It may be Coltrane’s Centenary this week but a saxophonist born even before him – in 1924! – has a brand new album out. Marshall Allen continues to explore and invent and bless us with new music.
Created by bassist and composer Jamaaladeen Tacuma with legendary Sun Ra Arkestra leader Marshall Allen, 101: An Audio Odyssey brings generations of creative Black music into conversation. Inspired by Tacuma’s longstanding relationship with Allen and the Arkestra, the album features an extraordinary ensemble including Nels Cline, Immanuel Wilkins, Braxton Bateman, and King Noli. The project grew from an unexpected opportunity at Big Ears Festival, where a last-minute cancellation brought the musicians together in the studio to create an entirely new body of work. Made possible by Third Way Cultural Alliance, the album is rooted in improvisation, collaboration, and the continued evolution of a musical lineage extending from Sun Ra and Ornette Coleman into the present.
This is our Chosen One.