As a member and eventual leader of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Marshall Allen has been an instrumental figure in jazz for over half a century, but a few days after celebrating his 100th birthday, he began to record his first ever solo album, somehow setting his status to an even higher level. Following the record's release this past February, Allen entered the Guiness Book of World Records as the oldest person to ever release a debut album. On Saturday night in Brooklyn, he assembled the band behind the record, also called New Dawn, and they made their live debut. At ten musicians deep, the stage was packed with brass, woodwinds, strings, and percussion with Marshall Allen standing front and center to guide this spiritual journey from the edges of cosmic jazz towards New Orleans style marches and Chicago influenced rhythms. While part of the Arkestra, Allen has led the ensemble through the extremes of free jazz, but on his own and with a new band, he's slowed things down and arranged something more traditional, rich with harmonies and mellow tempos. There's an easiness to this music and watching it come to life on stage only helped exemplify this as the band massaged their way through these melodic tunes. There were moments that felt replenishing and soothing, nearly utterly sublime as the bebop shades from the trumpet gave way to an everlasting cool, setting forth a much needed ease in times of such turmoil. New Dawn isn't just a great album because of the circumstances, it's an album that stands on its own as a defining work and representation of the genre. There were moments during the set that just screamed this is jazz, neglecting specific variations, but coming together to embody the spirit and meaning of it all. By Allen's side all night was Knoel Scott who shown with brilliant demeanor on saxophone and also led the rest of the band through the night, conducting each track while being a part of the action as well. On the drums, George Gray held everything tightly together, his fills adding to the mix and giving more texture to each track. He was sure to take a moment and really let his talents come through, dazzling us with his domination of the kit and a beat."African Sunset" brought the vibes early on, but "Boma" was a real showstopper and the title track of the night, "New Dawn" really shown as the mesmerizing centerpiece and spectacle from the record. To make such a phenomenal record is already a great achievement, but for it to be the debut album of a person a century into their time on the planet really does put it in a place all its own and to be able to experience that place in a live setting was a really incredible way to spend a Saturday night.
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