin' Ken 

played on through Higgy's solo break. Later he told me he 

knew Higgy's arrangement as well as he knew the Lord's 

Prayer. But he was sleeping. Higgy got mad and stopped the 

number. And that was funny. He didn't know whether or not 

he could get mad at Ken, so he just scowled at the bass drum 

and said, OPen break, man, OPen break. I looked at Bud and 

Bud studied his fingernails with a half-smile. Most of these 

old favourites were for the documentary and for Higgy's fans 

in the audience. They weren't for the record. Higgy must 

have known that, must have felt bad inside about the 

mediocre tunes. But he never let it show. And Bud was a 

rock. 

V 

Playing in front TV cameras was confusing. Those bright, 

hot lights were everywhere. The engineer in the control 

booth would remind me not to start before the red light went 

on, but with the TV lights on.us I couldn't see past the end of 

my horn. Once I asked him where it was, just before a take. 

He snapped at me to just watch the light, man, just watch the 

light. I knew he thought I was being smart, and I must have 

looked mad because Higgy touched my arm and said, 'Cool 

it, man, jus' pretend. See? Cool it'. So from then on I 

pretended I knew where it was and waited a little after he 

gave us the take signal before I tapped us into the tune. After 

the session was all over and as I was packing up my horn I 

discovered a red light near the drums, behind where I stood. I 

showed it to Higgy, and he shook his head and said. 'Ain't it 

the way? They usually don't hide red lights ! C'mon, man, les' 

have a drink on that crazy light'. 

When they started filming the documentary they turned on 

all those lights and Paul Shields began reading the opening 

spot from the idiot box. 'Ladies and Gentlemen, you see 

before you one of the legendary figures in jazz - J. C. Higginbotham 

- and like that. One time the lights blew out, and that 

stopped the number. Another, they had to stop to reload the 

cameras. Once or twice we got our head arrangements mixed 

up and had to stop the number to talk it through. During the 

solos I stood there and tried to look happy. I wondered if we 

were supposed to jump around and snap our fingers and say, 

Yeah, yeah man, like the jazz musicians in movies. Once 

they stopped us and told me. Get that damned can of Busch 

off the sound box behind you. I did. But nobody ever said 

anything about the Coke bottle next to it. Higgy grinned, 

leaned toward me, and whispered, Wonder if they gonna say 

somethin' 'bout my Chesterfiel's nex'? 

At 3.30, about halfway through the session, the TV cameras 

had use up all their film, so we settled down to some serious 

recording. I suggested another of my arrangements but Bud 

felt we should go one with head stuff, and Higgy said. 'Aw, 

man, you ain't gonna make me read NOW?' I knew Bud was 

right, since we hadn't rehearsed any of the charts. I thought 

then that I ought to be mad, all the work I'd put in, but I just 

wanted to blow. With the lights and cameras gone, with the 

hokey stuff out of the way, we were all relaxed and ready to 

go - I think for the first time. And all good mainstream jazz. 

Sometimes we'd have to show Jimmie Weathers the bridge or 

something, but he'd touch a couple of chords and have it 

right off. 

We felt best about the last set. By the time we listened to the 

playback of it most of the audience had gone. Rod Kinder 

needled me about what he dubbed The Magnificant Fluff of 

the day. On Bye And Bye I had planned a spiralling run to 

open my solo, intending to end up on a high G, but I charged 

into it so hard I landed on A instead - Rod insisted it was on 

the crack between A and B flat. When it happened Ken almost 

fell off his drum-steel, and I pulled my horn away from my 

chops and stared at the bell for a moment. Rod promised he'd 

clip that piece of the tape out and make me a 45 rpm of it. 

Higgy said, 'Boy, you got somethin' for the critics that time!' 

Rod is as crazy as the rest of us. Right after our 1ast number

Bud said, 'Rod, that was sooo good we'd like to hear it 

back now please'. So Rod played it for us and when it got 

to the end Bud requested it again. So Rod backed it up 

and played it again. Those are things you can't get on an 

album when you press it, but they're all a part of it. 

Like Higgy's liquor ration. He'd brought a fresh half-pint 

with him and given it to William at the bar. Ken had 

asked William to make sure Higgy drank that and no 

more, at least until the session was over. But halfway 

through the afternoon the pint was down pretty low, so 

William watered it back up again. Later on he did it once 

more, and when that dilution was down near the bottom 

Higgy asked for a stiff one. 

William poured the rest of it into a glass with an ice cube 

and no water, and Higgy chugged it right down - about 

five fingers' worth. Higgy smacked his lips and told 

William, 'Ya know, man, when you feelin' straight an' 

fine, whisky don't hardly 'effect ya'. William answered, 

'Uh huh' - and kept on wiping glasses. Just before we left 

I noticed Bob Rix winding up cable from his electronic 

bass kind of unsteadily, and I said, It was a pleasure, 

man, you really dug in. All that vodka and cheese fired 

you up. And he said, Yeah, man, it was a real pleasure, 

kind of blurry and slow in his deep voice. He hadn't 

smiled all day, except at the cheese buffet, so I told him 

Ken had said he was a damned good bass man but a 

sourpuss. Rix leaned back and roared out the best laugh 

when I told him, and then suddenly he turned all 

sourpuss again and said, still fumbling with the cable, 

'You know, Dan, I'm a professional and I hate amateurs. 

If there's a phoney in the band, I can bad-eye him into 

silence. Why, man, l've been known to turn some into 

pillars of salt right on a gig'. I 1aughed and he finally got 

his gear picked up. He walked out of the studio with a 

kind of unsteady dignity. He had a society gig with Billy 

Butterfield that night. 

When I left the studio with Ken, Higgy was playing 

Georgia On My Mind, all by himself. There was still one 

table of people listening, and I thought what a nostalgic 

- 163 - 

and sentimental moment it was except that Higgy was tight 

and his chops were tired. The notes were strained and a little 

sharp. Then I realized that tired chops and strained notes 

didn't really matter. When Higgy had to do his stuff, he did 

it, always competently. And at moments on a solo or in the 

ensemble, he did it with a peculiar charm and whimsy - the 

brilliance that no other trombonist has ever imitated. And 

that's professional, and long way from nostalgic or 

sentimental. 

VI 

The next morning we went dowtown to the motel to see 

Higgy and Bud. 

Bud was taking the boys to the professional football game 

after church. I said a fast goodbye to him and stepped next 

door into Higgy's room. He was calling his wife in New 

York, and telling her with tears and laughter all about the 

day before. When Ken came in Higgy insisted that he say 

hello to Margaret, and while Ken was chatting Higgy poured 

me and himself a drink from the half-pint he kept in the 

drawer of the night stand beside his bed. We toasted the 

success of the record and I thanked Higgy for the chance to 

play with him. I don't think he understood, or really remembered 

me even then, so I said that playing with him was 

something I had been thinking about since I first heard him 

in the Downbeat Room. I don't think he heard my words, but 

he heard my tone, and when I was done, and embarrassed, he 

walked over to me in his blue silk bathrobe and slippers, 

threw his right arm about my shoulders and gave me a hug. 

When we left Higgy he was calling his relatives in Social 

Circle Georgia, arranging for a cousin to pick him up and 

take him out there to see his family and friends. It was his 

first time back in almost thirty years and he was very proud 

to be home again. He had told us that they'd seen all the 

newspaper write-ups and some had watched him make a 

personal appearance on a local TV show two days before. 

None of them knew anything about his hard times; they only 

knew Mrs Higginbotham's boy, Jay, was home. and he was a 

famous musician. It was good. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Higgy Goes Home Down Beat 2/9/67p11 

On a drizzly winter Saturday afternoon in Atlanta, Ga., a 

group of jazz musicians came together for a recording session 

with trombonist J.C.Higginbotham. It was a gesture of 

affection for the 60-year-old jazz great, who has been in 

relative obscurity in recent years. 

Tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman came from New York, and 

several dozen guests were invited to the recording studio, 

which had been fixed up like a night club with candle-lit 

tables. Drinks were served. It was a relaxed and amiable 

occasion that also produced some rich musical moments that 

will be preserved on an album to be called Higgy Comes 

Home. 

"What we went in for was a piece of memorabilia," said 

Kenneth B.Lowenstine, the man who put it all together, 

"What we came out with was one hell of an album. 

Lowenstine is a 37-year-old interior designer working in 

Atlanta. He has been a friend and admirer of Higginbotham's 

since he first saw him, playing at the Downbeat Room in 

Chicago in the early 1940s. 

A few months ago, when Lowenstine was in New York City 

on business, he ,looked up old friend Higginbotham, and they 

spent an evening visiting old haunts - Jimmy Ryan's and 

Eddie Condon's, where the trombonist sat in for a few 

numbers, among them. Before the evening was over, 

Higginbotham asked Lowenstine if there might be some work 

for him in Atlanta. 

"That's my home town, you know," the trombonist said. 

Lowenstine had not known that Higginbotham had been born 

in the little Georgia town of Social Circle, had grown up in 

Atlanta, and had attended Morris Brown College there. 

But it gave Lowenstine the idea of a homecoming recording 

session. Rod Kinder of Kin-Tel Studios offered his recor-ding 

studio and crew of technicians. Lowenstine called his cousin, 

Dan Havens, a cornetist who works around St. Louis and 

teaches American literature it Southern Illinois Univer-sity; got 

Bud Freeman; picked, up pianist Jimmy Weathers, who has 

been playing with small groups and as ,a single around 

Atlanta; and hired local bass player Bob Rix. Lowen-stine 

himself played drums. 

The first couple of numbers were taped by station WAGA-TV, 

which was getting footage for a, 30-minute documen-tary, to 

be called Higgy Comes Home. After a little get-acquainted 

noodling, the men kicked off In a Mellow Mood. As the 

session progressed, Higginbotham flashed his old greatness in 

such nostalgia as Confessin', Dinah, and Rosestta. 

When the session broke up, the studio audience rose and 

applauded a smiling Higginbotham, who responded by lifting 

his horn from the table and blowing a few bars of Georgia on 

My Mind and Dear Old Southland. 

After the session, Higginbotham spent a couple of weeks 

with relatives in his home town, where he had not visited since 

1938. Back in New York City, the trombonist said: "The 

reception I got in Atlanta was one of the greatest experiences 

in my musical career. I'll never forget it." 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- 164 - 

PAUL HEMPHILL - Replaying Higgy (cont'd) in The Atlanta Journal and Constitution 11/24/66p14-C: 

Ken Lowenstine did not look as fresh when I leave it won't be there. I'll blow it 

'Higgy Comes Home' 

and alive as he had two weeks earlier. right off the map. He's sitting on go." That, then, is what it will be: "Higgy 

That is easy to understand. Two weeks 

Instant Reaction 

Comes Home," since Jay C.Higginbo- 

before, he had made public his desire to The story on Ken Lowenstine and Jay tham was born and raised in Atlanta and 

do something for his old friend, Jay C. C.Higginbotham began about 25 years 

graduated from Morris Brown College 

Higginbotham. He had found out that 

before striking out on his own. on Dec. 

ago, when Lowenstine was a kid living 

Higgy, one of the great jazz trom-bonists 

10, a Saturday, 75 or 80 select guests 

in Valparaiso, Ind., and Jay C. was one 

20 years ago, was now 60 and living in a 

will gather In a place called Kin-Tel 

of the big names in jazz. Lowenstine Studio in Atlanta. The spotlight will be 

bad part of Harlem and having a tough went to Chicago with his parents one on Higgy, who will play the old stan- 

time of it. Not destitute, but not flouri- night and heard Higgy play trombone dards like he used to. Three of these in 

shing. So Lowenstine, an interior desig- with the Red Allen band, and that was it. the band will be Atlantans, very likely 

ner in Atlanta now, decided he would try Through the years, especially when including Ken Lowenstine on drums. 

to either get Higgy a regular job playing 

Lowenstine fooled around with the The other two will be Lowenstine's 

the horn here or arrange a recording 

drums for a while, they came close. cousin, Dan Havens, a college professor 

session - or both - and the bottom fell out. 

"I forgot how much work there signer 

Then, when he was in New York last 

and jazz buff from Edwardsvill, Ill.; and 

Bud Freeman, an old friend of Higgy 

much longer if this keeps up," he was 

summer, Lowenstine found Higgy's 

who still plays out of New York. 

saying this week. 

telephone number and called him. Higgy Lowenstine was ecstatic this week. 

"How's that?" 

was not doing too well. They caught up "What we'll probably do is just turn on 

"I forgot how much work there is to on each other at Condon's in New York. the tape and let 'em go. Later on we 

something like this," he said. 

Higgy had to borrow cab fare, but he sat could take out what we want. My cousin 

"People started calling, wanting to talk in with the group and he showed he has already written a tune called, 'From 

about Higgy or wanting to help. I had to could still play the horn. 

Higgy with Love.' but we'll stick with 

find a place, a studio. I had to do some- The story came out a little more than tunes called, 'Dear Old Southland' and 

thing about the money offers. Then there's two weeks ago. There was instant reac- 'Confessin' and 'Pennies from Heaven.' Well 

the band, I had to get together an outfit. tion. A lot of people remembered Jay C. press 1,000 albums from the tape and see 

And some arrangements. And now it looks Higginbotham, and some others simply what happens. " 

like we're going to have to form some liked the idea. A recording studio offered "What do you think?" Lowenstine was 

kind of company to keep it straight. And its services. Strangers called Lowenstine asked. 

from what I know about it, the work is to offer everything from financial aid to "Who knows? There ought to be enough 

yet to come." 

moral support. One of the wealthiest jazz buffs around to maybe make some- 

"What does Higgy say?" men in Atlanta said he would kick in thing out of it for Higgy. Maybe it'll at 

"I called him the other night. He's bewil- whatever was needed. The possibility least lead to a job. That's the thing about it. 

dered by it all. Know what he said? He grew that the whole affair. "Higgy All I was thinking about was maybe fin- 

said, 'Take a good look at Atlanta, because Comes Home," would be put on film. ding work for him, now it's grown into this." 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

possibly early Dec.66 (or in Nov.) Washington, DC, Blues Alley jazz club – Red Allen joined Tom Gwaltney (cl,vib) & his wife 

Betty source : John Chilton – “Ride Red Ride” p198 

12/17/66 NYC., NBC-TV "HENRY RED ALLEN - SPEECH AND MUSIC" - HENRY"RED ALLEN (t, v, speech) & 

QUARTET: Sammy Price (p) unknown (b) unknown (d) Nat Hentoff (interviewer) 26 min.tape/video or DVD wanted 

2:00 intro: THERE'S A HOUSE IN HARLEM /cut –speechNH (Arlen-VanHeusen) RA-CD-24 

1:43 MARYLAND, MY MARYLAND (trad) RA-CD-24 

6:12 interview with Red Allen RA-CD-24 

2:57 SWEET SUBSTITUDE -vRA (J.R.Morton) RA-CD-24 

3:38 CHERRY -vRA (Don Redman) RA-CD-24 

7:00 interview with Red Allen, RA-CD-24 

(2:13) HOW LONG BLUES /cut (Carr) RA-CD-24 

note S.Price specialist K.Nowakowsky 5/06: without any error the pianist on HOW LONG BLUES is obviously Sammy Price 

OPERATE ON RED ALLEN BURY “FATS” PICHON IN NEW ORLEANS – NYAN-3/4/67p17 

Henry Red Allen, melodic trumpet 

player, is recuperating in Sydenham 

Hospital where he underwent a major 

operation last week. Allen who lives in 

the Bronx with his wife became ill 

three weeks ago and was rushed to 

room 604 at the hospital. 

Allen, the New Orleans born composer 

and musician, who wrote “Ride 

Red Ride” with the late Lucky Millinder, 

is in good spirits his wife told the 

Amsterdam News. NYAN-1/21/67p20 

Walter“Fats”Pichon, the jazz pianist 

who died Sunday in Chicago, was buried 

Saturday in his native New Orleans. The 

62-year-old pianist and arranger had lost 

his sight two years ago. 

Pichon started his music career at the 

age of 11. As a teenager he played the 

calliope, a combination piano and organ, 

on the pleasure boats between New 

Orleans and St. Paul, with his school 

chum Henry ”Red” Allen. The two 

deserted New Orleans and moved to 

New York. 

Pichon played in several Manhattan 

clubs, including the Metropole, Café 

Society and Carnegie Hall. He also 

played with and arranged for the Lucky 

Millinder band. He later returned to 

New Orleans where he became a 

fixture at the old Absinthe House on 

Bourbon St. in the French quarter. 

Pichon attended the New England 

Conservatory of Music in Boston at the 

urging of the late George Gershwin. 

He is survived by his wife, Marie, a 

son Walter Jr., his mother, Cecilia, a 

sister and several grandchildren.

- 165 - 

17th Feb.-5th March 1967 UK, 17 days cross country tour – 

HENRY "RED" ALLEN & THE ALEX WELSH BAND: 

2/17 Osterley, Rugby Football Club 2/18 Birmingham, Digbeth Institute; 2/19 Manchester Sports Guild 

2/20 Bexley, Black Prince 2/21 Hitchin, Hermitage Ballroom 2/22 Botley, Dolphin Hotel 

2/23 Hayward's Heath, Fox & Hounds 2/24 day off 2/25 Nottingham, Dancing Slipper 

2/26 Redcar, Costham Hotel 2/27 Leicester, Il Rondo Ballroom; 2/28-3/1-3/2 London, 100 Club 

3/3 Blackpool, Casino Ballroom 3/4 Manchester Sports Guild 3/5 Carlisle, The Pheasant Inn 

2/19/67 Sun. Manchester - Sports Guild; Red Allen(t.v) & THE ALEX WELSH BAND: Alex Welsh (*t) Roy Williams 

(tb) Al Gay (cl,ts) Fred Hunt (p) Jim Douglas (g) Ron Rae (b) Lennie Hastings (d) 

taped by Paul Spinks, Macclesfield,Cheshire, copies to "Jenks"Jenkins, general secretary of the Guild 70 min.tape 

3:54 *AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL (LaRocca-Shields) Jazzology JCD-388/RA-CD28 

5:02 CANAL STREET BLUES (King Oliver) --- / --- / 

10:34 CHERRY & encore -vRA (Don Redman) --- / --- / 

4:02 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA talk about the Russell band (P.Grainger) --- / --- / 

8:50 ROSETTA -vRA (W.H.Woods-Earl Hines) --- / --- / 

7:26 YELLOW DOG BLUES (Handy-Pace) --- / --- / 

3:20 SWEET SUBSTITUDE -vRA (Jelly Roll Morton) --- / --- / 

7:37 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME & encore (Cannon) --- / --- / 

7:55 ST. JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) --- / --- / 

7:10 MEDLEY: - WHEN THE SAINTS -RA talks about New Orleans men & ann.the Welsh band --- / --- / 

- DIDN'T HE RAMBLE - WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING -vRA (trad.) --- / --- /& -13 

2:27 *BUGLE CALL RAG & encore -leave out ann.by RA (Pettis-Meyer-Schoebel) --- / --- / 

2/21/67 Tues. Hitchin, Herts., Hermitage Ballroom, same as above but Gerry Higgins(b) for R.Rae 

poorly taped , by the bandboy, but better than the 1966 stuff, without of great interest 63min. 

0:35 *intro: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) 

3.15 *AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL (LaRocca-Shields) RA-CD-35 



4:43 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA (Porter Grainger) RA-CD-35 

3:46 ROYAL GARDEN BLUES (Clarence & Spencer Williams) RA-CD-35 

6:12 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) RA-CD-35 

2:52 SWEET SUBSTITUDE -vRA (Jelly Roll Morton) RA-CD-35 

7:02 ROSETTA -vRA (W.R.Woods-Earl Hines) RA-CD-35 

8:37 ST. JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) RA-CD-35 


- DIDN'T RE RAMBLE -vRA (Handy-Randall) RA-CD-35 

8:15 *WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN & encore -vRA (trad.) RA-CD-35 

3/2/67 Thu. London, 100 Club Oxford Street, same as above 

poorly taped , by the bandboy, but better than the 1966 stuff, without of great interest 

0:38 *intro: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) RA-CD-38 

4:05 *AT THE JAZZ BAND BALL (LaRocca-Shields) RA-CD-38 


4.08 SWEET SUBSTITUDE -vRA (Jelly Roll Morton) RA-CD-38 


7:44 ST. JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) RA-CD-38 

7.20 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME (Cannon) RA-CD-38 

9:06 YELLOW DOG BLUES (Handy-Pace) RA-CD-38/RA-CD-35 

1:54 GEORGIA ON MY MIND (Hoagy Carmichael-S.Gorrell) RA-CD-38/RA-CD-35 

5:03 TIN ROOF BLUES (NORK) -intro RA-speech RA-CD-38/RA-CD-34 

2:44 ROSETTA -vRA (W.R.Woods-Earl Hines) RA-CD-38/RA-CD-34 


- DIDN'T HE RAMBLE -vRA (Handy-Randall) RA-CD-38 

7:57 *WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN RA-CD-38 

2:26 *BUGGLE CALL RAG -leave out ann.by RA (Pettis-Meyer-Schoebel) RA-CD-38 

3/4/67 Sat. Manchester, Sports Guild; Red Allen(t.v) & THE ALEX WELSH BAND: same as 2/19; 

masterly taped by P. Spinks; my 70min. mono-tape copy from the Manchester Sp.G.secretary 

0.42 *intro: WAY DOWN YONDER IN NEW ORLEANS (Creamer-Layton) /RA-CD-28 

4:27 *AT THE JAZZBAND BALL (ODJB) Jazzology-JCD318/ 

7:50 YELLOW DOG BLUES & encore (Handy-Pace) --- / 

6:05 CANAL STREET BLUES (fast) (King Oliver) --- / 

7:55 CHERRY & encore -vRA (Don Redman) --- / 

6:05 ST. JAMES INFIRMARY -vRA (J.Primrose) --- / 

7:15 BILL BAILEY, WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME & encore (Cannon) --- / 

3:56 PATROL WAGON BLUES -vRA & talk about the Russell band (P.Grainger) --- / 

4:13 HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (Razaf-Waller) --- / 

6:12 ROSETTA -vRA (W.R.Woods-Earl Hines) --- / 

2:00 MEDLEY: - JUST A CLOSER WALK WITH THEE -vRA&ch --- / 

1:49 - DIDN'T HE RAMBLE -vRA&ch --- / 

0:58 *WHEN THE SAINTS (slow) -vRA ann.the Welsh men & "Jenks" -vRA&ch (trad) --- /RA-CD-28 

5:27 * & encore (fast) -vRA&ch (trad) (only partly on -318/RA-CD-28/& -13 

2:53 * & encore (fast) -vRA&ch after 1:07 onto BUGLE CALL RAG –vRA (Pettis-Meyers-Schoebel) /RA-CD-28/& -13 

0:52 * & encore leave-ann.RA /RA-CD-28/& -13 

it's a pity that Jazzology has not issued the complete 72 min. session with the significant intro-theme, the fast encores of 

THE SAINTS and the leave out-theme of BUGLE CALL RAG with encore. (for libraries all on RA-CD-C28)

- 166 - 

HENRY RED ALLEN will be back on Sunday, 19th Feb. by John Chilton in MSG-programme, Feb-67p2: 

…Red Allen story)… British jazz fans, for many years aware 

of Red Allen's greatness on record, were delighted with his inperson 

performances. His warmth and friendliness are instant, 

his vocals beautifully phrased and full expression, his broadtoned 

technique remains unimpaired by time. Above all, he 

retains his zest for playing great jazz trumpet. 

Someone once asked Henry ”Red” Allen how he manages to 

give out such a great feeling of happiness. Red explained, 

“I've been a little fortunate in loving to play so much”. We the 

listeners, are doubly fortunate in being able to hear the great 

man once again in person. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Eddie Lambert in Jazz Journal 4-67:."HENRY RED ALLEN - JAZZ IN BRITAIN: (about the 2/19 & 3/4/67 sessions) 

Just prior to his third British tour Henry 'Red' Allen was in a affected by hospitalisation - Johnny Barncs was still away 

New York hospital for a quite serious stomach operation. The recovering from a broken jaw sustained in a road accident. In 

weight lost in the process resulted in a slimmer Henry his place we had Al Gay on tenor and clarinet. 

appearing on the stage, reminiscent of the young man seen on The first of the two evenings at the Manchester Sports Guild 

photos of the Luis Russell and Fletcher Henderson bands of the found the Welsh band below par, only Al Gay and the ever 

early 'thirties. This tour was his first serious engage-ment since reliable Fred Hunt providing solos of the expected standard. 

convalescence and the full power had obviously not yet The music varied between lethargic playing on slow tempo 

returned to his playing. Yet sheeer volume is by no means numbers to tight, rather frantic ensembles on the stomps. 

central to the music of this remarkable and admirable mail. The Lennie Hastings was rock steady as usual and like Gay and 

swinging eccentricities of rhythmic placing, the beautiful Hunt he made a positive contribution throughout. But the 

melodic conception and the great lyricism of his playing ivere evening was memorable for the music of Henry Allen rather 

as potent as ever. The Alex Welsh Band too have been than as a band session. (to be continued at 3/4/67) 

2/28/67 London, 100 Club Oxford Street - JONNY BARNES BENEFIT CONCERT - Red Allen gave his services for a benefit for 

Johnny Barnes along with Acker Bilk, Alex Welsh band, Kenny Ball and Chris Barber with their respective bands. CODA 4-67 

JOHNNY BARNES BENEFIT CONCERT by John Wurr, Jazz Times Vol.4 No.4, 4/67 

Undoubtedly the biggest occasion in london last month was 

the Johnny Barnes Benefit Night at the 100 Club. Johnny was 

badly injured in the Alex Welsh car crash in January, and we 

all hoped that a good crowd would turn out to pay their financial 

respects; but nobody, I think expected such a pacjed house 

– in fact some 300 pounds was raised. Both the audi-ences and 

the appearing bands represented an anachronistic return to the 

good old boom days. I arrived at 8.30, unfortuna-tely missing 

Ken Colyer's set, and was amazed to almost fight my way in 

even at that early hour. The bands of Barber, Bilk and Ball in 

this atmosphere of controlled raving lent an almost nostalgic 

touch to the evening, whether or not you find much 

convincing jazz content in their music. I realised with surprise 

(and with an awareness of passing youth) that this was the first 

time I heard Barber live for about eight years - but I could 

detect little difference except in haircuts. Acker I found 

particularly disappointing – with such talent the band should 

sound so much better. I preferred the bar to Kenny Ball's 

Band, but whilst there I did hear some nice trumpet phrases 

floating over the top of the audience. 

By the time B.S.J.Hon.President Red Allen came on with 

the Alex Welsh band we were all nicely lubricated and in just 

the mood to be ignited by the great man. He played beautifully 

- Canal Street Blues, Rosetta, St.James Infirmary being 

outstanding and once again giving us an object lesson in how 

personality and showmanship can do as much in winning over 

an audience as can musicianship; by the end he had us all 

eating out his hand. The Welsh band gave enthusiastic 

support, with Barnes' place taken by Al Gay, who played some 

impressive tenor. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Eddie Lambert in J.J.4-67 (cont. of 2/19 now to 3/4/ session): 

Returning thirteen days later Alex and the band not only 

provided quite perfect backing to Henry but were equally 

responsible for one of the finest evening's jazz heard at the 

Guild for some time. Henry Allen's playing was seen even 

more clearly to be that of a jazz master. His beautiful work on 

the blues, the intense swing of his incisive phrasing and his 

absolute mastery of playing within a band were most 

impressive. And of course the wonderful warmth of Henry's 

personality is a very real part of his musical presence. 

The Welsh band were at their most mellow during this 

session and the rhythm section laid down an easy, swinging 

beat. Ron Rae is back on bass, and while he is not a virtuose of 

the Ron Mathewson kind he is a solid and reliable bands-man. 

The guitar solos of Jim Douglas were excellent, as was his 

contribution solos which were alert, sparkling and soundly 

constructed. And of course Fred always pulls his weight in the 

band. The trumpet/piano duet of Davenport Blues(?remark: 

never was on program and also not on tape) was given a 

performance of great skill and resource. Alex's playing, full of 

fire and imagination, was well matched by that of Roy 

Williams, who only a fortnight before had sounded as if he 

was reverting to the trad-ism of his Light-foot days. The new 

note of mellowness in Roy's playing suggests that before long 

he will surpass his already consi-derable achievements. 

The evening was one of those in which the delights of jazz 

could be savoured in all their fully flavoured richness. Its star 

was of course the great Henry 'Red' Allen. But it was almost 

equally memorable for the tenor playing of Al Gay, who was 

excellent in both solo antd ensemble. On a medium tempo 

Honeysuckle Rose he played three choruses which will remain 

one of the treasured jazz memories of 1967. Al was a fine 

player during his previous spell with the band, but he has 

developed now to a stage where he not only leaves most of the 

local competition out of sight but would offer also.a serious 

challenge to many of the established American tenor stars. 

Alex is hoping that Al will be able to stay on with the band 

when Johnny Barnes returns. Let's hope he does, for jazz 

cannot afford this sort of talent to be hidden away in semiretirement. 

last photo of RED ALLEN w. John Chilton 

(courtesy John Chilton – “Ride Red Ride” p121) 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Bob Maltz collection at the New York Public Library: 

trumpeter Henry (Red) Allen, fully recovered from a recent operation, returned to New York in late March after a three-week 

tour of England with the Alex Welsh Band" (Down Beat 5/4/67)

Jim Douglas, July-2000, on Jazzolgy JCD-318: 

Whenever things were not quite up to his musical expectations 

or at the first signs of disquiet in the band, Alex Welsh could 

be heard to mutter, “All I ever wanted to do was play 'At the 

Jazz Band Ball'.” Here he gets his wish as he kicks off another 

fine performance at the Manchester Sports Guild in 1967. 

After an enthusiastic announcement and an exciting drum 

introduction from Lennie Hastings, the band settles into a 

lively version of his favorite tune. Before the number is 

seventeen bars old a second trumpet can be heard, that, of 

course, of the unmistakable Henry 'Red' Allen. Soaring above 

the good solid lead of the band leader, the New Orleans 

Legend seems to ignite the band as first Al Gay, Henry 

himself and Roy Williams lay down great solos. After a 

couple of roaring riff choruses and a cadenza, a guitarist takes 

his turn - you know the rest! As a listener and an appreciative 

one I hope, you don't need someone to tell you the tune titles 

or order of solos, let Henry do it for me! From his "very nice, 

Al" to his "thank you Alex!" he will keep you informed right 

through the disc. The performance abounds with his dialogue. 

whether announcing a number, "W C Handy's Yellow Dog 

Blues", reminiscing about his early days" - all the boys were 

there - Zutty Singleton, Albert Nicholas, Louis Armstrong etc. 

etc or applauding the soloists 'very nice, brother Ron, I wanna 

thank you!", you are invited to take part in what is almost a 

private party in his living room. Nevertheless it would be 

sinfully neglectful not to comment on the fine performances of 

all the musicians involved. Some of you may be surprised to 

know that the performance was recorded without the 

performers knowledge which may explain Henry's occasional 

wanderings 'off mike' as he played to different sections of the 

audience. Enough has been captured thankfully to appreciate 

the fine solos by Al Gay on clarinet and tenor sax ("Bill 

Bailey's" a good example) and Roy Williams on trombone not 

to mention the solid rhythms section driven by drummer 

Lennie Hastings and comprising Fred Hunt, piano, Ron Rae, 

bass and yours truly, guitar. 

In my humble opinion, Henry is majestic! His playing creates 

a maelstrom of excitement one minute to be followed by the 

most soulful blues you'll ever hear the next. To me he is also 

one of the best jazz singers that ever lived, whether shouting at 

'Cherry' or bemoaning the 'old police patrol' he makes me 

tingle with excitement. 

All in all I am very pleased to have been involved in this fine 

performance. 

A few weeks prior to Henry 'Red' Allen's fourth and final 

visit to these shores, word spread that the Great Man was 

unwell but would, under no circumstances cancel the 

scheduled tour with the Alex Welsh Band. We had, of course, 

Scratchin' The Surface by Steve Voce in J.J.Nov.94: 

Hotter Than 'Ell - Reading Franz Hoffman's evocative 

discography of Henry Allen and J.C. Higginbotham recently 

prompted me to go back to three definitive bonanzas from 

Henry 'Red'-Columbia's newly reissued Fletcher Henderson 

Story, the four volumes of The Henry Allen Collection, and 

the tapes of the trumpeter's appearances at the Manchester 

Sports Guild during the sixties. 

Hoffmann's work is comprehensively illustrated with a 

profusion of posters of the day and photographs and its 150 

pages bring home vividly the eclectic nature of Red's intense 

recording career. 

The Henderson Study in Frustration (Columbia 57596) is a 

boxed set of three discs, superseding the long unavailable four 

LPs. Poverty at the time of the original issue prevented me 

buying the first volume and the re-mastered CDs surprised me 

with how much fine gold there is in the earliest tracks, even 

after discounting Louis's presence. Of course the trumpeters 

here are all in their pomp - Joe Smith, Bobby Stark, Rex 

Stewart, Roy Eldridge and an unscheduled Cootie Williams (it 

has to be a pre-Duke Cootie on the 1929 Raisin' The Roof 

and, as an added eccentricity here, the solos of Buster Bailey 

and Hawkins very much reflect the clarinet and tenor solos on 

Hello Lola by the MCBB). Other often over-looked delights 

are the monster rhythm section with extraordinary drumming, 

from Walter Johnson, but my purpose here is to remind you of 

the abundance of on-top-of-the-world solos from Henry 'Red'. 

The weight of the heavy manhole cover placed on Red's 

exuberant and ground-breaking career during the thirties by 

the existence of Louis Armstrong is incalculable, but of 

- 167 - 

no idea that he was in fact dying from pancreatic cancer or 

that we would see such a physical change in him. Gone was 

the well-padded rounded figure. Gone the double-chinned 

chubby countenance, the broad-beamed posterior and the 

sparkle in the once mischief-filled amber eyes. 

He appeared taller than before in clothes that hung from his 

diminishing frame as the insidious parasitical infestation bit 

deep. There was a sadness on his expressive face as this 

mouth formed and uttered the customary "Nice!" on joining 

the band at the bar of the M.S.G. In his hand he grasped the 

silver tankard Alex had presented to him as a memento of our 

affection after the first tour. 

"Number three! Number three! Nice! he expostulated holding the 

handle towards the as usual grim-faced 'Jenks', the manager 

and co-promoter who filled it to the brim with William 

Younger's Scotch Ale. Henry liked British beer, his favorites 

being the foremendoned and Newcastle Brown Ale. 

Looking back, thirty three years on, and trying to recall 

incidents and anecdotes from that tour, one overpowering 

feeling keeps forming in my mind - the incredible courage the 

man showed night after night, day after day. We were booked 

to play at 'Douglas House', and American Services Club in the 

Bayswater Road, London. Hardly an easy audience, easily 

distracted by the bar and gambling facilities available, Henry 

took them by the scruft of their necks by blowing 'The Saints' 

quietly in their individual ears until he had their rapt, undivided 

attention. There was no indication of the pain he must have 

endured and certainly no lack of energy, frail as he was, in his 

performances, which still contained all the vigour and 

excitement he was renowned for. The CD to which you are 

listening bears witness to this fact. He must have known this 

tour was probably his 'swan song' but never mentioned his 

problems and anxieties to any of us. On the contrary, he 

joined in our fun and games and the usual nonsense associated 

with travelling with all this unusual good-natured enthusiasm. 

The final 'gig' on the tour and, I believe probably his last on 

this earth, was played at the 'Pheasant' Inn, Carlisle in the 

North West of England. The promoter had obtained an 

extension to its music license until midnight, which happened to 

coincide with Henry's scheduled train journey back to London 

for a flight connect on to the states in the morning. 

Leaving just enough time to get to the station, 'Red' ended his 

performance with a moving version of 'When the Saints Go 

Marching In'. While the Band continued to play he said 

'Goodbye' to each and every one of us individually and then 

headed towards the staircase to the exit. As my hero 

descended, tears were rolling down his cheeks. 

He knew that we knew we would never meet again. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

course one has to make the accommodation for the fact that 

Louis was such a big influence. 

The Collector's Classics The Henry Red Allen Collection has 

reached volume four (COCD-1, COCD-2, COCD-13 and 

COCD-15). Like Billie Holiday, Red was enjoined by his 

record company to record jazz versions of the hits of the day, 

and the period of Red's career represented by these CDs is 

every bit as potent as Billie's contemporary work and if 

anything more profuse. John R.T.Davies's restorations have 

never been more effective than they are here and the work of 

the Allen small groups is amongst the most vivacious and 

sensational of the period. 

L C Jenkins of blessed memory knew little about jazz but, as 

organiser at the Manchester Sports Guild he allowed himself 

to be persuaded by most notably Jack Swinnerton, but also by 

the likes of Eddie Lambert and me, to provide the funds and 

put in the work to bring people like Red, Ed Hall, Earl Hines, 

Pee Wee, Wingy and all the others to the Manchester Sports 

Guild. All of the music which resulted was unique and anyone 

who was there will tell you that this was one of the great ages 

of jazz. Allen's performances with the Alex Welsh band were 

definitive and set the whole tone of the Sports Guild series. As 

you know I tend to the cynical view of life, but have to testify 

to the unique love between Red and the Manchester audience. 

You may be able to experience it for yourself. All the 

recitals at the Guild were recorded on a Revox in a private 

room at the back of the stage, almost always without the 

knowledge of the musicians conconcerned, and I 

understand that the tapes have now been sold to an 

American record company.

- 168 - 

HENRY “RED” ALLEN –obituary - by Alex Welsh , “Crescendo” International Vol.5 No.11, 1967, London, UK 

He must have known that On this occasion, the raucous chatter 

he was in no fit state to un- of one particular group of six G.I.s 

dertake this strenuous tour. disturbed the usual lethargic atmos- 

Obviously, he could have phere. We in the band were rather put 

produced medical evidence out by this, but Henry just got on with 

to enable him to cancel his the job, apparently quite unconcerned. 

contract. That he did not - Towards the end of the set, during one 

despite the possible conse- of his solos, playing continuously, he 

quences - is an insight to his ambled over to this rowdy table. Very, 

character. In addition to very quietly, he played three or four 

being a great trumpet player, choruses straight at them. Their high- 

Henry was a very fine spirited unconcern turned first to embar- 

person and truly professional rassment, then to interest, then to 

at all times. 

admiration. You could have heard a pin 

Through his long and varied drop. Finally, as he finished his solo, 

musical career, Henry kept the whole audience - the six G.I.s 

pace with jazz developments. included - broke into spontaneous 

To his last days, his playing applause. From then on, after each 

It was with a deep sense of personal retained its inventive interest. 

number, Henry received a tremendous 

loss that my band and I heard the sad I cherish many memories of our tours handt - he whole atmosphere was trans- 

news of the death at the age of 64 of with Henry - the great musical moments, formed. It was the best reception for an 

Henry 'Red' Allen. 

the laughs, his uncomplaining accep- American player that I've ever 

Henry had undergone an abdominal tance of the hardships of being on the witnessed at Douglas House. 

operation only a few weeks prior to his road. 

Time and time again, I have seen Henry 

third and last tour of this country as a 

*** 

- by his ever-present, kindly sense of 

soloist, backed by my band. When we One incident often springs to mind. humour, by his talent and showmanship 

met Henry, in mid-February, for a pre- We were playing a Sunday afternoon - capture the hearts of his audience. All 

tour rehearsal, we were quite alarmed by session at Douglas House, the American of us who knew him felt great affection 

the drastic change in his physical servicemen's recreation centre at Lan- for him as a man, as well as admiring 

appearance since his 1966 visit. His caster Gate. Not the best time of day to him as a musician. I know that, in remem- 

normally corpulent figure was 35 pounds perform, and not the most receptive bering him, I shall always feel an inner 

lighter. Once broad and laughter-creased, audience, either - a few genuine jazz warmth. 

his face was thin and drawn. He was enthusiasts, but mostly G.I.s sitting Henry 'Red' Allen left us with one 

obviously a very sick man 

drinking at tables around the bandstand. word - "nice". 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

4/17/67, NYC., Henry "Red" Allen died. Was taken seriously ill in late 1966 (compare his answers n Balliett's interview 1966 

- The Blues Is A Slow Story) , shortly after undergoing an operation, Red made his final tour of Britain Feb.-March 1967. He 

returned to New York City, and died of cancer (of the pancreas) six weeks later. 

BUSTER BAILEY BURIED - NYAN-4/22/67p1: William C.”Buster”Bailey, 64, was buried in Evergreen Cementery in Brooklyn 

Monday morning following ser-vices at St.Luke and St.Matthew Episcopal Church at 529 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn. 

The following J.C,.Higginbotham sessions listed at this place, because otherwise they would be hidden among the text. 

9/28/69 WTTW-Chic., JAZZ ALLEY-TV - ART HODES - AFTER HOURS with special quests: J.C.Higginbotham (tb) 

Tony Parenti (cl) Eddie Condon (g,bj) Smoky Stovert (t) Art Hodes (p) Rail Wilson (b) Harry Hawthrone (d) 

Bartender: Maury Weil; Audio.. Jack Campbell; Video: Martin Weaver; Lightning: Curt Hunsaker; Setting: Michael 

Lowenstein; Prod.ass.: Jerry Kreten; Floormanager: Dave Zeeko; Prod. & Dir.: Robert Kaiser; Ex.prod.: John Sommers; 

0:39 theme: Squeeze Me 30 min. kinescope / RA-DVD-1b / JCH-CD-12 

6:35 Darktown Strutter's Ball / RA-DVD-1b / JCH-CD-12 

7:34 Someday Sweetheart / RA-DVD-1b / JCH-CD-12 

8:58 Old Fashioned Love / RA-DVD-1b / JCH-CD-12 

5:59 Royal Garden Blues / RA-DVD-1b / JCH-CD-12 

1:06 Blues / RA-DVD-1b / JCH-CD-12 

3/18/70 Vanloese Bio (Dan) rec.session; J.C.Higginbotham (tb) & Arnvid Meyer(t) & his ORCH.: John Darville (tb) Jesper 

Thilo (ts) Joern Jensen (p) Hugo Rasmussen (b) Hans Nymand (d) eng. Ivar Rosenberg; “Right Out Of Kansas City”- 

7:35 Higginbotham Blues (takes-1+2 have been spliced together) SundanceMusic ApS-STUCD(5BOX-CD4)-08102 / JCH-CD-12 

5:26 Jada “ “ --- / --- / 

4/15/70 DANSC JAZZ-Dan.bc-Corp.; same as above ; prod. Poul Clemmensen & Grete Hemmeshoej; other sides unknown 

5:09 C Jam Blues (two solo choruses ommitted on CD-issue) “ “ --- / --- / 

4/18/70 Lyngby/DK private-rec.by “Polyjoint” Polyteknisk Laereanstalt; Ben Webster (ts) & J.C.Higginbotham (tb) & 

Arnvid Meyer(t) & his ORCH.: John Darville (tb) Jesper Thilo (ts) Hans Fjeldsted(p) Hugo Rasmussen (b) Thorkild Moeller(d) 

unissued 

The Jeep Is Jumpin' / I´m Confessin' -feat.Higgy / Stardust -feat. Webster / In A Mellotone / 

Georgia On My Mind / Hi-Ya / C Jam Blues / Basin Street Blues / 

Sweet Georgia Brown / Perdido / Baby, Won't You Please Come Home / Indiana 

Old Fashioned Love / Higginbotham Blues / Stompy Jones 

1970, March 21, Korsør, Denmark, Korsør Jazzklub, Ben Webster, J. C. Higginbotham & Arnvid Meyer’s Orch. (taped by John Darville) 

1970 March 27, Lyngby, Denmark, Polyjoint, Ben Webster, J. C. Higginbotham & Arnvid Meyer’s Orchestra (taped by John Darville) 

9/21/71. “Jazzhus Montmartre” in Copenhagen, Dicky Harris, J.C. Higginbotham, Tyree Glenn; Lem Davis(as)


Ben Webster & J.C.Higginbotham, Copenhagen 1966 

J.C.Higginbotham – John Darville – Ben Webster ; Copenhagen 1967

- 169 - 

4/12/67 Brooklyn, N.Y. Buster Bailey died; BUSTER BAILEY by Herb Flemming in Coda 9/67p26/27 

During my long years in the music profession I have been 

associated with many well known musicians in the classics, 

military and jazz. But the close association between myself and 

the late Buster Bailey has a deeper meaning than "associate". It 

was like the late Billy Van Dyke Burns - a brotherly approach. 

I admired Buster not only as a musician but also as a "down 

to earth" always smiling personality. And this goes back to the 

days when Buster was a member of Noble Sissle's orchestra in 

Paris. I am positive that all who ever came into contact with 

him felt the warmth and good fellowship that poured out of him. 

He created his favorite expression "Pour the whiskey" in 

Paris at a function to inaugurate the General Foch Foundation. 

The waiters kept running to fill his glass but it was Gordon 

Rouge champagne. Tommy Ladnier remarked "I like that 'pour 

the whiskey' though". 

Buster was a member of John Kirby's famous Big Little 

Band but I didn't have the pleasure of performing with him 

until I left the US Treasury Naval Service in California and 

came to New York. My first gig was at the Central Plaza and 

Buster was one of the other musicians. Later, when a trombonist 

was needed at Lou Terrasi's Hickory House, it was Buster 

who said "get Herb Flemming". On that engagement I knew 

how loyal a friend Buster could be. Working that job were Buck 

Clayton, Buster Bailey, Herb Flemming, Ken Kersey and 

Arthur Herbert. When the management decided to change the 

group the new leader didn't have a group so he decided to keep 

the entire band except for me. Buster was not slow to voice 

his resentment and immediately advised Lou Terrasi "well if 

one goes count me out also. "The others refused to remain also. 

We had barely left the Hickory House when Henry "Red" 

Allen got a job at the Savoy in Boston and took Buster and me 

with him. When the Henry "Red" All All Stars retuned to New 

York we got an offer from the Metropole, whose business had 

gone almost to nil. It was soon known as THE jazz spot on 

Broadway with the unique stylings of Mr. Allen. The two 

week engagement had stretched to four years before I left due 

to ill health. 

I can only recall one instance when Buster came to work 

with a really glum and gloomy outlook. There was no hilarity. 

He just appeared saddened. Upon enquiry he said, "Man, I 

went to sleep on the D train on my way home last night and 

forgot my clarinet." I fully realised, as would any other 

musician. how he felt at the loss of his favorite instrument. 

Later I suggested he call the Lost and Found Department of 

the IND Subway System. He was reluctant but I gave him a 

dime for the call. He came out of the booth at the Copper Rail 

(our favorite bar) all smiles and remarked, "Herb (or rather 

'Hots') you must have some of that oriental metaphysical stuff 

or clairvoyant or something! And, by the way, here's your 

dime." Later, when I asked Fred Infield, the owner of the 

Copper Rail, for my weekly tab Fred replied "You don't have 

one." Later I found out that Buster had paid It. ($14. 00). 

Many who heard the clear tonal quality of his sound were able 

to realise that Buster must have studied to be more than a jazz 

artist. This is correct. Among his many tutors and teachers was 

Franz Shoepp of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This enabled 

him to be selected to perform with Dimitri Metroupolos and 

Skitch Henderson's Carnegie Hall Symphony on many occasions. 

Buster's sounds were clear, understandable, careful and 

beautiful to hear. In his music each note was fully rounded, 

cleverly executed and comprehensible to the listener at all 

times. He did have a few tricks such as holding a note indefinitely. 

When he did this the clientele would begin to chant 

"hold it, hold it, hold It Buster." It was a trick but he would 

only laugh when asked "Buster do you hold your breathing all 

that time?" (sometimes as much as three minutes). 

While the average musician becomes enraged, if in his solo, 

the accompanying musicians foul the chords or harmony, Buster 

once remarked after one of these occurances "Can't whip 'em 

so I joins 'em." This mannerism showed him to be ever 

adjustable and congenial to all the mishaps that per-forming 

musicians encounter. I do not hesitate to say that Buster Bailey 

had reached a pinnacle that few of us can boast. 

I should add that he was one of the most handsome of males - 

admired by his fellow men and the cause of the opposite sexbecoming-starry-eyed. 

He was six feet plus, with greying 

crew-cut hair and the carriage of an accomplished athlete. Not 

only was he admired by those he came in contact with but his 

family adored him. I recall his birthday celebrations held at La 

Mer Cherie. The entire adult Bailey family were on hand to 

"pour the whiskey" and at times they poured so much Buster 

would disappear with "I gotta go now, my Mama wants me." 

Yes, Buster, you left a host of friends who will ever remember 

you. That I can say without a thread of doubt. God rest you 

fellah. You liked everybody and everybody liked you. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

"MY FRIEND BUSTER” by Rex Stewart in Jazz Journal 6-67 (with a photo Red & Buster at NPT-57'): 

When my friend, Buster Bailey came to Los Angeles recently 

with the Louis Armstrong Sextet, he said something to the 

effect, 'I hate coming to Los Angeles, lately. Every time I 

arrive in town, another one of my old buddies has just 'died.' 

The old buddy he was referring to in this instance was altosaxophonist 

Willie Smith, who had just passed away on the 

morning that the Armstrong group came to town. 

During the time that Buster was here, I invited him to sit in at 

the Wit's End one Sunday, where I conduct a jam session every 

week. Buster promised to come. However, he didn't show up 

and I heard subsequently that he had been taken ill. The next 

morning I phoned him and he passed the illness off as nothing. 

But his close friends later reported to me that he had had a mild 

coronary. When I in turn related this to Buster, he again poopoohed 

the idea that he had been sick. 

Buster and I had several talks, about the good old days, while 

he was here in Los Angeles - the days with Fletcher 

Henderson, his years with Kirby. As a matter of fact, he gave 

me a great deal of information to complete an article that I was 

then doing on John Kirby. Finally, the day before he left, 

Buster admitted that it had been a little heart attack. I 

cautioned him about getting a thourough check-up in New 

York, for which the group was headed. 

I first met Buster about 1924, when he came to New York City 

to play with the Fletcher Henderson band. We were introduced 

by Happy Cauldwell a sideman in the group I was then playing 

with. Buster and Happy were friends from Chicago. Subsequently, 

when I also joined Fletcher, I grew to know Buster 

well. Together, we weathered those early, rough days on the 

road , the long bus trips over bad roads, sometimes have, 

sometimes not. 

In later years, we played in several other bands together. At 

one time, we courageously got together a co-operative all-star 

band, with Sid Catlett, Kenny Kersey, Benny Morton, myself and 

others. This was a fiasco and we each went our separate ways. 

However, we remained very friendly. over the span of the 30 

odd years, always seeking each other out, to get together, 

drink together, eat together, and talk about the good old days. 

As Buster aged, he became even more distinguished looking, 

with his snowy white hair and moustache. He looked more like 

a banker than a musician. This handsome man was a 

tremendous human being, always full of fun, warm and kindly. 

He never held malice toward anyone, .although he certainly 

had reason to hold malice toward some individuals. A topnotch 

instrumentalist with greater depth than most clarinet 

players, Buster possessed a classical background on the 

instrument, which I suppose is now common knowledge. 

Now, this beautiful human being has gone, joining so many 

of our jazz greats. The decimation among the ranks of my 

contemporaries points up very vividly that we, of the golden 

era of jazz, are in much the same age bracket. There is a 

tendency to bemoan the passing of the great music and the 

fellows who made it, meanwhile wondering for whom the bell 

tolls next. None can ever be replaced. 

And now, it's Buster's turn. My good buddy, Buster Bailey, 

died April 13th in New York City. He went to sleep - and just 

didn't wake up. There'll never be another like my friend, 

Buster Bailey.

- 170 - 

BUSTER BAILEY DIES (review in Down Beat 5/18/67): 

Carinetist Buster Bailey, 64. died in his then with Stuff.Smith's Onyx Club Boys. expert reader, he was at home in any 

sleep in his home in at 341Washington When Smith left the Onyx Club, Bailey musical environment. Though the clarinet 

Ave., Brooklyn, NY., April 12. He had remained as a member of the house band, was al-ways his featured solo instrument, 

just returned from a road tour with the which in 1938 became John Kirby's he doubled on alto saxophone in his big- 

Louis Armstrong All-Stars and had famous "biggest little band in the land." band jobs. (He also made some impressive 

planned to go to the hospital for a With the Kirby sextet until it was recordings playing soprano sax in 1924.) 

checkup the next morning. 

disban-ded in 1946, Bailey spent the Bailey was one of the most prolific 

Born William C. Bailey in Memphis, following two decades mainly in New recording artists in jazz. In addition to a 

Tenn., he studied clarinet with local tea- York, working with Wilbur DeParis, multitude of records with all the bands 

chers and made his professional debut at Eddie Condon, Wild Bill Davison, and he worked with, he also appeared with 

14 as first clarinetist with W.C. Handy's Henry”Red”Allen, his former Henderson numerous studio groups, sometimes 

orches-tra. Bailey moved to Chicago in colleague. During this period, Bailey made under his own leadership, and backed 

1919, where he worked with Erskine many festival and television appearances, many singers, including Bessie Smith, 

Tate's concert band and studied with the played in the pit band of the New York Billie Holiday, and Mildred Bailey. 

Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Franz production of Porgy and Bess, was seen His best recorded solos include those on 

Schoepp, who was also teaching Benny on screen in Splendor in the Grass, and Sensation, Hocus Pocus, and Stealing 

Goodman at the time. 

worked with symphony orchestras. Apples (Henderson); Jazzbo Brown from 

After working briefly with King Oliver's In July, 1965, Bailey left the Saints and Memphis Town (Bessie Smith); Rug 

Creole Jazz Band, Bailey joined Fletcher Sinners to join the Armstrong All-Stars, Cutter's Swing (Allen); Rhythm, Rhythm 

Henderson in New York in 1924 and working with the great trumpeter for the and 1 Know That You Know (Lionel 

remain-ned with him until 1929, when first time since 1925, when they were Hampton); Rose Room and Serenade 

toured Europe and the United States with both with Henderson. 

(Kirby); Blues Triste (Tommy Young); 

Noble Sissle's band. He rejoined Hender- Bailey was one of the first major jazz and a clarinet tour de force with his own 

son in 1933 but the following year went musicians with a thorough academic group, Man with a Horn Goes Beserk. 

with the Mills Blue Rhythm Band. In back-ground in music. His clarinet work 

1936, he was again with Henderson and was graceful, fluent, and multi-noted. An 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

2 Former Top Negro Band Members Buried; Died 3 Days Apart – PC-4/24/67p2: 

N.Y.- Funeral services were held here this Red Allen died on April 16 at Syden- In 1929, he again came to New York 

week for two well-known musicians, each ham Hospital. He was 60. 

and joined the Luis Russell band at the 

of whom played at a certain period in his He was born in Algiers just outside of Roseland Ballroom. In 1933, he joined 

careeer with Louis Armstrong, King Oliver New Orleans and was the son of Henry Fletcher Henderson's aggregation and 

and Fletcher Henderson bands and who Allen Sr., who also played with King four years afterward became a full- 

died in N.Y.City just three days apart. Oliver, Louis Armstrong and Sidney fledged member of the Louis Armstrong 

They were Henry”Red”Allen, trumpeter, Bechet. Even as a child, “Red's father Band, with which his father had played 

and William C.”Buster”Bailey, clarinetist. used to carry him in parades and allow and which at the time was actually an 

First to die on April 13 was “Buster” the boy to solo for the crowds on his expansion of the old Louis Russell group 

Bailey, 64, first clarinetist with trumpet whenever the parade stopped. with which he had played. This was 

Armstrong's All-Stars. He had been with In 1927, Red made his initial trip to New Louis Armstrong's Big Band. 

the All-Stars for the last two years and York to play with King Oliver. he went In later years, he had his own band and 

has just returned from Los Vegas where back shortly afterward and played on played most of the better night spots in 

he was appeaing with Armstrong. Bailey Mississippi riverboats with Fate New York and other cities throughout 

was 64 at his death. …(shortened) Marable's band. 

the country. 

========================================================================== 

BUSTER BAILEY BURIED - NYAN-4/22/67p1: 

William C.”Buster”Bailey, 64, was Vegas. He was to leave with the All- W.C. Handy, Fletcher Henderson, 

buried in Evergreen Cementery in Brooklyn Stars next month for an engagement in Lucky Millinder, the Red Richards 

Mon-day morning following ser-vices at Europe. 

Dixieland band, and John Kirby. He also 

St.Luke and St.Matthew Episcopal Church His musical career began at the age of appeared with symphony orchestra 

at 529 Clinton Ave., Brooklyn. Bailey, a 9 while attending school in his native which were directed by Leon Barzin and 

clarinetist of international fame, died last Memphis, Tenn. He was a accomplished Dimitri Mitropoulos. 

Thurs-day night in his home at musician at the age of 14. He studied Bailey is survived by his wife, Mary; 

341Washington Ave. 

classical clarinet with Franz Schoepp of two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy Thoma, 

He suffered a heart attack while the Chicago Symphony orchestra and and Mrs. Barbara Bowen; a son Russell; 

watching television. He had planned to hoped for a career in classical music but a sister, Maggie Bailey, eight 

enter a hospital for a check-up the the field was closed to Afro-Americans grandchildren and a daughter-in-law, 

following day. A member of Louis at that time. 

Mrs. Pearl Bailey, wife of his late son, 

Armstrong's All-Stars. Bailey had just Before joining the Louis Armstrong Buster Bailey Jr. 

returned from an engagement in Las combo Bailey played with Erskine Tate, 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

JAZZ GREAT DIE - 'RED' ALLEN FUNERAL – NYAN-4/22/67p1: 

Henry Red Allen, 60, jazz trumpet 

With Armstrong 

the Metropole Café downtown on 7th 

king, will be buried at St. Raymond's The tall, husky, ruddy face Allen, who Avenue where he was a favorite, Allen 

Cementary in the Bronx following Mass spoke with a husky voice, joined the and his All-Stars were a favorite at the 

Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua Louis Russell band. He later played with Dixieland jazz spot. 

R.C. Church, 166th St. and Prospect Ave. Louis Armstrong and the joined up with His body will lie in state at McCalls, 984 

The trumpet player checked into Syden- Lucky Millinder whom he teamed up Prospect Ave., until the services. 

ham Hospital Sunday to undergo tests with to make “Ride Red Ride” a hit song. LAST REFRAIN -NYAN-4/29/p19 

and died Monday afternoon . Last Febru- He is survived by his wife; Pearly May; We sound a blue note for New Orleans 

ary he was operated on the hospital but a son Ptl. Henry Allen Jr.; two jazz trumpeter Henry (red) Allen, who 

go up in time to keep an engagement in grandchildren, Juretta and Alcornette; his died last week. His hitting horn burnished 

Europe last March. 

daughter-in-law, Clara, and his mother, many a gig and his husky-throated humor 

A native of New Orleans, Henry“Red” Mrs. Juretta Allen who still lives in New lent a twinkle to many a party. Red was 

Allen came to New York in 1929 after Orleans and who “Red” used to visit a pal and everybody in night-life 

playing with his father's band. His father every year. 

admired him as one of the nicest guy you 

was also named Henry. 

Allen's death stunned the regulars at could have known.

- 171 - 

4/21/67 Fri., Henry Red Allen, will be buried at St.Raymond's Cementary in the Bronx 

following Mass Friday at 10 a.m.at St. Anthony of Padua R.C.Church, 166th St. and 

Prospect Ave.; Charlie Shavers, Emmett Berry, Joe Thomas, Joe Newman, Dicky 

Wells, Sandy Williams, J.C. Higginbotham, Teddy Hill, Hilton Jefferson, Ornette 

Coleman, Harold Ashby, Claude Hopkins, Al Hall, Hayes Alvis, Zutty Singleton, Slick 

Jones; Pearlie Mae followed her husband's wishes, 'I was surprised when he told me 

not long before he passed that he didn't want any music at his funeral. He said he 

couldn't take those New Orleans music funeral. I never knew that. He didn't want it for 

himself, (see p176-Pearlie May interview). LouisArmstrong went to Prospect Avenue to 

offer his condolences in person to Red's widow. 

"ART IS LONG, AND TIME IS FLEETING" by Stanley Dance in 

Jazz Journal 6-67: Buster Bailey´s funeral 

service in Brooklyn was at 9:30 in the 

morning, a time at which few jazzmen are 

normally abroad, but Louis Armstrong Benny 

Goodman, Jo Jones and Jimmie Crawford 

were among those present. 

Later the same week Red Allen's funeral 

service in the Bronx was at 10 a.m. Emmett 

Berry, Dicky Wells, Sandy Williams, 

J.C.Higginbotham, Harold Ashby and 

Ornette Coleman were some of those we saw. 

There is something distinctly moving 

about the fraternal feeling and professional 

solidarity shown at a jazz musician's funeral. 

It is, of course, the final opportunity to show 

respect to one with whom you may have 

had silent and invisible bonds for many 

years. It is also a brief, comforting gathering 

of the survivors, who then disperse to their 

various activities after a toast or two to the 

departed. There is not a lot of outward 

gloom, no mock solemnity, but hearts are 

touched and a good deal of thinking is done. 

After what amounts to a quiet pause, the 

order of the day is, 'Straight ahead!' 

Sometimes the musicians You expect to see 

are not present, because their gigs have 

taken them too far away, but Charlie Shavers 

could drive all night front Cleve-land to say 

farewell to Buster Bailey. 

Henry Allen had a full requiem mass, and 

for many of the four-hundred-or-so people 

present it was obviously a little mystifying, 

yet the dignity and the unhurried authority 

--------------------------------------------------------- 

SET MAMMOTH JAZZ TRIBUTE TO ALLEN – 

A mammoth jazz tribute to benefit 

the family of the late great trumpeter, 

Henry Red Allen, Jr. will be held on 

Sunday, June 4, at the riverboat 

(Empire State Bldg.) from 7 p.m. to 

midnight. 

Many of the greatest names in jazz 

are scheduled to appear: Earl Hines, 

Charlie Shavers, Roy Eldridge, Clark 

Terry, Jonah Jones, Bobby Hackett, 

Coleman Hawkins, Bud Freeman, 

Pee Wee Russell, Buddy Tate and 

Tyree Glenn. Tony Parenti is 

bringing his band from Jimmy Ryan's 

Club; Yank Lawson the band from 

Eddie Condon's; Sol Yaged the band 

from Gas Light and Louis Metcalf 

the band from the Ali Baba. 

Included in these groups are such 

jazz notables as Zutty Singleton, Max 

Kaminsky, Cutty Cutshall & Ray 

Nance. More of Red's friends who 

will share the stand will be Joe 

Thomas, J.C. Higginbotham, Benny 

Morton, Wilbur De Paris, Jo Jones, 

Sonny Greer plus the Saints and 

Sinners Band – led by Red Richards, 

featuring Vic Dickenson. 

Last January Red Allen fell ill, was 

hospitalized and underwent surgery. 

of the Catholic service expressed a 

conviction that has consoled for nearly 

two thousand years. 

'It's as though there was a plague or 

something,' Joe Thomas said on the sidewalk 

afterwards. Muggsy Spanier, Ed 

Hall, Willie Smith; Herman Chittison 

Pete Johnson, and Buster Bailey were 

being remembered, too. The curtain was 

coming down on an era and its musicians. 

Oh, there are still some performances to 

be played, but the atulience, struggling 

with its coat and thinking of tomorrow, 

hardly has time to applaud ! 

Stanley Dance in a letter to the author: 

.... "I went to 'Red's funeral in Harlem 

and it made a big impression on me, 

because it was a regular funeral mess 

without any of the awful show business 

that sometimes mars these occasions." 

theatricals 

by Jesse H.Walker - NYAN-4/22/67p19: 

THE BELL HAS BEEN TOLLING 

lately for quite a few oldtimers in the jazz 

world. The youngsters of today's “souns” 

won't recognise them, but trumpeter “Red” 

Allen, clarinettist Buster Bailey, and 

pianists Pete Johnson and Fats Pichon 

were “giants” in their days - and thinking 

back on those days brings moments of 

nostalgia. 

“RED”ALLEN'S DEATH this week 

was all the more shocking since we were 

talking to him recently after he had been 

Shortly after, he under-took a tour 

of England, which turned out to be 

his last profes-sional engagement . 

Soon after his return his condition 

worse-ned, and he returned to the 

hospital, where he passed away on 

April 17. NYAN-6/3/67p17 

---------------------------------- 

RED ALLEN BENEFIT - 

NYAN-6/10p20: VIC DICKENSON 

on trom-bone and Bud Johnson on 

tenor sax were in the 

Earl”Father”Hines band that 

recently played at the Riverboat. 

But last Sunday night, this place 

that features big bands really romped 

with the“Tribute to Henry Red 

Allen”. Some of those who 

appeared inclu-ded Wilbur DeParis, 

Charlie Shavers, Sol Yaged, Jo 

Jones, Tony Parenti, Zutty 

Singleton, Sonny Greer, Bud 

Freeman, Tyree Glenn, “Big 

Chief” Moore, Lou Metcalfe, Joe 

Thomas and his wife, Cliff 

Jackson, Jimmy Rushing and 

Maxine Sullivan. J.C. 

Higginbotham, longtime cohort of 

Red's opened and closed the show 

that played to a sellout crowd. 

. 

---------------------------------------released 

from Sydenham Hospital following 

released an from operation. Sydenham He Hospital was a 

favorite follo-wing of ours, an operation. both on and He off was the a 

bandstand, favorite of and ours, we both used on to and hang off out the 

with bandstand, “Red” and when we he used and to trombonist hang out 

Jay with C.Higginbotham “Red” when he were and partners trombonist way 

back Jay C.Higginbotham when 52nd were Street partners was 

“swinging,” way back and when later 52nd when Street “Red” was 

making “swinging,” the Metropole and later when Café his “Red” regular was 

home. making One the of Metropole our best recollections Café his regular of 

“Red” home. was One the of our new best Caddy recollections he'd buy of 

every “Red” year was and the his new regular Caddy trip he'd home buy to 

New every Orleans year and to see his “Momma.”! regular trip home 

to New Orleans to see “Momma.” 

RED ALLEN AND ME out “Babs”Gonzales book 

Red is dead now but he lived like Dinah 

Washington. He was so good that the big agents 

kept him out of the big rooms to keep him out 

from being treat to Louis Armstrong. He had a 

new Cadillac every year; fed all the hungry cats; 

and was a name all over the world. As Red would 

say “My Man.”

- 172 - 

6/4/67, N.Y.C.: RIVERBOAT, 34 St&5 Ave, Empire State Bldg.- 

“Tribute to Henry Red Allen”; Concert Comittee: Max 'The Mayor', 

Jack Bradley, Carl Sinclair; A host of New York's mainstream and 

traditional musicians are expected to participate; set at presstime were: 

Jonah Jones, Wilbur DeParis, Bobby Hackett, Charlie Shavers, Sol 

Yaged, Coleman Hawkins, Tony Parenti, Zutty Singleton, Yank 

Lawson, Clark Terry, Earl Hines, Roy Eldridge, Jo Jones, Bud 

Freeman, Big Chief Moore, Tyree Glenn, Pee Wee Russell, Sonny 

Greer, J.C.Higginbotham, Tom Gwaltney, Louis Metcalfe, Saints and 

Sinners Band, and many .more. Donation $3.oo, entire proceeds to 

family. (DB-6/15/67); advertised in Jazz Notes 8-81-J.Failows--- 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

HENRY RED ALLEN - Reminiscences and Memorial Concert 

by Mike Zaccagnino in Coda 9/67p23/24 

Red Allen, who was not only a 

true jazz great, but also a respected 

and much beloved figure, is 

gone. I for one will miss him 

very much. He and his horn gave 

me a great deal of pleasure. 

I first heard Red (on record) 

doing Sweet Substitute with 

Jelly Roll. I loved it then and I 

love it and play it often today. I 

remember listening to those 

wonderful Vocallon sides he 

made like The Touch Of Your 

Hand, I'll Bet You Tell That 

To All The Girls (all swinging 

things) etc. 

Our first meeting was at the 

Stuyvesant Casino in the '40's., 

He appeared there regularly and 

at Central Plaza playing with 

greats like George Wettling, 

Cecil Scott, Buster Bailey and 

Gene Sedric. He was a warmhearted 

fellow and always did a 

wonderful job. Later, when he 

began to work at the Metropole, 

we saw each other very often 

and spent much time at the 

Copper Rail between shows. He 

always amused me with his 

stories of New Orleans and 

named me Charlie Gang Gang, 

after a tough bouncer who 

worked on the riverboats in 

those historic days. 

I was happy to see that the 

benefit concert in his honor at 

the Riverboat on June 4 was 

such a tremendous success. What 

a shame that Red couldn't join 

in for he would have dug it. The 

concert will be long remembered 

by those who paid and those who 

applauded. Much of the success 

of the concert has to be credited 

to Jack Bradley and Jeann Roni 

Failows for their untiring efforts. 

They saw to it that the posters 

were distributed in strategic spots. 

They mailed out hundreds of 

cards, plus releases and photographs 

to press and radio people. 

(Need I say that time was short 

and their budget very skimpy - 

and I'd hate to see their next 

phone bill.) Louis Metcalf, who 

sold about 400 tickets and made 

many many calls was also an 

invaluable help. 

For my part in this endeavour I 

donated the use of my beautyful 

drums. Obtaining drums for a 

benefit always presents problems. 

I opened with J.C. Higginbotham, 

Jack Fine , Joe Muranyi, Charlie 

Folds and Buck Jones. 

Next to take the stand was the band 

from Jimmy Ryan's. This consisted 

of Max Kaminsky, Marshall Brown, 

Tony Parenti, Zutty Singleton, 

Bobby, Pratt (piano) and Davie 

Quinn (banjo). Each was featured on 

their spe-cially. Max did a wonderful 

Dippermouth Blues, Bobby Pratt did 

a great Little Rock. Getaway, but 

Zutty broke it up with Tiger Rag, 

which really gassed me. (Mattie 

Walsh, one of the owners of Ryan's 

did lots of work plugging this 

concert to his patrons for weeks.) 

The Wilbur de Paris band followed 

with Johnny Letman playing 

some tremendous trumpet. The 

mighty Earl Hines was next and 

was easily the star of the evening. 

His playing is as sharp and clean as 

ever. With Earl were Russ Andrews, 

Eddie Barefield, Hayes Alvis and 

Jo Jones. I particularly enjoyed 

SatinDoll, displaying the talents of 

Earl, Hayes Alvis and Jo Jones. 

Louis Metcalf was next on the 

scene playing Louis Armstrong's 

Someday, which was appropriate as 

a telegram from Louis had been read 

to the audience before Metcalf began. 

Louis had expressed his heartfelt 

wishes, for the success of the 

evening. Metcalf was then joined by 

Eddie Bare-field, Tom Gwaltney and 

Big Chief Moore and played Lonesome 

Road (vocal by the Chief) and 

Basin Street Blues. With Joe Thomas 

were Charlie Folds, Al Lucas and 

Sonny Greer. Joe opened up with C 

Jam Blues which was wonderful and 

showed Joe is great chops to 

advantage. He's one of the best. He 

did his usually fine version of I'm In 

The Mood For Love. He was joined 

by his wife Babe Matthews who walled 

Pennies From Heaven, I Got It Bad 

and Babe's Blues. This gal can sing. 

Next in line was Charlie Shavers 

assisted by Tyree Glenn, Tom 

Gwaltney, Dill Jones, Hayes Alvis 

and Jo Jones. They played I Found A 

New Baby and Sweet Georgia 

Brown. They, were really swinging. 

Then The Saints And Sinners led by 

Red Richards. This well organized. group is always a 

delight and I wish they'd play in town more often. 

The Sol Yaged Quartet was next to appear with 

Dave Martin (piano), Frank Skeets (bass) and Sam 

Ulano (drums). Sol did the usual Benny Goodman 

things like Poor Butterfly, etc., but they were well 

played. Jimmy Rushing then came up to join the 

group and really woke the joint up as is customary 

with Rushing. Though now In his 60's, he can still 

belt out a song and this wonderful guy makes all the 

benefits and can always be relied upon to do a bang 

up job. He opened with Who's Sorry Now and closed 

with a jumping blues and let me tell you the place 

was really rocking. 

The Condon gang was the following band and they 

sounded just fine with Yank Lawson, Bud Freeman, 

Bob Wilbur, Cutty Cutshall, Jack Lesberg and the 

always fine Cliff Leeman. Because of his bad eyes, 

Cliff had some trouble finding his way to the stage 

and was calling out "Cab-Cab" and I went down and 

brought him up to the drums. Once he sat down and 

made himself comfortable, he played as well as 

always. The group opened with Struttin' With Some 

Barbecue followed by Jada and was then joined by 

Maxine Sullivan who sounded as great as ever. She 

opened with I Got The World On A String followed 

by Johnny Mercer's Accentuate The Positive. The 

band did an excellent job of backing her with her 

husband Cliff Jackson joining in at the piano. This gal 

can still sing a good song. 

As usual because of the time element, many of 

the musicians who had come down to perform had 

to be overlooked. The Lion got tired of waiting and 

finally cut out and who could blame him. Also 

waiting to go on were Tommy Benford, Dickle 

Wells, Nat Pierce, Benny Moten, Jackie Williams,. 

Norman Lester and many more. However, the 

main thing was that the benefit was a great success 

though I do hope we don't have to do another one 

for a long time. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Louis Armstrong had sent a telegram to Jack Bradley at the Riverboat on June 4, 1967: "Sorry I cannot attend but you 

know my heart is with you and all the participants paying tribute to my man and home boy the late great Red Allen. 

Yours, Louis Satchmo Armstrong." (courtesy: Louis Armstrong House Queens)

- 173 - 

Stanley Dance in Jazz Journal 7-67: with Ram Ramirez, is now drumming Several times, too, friends insisted on our 

Earl was back in The Riverboat again with Lionel Hampton.) The Saints and going to the upstairs bar, where service 

on Sunday, June 4th, when Jack Bradley Sinners scored. with their good tempos, was quicker but where the music could 

and others organized an enormously but the biggest surprise (to us) was be heard only in fragments. Our 

successful benefit for Red Allen. We had Charlie Shavers with Tyree Glenn and impressions the next day were inclined to 

never seen such a crowd in the room Tommy Gwaltney. Charlie's playing was be kaleidoscopic, but among the other 

before, and the enthusiasm was quite dazzling in its power and brilliance, musicians we remember seeing were.Joe 

heartening. Earl played with Eddie and the three horns ended with Thomas, Jimrny Rushing, Dicky Wells, 

Barefield ,(alto), Russ Andrews (tenor), exceptionally exciting riffs. 

Nat Pierce, The Lion, Jimmy 

Hayes Alvis(bass) and Jo Jones(drums). The only unsatisfactory aspects of such McPartland, Tony Parenti, Sonny Greer, 

Wilbur De Paris, with Johnny Letman bashes is that they are in the nature of Sonny Payne, Big Nick Nicholas, Edgar 

and Rupert Cole, did a pleasing set. social reunions, so that it is not always Battle, Louis Metcalf, Joe Muranyi, Bob 

(Rupert told us his son Ronnie, formerly possible to concentrate on the music. Wilber and, of course, Sol Yaged. . 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

"HENRY RED ALLEN BENEFIT CONCERT" by Konrad Korsunsky in Bul.H.C.F.No.169/July67: 

Le concert de bienfaisance donné le 4 Juin 

dernier au profit de la veuve d'Henry Allen a 

remporté un vit succès : Jack Bradley et Jeann 

Failows, qui, aidés de quelques amis, s'étaient 

occupés de l'organisation avec beau-coup de 

dévouement, ont pu remettre à Mrs Allen une 

somme de plus de 2.000 dollars (Louis 

Metcalf avait, à lui seul, vendu pour 600 

dollars de billets). Parmi les musiciens qui 

avaient prêté leur concours, citons J. C. 

Higginbotham ; un groupement comprenant 

Max Kaminsky à la trompette et le superbe 

Zutty Singleton à la batterie; l'orchestre de 

Wilbur de Paris, avec Johnny Letman à la 

trompette (pour remplacer Sidney de Paris, 

malade), toujours aussi puissant et plein 

d'inspiration; Earl Hines, qui tint l'auditoire 

sous le charme, par sa musique comme par la 

façon dont il parla d'Henry Allen; le trompette 

Joe Thomas avec Sonny Greer à la batterie; 

Charlie Shavers, éblouissant de virtuosité et 

de « gags » musicaux pendant que Tyree 

Glenn, Hayes Alvis et Jo Jones lui 

fournissaient un accompagnement de riffs si 

bien trouvés qu'à un moment, il se mit à 

danser tellement il s'amusait; le groupement 

des « Saints and Sinners », avec notamment 

He r rnan Autrey à la trompette, Vic Dickenson 

au trombone et Red Richards au piano; Big 

Nick Nicholas, George Kelly (ts), furent 

également très remarqués. 

Bien d'autres musiciens présents 

n'eurent pas le temps de venir sur scène 

tel fut le cas, entre autres, de Willie 

Smith «Le Lion», Cliff Jackson, Nat 

Pierce, Dickie Wells. Quant à Louis 

Armstrong indisponible pour raison de 

santé, il envoya un télégramme pour 

exprimer son regret de, n'être pas là. ... 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

SHE BRINGS HIS HORN HOME by Bettye Anding in N.O.States Item 8/29/68p25 

“It's just like him coming back 

home.“ That's the way Mrs. Pearlie 

Mae Allen, widow of famed jazzman 

Henry“Red”Allen Jr., feels about 

donating her late husband's trumpet to 

the New Orleans Jazz Museum. 

„People wanted me to sell the horn after 

Henry died last year,“ said Mrs. Allen. 

“But I didn't want to. I said, 'if the 

museum wants it, I'd like for them to 

have it.'“ 

The gentle widow, who left New 

Orleans almost 40 years ago when 

Fletcher Henderson asked her husband 

to come to New York City to 

join his jazz group, presented the 

trumpet to the museum at 10017 

Dumaine this afternoon. 

“My husband and I met at a place 

called the Pelican Dance Hall,” 

reminisced Mrs. Allen. “It doesn't 

exist anymore. But back in those days 

I worked for an insurance company 

during the days and sold tickets at the 

Pelican at night. 

“Henry played jazz on the Steamer 

Capitol. I think that its now called the 

Steamer President. 

“It went up river from New Orleans to 

St. Louis and back, When Henry got 

through playing on the steamer, he 

would come to the Pelican to play. 

Allen was the son of Henry Allen Sr., 

who headed a marching band in Algiers. 

“Henry would practice on his father's 

trumpet and sometimes borrow it to 

play when the marches would halt.” 

*** 

DURING HER 38 years of marriage 

to the jazzman, Mrs. Allen met so 

many of the greats of the musical world 

that her list of acquaintences reads like a 

Jazz Hall of Fame;” Luis Russell of the 

Roseland Ballroom, Louis Armstrong, 

Eddie Condon, Kid Ory, Jelly Roll 

Morton, Fate Marable, John Handy and 

Joe”King” Oliver. 

“Many musicians came to our home 

through the years,” recalled Mrs. 

Allen. “They didn't play there, because 

we lived in an apartment, of course. But 

they would spend hours listening 

to jazz records. 

“Henry had a large collection 

of records. I couldn't 

even begin to number them, 

but they fill four big racks.” 

*** 

Like her late husband, Mrs. 

Allen was “raised up with 

jazz.” Her cousin, Alvin 

Alcorn plays the trumpet in 

New Orleans jazz circles. 

“So my family wasn't at all 

unhappy about my marrying a 

musician,” she laughed. 

Mrs. Allen didn't often travel 

with her husband, but she was 

with him in Bermuda, in 

Chicago for seven years, and 

in San Francisco. 

“He had been in England the 

month before his death at 60 

in 1967,” she said. “And we 

were planning a trip to 

Australia.” *** 

THE ALLENS' only son, 

Henry Paul Allen, is a 

member of the New York 

City Police Department and 

plays the trumpet “for his own 

amusement,” said his mother. 

Mrs. Allen has two granddaughters 

and said that “if it 

weren't them and my son, I 

would probably come back to 

New Orleans for good.” 

During their years in New 

York and Chicago, the Allens 

visited their home town every 

year. 

“We were all here – Henry 

and I, my son and daughterin-law 

and my grandchildren 

– the August before Henry 

died,” said Mrs.Allen. 

“We usually tried to come 

home for Carnival,” she said. 

“Whenever Henry saw a 

marching band pas-sing with 

a parade he'd just grab his horn 

and go join them.” 

Mrs. Pearlie May Allen reminisces about her life 

with her late husband, jazzman Henry “Red” Allen, 

as she holds his photograph and trumpet. 

These legendary jazz Horns 

(at the Louisiana Jazz Archives): 

Red Allen – Louis Armstrong – Bix Beiderbecke

- 174 - 

Danny Barker, curator of the New Orleans Jazz Museum - Vagabonds Press, P.O.Box 2362 N.O., La. 70116, 1669p4 

BARKER: Well, Red Allen used to come in here almost every year. He's one of the few musicians who really loves the 

town - considers it his home. A lot of them left New Orleans and never wanted to come back. A lot of white musicians 

left the area and never want to see the place again. But Red always came back. Now Red's passed on. It was real hard to 

believe that a big, robust guy like him had cancer. But a month ago his wife came here, and she said, "I brought Red's horn." 

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HENRY "RED" ALLEN - a note by Albert McCarthy , in Jazz Monthly 6/67... about Don Ellis comment to "Feeling Good" 

... Like many collectors I have to admit that my own awareness 

of Henry Allen's full stature was slow in developing. I admired 

his early Victor recordings but though conscious of his rhythmic 

freedom and extreme versatility as a trumpeter, allowed 

recognition of his true worth to be obscured for some years by a 

suspicion of the more superficial showbiz aspects of his work. 

In 1958 I had the opportunity to hear Henry Allen almost 

nightly at the Metropole in New York City and finally realised 

his greatness. I Also got to know him well as a person and 

quickly became aware that the on stand personality was deceptive, 

for away from the public Henry was a rather shy sensitive man. 

In 1966 I was given the enjoyable assignment of taping Henry's 

autobiography for publication by Cassell's and during a two 

week period spent every afternoon with Henry in his hotel 

room working on the book. Henry was keen to work oh the 

project and having a phenomenally accurate memory was 

extremely easy to work with. After a few afternoons I realised 

that he was very anxious to document his early New Orleans 

days, particularly the part that his father had played, and it 

became obvious that he felt that early New Orleans history had 

suffered distortion. On several occasions he mentioned to me 

that there were photo-graphs and material in the New Orleans 

Jazz museum that he could throw light upon, adding "but 

nobody ever asks me". When talking of other musicians he 

was quite remarkably free from envy or malice and on no 

single occasion did I ever hear him ,speak slightingly of 

another performer. He was also devoided of racial attitudes 

and he related the few incidents in which he had been involved 

in an entirely objective manner, though it was obvious that he 

would stand up for himself if the need arose. After he returned 

to the States and the tapes were heard I felt that linking material 

was needed for some of the later sections and Henry himself 

also held the same view, so that it was decided to tape the final 

part when he was in this country during Feb. of this year. 

It was immediately apparent to me when I saw Henry for the 

first time in February that he was a desperately ill man. In 

retrospect it seems unwise of him to have ever made the tour 

and from odd comments he made to me I suspected that one 

reason was the need to recoup some of the heavy medical 

expenses he had incurred. On the other hand it may well be 

that his doctors felt that by allowing him to undertake the tour 

he could not worsen his position but might gain a psychologycal 

boost. The final material was obtained, though as Henry 

tired quickly it was done in short sessions, and the title of 

MAKE HIM HAPPY - a phrase that will need no explanation 

to anyone who ever heard him play - was agreed upon. In 

company with other friends of Henry's I saw him off at the 

airport on March 6th and within six weeks received the news 

of his death. 

At this moment I am not concerned with Henry's performances 

over here, though there were one or two memorable occasions 

which one regrets were never recorded. It is, common place to 

paint an individual in generous terms for obituaries, but in 

Henry's case there is no need to stretch the facts. As a man he 

was naturally generous and warm and quite lacking in spite or 

pettiness of any kind. I recall one afternoon when he spoke 

with an almost embarrassing humility of the friends he had made 

in this country, mentioning Doug Dobell, John Kendall, Max 

Jones and the Alex Welsh band amongst others, for it seemed to 

me that he gave much more than he ever received and that 

those of us who had become his friends were the fortunate 

ones. To anyone who knew Henry, even quite casually, the 

news of his death caused deep personal sorrow, for even one's 

admiration for him as a great musician is unimportant in 

comparation to the fact that at the last one remembers him as a 

human being of great kindness and warmth who, having come 

to terms with life himself, saw no need to be anything other than 

tolerant and generous in his relationship with others 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

RED ALLEN – THE MAN WHO MADE THEM HAPPY by Max Jones, Melody Maker-4/67 

NEVER again shall we hear the cry “My out, people began telephoning this paper but not a murmur of com-plaint from Red. 

Man” or “Make him happy” rapped out and writing in letters. It's happened with And you know the sad: thing was, when 

in Red Allen's distinctive voice. Never other jazzmen before, of course, but not he said goodbye he gave me a funny look 

again shall we see the tall figure boun- in my experience to this extent. out of the side of his eyes. We all said: 

ding on stage and announcing: "Look And a group of jazz lovers based on 'See you next year then,' but we were 

out, 'St Louis´"' - or what-ever the tune Dobell's Record Shop organi-sed a certain we wouldn't see him here again.” 

happened to be. 

collection for a wreath to be sent to Allen's playing style, though it owed 

No more the drawn-out "Nice" which Red's funeral, and condolences cab-led something to Louis Armstrong was 

was his all-purpose comment and ver- to his widow, Pearlie May. 

highly original from the first that we 

dict, even when accompanied by a frown They are all signs of the special esteem knew of it on record Clarence Williams' 

of enormous and rutted proportions. in which Henry Red was held here. “Zulu Wail” according to Red, but for 

Red has died, at the age of 59 or so, and Musicians and fans, even, club owners most of us on the excellent series of 

it is sad, sad news for the -many people and agents, had an affection for him that Victors by Henry Allen Jr and his New 

who admired his music-making and beats anything I can recall since poor old York Orchestra. 

perhaps delighted from time to time in Big Bill was alive. 

Among these records, made In 1929 

his amiable company. 

Alex Welsh, whose band made three and '30; are such beautiful performances 

To say that the jazz world will never see tours with Allen and would have looked as "Biffly Blues," "It Should Be You," 

his like again is to utter a cliché; but it forward to a fourth, says: 

“Feeling Drowsy” and the with-vocal " 

expresses the truth. He was one of the "You couldn't help liking him. I don't Patrol Wagon Blues." These were made 

truly brilliant musicians, one of the think I ever heard anybody say a bad with a section of the Luis Russell band, 

originals, one of the rapidly diminishing word about him. As for his playing: I with whom Red cut a great many his-toric 

number of New Orleans treats. 

honestly think he was one of the finest sides. "Jersey Lightning," "Doctor Blues," 

This has been a bad year already for trumpet players of all time. - As every- "Saratoga Shout," "Panama" and " New 

jazz losses, with Edmond Hall, Muggsy one noticed who knew him, Red was Call Of The Freaks " are some of the 

Spanier, Buster Bailey, Willie Smith,, pretty ill on his visit this year. He must interesting tracks. 

Pete Johnson and other champions all have known how sick he was, and It's a In New York, Allen was in some de- 

having died within a few months. great tribute to his professionalism that mand. He recorded a driving solo with 

Allen adds a regal name to the list, for he should have chosen to fulfil a tour Don Redman´s band on “Shakin' The 

he was a real dyed-in-the-wool trumpet like that, and done so well. - “And he African" (1931), and was featured with 

king. And when you come to think of it, was still playing lovely little things, Jelly Roll Morton …(e.t.c. list of other 

he's the first of his kind to depart in a interesting ideas I assure you. He kept band recorded with Allen.) 

very long time. Most of the trumpet well up-to-date on happenings and could It can be seen that Allen left behind 

giants who survived to see the post-war still bring up some surprises for us after plenty of samples of his fiery, often 

period are still with us. 

all the shows we'd done together. flamboyant but sometimes delicately 

As soon as the news of Red´s death was We had some hard journeys that last tour, fanciful trumpet work. His own groups,

- 175 - 

after the days of the superlative New Oliver” and his own quartet´s “Feeling worked together at he Metro-pole later 

Yorkers, produced plenty of worthwhile Good”. Another, with Pee Wee, was on, and never tried to carve each other. I 

titles from 1933 until the present, and recorded in concert last October by used to listen to Red when I was young, 

although he was hardly consistent, Red Impulse. 

we all did, beat didn't try to copy him: he 

generally imparted to his playing an Buck Clayton, an old friend of Al- played a little too much for me.” 

urgent jazz feeling. With Zutty, Ed Hall len's, told me: “I was terribly upset at the And Bill Coleman summed up Allen 

and others he cut four New Orleans style news of his death. He was exceptionally succinctly in these words: “He kept 

performances in 1940. LPs on which he close to me and I think we really undergoing. He played good trumpet, and he 

led included "Ride Red Ride In HiFi," stood each other. - I met Red around did the best to make everybody happy.” 

"Dixiecats," “Red Allen Plays King 1950, to know him well, I mean. We 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

RED ALLEN DIES Down Beat 6/1/67: Another of the worked another lengthy stint at the Metropole, appeared at 

vibrant old voices of jazz, trumpeter Henry (Red) Allen, 59, several Newport Jazz Festivals and once at the Monterey Jazz 

died April 17 in New York City. An outstanding. stylist on the Festival, and toured England in 1964 as a single. In 1966, he 

horn, Allen underwent surgery in January for a cancerous appeared on the television program Profile of the Arts and was 

stomach ailment, recovered sufficiently to tour England for the subject of a profile, by Whitney Balliett in The New 

three weeks in March, but suffered a rapid decline in health Yorker. 

after his return. 

Allen was one of the most original and venturesome 

Allen was born in Algiers, La., near New Orleans, on Jan. 7, trumpeters to follow in the wake of Louis Armstrong, by 

1908. His father, Henry Allen Sr., also a trumpeter, was the whom he was strongly influenced. His bold, bright sound and 

leader of a famous brass band in which most of the legendary strong attack wore in the classic New Orleans tradition, but his 

New Orleans musicians, including King Oliver, Sidney approach to improvisation, and his advanced harmonic 

Bechet, and Louis Armstrong, played on occasion. The senior conception, presaged, from as early as 1929, what was to 

Allen died in 1952. 

become "modern" years later. 

When he was 8, Red began studying trumpet with his father Allen was also a gifted jazz vocalist, and his outgoing perso- 

and often participated in the band's parades. In 1923, he had nality made him a natural entertainer. He composed a number 

his first important job, with clarinetist George Lowis, and then of attractive instrumentals, including Biffly Blues, Pleasing 

worked with Capt. John Handy, and in 1926 joined Fate Paul, Red Jump, Algiers Stomp, and Siesta at the Fiesta. 

Marable's famous riverboat orchestra. Following a time with His biggest hits were two novelty numbers, Ride, Red, Ride (his 

pianist Fats Pichon, Allen was called to Chicago in 1927 by theme song), and Get the Mop, which became famous as Rag 

King Oliver but soon returned to New Orleans and the Mop and engendered litigation over royalty rights. Allen won. 

Marable band. 

From the late '20s on, Allen participated in a vast number of 

In 1929, Allen went to New York to join pianist Luis recording sessions, including a long series under his own 

Russell's band, one of the outstanding big bands of the time. name from 1935 to 1938. Among his greatest solos are Mule 

Allen's reputation was firmly established during his four years Face Blues (King Oliver), It Should Be You, Jersey Lightning. 

with Russell. Allen became the featured trumpet soloist with Feeling Drowsy, and Panama (Luis Russell), Yeah Man, King 

Fletcher Henderson's band in 1933. When Henderson Porter Stomp, Wrappin' It Up, Big John Special (Fletcher 

disbanded the next year, Allen joined the Mills Blue Rhythm Henderson), Heartbreak Blues, Jamaica Shout (Coleman 

Band, declining an offer to become its leader. In 1937, he Hawkins). Harlem Heat, Red Rhythm (Mills Blue Rhythm 

returned to Russell, whose band was then fronted by Louis Band), 1 Got Rhythm, Honeysuckle Rose (Kid Ory), and, with 

Armstrong remaining until 1940, when he formed his own his own groups, Body and Soul, It's Written All over Your 

small group, which opened at Cafe Society Downtown with Face, Algiers Stomp, When Did You Leave Heaven?, 1 Cover 

trombonist J.C.Higginbotham, pianist Kenny Kersey, and the Waterfront. 

clarinetist Edmond Hall in the lineup. 

In 1965, avant-garde trumpeter Don Ellis wrote a tribute to 

Allen continued as a combo leader through 1953, playing Allen in Down Beat in which he said, "Red Allen is the most 

long engagements in Chicago, Boston, and on New York's creative and avant-garde trumpet player in New York. ... No 

52nd St. In 1954, his group became the house band at the one is more subtle rhythmically and in the use of dynamics add 

Metropole in New York, a job that lasted seven years. He took asymmetrical phrases than Henry Red Allen." 

a leave in 1959 to make his fist visit to Europe, as a member of A requiem high mass was held for Allen April 21 at St. 

trombonist Kid Ory'& band. During this period, Allen was also Anthony's Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx. Allen's 

featured in the television specials The Sound of Jazz and survivors include his widow, Pearlie Mae; his mother, Mrs. 

Chicago and All That Jazz. 

Juaretta Allen of New Orleans; a son, Henry Allen III and two 

In recent years, Allen continued to travel with his own group, granddaughters. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

"FOR RED" - Feather's Nest - by Leonard Feather in Down Beat 6/1/67: 

THE DEATH OF RED ALLEN brought back long-dormant 

recollections of a personal friendship that goes back to the first 

days I ever spent in New York City, fresh off the boat from 

England and eager to meet the great men who, until then, had 

been distant, revered names on record labels. 

One of the first whose tireless hospitality helped make me feet 

less of a stranger in town was Red Allen, who suggested that I 

join him after a record session and spend an evening listening 

to records in his apartment near Sugar Hill. 

"My chief surprise at Red´s place," I wrote in the London 

Melody Maker, "was the huge pile of records he has in which 

he is featured as bandleader. Under his own name he has made 

literally scores of titles on Vocalion, Melotone, and other lowprice 

labels, featuring J.C. Higginbotham, Luis Russell, and 

Pee Wee Erwin, the little trumpet player from Ray Noble's 

band." (These pickup combo dates, recorded off and on from 

1933 through '37, would make a splendid subject for a 

Columbia reissue project.) 

On that night, Red's charming wife showed me his pressclipping 

books, and I glanced at some of his fan mail. 

"Most of this comes from Europe," I wrote, "and it is fascinating 

to study the techniques employed by fans to secure 

photographs, biographical details, and answers to all sorts of 

questions concerning records that Red forgot about years ago. 

"Red Allen is such a fine artist and such an agreeable, 

gentlemanly fellow that it seems a shame he hasn't yet quite 

reached the top. The Mills Blue Rhythm Band doesn't really 

'send him,' but he has to make money. The other evening he 

was off to play a one-night engagement with Ellington, filling 

in for an absentee. I commented that many of us would be 

delighted if he could fit in permanently with the Duke.' 

That affiliation, of course, never materialized; had Ellington 

hired him, the quality and quantity of Allen's recorded legacy 

would have been immeasurably greater, for he was just the 

type of individualist for whom Ellington could have designed 

perfect settings (the rainiature jazz concerto concept was 

pioneered by Duke in 1936). 

Allen was never to earn the security of an Ellington setting. 

For three years he was virtually buried in the big Louis 

Armstrong band; then his career as a combo leader began, and 

none of us who heard it will ever forget the "wamp! wamp!" 

with which he beat off his sextet at Cafe Society Downtown. 

It was a rough-and-tumble, gutty little band, with Higginbotham 

and Edmond Hall in the original front line. We all 

sensed then what Whitney Balliett put into words many years 

later: that Allen was the first major New Orleans horn man 

tofollow Armstrong, one of the first to extend the 

lineare concepts of improvisation, and, in effect, was a prem-

- 176 - 

ature avantgardist. 

In later years, like many survivors of the swing bands, he 

was identified with Dixieland, playing at New York City's 

Metropole in a setting oddly different from that of his own 

band of the '40s. 

But this was nothing new for him. I recall another price-less 

night. It happened during the hottest week in Manhattan's 

history, with 52nd St. jazz temperatures to match. The Hickory 

House unveiled a new group billed as Joe Marsala and Eddie 

Condon's Chicagoans. A brilliant 19-year-old find was playing 

piano; his name was Joe Bushkin. And on opening night, 

wearing the same uniform as the white musicians, not just 

sitting in but an actual member of the band, was Red Allen. 

Such sights were astonishing in those days of total 

segregation. 

But it was only a one-nighter for Red, as things turned out; he 

was obliged to return to the Blue Rhythm Band. (His 

Bourbon Street Parade by Clint Bolton 

VCC 4/28/67: It has been a time of sorrow for a lot of us who 

learned that Henry "Red" Allen had played his last set. The big 

fellow whose magnificent trumpet had placed him in the 

forefront of jazzmen for several decades died in New York, 

for many years his home. 

He was, however, a native Orleanian. having been born in 

Algiers. While still in knee pants he paraded with his father's 

marching band and from there he went on to climb the heights 

to jazz stardom. He returned to New Orleans annaully to visit 

his mother who still lives across the river and last year was 

deservedly featured in local radio, TV and press interviews. A 

life-long friend and associate of Paul and Louis Barbarin, 

Danny Barker, Louis Cottrell, and other News Orleans 

musicians, he enjoyed talking about the old days and the long, 

long jazz road which had taken him to many parts of the 

world. He sat in on several occasions with the Dixieland Hall 

groups and was visibly affected by the ovation he received 

from audiences and fellow musicians including Ronnie Cole 

one of his biggest fans. I spent some happy hours with him and 

cherish one of his records he autographed to me. He told me 

an anecdote of which the tagline is "You can't play Blue Skies 

all day long." May the skies ever be blue for him. 

The foregoing reminds me that the Bourbon St. Landmark 

idea is shaping up into an actuality. Ronnie Cole and the 

Moran brothers will install a plaque to "Fats" Pichon at the 

replacement was another Negro trumpeter, Otis Johnson. 

Marsala was the first in his field after Benny Goodman to 

buck U.S. society.) But Red came back and sat in whenever he 

could, “creating noises,” I’observed, “the quantity of whose 

volume is equated and surpassed by the quality and perfection 

of his style.” 

When a man of Red Allen’s stature is lost to jazz, one, is 

tempted to plunge into scholarly analyses of his style and 

influence, This will no doubt be the course followed by many 

of us who knew the size of his contribution. But for the 

moment, all I can recall is that sad smile – Balliett called his 

face “a study in basset melancholy” – and that friendly arm 

around my back, and the nights of glory at 1 Sheridan Square 

and all the other clubs whose gloom he assuaged. It was a joy 

to hear him as an artist but, more than that, an honor to know 

hint as a friend . 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Absinthe House and Al Clark will do the same in memory of 

Lester Santiago, Kid Howard, and Joe Robichaux at Dixieland 

Hall. George Finola and Don Marquis have also suggested 

Red Allen be saluted at Dixieland and I see no reason 

against the idea. It is true that Red only played for kicks a 

couple or three concerts there but that was the last time 

his horn was beard on Bourbon and we think he rates the 

tribute. I am checking on the cost of plaques and we will 

work out a uniform design and wording. Anyone wishing to 

contribute can get In touch with me via die Courier 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

RANDOM THOUGHTS - A conversation between Pearlie May Allen, Marge Singleton, Peter Carr and Al Volmer. 

19 November 1979 

Bourbon Street, he couldn't get out of birthday is in July! Red made the 

Pearl (known as Pretty) came to New one place before the next place wanted Metropole. It was run by a man named 

York in 1929. Red was with Luis Russell him - I just, had to sit there on my own. Ben Harriman. One time they were 

then, he'd been with Kingl Oliver before And if a parade happened to pass by remodelling the place to make the 

that. The first time he came up to New where we were, he would always rush bandstand smaller and Harriman was 

York, King Oliver had sent for him. He out and join in. 

heard to say 'I don't give a damn about 

went back home to New Orleans and then He loved his father very much, they the musicians.'" 

he came back. The reason he came back were very close. Before we were mar- Pearl: "People used to go to the 

was because Luis Russell, as there were ried, he used to keep just enough money Metropole to hear Red, not to go to the 

quite a few New Orleans musicians in to live on, and gave the rest to his family. Metropole." 

the Russell band. Fletcher Henderson When Red died, he didn't want to be Al Volmer: "Turk Murphy and Red 

wanted him too, but he preferred to go taken back to New Orleans and he Allen were both at the Metropole. play- 

where the New Orleans musicians were. didn't want any music plaved at his ing alternate sets. Red joined Turk in the 

Russell had gone to New Orleans as a funeral – he was too full of his father's last set; I remember him playing the 

young boy. and he began to speak the funeral.". 

traditional chorus in 'Chimes Blues' quite 

language. 

Alvin Alcorn is Pearl's cousin. beautifully with Turk's band." (see p88) 

When she was in New Orleans, Pearl "When we had Henry Jr. used to push Pearl: "Red was an only child. He used 

had two jobs; she was a secretary by day, the baby carriage, he was so proud of his to play the kettledrum in brass bands 

and a friend of hers ran the Pelican and baby. Henry Jr. was in the police force, alongside his father.. He enjoyed 

she sold tickets there at night. That's but now he's retired. 

travelling very much. 

where I met Red. He came into New FAMILY TREE: Father - Henry Red, Red idolised and admired Louis Arm- 

Orleans off the S.S. Capitol - my cousin, Wife – Pearl, Son - Henry Junior; strong. He'd often put on Louis' records at 

Earl Pearson (sax) was in the band too. Grandchildren – Alcornette & Junetta; home and play behind them. We were 

Marvin Kimball, the guitar player. Great grandchild – Nikita 

married in 1930. He loved eating red 

introduced us. I didn't travel about too Marge Singleton: "Red was such a beans, rice and fried shrimp." 

much with Red, so I can't tell you much showman, he used to put everything into Marge: "Red always greeted anyone he 

about his travels. We went to New everything he did. Whenever I walked knew, not only me, by saying Happy 

Orleans often in vacation - Red loved to into the Metropole, he used to play and Birthday. He used to remember 

play so much that he'd always sit in sing 'Happy Birthday to Marge'. I remember everyone's name. He lovely man." 

somewhere. When we went down in him doing this in December, and my 

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- 177 - 

A-B-BASICS No.7 HENRY ALLEN JNR. by Barry McRae in Jazz Journal 7-67 

Trumpet playing in the 'twenties was 

dominated by the gigantic talent of Louis 

Armstrong. From the musical climate 

that this created, maybe in fact because 

of it, there emerged another outstanding 

horn man – Red Allen. That he belonged 

to the same lineage is beyond question, 

but he fashioned a highly personal style 

that in turn had its own followers. He 

was born in Algiers, Louisiana in 1908 

and, since his father was leader of a 

famous brass band, was quickly attracted 

to the world of music. He played around 

New Orleans with leaders such as 

George Lewis and John Handy and after 

a spell on the riverboats joined King 

Oliver in Chicago 1927. 

Two years later he took a vital step and 

joined former Oliver alumnus and pianist 

Luis Russell in New York. The records 

made by his group were highly exciting 

and even in the august company of 

trombonist J.C.Higginbotham and altoist 

Charlie Holmes, Allen was out-standing. 

He shone at any tempo and could be 

blisteringly hot on a rocking stomp such 

as Swing Out (1929) or strongly 

introspective on slows such as Biffly 

Blues (1929). Both approaches were 

goverened by his timing and his work at 

this period displayed a flair for 

unexpected note displacement. 

This , in fact, is what distinguished 

Allen from his contemporaries. Like 

Armstrong, his ability to set his timing at 

odds with the basic pulse stamped him as 

a modern player. Even the most 

outstanding of the swing era trumpeters 

that followed failed to equal this aspect 

of his style. Men like Charlie Shavers, 

Harry James, Buck Clayton and Roy 

Eldridge were far more predictable 

rhythmically than the audacious Allen 

and not until the emergence of Harry 

Edison did another trumpeter display the 

same grasp of linearity. 

In 1933 Allen joined Fletcher Henderson 

and proved to be the most effective 

trumpeter for the band since Tommy 

Ladnier. The bouncing riffs of the band 

provided an ideal setting for him 

although he remained for only one year. 

His next two years were spent with the 

Blue Rhythm Band. He then joined Louis 

Armstrong who was in the pro-cess of 

taking over the Russell band. 

After leaving Armstrong in 1940, Allen led 

his own groups for many years and until 

1954 had what amounted to resi-dency at 

the Metropole Club in New York. This 

was a crushing job for such an inventive 

improviser and years of playing for the 

club's somewhat indif-ferent patrons 

wore down his creative edge. Fortunately, 

this was not a permanent state and 

during his 1959 tour of Europe with Kid 

Ory, he surprised many with the quality of 

his work. More recent recordings, however, 

have not always upheld this level and his 

once unpredictable, rhythmic attack 

began to exhibit a certain stiffness. 

Although no longer the innovator he 

had once been, this cannot detract from 

his stature as one of the leading trumpeters 

in jazz history. Even his latter day 

playing retained his wonderfully brassy 

sound and, despite the occasional tendency 

to sharpness in his intonation, he 

had an ideal tone. It was a superbly full 

one and his fierce, staccato attack and 

very fast vibrato gave his style great 

clarity. Like his long time associate 

Higginbotham, Allen's solos opened with 

explosive urgency yet rarely lost impetus 

as they progressed. There was also a 

softer side to his musical personality and 

features such as Patrol Wagon Blues 

(1930) or You Might Get Better (1930) 

were essentially lyrical. 

Allen died in April this year, shortly 

after his last visit to this country (UK). 

Readers who saw how well this sick man 

could still play will not forget him. To the 

young modernist unaware of the early 

evolution of jazz, his phrasing might seem 

slightly common place. In the early 

'thirties it was revolutionary and at that 

time Red Allen had only one peer – the 

incomparable Louis Armstrong. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Patrick Scott in Toronto Daily Star, Sat.4/22/67p30: TWO MORE DOWN: HOW MANY LEFT ? 

They are dropping like flies. 

Last week Buster Bailey, this week Red 

Allen. And already this year, Edmond 

Hall, Muggsy Spanier, Herman Chittison, 

Willie Smith, Pete Johnson. … 

Only the other night we were sitting 

around the Colonial, lamenting the death 

of Buster Bailey when one of The Saints 

and Sinners, with whom Bailey had 

played there so often, remarked that 

Allen was more gravely ill than anyone 

realized. That- was at 7 p.m. Monday, 

which was the time Red Allen died at 

home in New York, at 59, of cancer. 

Henry (Red)Allen was, for my money, 

the second, best trumpeter that jazz has 

produced, and one of its handful of best 

singers. At his peak, from the late `20s to 

the late `30s, he came closer, much closer, 

than any other trumpeter ever has to Louis 

Armstrong; and in his own way he was 

almost as influential as Armstrong, having 

spawned, with his jagged phrasing and 

eccentric harmonies, the whole Eldridge- 

Gillespie lineage, for better or worse. 

When he was still in his early 20s, with 

the Luis Russell orchestra and his own 

New York recording band, he already 

had achieved such complete technical 

mastery of his instrument that he was 

able to duplicate (but with his own 

peculiar offbeat stamp) all but the most 

dazzling of Armstrong's pyrotechnical 

feats. And throughout the early and 

middle 30s his horn ignited the brass 

sections of so many big bands that many 

of today's reissue recordings devoted to 

other names - Fletcher Henderson, Mills 

Blue Rhythm, King Oliver - in reality are 

showcases for Red Allen's trumpet. 

But it was with his own small recording 

groups of the middle and late 1930s that 

he really left his mark - on indelible performances 

(There's a House in Harlem 

for Sale, Rosetta, Body and Soul, Dinah 

Lou, Lost, Every Minute of the Hour) 

that constitute, with the Wilson-Holiday 

classics and the Lionel Hampton Victors, 

one of the monumental series in recorded 

small-band jazz. (And it is one of the 

small ironies of jazz that throughout 

much of the period he was making these 

recordings he was buried in the trumpet 

section of Louis Armstrong's big band.) 

Some of us will remember him most 

for these dusty old recordings (especially 

those of us who are lucky enough to have 

some of them on tape), but to many he 

will be merely the man in the Metropole 

mirth mask. For it was Red Allen's 

misfortune (and ours) that he went off 

the tracks as a performer at a 

comparatively early age. 

His finest work was distinguished by 

the spinechilling blend of searing heat 

and delicate poignancy that all the great 

trumpeters have, and that only the great 

trumpeters have (Armstrong, of course, 

had it, and Cootie Williams had it, and 

Buck Clayton has it). But somewhere 

along the line, around the time he took 

over the house band at the Metropole Bar 

in New York, Red Allen's beauty gave 

way largely to bombast, his electricity to 

raucousness, and for the next 25 years, 

his last 25 years, he became (like Dicky 

Wells and J. C. Higginbotham) one of 

the most frustrating performers in jazz. 

But the difference in Red Allen's case 

was that almost to the end he invariably 

offered, if only a couple of times a night, 

a few fleeting, haunting, agonizing 

echoes of at least some of the things that 

once made him great. 

And nobody tried harder, right to the 

end, with all the tone and technique and 

lip and heart and everything else that was 

needed. But it nearly all came out wrong. 

He knew the score 

(Allen, being a proud man, was sensitive 

about this. I know, because I once wrote 

a more-in-sorrow-than-anger lament to 

his lost powers, and he pinned my ears 

back the next night with a performance 

so brilliant it brought the tears to my eyes. 

But the night after that he was worse 

than ever - and trying just as hard. 

(remark: see his note on p96)). 

Ironically, as Allen's playing grew increasingly 

erratic he was "rediscovered" by 

certain influential critics (notably the New 

Yorker's Whitney Balliett) who should 

have known better; and soon the British, 

who almost always appreciate the right 

musicians for all the wrong reasons and 

at least 20 years too late, clutched him to 

their bosoms (he had just returned from a 

tour of Britain when his fatal illness struck 

him); and he made a couple of records, 

both of them very bad and very sad. 

.But at least he was eating regularly, so 

maybe these well-intentioned people had 

the right idea, at that. 

The thing Buster Bailey's death underlines 

most boldly is the staggering durability 

of Armstrong himself. Since he 

formed his Allstars in 1947 their mortality 

rate has been fearful: Teagarden, Sid 

Catlett, Velma Middleton, Billy Kyle, Ed 

Hall and now Bailey.

But Louis Armstrong himself, as we all 

know, goes on forever. Except that he 

:won't, as recent events should tell us. 

Well, I hope you caught Buck Clayton 

on that BBC-telecast from London the 

- 178 - 

other night (the best televised 

presentation of jazz I have seen), and I 

hope you catch Herman Autrey and the 

rest of The Saints and Sinners at the 

Colonial this trip, because there aren't 

many of them left. 

And because-whether you realize it or 

not, or whether you want to believe it or 

not - these aren't just jazzmen dying, they 

are the death throes of jazz. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

RED ALLEN DEAD; Jazz Trumpeter .New Orleans Musician, 60, Played with Armstrong ; NYT-4/19/67 

Henry (Red) Allen, who for many years New Orleans by King Oliver, but he Seventh Avenue and 49th Street and 

was one of the country's leading Dixieland stayed only about two months before stayed there for seven years. Other places 

Jazz trumpet players, died Monday night going back to join Fate Marable's band he played included Eddie Con-don's, the 

at Sydenham Hospital. He was 60 years that worked the Mississippi riverboats Hickory House, the Embers and the 

old and lived at 1351 Prospect Avenue, and played engagements in St.Louis. Newport jazz festivals. 

the Bronx. 

Mr. Allen was summoned back to New “Playing, it's like somebody making 

Mr. Allen was a native of the New York in 1929 by Luis Russell and played your lip speak, making it say things he 

Orleans community of Algiers. He once with Mr. Russell's band at the Roseland thinks,” Mr. Allen told Mr. Balliett in 

described his birthplace as being to New Ballroom. He stayed with the band, until trying to explain how he worked. “I 

Orleans what the Bronx is to New York. 1933, when he joined Fletcher Henderson. concentrate a couple of bars ahead at all 

His father, Henry Allen Sr., who died in Four years later he was playing the times. You have to have an idea of where 

1952, had led a brass band that included trumpet with Louis Armstrong's big you are going. You have more 

Joe (King) Oliver, Louis Armstrong and band, which he described as 'like coming expression of feeling in the blues. And 

Sidney Bechet. 

home again, because it was still the old you have more time.” 

The father played the trumpet and Russell band but expanded.” 

Mr. Allen - his nickname, Red, was 

wanted his son to do so too, although the Mr. Allen formed his own band in 1940 given him, he explained, because he was a 

boy's mother preferred the violin. By the and for a year played at the old Greenwich light-skinned Negro and his face got red 

time young Henry was 8 years old, he Village cellar nightclub, Café Society when he blew his trumpet - had said in 

was practicing on his father's horn. Downtown, which was the headquarters effect that he would not retire until he 

Last year, Mr. Allen told a interviewer for such famous musicians as Pete John- died. 

that his father would carry him in the son, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, and “When I pass is when I retire,” he said. 

band's parades “some of the ways and then Hazel Scott. Lena Horne also sang there. “I love to play; that horn is good for me.” 

put me down on a corner and I'd play and Played all Over 

Mr. Allen leaves his wife, the former 

a little crowd would gather and he'd tell From Café Society Downtown, Mr. Pearlie May Alcorn; a son, Henry Allen 

everybody 'Sonny's got it, sonny's got it'.” Allen moved to the Ken Club in Boston 3d, a patrolman attached to the 32d 

Obviously, sonny really did have it, and and then the Down Beat Room in Chi- Precinct in Harlem; his mother, Mrs. 

by the time he was in his early teens he cago. Later he worked in San Francisco Juretta Allen of New Orleans and two 

was playing trumpet in brass bands and and Salt Lake City and then back to New granddaughters. 

cabarets. 

York again to the Onyx, Kelly's Stable A funeral mass will be offered on Friday at 

In 1927 , Mr. Allen made his first trip and Jimmy Ryan's on 52d Street. 10 A.M. at St. Anthony's Roman 

to New York, having been called from In 1954 he started at the Metropole Café on Catholic Church, 166th Street. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

JAZZ TRUMPET PLAYER IS DEAD - Henry Allen Jr. Famed as Music Stylist ; The Times-Picayune New Orleans, 

4/19/67: Henry Allen Jr., 59, famed, jazz stylist who was a band and subsequently played here with George Lewis in 1923, 

natives of Algiers, died in New York City Monday night after John Handy in '25, and on riverboats with Fate Marable in '26. 

a long illness. 

Allen also worked with Fats Pichon, then joined King Oliver 

The Negro trumpeter and, singer gained recognition while in Chicago in 1927. He went New York in,1929 and joined the 

performing with such other jazz greats as Louis Armstrong, band led by Luis Russell. 

John Handy, Kid Ory and Luis Russell. 

During the 1930s, he also worked with Fletcher Henderson 

Allen resided In New York with his family for many years. and Louis Armstrong. He, Allen formed his own group in New 

Since 1954 he was employed at the city's Metropole night club. York, and the band remained together until the early '50s. 

In 1959, he toured Europe with Kid Ory and later was Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but a spokesman at the 

featured on television programs about, jazz and in numerous New Orleans Jazz Museum said Tuesday that services probably 

jazz books and anthologies. Born in Algiers in 1908, Allen will take place in New York. 

became musically inclined at an early age. His father was the Survivors include his widow, Pearlie May; a son, who is on 

leader of a brass band that played in and around New Orleans the New York police forces; two granddaughters; and his 

for more than 40 years. As a child, he marched with his father's mother, Mrs. Juretta Allen who resides in Algiers. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

RED ALLEN, FAMED JAZZ MUSICIAN, DIES State Item,N.O., 4/19/67 

Red Allen, the famous jazz stylist who with his father's band, whose sidemen and at the Newport Jazz Festival. he 

began his career playing the trumpet on included Armstrong, King Oliver and toured Europe with Kid Ory in 1959 and 

New Orleans street corners, will not be Sidney Bechet. 

later was featured on jazz programs and 

home again. The 59-year-old jazz great, In an interview before he died Allen in jazz books and anthologies. 

christened Henry Allen Jr., died Monday recalled his father carrying him in Red came home for the last time last 

night at New York's Sydenham hospital parades then “putting me down on a summer and thrilled local jazz enthu- 

after a long illness. 

corner and I'd play and a little crowd siasts and young comers with an old 

Allen's death is the second in two weeks would gather and he'd tell everybody, time jam session. 

among musicians who played with Louis 'Sonny's got it, Sonny's got it.” 

“Playing,” he once said. “It's like 

Armstrong. Clarinetist Buster Bailey HE SUBSEQUENTLY played here with somebody making your lip speak, 

died at his Brooklyn home last week George Lewis in 1923, John Handy in making it say things he thinks. I 

BORN IN ALGIERS in 1908, Allen '25 and on the riverboats with Fate concentrate a couple of bars ahead at all 

became musically inclined at an early Marable in 1928. Allen also worked with times. You have to have an idea of 

age. His father was the leader of a brass Fats Pichon, then joined King Oliver in where you are going.” 

band that played in and around New Chicago in 1927. He went to New York He is survived by his wife, Pearlie May 

Orleans for more than 40 years. in 1929 and joined the band led by Luis Allen; a son, who is on the New York 

Re Allen's mother wanted him to play Russell. During the '30s, he worked with police force; two granddaughters, and his 

the violin, but his father preferred the Fletcher Henderson and Armstrong. mother, Mrs. Juretta Allen, who lives in 

trumpet, and it became Red's horn. By He formed his own group in New York, Algiers. 

the time he was eight, crowds were which remained together until the early '50s. Funeral arrangements are incomplete, 

gathering on the city's street corners to ALLEN HAD BEEN a regular at the but services are expected to take place in 

hear his music. As a child, he marched Metropole Café in New York since 1954 New York. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5/26/73 J.C. Higginbotham died ; OBITUARIES - 

J. C. Higginbotham by A.B. in Footnote Aug.73 Vol.4 No.6: 

The recent death of "Higgy" at the age of 67 deprived us 

of one of the true originals of jazz trombone. 

Coming from a musical family, "Higgy" was active in his 

"teens although until around 1924 he needed to supplement 

his musical activity with more mundane work as a mechanic 

at the General Motors Factory in Cincinnati, having 

moved there from his native Atlanta. 

It was in 1928 whilst in New York City that JC was hired 

by Luis Russell and it was the spell with that wonderful 

band (featured in a recent FOOTNOTE article) that made 

his name and during which his exciting blues based and 

individual style developed to maturity. Spells with Fletcher 

Henderson and Benny Carter preceded three years touring 

with the Louis Armstrong backing band. A reunion with 

his Russell bandmate Red Allen took place in 1940 and 

after a variety of jobs he was at the Metropole in New 

York in the late 1950s before touring Europe with Sammy 

Price. 

Despite bouts of illness he continued to work with 

regularity into the 60s and recorded with Tiny Grimes and 

later in his home town under his own name. Whilst it 

could not be claimed that his "comeback" recordings were 

a success, at least some of the old hallmarks were there. 

An important figure in jazz, JC Higginbotham was an 

influence on later stylists and contributed to the 

development of the trombone as a solo instrument in jazz. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

HIGGINBOTHAM BLUES – by Bernard Houghton 

in Jazz Journal Vol.21 No.1-Jan.68p4: 

Maturity came late to the jazz trombone: both trumpet 

and clarinet, the other front-line instruments, were played 

with a measure of technical proficiency by the New 

Orleans jazz men. The trumpet had a lineage of 'kings', 

each with a more sophisticated technique than his 

predecessor; the clarinet had a classical background and 

most of the New Orleans clarinets received formal training 

from a 'professor' – the trombone had to wait for Jimmy 

Harrison. In the space of seven years between 1922, when 

he first heard Louis Armstrong, and 1929 when he 

recorded his last solo Fletcher Henderson, Harrison took 

the trombone out of the ensemble, extended its range, and 

established it as a flexible solo voice. One of the first 

trombonists to learn from Harrison was J.C.Higginbotham. 

(Jack Teagarden independently arrived at an articulate 

trombone style which had much in common with Jimmy 

Harrison's conception). No other jazz trombonist contributed 

more to the development of the instrument than J.C. – today 

he is in eclipse and his key position in the evolution of the 

jazz trombone is barely recognized. 

J.C. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on 11th May1906; he 

attended school in Cincinnati, Ohio and later graduated to 

the Morris Brown University. He was raised in a musical 

atmosphere, most of the Higginbotham family played instruments 

and his sister played trombone. Although originally 

apprenticed to a tailor, by his eighteenth birthday he had 

become a professional musician and was playing with the 

local Wes Helvey band. J.C. left Cincinnati in 1926 for 

Buffalo where he played with Eugene Price and Jimmy 

Harris. While on a visit to New York City he sat in with 

Chick Webb at the Savoy Ballroom; Luis Russell who was 

listening on that night was immediately impressed by the 

young trombonist and hired him on the spot. J.C. replaced 

Harry White in the Russell band and moved into the Savoy 

with Luis in September 1928. 

The Luis Russell band played primarily for dancing: 

drummer Paul Barbarin and bassist 'Pops' Foster generated a 

rhythmic drive unequalled by any other group of its day. 

What this band lacked in subtlety of arrangement it gained 

from its wealth of solo talent; together with Red Allen, Charlie 

Holmes, and Albert Nicholas, J.C. was heavily featured 

- 179 - 

throughout his three year stay. His long standing association 

with Red Allen commenced in 1929 when Red joined Luis 

Russell replacing Louis Metcalfe – the two musicians became 

practically inseperable during the following fifteen years. 

J.C. left Luis Russell in 1931, being replaced by Dickie 

Wells. After spending a few months with Chick Webb he 

joined the Fletcher Henderson band for a period of two years, 

and in 1934 he was with the Blue Rhythm Band alongside Red 

Allen, Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill (tpt); George 

Washington (tbn) Buster Bailey (cl); Crawford Wetherington 

(alt); Joe Garland (ten); Edgar Hayes (p); Laurence Lucie (gtr); 

Elmer James (bs) and O'Neil Spencer (dm). He had now 

established a national reputation and was a much sought-after 

sideman. George Washington recalls: 'Every time I'd leave 

one group for another I would get to thinkin', 'oh boy, here's 

my chance to have something to say', and then boom, there 

would be Higginbotham. He was the public's boy and he also 

played a mess of trombone' (Jazz Journal, Nov.1960). In 1935 

Louis Armstrong took over the Luis Russell band, retaining 

Russell as musical director – for the next eight years the band 

was the background for Louis' massive talents. At Louis' request 

J.C. joined him in the Summer of 1937 and became reunited 

with Red Allen. Louis was an ardent admirer of the 

Higginbotham horn and gave him liberal solo space on most of 

his recordings. J.C. and Red left Armstrong at the beginning 

of 1940 to take a sextet completed by Ed Hall (clt); Ken 

Kersey (p); Billy Taylor (bs) and Jimmy Hoskins (dm) into the 

Café Society, New York. Lena Horne was also briefly featured 

with the group. The following year the same sextet played a 

twelve-month engagement in Boston; in February 1942 J.C. 

travelled west to Chicago with a group under Red's leadership

to begin a lengthy stay at the Garrick Stage Bar. The line-up 

was Don Stovall (alt); Alvin Burroughs (dm); Bennie Moten 

(bs) and Al Williams (p). Ben Webster, who had recently left 

Duke Ellington, was later featured as an added attraction. 

For the next few years J.C. remained with Red playing club 

dates, among them appearances at the Onyx Club and the 

Apollo Theatre in New York, and in 1946 the two musicians 

were resident at Kelly's Stables for six months with a group 

including Hal Singer on tenor. 

The advent of bop condemmed J.C. and many other midperiod 

jazzmen to a decade of obscurity. In 1955 he was 

reported to be leading a small band in the Cleveland area 

and in May of the same year was playing club dates in 

Boston. 

The following July J.C. appeared with a group including 

buck Clayton and Hayward Henry at the Central Plaza, 

N.Y. Jack Crystal, who directed this concert, proved to be a 

staunch ally of the musicians of the 'thirties, presenting a 

series of concerts at the Central Plaza each Friday and 

Saturday which helped to bring these men into public view 

again. Jack Crystal was also responsible for the Lips Page 

Memorial concert which raised $3,300 for the Page family, 

and the Miff Mole Benefit in 1961; such altruism is rare 

among promoters of jazz concerts. Late in 1956 J.C. joined 

the Red Allen All-Stars at the Metropole, NY. The All-stars 

were purveying a brand of Dixieland-cum-main-stream 

music which became particularly identified with that 

establishment. The musicians were perched on a narrow 

bandstand immediately above the bar and music was 

continuous from 3 pm to 3 am, although no band was on the 

stand for longer than 45 minutes. In such circumstances the 

quality of the music necessarily fluctuated, nevertheless it 

was one of the few night-spots providing employment for 

musicians such as J.C. After an absence of ten years from the 

recording studios he made a date with Buck Clayton in 

March 1956, two sessions for the Jazztone label the following 

year, ('The Big Challenge' with Cootie and Rex Stewart, 

and the 'Big Reunion' of Fletcher Henderson alumni), and a 

session with Tiny Grimes and Eddie Davis in August-58. 

He appeared at the Newport Jazz Festivals of 1957 and '59 

each time with the Red Allen All-Stars. At the 1959 Festival 

the All-Stars appeared last on the programme, after the 

Kingston Trio, a pseudo-folk group, had received a 

tumultuous ovation. In an atmosphere of anticlimax most 

of the audiences made their way out of the Festival 

ground leaving the All-Stars to play to a handful of 

devotees. 

In October 1958 J.C. visited Europe with Sammy Price 

and a group consisting of Doc Cheatham (tpt); Elmer 

Crumbley (tbn), Eddie Barefield (alt,clt); Jimmy Lewis (bs) 

and J.C.Heard (dm). After a promising start the tour was 

cancelled: Eddie Barefield notes that two factors 

contributing to the cancellation were the death of Pope Pius 

XII and the riots which had taken place at the Bill Haley 

concerts that year. (Jazz Journal, May 1959). 

On his return from Europe J.C. rejoined Red Allen at the 

Metropole leaving in the summer of 1959 to work with a 

group led by trumpeter Wingie Carpenter, a former 

colleague of his Wes Helvey days in Cincinnati. In contrast 

to the rather hap-hazzard proceedings at the Metropole, 

Wingie's band was a well rehearsed group that featured 

excellent arrangements. most of their engagements were 

week-end gigs in the New York area, the personnel 

completed by Edgar Spider Courance (ten/clt); Dick Bunch 

(p); George Phillips (bs) and Eddie Roberts (dm). 

* * * 

On his earliest recorded work with Luis Russell J.C. played 

with an assurance that belied his lack of years. At the age of 

twenty two, when most musicians are tentatively feeling their 

- 180 - 

way he was playing with boundless confidence. On Tight Like 

That (Parl.PCM 7025, 1929), he follows the first ensemble 

chorus with an intricate, tumbling, two bar break which is 

almost casually thrown way. Two months later he took a 

memorable gem of a chorus on Louis Armstrong's Mahogany 

Hall Stomp (Parl.PMC 7019). Few musicians could have 

followed Louis, then at the peak of his powers, without an anticlimax, 

but the young Higginbotham did just that. After 

repeated listening to this record one still waits for J.C.'s 

swaggering solo with eager anticipation. The long, loose, 

phrases acknowledge his debt to Jimmy Harrison and 

underline the new dimensions these two musicians had given 

to jazz trombone playing. It is significant that J.C. was featured 

on seven of the nine sides he recorded with Louis up to 

February 1930; no other sideman was so consistently featured 

when Louis was in the studio with a large band at that period. 

Two titles recorded with Luis Russell in Sept.29, Feelin' The 

Spirit and Jersey Lightning (both on PCM 7025) find J.C. in 

superb form; on these tracks his pugnacious solos are delivered 

with a blistering attack. His remarkable technique enabled him 

to play with a savage fluency which was completely personal. 

At this period he had no use for the niceties of light and shade, 

every solo was a ferocious harangue. Humour he had; not the 

subtle drollery of Jimmy Harrison, or the urbane irony that 

Dickie Wells later brought to the instrument, but a Falstaffian 

jocularity unembarred by a belly laugh. The quality of his early 

recorded work is consistently high and completely free from 

cliché or contrivance, the listener's ears are assailed by a 

torrent of spontaneous, explosive phrases. 

The ensuing years saw a gradual metamorphosis in his 

playing and the development of a style which had strong 

overtones of Lawrence Brown. When he made the session with 

Mezz .Mezzrow in June 1937 (French RCA 75.384) the 

change was well-underway. He contributes excellent solos on 

all four tracks and is the outstanding musician on the date, but 

his tone has mellowed and the bubbling, audacious phrasing of 

the Russell days has given way to a more quiescent, legato style. 

His twelve bars on The Swing Session's Called To Order display 

much of the old virility, but in his work on That's How I Feel 

Today and Hot Club Stomp, there is a new suavity detectable that 

would have been unthinkable seven years earlier. Sides he 

recorded with Louis in the next two years see the ascendency 

of Lawrence Brown's influence. J.C.'s solo on Save It Pretty 

Mama (Ace of Hearts AH 7), recorded in 1939, could easily be 

mistaken for Brown; the dominating presence has gone, leaving 

little hint of the brazen grandeur of a decade earlier. If much of 

J.C.'s presence was effaced by this tonal change the essential 

quality of his music remained; his choruses on The Saints and 

Bye And Bye, both recorded with Louis at this period (AH 7), 

are still wonderfully inventive pieces of jazz. 

His latter-day recorded work has suffered from the long 

period of obscurity: on the 1956 session with Buck Clayton 

(Phi.BBL 7129) he is anonymous and unimaginative. On 

subsequent dates, the Fletcher Henderson's 'Big Reunion' 

(Jazztime 1285) and the Tiny Grimes session (Esquire 32-092); 

he strives to recapture his old assertiveness and the velvet 

glove approach is abandoned. But although there is ample 

vigour in his execution, most of his solos lack continuity and 

consist of a series of trite phrases tenuously hung together. 

The decline of this once avant-garde musician does not 

detract from his overall importance. In his early days he 

consolidated the position that Jimmy Harrison had arrived at: 

Harrison was no longer active after 1930 when Higginbotham 

was recording his most significant work which has influenced 

trombone players from Trummy Young to Bill Harris. If we 

lament this decline there is consolation in turning to our 

collections and listening to one of the most majestic, sounds in 

jazz. - J.C. Higginbotham with Luis Russell. 

* * * 

===========================================================================

- 181 - 

INDEX for part-3 

not complete for the 2011 Addendas for pdf-datas, you can use your computer-search-programme 

regularly indexed were life & recording/bc-/Tv sessions & photos ; regularly not indexed: performers mentioned in reviews 

(…): performers who played on the same programm/Lp but without Allen/Higginbotham; 

f76 : session on film or kinescope, TV, telerecorded or video-tape 

p37 : performer to be seen on photostates 

a34 : advertised performers and bands 

Ackermann, Jack , group (9) 

Adams, Pepper, Quintet a50, 

Adderley, Nat (t) (57), 

Adderley, Canonball, Quintet a30,a88,(93), 

Addison, Bernard (g,bj) 35, 

Albittini, dave (d) p112, 

Alcorn, Alvin (t) 146,150,p150, 

Alexander, Mousey(d) 35,36,(43),a50, 

Alexis, Ricard (d) 87 

Allen, Buddy, combo a93 

Allen, Henry III & PearlieMay p11,169,170,p172, 

Allen, Red, band/portrait-photos p1,p6,p8,p9,p11,p12,p14, 

p17,p20,p21,p22,p23,p25,p29,p30,p31,p36,p39,p40,p46, 

48,p52,p53,p54,p55,p58,p59,p62,p63,p66,p67,p69,p70, 

p71,p77,p79,p80,p81,p83,p85,p86,p87,p94,p96,pf101,p101, 

p102,p103,p106,p108,p111,p109,p112,pf120,pf121,121,p 

a122,p124,p125,p126,p127,p128,p132,p135,p139,p142,p 

147,p149,p151,p153,p156,p157, 

R.A.-New Orleans trips: 56,68,87,96,106,155, 

Allen, Red (as-folk-music) a112, 

Allen, Steve, "Tonight Show" 20,21, 

Allison, Mose (p,v) (50),a50,a57, 

Alvis, Hayes (b,bb) 35,a109,170,171, 

Apollo Theatre a87,a93 

Arbello, Fernando (tb) 35, 

Archey, James(tb) (109),146,150,p150, 

Armitage, John (d) 119, 

Armstrong-Hardin, Lil (p,v) p98,pf101, 

Armstrong, Louis (t,v) 12,a12,a30,p53,(68),p86,a88,(93), 

(93),(f98),a106,p109,(135), 

Atlas, Jim (b) (f38) 

Auld, Georgie (ts) 47,a88, 

Autrey, Herman (t) 8,(18),(21),92,(98),(109),(138),(144),(145) 

Bailey, Buster (cl,as) p1,1,3,5,6,7,p8,9,12,13,18,19,p23,23, 

24,p24,29,p29,p30,p31,33,35,36,44,46,47,48,49,50,51,p55, 

f58,58,59,60,63,64,p66,p67,a68,(68),86,88,90,92,,96,f98, 

pf101,109,138,168,169, 

Bailey, Pearl (v) (9) 

Baker, Shorty (t) 89,143, 

Baldy, …… (organ) p59 

Ball, Kenny (cl,ld) (UK) (166), 

Ball, Ronnie (p) 143, 

Balliett, Whitney(m.c.,writer) 24,27,36,f37,73,93,109,120, 

143,152,152,156,p158, 

Barbarin, Paul (d) 143, 

Barber, Chris (tb,ld) (UK) (166), 

Barefield, Eddie (cl,as) 13,p14,19,57,(21),107,(109),(136), 

(144),(145),152,156,171, 

Barker, Blue Lu (v) 137, 

Barker, Danny (g,bj) 1,a19,f37,f38,59,87,93,137,155,f155,172, 

Barksdale, Everett (g) 1,24,p25, 

Barnes, George (g) 4, 

Barnes, Johnny (cl,ts) f146,146,147,(166), 

Barnes, Mae (v,d) 57,59,f98,pf101, 

Barron, Kenny (b) 142, 

Barufaldi, Joe (….) (43), 

Basie, Count (p,ld) (f38),pf39,(46),p55,(56),f58,a30,(68),a88, 

p101,(108),a153, 

Bates, Colin (rhythm) (UK) 119, 

Battle, Edgar (d) 172, 

Bauer, Billy (g) (9),28, 

Bechet, Sidney (cl,ss) ,(30),a30,a68,68, 

Benson, George (g) (152),a152, 

Berry, Emmett (t) 7,8,35,36,(f38),p55,170, 

Bert, Eddie (tb) 4,(8),(9) 

Best, Denzil (d) 52, 

Bigard, Barney (cl) a88, 

Bilk, Acker (cl,ld) (166) 

Birdland, NYC. 92, 

Bissonnette, Bill (tb) 159, 

Blacklock, Buddy (p) 110, 

Blair, Lee (g) p87,98, 

Blake, Eubie (p) 846),(93),(110), 

Blakey, Art (d) (9),p54,p55, 

Blank, William (vl ) a137,137, 

Bobson, Pompey (d) p59 

Bonito, Freddy (d) 1,42,44,64, 

Bostic, Earl (as) (45), 

Boswell, Connee (v) f47, 

Bourne, Eddie"Moule"(d) p1,1,19,20,p22,23,35,36,40,42,(48),. 

Braff, Ruby (c) 18,a30,144,152,a152,p153,p154,159,a159, 

Bray, Jim (b) 119,pa122,a134, 

Brookmeyer, Bob (tb) (9),59,a88,a153, 

Brown, Lawrence (tb) 28,p55, 

Brown, Marshall, NPT Youth Band (68),a88,145,152,171, 

Brown, Scoville p55, 

Brown, Sandy (cl) 113,119,pa122,a132,a134, 

Brubeck, Dave (p) a50,(68),a88,a153, 

Bryant, Beulah (v) 47,93,(110), 

Bryant, Ray (p) 48,60,a88,144,(145), 

Buchanan, Charles (m.c. at Savoy) f58, 

Buck & Bubbles - see Sublett, John & Washington, Buck 

Buckley, Lord (narr) 

Burke, Raymond (tb,cl) 155, 

Burke, Vinnie (b) 47,48,59,60,, 

Burrell, Kenny (g) 36,a5o,68,(152),a152,p154, 

Bushell, Garvin (cl) 8,35,36,a50,(109), 

Bushkin, Joe (p) a98,98,a136,136, 

Butterbeans & Susie (v) 

Butterfield, Billy (t) 18,a136,(136), 

Buxton, Jimmy (tb) 86,87,p87,88,98, 

Byrd, Charlie (g) (152),a152, 

Caceres, Ernie (ts) 4, 

Calloway, Cab (v,ld) (46),f58, 

Candoli, Conte (t,review) 15, 

Carnegie Hall Concerts 9,43,a43,57,a57,a68,a136,136 

Carney, Harry (bars,s) (f38),a50,(143),(144), 

Carpenter, Thelma (v) a93, 

Carpenter, Wingie (t) 110, 

Carter, Benny (cl,as,t,a) 

Casey, Al (g) 36,52, 

Catlett, Sid (d) 103, 

Central Plaza, N.Y.C. 3,8,18,19,a19,21,92,a92,98,107,109, 

Charles, Ray (p,v) a88, 

Charles, Teddy (vib) 9,56,, 

Cheatham, Doc (t,reviewer) 21,57,(f38),136,137,(144),(145), 

Chernet, Al (tb) f98, 

"Chicago & All That Jazz" f98,pf101, 

Christiansen, Ole (b) 103, 

Clark, Bill (d) a57, 

Clarke, Kenny (d) (9), 

Clayton, Buck (t) 18,a19,(48),p55,(56),(56),a56,(68),a88, 

(89),(92),101,(108),(109),135, 

Clyne, Jeff (b) (UK) 146,148, 

Coates, don (p) 156, 

Coe, Tony (ts) 146,148, 

Cohn, Al (ts) (9) 

Cole, Cozy (d) 1,4,5,6,7,8,9,12,19,p22,p23,24,p25,33,35,p40, 

40,a43,43,45,46,49,a57,(58),(64),86,(89),(92),93,(110),(143), 

Cole, Ronnie (d) 1,?106,107,108, 

Cole, Rupert (cl,ts) 172 (father of Ronnie)

Coleman, Ornette, 5 a88,170, 

Collins, AI "Jazzbo"(narr,reviewer) 9,13,13,p14,a56, 

Collins, Rudy (d) 142Coltrane, John (sax) a153, 

Colyer, Ken (t,review) 70,a129, 

Condoli, Conte(reviewer) 15 

Condon, Eddie (g,bj) aa56,(56),a57,58,p58,(92),f98,110, 

a136,136,f178, 

Connors, Chris (v) a30,(50),56, 

Connover, Willis (narr) 40,42,142, 

Cooper, Jackie (d) 47,48, 

Copeland, Ray (t) 36,a57 

Corb, Marty (b) 71, 

Cox, Terry (d) 119,,pa122,a134, 

Crane, Ray(t) 119,p125,p126,146,p147,148, 

Crawford, Jimmy (d) 35,36,(109),(136), 

Crimmins, Roy (tb) 119,f120,pf120,pf121,p126, 

Crosby, Bob (v,ld) a136,(136), 

Crumbley, Elmer (tb) 57, 

Crump, Bill p55, 

Crystall, Jack (m.c.) 8,p58,110,136, 

Cuber, Ronnie (ts) (152), 

Curtis, King (ts) 56, 

Cutshall, Bob "Cutty"(tb) a57,108,(110),a136,(136),(144), 

(145),171, 

Darville, John (tb) 103, 

Dash, Julian (ts) 18, 

Davern, Kenny (cl) 44,p87,98,142,(143),(144), 

Davis, Art (b) a137,137, 

Davis- Eddie "Lockjaw" (ts) 48,a57, 

Davis, Miles (t) (45),,a153, 

Davis, Sammy Jr. (v) (9),a136,(136), 

Davison, Wild Bill (t) (3),a19,(109),a434,(43),(45), 

Dennis, Kenny (d) (44), 

DeAmico, Hank (cl) (109), 

DeParis, Sidney (t,bb) (21),96, 

DeParis, Wilbur (tb) (7),(8),(21),52,a68,(68),171,a171, 

Dickenson, Vic (tb,v) 1,(21),23,pf36,f37,37,f38,42,43,44, 

46,50,51,p55,a68,68,92,103,(109),(144),(145),149,170, 

171,a171, 

DiGirolamo, Anthony (vln) f47, 

Disley, Diz (g) 119,pa122,a134, 

"Dixie at Carnegie Hall"=DODY AT DIXIE 43 

Dodds, Baby (d) (3), 

Doldinger, Klaus Trio (G) (92) 

Donaldson, Bobby (d) 18,a50,(143),(144), 

Dorham, Kenny (t,writer) (9),141,(152),a152,p154,, 

Dorsey, Jimmy (cl,as) 6, 

Dorsey, Tommy (tb) 6, 

Douglas, Jim (g) 119,f120,f146,146,147,165,166, 

Drews, Jimmy, Trio (60), 

Drootin, Buzzy (d) (43), 

Dudley Dottie, Organ Trio 63,p63, 

Dudley, Map (t) p63,63, 

Duncan, Hank (p) ,15,(19)21,(109),(110), 

Duncan, Mac (tb) 119,pa122,a134, 

Dunlop, Frankie (d) a137,137,(143),(144), 

DuPont, Roland (tb) f98, 

Eager, Allen (ts) a57, 

Edison, Harry (t) (45),a88,101, 

Edmonds, George (d) 63,p63, 

Eldridge, Roy (t) (3),7,8,19a19,a30,(f38),a43,(46),p55, 

(58),(63),(70),(98),(144),(145),152,a153,171,a171, 

Ellington, Duke(p) (50),a50,(68),(93),(143),(144),a153, 

Elliott, Don, Quartet, a30 

Ellis, Don (t,writer) 111,140, 

Elsdon, Alan (t) p83,p128,a129, 

Embers, 93,a96,a98,98,a101,102, 

English, Billy (d) 93, 

Erwin, Pee Wee (t) (8)(a43),(43),(46),(109),(110), 

Esquire Concert-photos: 53,p54,p55, 

Eugene, Wendall (tb) 155, 

Evans, Bill, Trio a88, 

Evans, Chuck (tb) 4, 

Evans, Stick (d) 1,18, 

Eyden, Bill (d) (UK) 146,148, 

- 182 - 

Fairweather, Al (t) (UK) 119, 

Farmer, Addison (b) a57, 

Farmer, Art Jazztet a50,p55,a88, 

Feather, Leonard (narr,comp) 9,40,42,44,56,70,a153,174, 

Felton, Johnny, band a12, 

Ferguson, Maynard (t) a20,(21), 

Fine, Jack ( ) 171, 

Finola, George (t) 155,f155,175, 

Fitzgerald, Ella (v) a30a153, 

Flemming, Herb (tb) p1,1,3,5,6,p8,13,19,20,p22,p23,p63, 

63,64,p66,p67,90,109,(110),p112,(168), 

Folds, Chuck (p) 137,(145), & Charlie ( ) 171, 

Ford, Art (narr) 46,47,f47,a47,48,56,57,59,60, 

Forsythe, Chuck (v) (6), 

Foster, Pops (b,bb) 3,143,146,150,p150,156, 

Francis, Panama (d) 13,a19,(21),47,48,50,51,p67,(68),a68, 

92,(109), 

Frankel, Ellie, Trio , Cleveland 103 

Frazier, Cie (d) 146,150,p150, 

Free, Bon (d) a57, 

Freed, Stan (p) a50,56, 

Freeman, Bud (ts) (5),6,28,a43,(43),p55,a57,(68),89,(92), 

(98),f98,103,(110),135,a136(136),a153,f159,pf159,160, 

171,a171, 

Frye, Don (p) (107),152, 

Furtado, Ernie (… ) a57, 

Gabler, Milt (m.c.) p58,93,136, 

Gaddison, Fran (… ) a57, 

Gaillard, Slim (v,g) 

Gardner, Herb (tb) (144),(145),156, 

Garner, Erroll (p) a30,(68), 

Gaskin, Leonard (b) a57, 

Gay, Al (cl,ts) 119,f120,pf121,p126,165,166, 

Gersh, Squire (b,v) 75,f75,p85, 

Getz, Stan (ts) (9),a30,(68),a153, 

Gibbs, Terry, quartet a20, 

Gillespie, Dizzy (t,v,p) 9,(21),(68),a30,(45),p55,(68),p86, 

(87),a88,a93,(136),(137),p142,142,(152),a152,p154, 

Giuffre, Jimmy (cl,ts) (f38),a88, 

Gleaves, Ronnie (vib) 146,148, 

Glenn, Tyree (tb,vib) 1,7,15,18,29,(43),48,50,51,p55,59, 

a88,89,(109),(110),(138),171,a171, 

Golson, Benny p54,p55 

Gonzales, Babs (v) (7),(143),(144),p170, 

Goodman, Benny (cl) (8),(70), 

Goodwin, Henry (t) 8,a19,50,a50,, 

Gouldie, Dan (t) 68, 

Graham, Bill /as) 47, 

Gray, Barry ( ) (9) 

Green, Bennie, Group 70, 

Green, Freddie (g) (f38),pf39, 

Green, Urbie (tb) 4, 

Greenwood, Lil (v) (57), 

Greer, Sonny (d) (3),50,a50,p53,pp55,56,57,f58,59,63,p67, 

(92),93,110,(136),137,(144),(145),152,156,159,171,a171, 

Griffin, Chris (t) 4, 

Griffin, John (ts) p54,p55,a57, 

Griffith, Dick (bj) 159, 

Grimes, Tiny (g) 48,a50,93, 

Gryce, Gigi p55, 

Guarnieri, John (p,v) f98, 

Gussak, Bill (d) f98 

Gwaltney, Tom (tb,ld) & Mrs. Betty (v,p) 164,171, 

Hackett, Bobby (t,c) (8),(21),a30,a43,(43),a46,(46),a56, 

(56),(87),136,(152),a152,p154,171,a171, 

Haden, Charlie (b) 156,p157, 

Hadi, Shafti (ts) (44),a50, 

Haggart, Bob (b) 48,89,f98,(110), 

Haggerty, Frank (g) 70, 

Hall, Al(b,d) (43),170, 

Hall, Ed (cl) 56,(107),135, 

Hall, Herbie (cl) (21),a57, 

Hall, Jim (g) (f38) 

Hall, Juanita (v) (70), 

Hall, Sol (d) 1,88,90, 

Hambro, Lennie (cl,as) 4,

Hamilton, Chico, Quintet (86) 

Hamilton, Jimmy (cl) a50,93,(143),(144), 

Hammer, Bob (p) 1,23,35,a50,90,92, 

Hampton, Lionel (vib,d,v) a30,p46,(86),(89),(112), 

Handy, George (p,arr) (9), 

Handy, W.C. (c,v) funeral: 46, 

Handy, John, Captain (as) 159, 

Hanna, Roland (p) 137, 

Hardy, Emmett (c) 152,155, 

Hastings, Lennie (d) 119,f120,pf121,f146,146,147,p151,165, 

Havens, Dan (t,writer) f159,pf159,160, 

Hawkins, Coleman (ts) 18,24,p25,28,a30,35,36,37,f37,p40,40, 

42,45,46,(48),(49),p55,57,f58,(58),59,63,68,93,(98),a106, 

106,a153,171,a171,180, 

Hawkins, Erskine, Orch. (93), 

Hawthrone, Harry (d) f178, 

Haywood, Cedric (p) 71,75,f75,76,p77,p85, 

Heard, J.C. (d) a55,57,(63),a68,(68), 

Henderson, Fletcher (p,arr) (35),(36),a50,119, 

Henderson, Luther (p) 18, 

Hendricks, John (v) a50,a57,(68),a88,p142,142, 

Henry, Haywood (bars,cl) 8,35,36,a50, 

Hentoff, Nat (narr.,m.c.) 9,36,f37,f38,a50,f164, 

Herman, Woody, Orch. (107),a153,, 

Heywood, Eddie, Trio (93),144, 

Higginbotham (tb) 1,19,a19,23,24,p25,28,p30,p31,p33,35, 

36,40,p40,42,45,47,48,49,50,a50,52,p55,56,57,57,59,60, 

61,62,63,(68),a68,p69,86,92,93,93,96,103,103,106,a106, 

107,109,110,110,110,112,135,136,137,a137,142,143,143,1 

52,156, f159,pf159,160-164,170,171,a171,f178,178,179, 

Higgins, Doug (d) 146,148, 

Higgins, Frank (?d) f47, 

Higgins, Gerry (b) (UK) 165, 

Hill, Teddy (ts) 170, 

Hines, Earl (p,speech) a30,(151),171,a171, 

Hinton, Milt (b) 1,(6),13,15,28,37,f37,p40,40,44,48,50,51, 

p55,90,f98,144,145, 

Hodes, Art (p) (136),f178, 

Holiday, Billie (v) (9),a30,(f38),44,48,56,a56,(56),70, 

Holmes, Charlie (as) 110,143, 

Hopkins, Claude (p,arr) p1,1,5,6,7,13,18,19,20,p22,23,p31, 

33,35,36,40,42,44,45,46,48,49,50,51,f58,(60),63,(68),93,170, 

Howard, Darnell (cl) 146,150,p150, 

Hubbard, Freddie (t,fl-h) a153 

Hucko, Peanuts (cl) 47,(92),93,(110),135,(144),(145), 

Hughes, Langston (poet,read.) 44,45,(46),48,49,50,a88,, 

Hunt, Fred (p) 119,f120,pf120,f146,146,147,p151,165,166, 

Hunter, Alberta (v) 96, 

Ingram, Keith (p) (UK) 119, 

Isola, Frank (d) (9) 

Jackson, Charlie (g) a137,137, 

Jackson, Chubby (b) 52,p54,p55,(87), 

Jackson, Cliff (p) (21),96,(109),(144),(145),145,152,171, 

Jackson, Ham (v) 47, 

Jackson, Mahalia (v) a30, 

Jackson, Oliver (d) p67, 

Jackson, Rock”Sax” (sax) p8, 

Jacquet, Illinois (ts) (68),(143),(144) 

"Jailbouse Blues"1929 (f98), 

James, Leon (dance) (50),a50,(51),(f98), 

Janis, Conrad (tb) (3),(8),a46,(46),(109),(137), 

Jefferson, Hilton (cl,as) 35,36,a50,p54,p55,93,170, 

Jefferson, Ron (d) a57, 

Jeffries, Herb (v) (9), 

Jensen, Jörn (p) 103, 

Jerome, Jerry (cl,ts) (6),44, 

Johnson, Bobby (t) (7) 

Johnson, Bud, Albert (cl,sax) (143),170,171, 

Johnson, Charley (p,ld) (7), 

Johnson, Gus (d) 28, 

Johnson, Howard (as,cl,p) 110, 

Johnson, J.J. (7b) 9, 

Johnson, Keg (d) 86,87,(136), 

Johnson, Osie (d) 1,(9),44,48,a50,p55, 

Johnson, Pete (p) 144, 

Jones, Buck ( ) 171 

Jones, Eddie (b) (f38),pf39, 

- 183 - 

Jones, Elvin (d) a50,59,(60), 

Jones, Eugene (d) 155, 

Jones, Hank (p) 28,p55, 

Jones, Jimmy (p) p55,a57,92,(143),(144), 

Jones, Jo (d) (21),37,f37,f38,pf39,p54,p55,a56,(56)(68), 

(70),a106, (108),(109),135,144,145,159,171,a171, 

Jones, Jonah (t) 8,(96),98,(137),171,a171, 

Jones, Quincy (t,arr) (9). 

Jones, Reunald Jr.(… ) a57, 

Jones, Rufus “Speedy” (d) 60,p66,p67,86, 

Jones, Thad (t) (152),a153, 

Jordan, Louis (as,ld) (86), 

Jordan, Steve (g) 18, 

Jordan, Taft (t) 4,p20,36,a50,p54,p55, 

Kaminsky, Max (t) a43,(43),p55,a56,(56),p109,(110),(136), 

(143),(144),(145),152,171, 

Kay, Connie (d) a50,152), 

Kenton, Stan (p) (9),(68),a30, 

Kersey, Ken (p) 1,(9),13,18,(35), 

Kirk, Andy, orch. 152, 

King, Tedi (v) (152), 

Kitt, Eartha (v) (30), 

Knepper, Jimmy (tb) (44),a50, 

Knoff, Paul, trio a57, 

Knolles, Mary (v) 4,r180, 

Kohlman, Freddy (d) 152, 

Konitz, Lee (as) (9),a50, 

Kotik, Teddy (b) (9), 

Krupa, Gene (d) (8),p54,p55,(70),(86),p87,f98,(102), 

(136),(137), 

Kühn, Rolf (cl) 45,(98),a30, 

Kuhn, Steve (p) a88,156,p157 

Lacey, Steve (ss) (9),44, 

Lambert, Dave (v) a50,a57,(68),a88, 

Lawson, Hugh (p) a137,137, 

Lawson, Yank (t) f98,a106,106,136,(144),(145),171,a171, 

Leeman, Cliff (d) 47,48,f98,171, 

Lesberg, Jack (b) a136,a159,171, 

Lettman, Johnny (t,ld) (58),(87),92,171, 

Lewis, Ed (t) 7,8, 

Lewis, Jimmy (b) 57 

Lewis, Meade Lux (21),f98,a101,102, 

Lewis, Willie (cl,as,ld) p59 

L'Intrigue: a 118 

Lightfoot, Terry, N.O.Jazzmen a76,(79),p83,a129, 

Liston, Melba (tb) a57, 

Locke, Eddie p55,109,110, 

London House, Chic. a94,94,a101,102, 

Lowenstine, Ken (d) f159,pf159,160, 

Lucie, Lawrence (g,speech) 

Lyttelton, Humphrey (t,narr) 113,119,f120,a129,130,131,a132, 

Macero, Theo (ts,comp.) 35, 

Machito Band (6) 

Madison, Bingie (sax) 110, 

Magyar,Art (sax,cl) (9), 

Maltz, Bob (m.c.) 8, 

Manetta, Manuel(t-teacher) 152,155, 

Mann, Herbie (fl,ld) (92),a153, 

Manning, Irv (b) p69, 

Manone, Wingy (t) (3),(5),(21),135,(136),a136,152, 

Marshall, Wendell (b) 48,93, 

Martin, Dave (p) 171, 

Martin, Fred (ts) p112, 

Martyn, Barry (d,review) 107, 

Mathews, Babe (Mrs.Joe Thomas) (v) 171 

Mathewson, Ronnie (b) 119,f120,pf120,pf121,f146,146, 

147,p147,(166), 

McCarthy, Dick (b) 159, 

McCracken, Bob (cl) 71,75,f75,76,p77,p80, p85 

McGarity, Lou (tb) 135, 

McGhee, Howard (t) (143),(144),(152),a152,p154, 

McKain, Bob (ts) (19) 

McKay, Stewart (bs) 4, 

McPartland, Jimmy (t) (2),(3),(5),7,8,(21),a43,43,(98),(110), 

(136),(137),(138),172,

McPartland-Page, Marian (p,review) 24,p55,(137),(138), 

(143),(144), 

McRae, Carmen (v) a30, 

McShann, Jay (p) 36, 

Melly, George (review:) 70, 

Mercer, Johnny (v) (136),a136,171, 

Metcalf, Louis (t,v) 7,8,(9),(19),p20,21,(21),(64),(109), 

(137),(156),171,a171, 

Meyer, Arnved (t) 103, 

Middleton, Velma (v) p93, 

Miles, Barry, group (57) 

Miller, Big (v) 47,a50,a57, 

Millinder, Lucky (v,arr) 45,156, 

Mingus, Charlie (b) 9,(44),a50,p54,p55,(93),a106, 

Minns, Al (dance) (50),a50,(51),(f98), 

Minton´s Playhouse 44, 

Mitchell, John, big band (UK) 118,119, 

Modern Jazz Quartet a50,(68),(93), 

Mole, Miff (tb) a43,(43),p54,p55,(92), 

Moncur III, Grachan (tb) a137,137, 

Monk, Thelonious (p) 9,p55,a57,a88,a153,(156), 

Moore, Alton (tb) 35, 

Moore,"Big Chief"Russell (tb) (3),(5),(46),(110),171,a171, 

Moore, Fred (d) p53,a56,(56), 

Moore, Gary (narr) f98, 

Morell, Marty (d) 156,p157, 

Morton, Benny (tb) 1,23,35,36,a50,92,92,170,171, 

Morton, Jeff (d) (9), 

Moss, Danny (ts) (UK) 119, 

Most, Sam (cl) 48, 

Moten, Benny (b) 1,7,p8,13,20,36,48,50,a50,108,110,136, 

138,?143,171, 

Mulligan, Gerry (bars) 9,35,a30,(50),a50,p55,(93),a153, 

Muranyi, Joe (cl) (110),(144),(145),156,171, 

Murphy, Turk (tb) a30,(86),(87),88, 

Nance, Ray (t,vln) a50,p85,152, 

Napoleon, Marty (p) 1,(19),23,24,p25,(35),43,46,47,48, 

52,(109),(110),p112,(112),144,145, 

Napoleon, Phil (t) a19,19,(68), 

Nelson, Ricky (tb,ld) a43,(43),86,87, 

Nero, Peter (p) (96) 

Nesbit (arr) 35 

Neumann, Freddie (p) 155, 

Newman, Joe (t) (f38),93,(143),(144),170, 

"New Orleans" 1947-film clip (f98), 

New Orleans All Stars 1966: 146,150,p150, 

Newport Fest.p29,p30,a30,p31,33,48,a68,a88,106,a106, 

135,152,p152,a153,p154, 

Newton, Frankie (t) 3, 

Nicholas, Al (?Big Nick) (cl) 143,(?143),(144),145,172, 

Norvo, Red (vib) 

Nymand, Hans (d) 103, 

O'Connel, Helen (v) (6), 

Olden, Charles (b) 71, 

Orland, Chuck (vib) f47, 

Ory, Edward Kid (tb,v) p29,p30,33,p70,71,p71,a71,75, 

f75,76,p77,p79,p80,p83,a84,p85,f98 

Owens, Jimmy (fl-h) (152),a152,p154, 

Page, Hot Lips(t) (7),(8), 

Page, Walter (b) 18,(38) 

Parenti, Tony (cl) 1,15,a19,(20),(21),23a,(35),43,(43),(45), 

46,(63),(64),(86),(92),108,109,(110),(144),(145),145,152, 

171,a171,f178, 

Park, Joe (bb) 4, 

Parker, Charlie (as) ,(9), 

Parker, Johnny (p) 119,pa122,a134, 

Parlan, Horace (p) (44),a50, 

Pemberton, Bill (b) 36,a50,(143),(144),152, 

Persip, Charles (d) a57, 

Peterson, Oscar (p) a30,(50),(68),a88,101, 

Pettiford, Oscar (b) (9),a30,52,p55, 

Pfeiffer, Bernard (sax) (9),a30, 

Piaff, Edith (v) a68,(68), 

Piazarelli, John (t) (f98), 

Pichon, Fats (p) 164-obituary 

Pierce, Nat (p) 37,f37,a50,59,171, 

- 184 - 

Potter, Jerry (d) 1,92,93,94,102,103,?106,112,159, 

Potter, Tommy (b) (43),(60),98,102, 

Powell, Benny (tb) a137,137,(143),(144), 

Powell, Rudy p55,(144),(145), 

Pratt, Bobby (p) 171 

Price, Sammy (p,organ) 1,7,(20),23,43,57,60,63,p66,p67,68, 

86,p86,87,88,90,92,93,94,98,109,109,110,110,112,p135, 

136,(137),137, 156, 

Pulham, Steve, Jazz Quartet (93) 

Pulver, Arthur (d) 159, 

Purnell, Alton (p) 146,150,p150, 

Queener, Charlie (p) (6),(9),(64), 

Quinchette, Paul (ts) 59, 

Quinn, Davie (bj) 171, 

Rae, Ron (b) 119,120,165,166, 

Ramey, Eugene (b) 1,35,36,40,42,44,a57,(58),p81,(108), 

(143),(144),(145), 

Ramirez Ram(organ) p17,18,(143),(144), 

Redd, Alton (d,v) 71,75,f75,76,p76,p85, 

Redman, Don (cl,as,v,arr) (7),35,(45),(46),110,135,138, 

Reed, George (d) 136,138,?143, 

Rehak, Frank (tb) 13,(f38), 

Rennaissance Casino a12,92, 

Ricci, Paul (cl) f98, 

Rich, Buddy (d) (92),a153,159, 

Richards, Red (p) (21),35,36,a50,92,(108),(109),(138),171, 

Richardson, Jerome (s,fl) a57,(137),(143),(144), 

Richardson, Wally (g) p17,18,(46), 

Richman, Boomie (ts) 1,29, 

Rimmington, Sammy (cl) 159, 

Rix, Bob (b) f159,pf159,160, 

Roach, Max (d) a106, 

Roberts, Luckey (p,comp) (7),(46),p55, 

Robinson, Bill (tap-dancer) (8), 

Robinson, Prince (cl) 50,a50, 

Rockland Palace a20, 

Rollins, Sonny (sax) p55, 

Rongo, Tony (d) 48 

Ross, Annie (v) a57,(68),a88, 

Rouse, Charlie (ts) a57, 

Rowser, Jimmy (b) 143, 

Royal, Ernie (t) 4, 

Rubens, Ron (b) 146,148, 

Rubenstein, Bill ( ) a57, 

Rubin, Stan, Tigertown Band a43.(43), 

Rushing, Jimmy (v) (7),18,a30,(f38),48,p55,(68),a88,(145),171, 

Russell, Luis (p,arr) p22,110,119,(143), 

Russell, Pee Wee (cl,ts) 8,f37,37,pf39,a43,(43),47,52,p55, 

57,59,(68),p69, a30,f98,a136,136,156,p156,p157,171,a171, 

Russo, Andy (tb) (18),a19, 

Ryan, Cathy (v) 4, 

Ryan's, Jimmy, jam sessions 103,135,145,152, 

Safranski, Eddie (b) 4, 

Saint and Sinners Band (=Red Richards) 170,171, 

Sampson, Edgar (as,cl,vln) 35, 

Sarvise, Buddy (p) 4, 

Savoy Ballroom f58, 

Sbarbaro, Tony (d,kazoo) (f98), 

Scalzi, Ed (cl,as) 4, 

Schechter, Julie (vln) (f98), 

Schertzer, Hymnie (s) (f98), 

Schlinger, Sol (bars,ts) (9), 

Schroeder, Gene (p) (43),a57,89, 

Schwartz, Dick (t) 44, 

Scott, Calo (cello) a137,137, 

Scott, Cecil (cl,ts) ,3,50,a50,a68,(68),(96),110, 

Scott, Hazel (p,arr) (9), 

Scott, Lannie (p) 1,103,106,107,107,138,?143, 

Scott, Shirley (organ) a57, 

Scott, Tony (cl) 9,44,45,52,(70),(87),a30,143,a143,(143), 

(144), 

Sears, Al (bars) 36, 

Sedric, Gene (cl,ts) (21),92,(98), 

Seeley, Blossom (v) (f98), 

Semple, Archie (cl) (UK) 119, 

Shaefer, Sid ( ) 117,

Shavers, Charlie (t,v) 8,9,(12),13,p14,(35),a43,(43),a46,(46), 

47,48,50,51,57,a68,(68),(70),86,(87),(102),170,171,a171, 

Shaw, Arwell (b) 1,a19,(21),29,p29,33,(35),(144),(145), 

Shearing, George (p) a30,(68), 

Sheen, Mickey (d) (48),a50,108, 

Shepherd, Harry (vib) 35,47,48,57,p112, 

Shepherd, Mme. (bass-g) p112, 

Shihab, Sahib p55, 

Shu, Eddie (s) (87),??? 

Silver, Horace (p) (9),p54,p55,(93),a153, 

Simeon, Omer (cl) (21), 

Simone, Nina (v,p) a88,a153, 

Sims, Zoot (ts) a153, 

Sims, Viola (p,b) p67, 

Sinclair, Bill (p) 159, 

Singer, Hal (ts) (45),f47,48,a56,(56),(58),60,p67, 

Singleton, Zutty (d) 9,a19,(20),(21),29,(35),a43,(43),p54, 

p55,(64),(68),a68,86,(92),96,f98,107,136,a136,(136),(137),( 

144),(145),145,152,170,171,a171, Marge: 175, 

Sissle, Noble (cl,ld,m.c.) (7),(9),(46),a68,(93),(110),156 

Skeete, Frank (b) 1,93,94,98,102,103,106,107,110,112,171, 

Small´s Paradise 70, 

Smith, Bessie (v) (f98), 

Smith, Jimmy (p) p17,18, 

Smith, Keith (t,v,writer) 78,146,150,p150, 

Smith, Lannie (organ) (152), 

Smith, Lyle (ts) 51, 

Smith, Mamie (v) (f98), 

Smith, Stuff (vln) (7),9,p55,a30, 

Smith, Willie"The Lion"(p) 1,(3),(7),a19,23,29,a43,(43), 

f48,50,57,59, 60,p69,(108),110,136,(151),172, 

"Sound Of Jazz" pf36,f37-38,pf39, 

Spanier, Muggsy (c) 135, 

Spivey, Victoria (v) 3,96,110,(110),110, 

St.Cyr, Johnny (bj) f98, 

St.John, Kenny (d) (6) 

"St.Louis Blues" film-clip (f98), 

Steele, Julia (v) 51, 

Stein, Lou (p) p40,4,48, 

Stewart, Slam (b) a50,135, 

Stewart, Rex (c) (3),28,35,36,pf36,f37,37,pf39,48,a50, 

p55,a57,59,p142,142,(168), 

Stitt, Sonny (ts) (9),a30, 

Stovert, Smoky (t) 

Strange, Pete (tb) 119,p125,p126,146,p147,148, 

Stuyvesant Casino 8, 

Sublett,"Bubbles"John W.(p,v,dance) 9,a93, 

Sullivan, Joe (p) f98, 

Sullivan, Maxine (v) 50,a50,p55,170,171, 

Sunkel, Phil (c,t) (9), 

Sunshine, Monty (cl,ld) a129, 

Sutton, Ralph (p) 108, 

"Sylvester, Robert, TV-series" 43, 

Tate, Buddy, (ts) (p6),(7),a50,(108),(144),(145),159,a159, 

170,171, 

Tarto, Joe (b,bb) 56, 

Taylor, Art, All Stars 113,118,119, 

Taylor, Billy (p) (8),(9),(57,),a57,135,(152),a152,p154, 

Taylor, Cecil, Quintet a50, 

Taylor, Gene (b) p154, 

Taylor, Sam (cl,ts) 1,4,(21),44, 

Teagarden, Jack (tb,v) (8),p29,p30,a30,33,(f46),68,(86), 

f98,103,(109), 

Terry, Clark (fl-h) a50,p142,142,(143),(144),(145),152, 

a152, p153,p154,171,a171, 

Terry, Dan, orch. (9), 

Theard, Sam (d) 93,(138), 

Thilo, Jesper (ts) 103, 

Thomas, Joe (t) p20,35,36,a50,52,p55,(110),135,(136), 

(138),(144),(145),152,170, 

Thomas, Kid (t) 107, 

Thompson, Sir Charles (p) (143) 

Thompson, Dick (g) 47,f47,48,57,58,a58,p58 

Thornton, Norman (bars) 36, 

“Timex Show” (f46) 

Tomaso, Ernie (cl) (UK) 118,119,p121, 

- 185 - 

Town Hall concerts a56 

Tracey, Stan (p) (UK) 146,148, 

Trappier, Art (d) (21), 

Tristano, Lennie (p) (9), 

Trocario, Bobby "Trock" (ts) 4, 

Trotman, Lloyd (b) 1,5,6,24,p25,f58,68, 

Turner, Henry (b) (45), 

Turner, Bruce (as) 70,113,119,p125,p126 ,a132,146,147, 

p147,148, 

Ulano, Sam (d) 171, 

Valentine, Billy , Trio (19) 

Vance, Dick (t) 36, 

Varsalona, Bert (tb) 4, 

Vaughn, Sarah (v) 19,a30,a93, 

Ventura, Charlie (ts) (45) 

Waldron, Mal (p) (f38),(70), 

Wallis, Bob (t,UK,review) 26, 

Walton, Buddy (t) 155, 

Walton, Greely (ts) 110,143, 

Ward, Clara, Gospel Singers a30, 

Ward, Helen (v) a136, 

Ware, Wilbur p54,p55, 

Warren, Earl (cl,as) (f38), 52,(108), 

Warwick, Carl (t) a153, 

Washington, “Buck” (v) 9, 

Washington, Dinah (v) (9),48,(93), 

Waterson, Billy, Trio, a50 

Watkins, Julius (horn) 9,a57, 

Watts, Noble, Trio a57, 

Wayne, Chuck (g) a57, 

Weathers, Jimy (p) f159,pf159,160, 

Webster, Ben (ts) 36,(f38)(45),(48),a50,a57,a88, 

Webster, Paul (t) 35,a50, 

Wein, George (p) a30,a88,(110),135,152,a153,159,a159, 

Wells, Dickie(tb) 36,(f38),a50,p55,59,(108),110,(110),(138), 

(143),(144),170, 

Wellstood, Dick ( ) (56),(98),a109, 

Welsh, Alex (t) 113,119,f120,af120,p120,p121,p126, 

a129,a132,p132,f146,146,147,p151,165,166,167,p167, 

Weston, Randy (p) a57, 

Wettling, George (d) 15,a43,(43),52,p54,p55,a57,p69,89, 

(109),110,112,a136, 

Whaley, Doug (t) (UK) 118,119, 

White, Christopher (b,p) p142,142, 

White, Josh (g,v) (9),(50), 

White, Sonny (p) 52,(156), 

Wilber, Bob (cl) 1,8,,(43),(68),a68,(110),136,(137),171,, 

Wilder, Joe (c,fl-h) p112, 

Wilkins, Ernie p55, 

Williams, Al (p,arr) 1,36,44,a57,(58) 

Williams, Bobby (t) 35, 

Williams, Clarence (p) (7),(46), 

Williams, Cootie (t) 28,(46)(57), 

Williams, Fess (cl) (21), 

Williams, George, (ld,arr) 4,?p108,r180, 

Williams, Joe (v) (70),101,a153,, 

Williams, Johnny (b) (9), 

Williams, Mary Lou (p,arr) (9),p55,a57,(70),(142), 

Williams, Roy (tb) f146,146,147,165,166, 

Williams, Sandy (tb) 110,(136),170, 

Wilson, Clive (t) 159, 

Wilson, Rail (b) 120,f178, 

Wilson, Teddy (p,arr) a30,a68,(68),(70),a153, 

Windhurst, Johnny (t) p58,58,(137), 

Winding, Kai (tb) 9,(57),a30, 

Witherspoon, Jimmy (v) 36, 

Wooding, Sam (ld) (9), 

Wright, Jimmy(sax) 35, 

Yaged, Sol (cl) 1,(6),(9),(18),19,(28),p40,40,46,(60),(64), 

a68,(68),(86),(87),(89),(92),(109),(110),(137),(143),(144), 

171,a171, 

Young, Buddy (?d) f47, 

Young, Lester (ts) (9),(f38),pf39,p55,57, 

Young, Trummy (tb) a88,

HENRY”RED”ALLEN COLLECTION – A RED ALLEN BIO DISCO COMPILATION 

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Red Allen Chapters 9 - The Jazz Archive

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