Geri Allen Has Died

[CJ Shearn]

Really sucks..............  huge loss.

[Ken Dryden]

I have long enjoyed Geri Allen's music, it's sad she's gone. She has left an incredible legacy.

 

[johnblitweiler]

Too young.  Sorry to see this.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

yes this is really bad

[Rooster_Ties]

Somewhere I have a CDR (audience recording that I acquired from gosh only knows where, as I honestly can't remember)... ...of just Geri and Wallace playing as a duo -- interpolating nearly the entirety of Birth of the Cool album -- from a performance at a Museum (iirc), some 20(?) years ago, give or take.  Will have to dig it out, as a recalling it having been some really inspired and very creative playing by both of them.  And "interpolating" is really the best word I could use to describe it, as it was really quite a free-form (and sometimes very "free-leaning") performance, iirc.

RIP.

[Van Basten II]

Devastated , she was one of my faves among the current crop , saw her almost every time she came here, the most memorable gigs were once as she was working with Charles Looyd in his quartet, which is among my greatest concert I ever witnessed at the old Spectrum and another highlight  was when she played wiith Esperanza Spalding and Terri Lynn Carrington as part of the Wayne Shorter anniversary bash a few years ago.

[Mark Stryker]

I offered this on Facebook:

I'm heartbroken over the tragic death from cancer of Detroit native Geri Allen, a profound and influential pianist, composer and conceptualist. She was only 60. 

Her passing is awful news not only for her family, friends and the wider jazz community, but also for Detroit, where she was revered as a contemporary embodiment of the city's rich jazz legacy and a musician who took extraordinary pride in her local roots. A graduate of Cass Tech — the same high school that produced Gerald Wilson, Paul Chambers, Donald Byrd, Ron Carter and others — she was one of the first and most important young musicians to come up under the wing of the late trumpeter and legendary mentor Marcus Belgrave. 

When she began to get famous, she championed Detroit in interviews, talked up Belgrave's influence and used Detroit musicians on some of her early recordings. Geri drew strength and inspiration from her hometown during her entire career, and just last year took on the role of artistic director of the Carr Center, a downtown Detroit arts organization that primarily champions African-American culture and has a strong arts education program. Geri saw her appointment as coming full circle, a way she could give back to the community that had nurtured her. It gave Detroiters one more reason to love her — not that anyone here needed another reason.

The physical body dies, but the music and spirit do not.  This poem by the late Michael Harper -- an African-American poet whose work I bet Geri knew -- gives comfort.

"The Essential Tree"

Greatness in life is in spending
it for something that will outlast life,
and be life renewed in other lives:
the death of death
is illusory;
the death of life
an enigma.

-- Michael Harper

[soulpope]

Thank you for the music and R.I.P ....

[EKE BBB]

Very sad to read this. Rest in peace, Geri, and thank you for the wonderful music!

[sidewinder]

Shocking and tragic news. Huge talent, remember seeing her play around 20 years ago. RIP.

Edited June 28, 2017 by sidewinder

[Clunky]

Extremely sad news to hear. I thought she was a wonderful musician. I was lucky enough to see her play with Tom Bancroft's Orchestra Interrupto ( broadcast on Jazz on 3). I'm truly shocked by this. My thoughts to her family and friends ,RIP.

[JohnS]

10 hours ago, HutchFan said:

Terrible, terrible news.

Yes, terrible news.  Saw her play twice in London years ago.  Sadly not recently though.

[mikeweil]

R.I.P.

Very sad news. Among many other things, it was great how she featured her mentor, Marcus Belgrave, will play these CDs later today. 

[brownie]

A great loss! Way  too young to go! 

[Milestones]

Definitely a loss.  I saw her once in concert with Charles Lloyd and she was fantastic.  I really enjoy her work with Haden and Motian.

R.I.P. 

 

[alankin]

Very sad news...

[OliverM]

Very sad to read.

[Jason Bivins]

Just awful, awful news. RIP, Geri Allen and thank you for your artistry.

[soulpope]

9 hours ago, mikeweil said:

R.I.P.

Very sad news. Among many other things, it was great how she featured her mentor, Marcus Belgrave, will play these CDs later today. 

Thnx for the reminder reg "Maroons" ....

[optatio]

R.I.P.

[Brad]

Thank you and Rest In Peace. 

[JSngry]

 

 

[bluesoul]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/27/arts/music/geri-allen-dead-jazz.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/geri-allen-versatile-jazz-pianist-who-appeared-with-musical-greats-dies-at-60/2017/06/28/d6084e1c-5c0d-11e7-a9f6-7c3296387341_story.html

http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2017/06/28/geri-allen-dies-obituary-detroit-jazz/434339001/

 

[Guy Berger]

RIP Geri.  One of the finest pianists of her generation.

[B. Goren.]

I had the pleasure to see her twice on the stage: The first time was 10 years ago in Jerusalem and the 2ed time on May 2016 in New York. She played with David Murray and Terry Lee Carrington. RIP dear Geri.