Musical Style

At first, like most of the other trumpeters of the swing era, Allen's style was modeled after Louis Armstrong, one of the most reknowned trumpet style pioneers. Allen developed his technical skills to the same extent. Actually it has been said that when playing a solo from I ain't got nobody (1929), Allen sounds exactly like Armstrong and an expert listener would not be able to tell the two apart. Allen began truly distinguishing himself with his own style as he continued growing as a musician in Russell's and Henderson's respective bands.

"Allen developed a personal manner characterized by a fluid, legato articulation, a remarkably free concept of rhythm in which he seemed to ingnore the fixed pulse, a wide dynamic range, and above all a large arsenal of timbral effects (lip trills, smears, rips, glissandos, spattered notes, and growls)." In the sixties, free-jazz players took note of all of this as they searched for options beside playing trumpet in the normal bop style. "Although famous in the 1930's for his flamboyant middle- and high-register solos, in the 1950's, he cultivated an expressive, quasivocal manner in the low register as a complement to his jazz singing. Gradually he came to reject his swing legacy and concentrate on the New Orleans ensemble format and repertory, particularly the blues, of which he was an outstanding interpreter."

Henry 'Red' Allen (Home)