Dave Allen , jazz guitar, composer - is one of the more distinctive voices on his instrument today. He has continually sought to forge a unique vision through his playing and writing, one that features lyrical melodies with lilting, complex rhythms and rich, intricate harmonies. At the age of 16, Allen was already recognized by Guitar Player Magazine as a talent to watch. Born in Philadelphia, Allen moved to New York in 1988 to attend the Manhattan School of Music. Leading his own groups for the past 20 years, Allen has has worked with many of the most exciting young players in New York City, including David Liebman, Mark Turner,, Seamus Blake, Jeff Ballard, Ravi Coltrane, Drew Gress, Donny McCaslin, Dave Binney, Marcus Gilmore, Tyshawn Sorey, Miguel Zenon, Ted Poor, Tom Rainey, and many others.
Allen has two critically acclaimed CDs featuring his original compositions; "Untold Stories" and "Real and Imagined"
Allen is also seeking ways to integrate his passion for other art forms, such as poetry, film and painting into his musical projects. Deeply influenced by poets such as Wallace Stevens and Adrienne Rich, the visionary experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage, and the painters Willem DeKooning and Anselm Kiefer.
He is currently writing new music for his next CD.
"Mr. Allen is a guitarist with a coolly modernistic sensibility, as he demonstrates on a forthcoming album, “Real and Imagined” (Fresh Sound New Talent)." - Nate Chinen, New York Times
"Allen has found a true voice, his effortless technique downplays the apparent complexity, paradoxically creating a cool surface sheen that has a white heat glowing beneath it...music that seduces both the body and mind, again and again." - Budd Kopman, All About Jazz
"Dave Allen is one of a number of spitfire jazz guitarists raising the bar on that ever-popular instrument. But Allen offers more than battle-ready chops—his Untold Stories and Real and Imagined are about original music, loftily conceived, with graceful melodic content and subtle rhythmic challenges. He’s got the pull to assemble world-class bands every time out." - David Adler, Jazz Times Magazine “An exciting and unique player in the mold of Pat Metheny, Ben Monder and Adam Rogers. Monster chops, harmonic resourcefulness, strong melodic sense, seamless group interaction, considerable compositional talent and a kick-ass group of talented players make this CD an electrifying piece of work." - Lyle Robinson, Jazzguitarlife.com
"Allen has a fully developed and mature approach to composition, technical command of his instrument, and the inspirational fortitude to pull wonderful music from the ensemble. Each piece is like an aural painting or film in the way it slides across the psyche." - Farrell Lowe, All About Jazz "Allen has what could be dubbed as “string-imagination,” the ability to quickly form and rethink patterns like moving water--flowing, lucid and spontaneous, paired with superior comping skills--filling in the gaps with creative touches and chord-work." - Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz "A number of tracks have melodies that etched themselves in my mind. The music is full of subtlety. Allen has no seeming limit to histechnique, but he always puts it to good musical ends.” - Budd Kopman, AllAboutJazz.com “There is a true sensuality to the guitarist’s sound... unfolding his lines with an edge-of-your-seat stealth” - Jim Macnie, Village Voice
"Allen has a fully developed and mature approach to composition, technical command of his instrument, and the inspirational fortitude to pull wonderful music from the ensemble. Each piece is like an aural painting or film in the way it slides across the psyche." – Budd Kopman, All About Jazz
"Drawing inspiration from the deep trough of jazz tradition, the wider world of art and the shape of jazz to come, Dave Allen is one of New York's most promising talents". – David Adler, Downbeat Critic
http://www.daveallenjazz.com/live/
Allen has two critically acclaimed CDs featuring his original compositions; "Untold Stories" and "Real and Imagined"
Allen is also seeking ways to integrate his passion for other art forms, such as poetry, film and painting into his musical projects. Deeply influenced by poets such as Wallace Stevens and Adrienne Rich, the visionary experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage, and the painters Willem DeKooning and Anselm Kiefer.
He is currently writing new music for his next CD.
"Mr. Allen is a guitarist with a coolly modernistic sensibility, as he demonstrates on a forthcoming album, “Real and Imagined” (Fresh Sound New Talent)." - Nate Chinen, New York Times
"Allen has found a true voice, his effortless technique downplays the apparent complexity, paradoxically creating a cool surface sheen that has a white heat glowing beneath it...music that seduces both the body and mind, again and again." - Budd Kopman, All About Jazz
"Dave Allen is one of a number of spitfire jazz guitarists raising the bar on that ever-popular instrument. But Allen offers more than battle-ready chops—his Untold Stories and Real and Imagined are about original music, loftily conceived, with graceful melodic content and subtle rhythmic challenges. He’s got the pull to assemble world-class bands every time out." - David Adler, Jazz Times Magazine “An exciting and unique player in the mold of Pat Metheny, Ben Monder and Adam Rogers. Monster chops, harmonic resourcefulness, strong melodic sense, seamless group interaction, considerable compositional talent and a kick-ass group of talented players make this CD an electrifying piece of work." - Lyle Robinson, Jazzguitarlife.com
"Allen has a fully developed and mature approach to composition, technical command of his instrument, and the inspirational fortitude to pull wonderful music from the ensemble. Each piece is like an aural painting or film in the way it slides across the psyche." - Farrell Lowe, All About Jazz "Allen has what could be dubbed as “string-imagination,” the ability to quickly form and rethink patterns like moving water--flowing, lucid and spontaneous, paired with superior comping skills--filling in the gaps with creative touches and chord-work." - Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz "A number of tracks have melodies that etched themselves in my mind. The music is full of subtlety. Allen has no seeming limit to histechnique, but he always puts it to good musical ends.” - Budd Kopman, AllAboutJazz.com “There is a true sensuality to the guitarist’s sound... unfolding his lines with an edge-of-your-seat stealth” - Jim Macnie, Village Voice
"Allen has a fully developed and mature approach to composition, technical command of his instrument, and the inspirational fortitude to pull wonderful music from the ensemble. Each piece is like an aural painting or film in the way it slides across the psyche." – Budd Kopman, All About Jazz
"Drawing inspiration from the deep trough of jazz tradition, the wider world of art and the shape of jazz to come, Dave Allen is one of New York's most promising talents". – David Adler, Downbeat Critic
http://www.daveallenjazz.com/live/
