Harry Allen's "Day Dream"

[robviti]

Hey all,

I've had this disc on my want list for some time. It's a 1998 recording on the Japanese BMG label featuring Allen with the Tommy Flanagan Trio. I've never heard this date, so I thought I'd ask someone who owns the cd if it's worth the big bucks that online merchants are asking. Thanks in advance.

Edited February 16, 2004 by jazzshrink

[couw]

sent you a PM. I hope it got through.

[Dan Gould]

Wouldn't the question of its worth be dependent on whether or not he is channeling Stan Getz on this one?

[Hank]

I think this one is quite good. Five tracks feature Allen with the full trio (Flanagan, Peter Washington, and Lewis Nash) and six tracks are Allen/Flanagan duets. I remember tracking it down through Amazon/UK a year or so ago for a reasonable price.

[robviti]

couw,

unfortunately, i didn't get your pm. feel free to email me at: rviti@rcn.com.

[DrJ]

Dan Gould 

Posted: Feb 16 2004, 09:37 AM

Wouldn't the question of its worth be dependent on whether or not he is channeling Stan Getz on this one?

Well, that's certainly the question I'd want answered (SERIOUSLY)!

[brownie]

Up. Cause I'm enjoying Harry Allen's playing on a Nagel Heyer Records album 'Live in Belfast' which was released under bassist Frank Tate's name. I bought this CD because I'm a big fan of Dave McKenna who plays piano on the live date recorded in 1996 at a club called Guinness Spot in Belfast.

Allen is a no-nonsense swinging tenor saxophonist from the Zoot Sims/Al Cohn fraternity.

I had heard him once before on an oscure album by singer Bobbe Norris (a Japanese CBS Sony LP) where he was in the group accompanying that singer along with Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Ben Riley and did more than all right.

I was in Belfast a couple of times - during the troubles there - and did not imagine there were swinging nights in the city but the times have changed.

The rhythm section of McKenna, Tate, Howard Alden and Butch Miles know how to keep the proceedings lively.

Looks like Harry Allen plays on a number of other Nagel Heyers albums. Anybody heard those?

[Jim R]

Allen is a no-nonsense swinging tenor saxophonist from the Zoot Sims/Al Cohn fraternity.

brownie, I'm not sure if you're aware of it, but Allen became controversial here on the board when I included him in my blindfold test- #3, back around November. The track I selected was from a very nice Brazilian session he did for RCA- EU NAO QUERO DANÇAR (I WON'T DANCE). A number of members thought Allen sounded a bit too much like Getz on that recording (or at least that one track). You may want to go back and read the BFT#3 discussion thread.

The only other Allen I have is a very good 1999 quartet CD (also on RCA) called PLAYS ELLINGTON SONGS, with Bill Charlap, Peter Washington and Kenny Washington.

Apparently Allen is big in Japan:

The baby-faced tenor saxophonist Harry Allen (he's 33) is a huge star in Japan but a relative unknown in America even though he's recorded some 16 albums around the world. RCA Victor is trying to correct that situation with the release here of CDs that have won him three Gold Disc Awards from Swing Journal, the bible of Japanese fans, who tend to like their jazz stirred, not shaken. Indeed, an Allen original, "Time Is Standing Still," could be his theme song. He has drawn for inspiration from Lester Young, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins and other tenor masters of the Forties.

[brownie]

Jim R, thanks for the infill. Will check the BFT 3 threads. I joined the BFT fraternity at volume 8 only and missed the earlier ones. My mistake!

What I heard from Harry Allen so far made me think of Al and Zoot, much more than of Getz!

[Kevin Bresnahan]

After many years of searching for this CD, I finally stumbled upon an amazon.co.uk seller who had a "play copy" for a reasonable price (~$16). This is one nice date!

Rob tried talking me into picking this up several times but I stupidly waited until it went oop. As they say, "Live and learn".

Kevin

[Peter Friedman]

I like Harry Allen's playing very much. He is in the same category as Scott Hamilton, by which I mean he enjoys playing in the style

of Pres, Getz, Zoot, Al, with a bit of Ben Webster thrown in every once in a while. Coltrane, Rollins, and Joe Henderson are not his influences.

I have the Day Dream CD and very much enjoy it. On Organissimo, I suspect Harry Allen is not a tenor player who will get many accolades, but on some other jazz lists he is thought of very highly.

[Ted O'Reilly]

I like Harry Allen's playing very much. He is in the same category as Scott Hamilton, by which I mean he enjoys playing in the style

of Pres, Getz, Zoot, Al, with a bit of Ben Webster thrown in every once in a while. Coltrane, Rollins, and Joe Henderson are not his influences.

I have the Day Dream CD and very much enjoy it. On Organissimo, I suspect Harry Allen is not a tenor player who will get many accolades, but on some other jazz lists he is thought of very highly.

I'm with Peter -- just checked my shelves and found I had a dozen CDs by Allen, and he's on others as sideman. Guess I like him! One that might have been missed by some is a nice one co-led with Joe Temperley "Cocktails For Two" on Sackville. Good rhythm section, too: John Bunch, Greg Cohen and Jake Hanna.

[John Tapscott]

I like Harry Allen's playing very much. He is in the same category as Scott Hamilton, by which I mean he enjoys playing in the style

of Pres, Getz, Zoot, Al, with a bit of Ben Webster thrown in every once in a while. Coltrane, Rollins, and Joe Henderson are not his influences.

I have the Day Dream CD and very much enjoy it. On Organissimo, I suspect Harry Allen is not a tenor player who will get many accolades, but on some other jazz lists he is thought of very highly.

I'm with Peter -- just checked my shelves and found I had a dozen CDs by Allen, and he's on others as sideman. Guess I like him! One that might have been missed by some is a nice one co-led with Joe Temperley "Cocktails For Two" on Sackville. Good rhythm section, too: John Bunch, Greg Cohen and Jake Hanna.

I too like Harry Allen's playing. I really enjoy his early 90's recordings on Nagel-Heyer. I have 4 or 5 of them under his own name - one or two others as a sideman. On these live dates he really stretches out and builds up a head of steam. Some very exciting playing. Besides the date with Joe Temperley on Sackville Ted mentions, another excellent Allen outing is on Keith Ingham's Back Room Romp, also on Sackville.

[Free For All]

Recent recording w/John Allred. Very nice session, swings hard.

[A Lark Ascending]

I very much like 'Day Dream'. This thread has reminded me to dig it out.