Pianist Geri Allen has one of the most distinct sounds and styles, and for the life of me can’t figure out why she doesn’t get more acclaim. Each one of her releases, since I discovered her 1991 The Nurturer, is filled with both original ideas and traditional feels.
This album is subtitled “Motown and Motor City Inspirations,” meaning she’s taken songs that came out of Detroit and mixed them with her own tunes dedicated to the once hub of America, but which is now sadly in decline and bankrupt. And while she may not have done this as a statement about unions, almost all of the songs are performed in solo form, save for a handful of duets with either Marcus Belgrave/tp or David McMurray/as. Gerald Wilson’s “Nancy Joe” has Allen and the trumpeter in a joyous mood, while The Supremes’ “Itching in M Heart” has a sauntering strut with the alto saxist. By herself, she delivers a gentle and thoughtful “Tears of a Clown” as well as a wonderfully flowing “Baby I Need Your Lovin’”. Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” was made for an interpretation such as Allen’s, and “Let it Be” has a warm gospel light to it. She impresses on a plethora of levels, and this one is up there with the best.
Motema Records