J. D. Allen

J. D. Allen III (born December 11, 1972)[1] is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and composer.

J. D. Allen
Born (1972-12-11) December 11, 1972
Detroit, Michigan
GenresJazz
Instrument(s)Tenor saxophone
Years active1996–present
LabelsCriss Cross, Sunnyside, Savant

Career

After moving to New York City, Allen played with George Cables, Betty Carter, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Frank Foster, Butch Morris, David Murray, and Wallace Roney. Closer to his generation, he has played with Lucian Ban, Cindy Blackman, Gerald Cleaver, Dave Douglas, Orrin Evans, Duane Eubanks, Marcus Gilmore, Russell Gunn, Winard Harper, Elisabeth Kontomanou, Meshell Ndegeocello, Jeremy Pelt, Eric Revis.[2]

Allen's first solo album, In Search Of (Criss Cross, 1999), led to his selection as Best New Artist in Italy. In 2002, his second album was chosen a top ten album of the year by Jazziz magazine. Ten years later he was named best composer and best tenor saxophonist in the Critics' Poll at DownBeat magazine.[2] A critic at NPR picked his album Victory (Sunnyside, 2011) for the number three spot in the top twenty albums of 2011.[3] Allen also works under the pseudonym "Bigger Thomas" and "Cross Damon."

Discography

As leader

  • In Search of J.D. Allen (Red, 1999)
  • Pharaoh's Children (Criss Cross Jazz, 2003)
  • I Am I Am (Sunnyside, 2008)
  • Shine! (Sunnyside, 2009)
  • Victory! (Sunnyside, 2011)
  • The Matador and the Bull (Savant, 2012)
  • Grace (Savant, 2013)
  • Bloom (Savant, 2014)
  • Graffiti (Savant, 2015)
  • Americana: Musings on Jazz and Blues (Savant, 2016)
  • Radio Flyer (Savant, 2017)
  • Love Stone (Savant, 2018)
  • Barracoon (Savant, 2019)
  • Toys / Die Dreaming (Savant, 2020)[4]
  • Queen City (Savant, 2021)
  • Americana, Vol. 2 (Savant, 2022)
  • This (Savant, 2023)

As co-leader

As sideman

With Cindy Blackman

With Orrin Evans

  • The Band – Live at Widener University (2005)
  • Easy Now (2005)
  • Liberation Blues (2014)

With Winard Harper

  • Trap Dancer (1998)
  • Winard (1999)

With Lisa Hilton

  • Twilight & Blues (2009)
  • Underground (2011)
  • American Impressions (2012)
  • Kaleidoscope (2014)
  • Horizons (2015)
  • Nocturnal (2016)
  • Escapism (2017)
  • Chalkboard Destiny (2019)
  • life is beautiful (2022)

With Fabio Morgera

  • Slick (1998)
  • Colors (2000)

With Jeremy Pelt

With Tarbaby

  • Tarbaby (2009)
  • The End of Fear (2010)

With others

  • Duane Eubanks, Second Take (1998)
  • Elisabeth Kontomanou, Embrace (1998)
  • Russell Gunn, Blue on the D.L. (2002)
  • Eric Revis, Tales of a Stuttering Mime (2004)
  • Kerem Görsev, New York Days (2005)
  • Lucian Ban, The Tuba Project (2005)
  • Nigel Kennedy, Blue Note Sessions (2006)
  • Gerald Cleaver, Detroit (2007)
  • Ozan Musluoglu, 40th Day (2011)
  • Jaimeo Brown, Transcendence (2013)
  • DJ Clockwork,
  • Bootsy Collins,
  • Kris Davis, Diatom Ribons (2019)
  • Erick Wyatt, The Golden Rule: For Sonny (2019)
  • Gregg August, Dialogues On Race (2020)
  • Quincy Davis, Q Vision (2020)

References
  1. "Allen, J.D.". Current Biography Yearbook 2010. Ipswich, Massachusetts: H.W. Wilson. 2010. pp. 5–8. ISBN 9780824211134.
  2. Nastos, Michael G. "J.D. Allen". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  3. Jarenwattananon, Patrick (9 December 2011). "The Best Jazz of 2011". NPR.org. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  4. "Welcome to the Jazz Depot". www.jazzdepot.com.
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