Party: Brandon Allen's Gene Ammons Project

Party: Brandon Allen's Gene Ammons Project

The Brandon Allen quartet reinterprets the music of the late great saxophonist Gene Ammons.
Brandon Allen tenor, Bas van Lier piano/organ, Arnie Somogyi bass, Matt Home drums

Ammons was one of the founders of the Chicago style of tenor saxophone playing but was often in the shadow of his tenor-playing contemporaries, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, and Sonny Stitt.
Despite this he forged a lasting partnership with Stitt, recording some classic tenor battles in the 1950 s.

While adept at the technical aspects of bebop, in particular its love of harmonic substitutions, Ammons more than Young, Webster or Parker, stayed in touch with the commercial blues and R&B of his day. In 1950 the saxophonist's recording of "My foolish heart" made Billboard magazine's black pop charts. The soul jazz movement of the mid-1960s, often using the combination of tenor saxophone and Hammond B3 electric organ, counts him as a founder.

People say nice things about Brandon.
"Brandon Allen is arguably the most exciting tenor player in Britain today. His phrasing is unashamedly emotional, soaked in the blues tradition." - Tony Hall (JAZZWISE)
"His four-octave range and flawless command of the altissimo register was nicely offset by his full-bodied yet raucous tonal quality offering something for fans of the entire history of the instrument- from Hawkins to Brecker- he's got em covered." - Frank Griffith (London Jazz News)

Brandon's quartet has played together for many years. The project has been received very well at gigs throughout the UK and the rest of Europe. With luck, we will have the new CD to buy at the gig.