Henry Red Allen

Henry Red Allen

Source: Republic Pink

'Slow River'   Clarence Williams and His Bottomland Orchestra

Recorded 7 June 1927 in NYC   Matrix E23500   Allen's first recording

Brunswick 3580   Issued on Vocalion 15577 as the Avalonians

Piano: Clarence Williams   Trumpet: Henry Red Allen

Drums: Floyd Casey   Vocal: Evelyn Preer   Arrangement: Frank Skinner

Music: Charles Schwab / Edgar Fairchild / Arthur Schwartz   Lyrics: Henry Myers

'Zulu Wail'   Clarence Williams and His Bottomland Orchestra

Recorded 7 June 1927 in NYC   Matrix E23503   Allen's fourth recording

Brunswick 3580   Issued on Vocalion 15577 as the Avalonians

Piano: Clarence Williams   Trumpet: Henry Red Allen

Drums: Floyd Casey   Vocal: Evelyn Preer   Arrangement: Frank Skinner

Composition: Fred Skinner / Irving Bibo

Allen's next session was two years later on 16 July of 1929, leading his New York Orchestra, for which he recruited Luis Russell to play piano and arrange. Allen and Russell partnered numerously to as late as 1940, supporting each other's bands as well as other operations like Victoria Spivey's and Louis Armstrong's. The New York Orchestra's initial tracks were versions of 'It Should Be You' and 'Biffly Blues' followed the next day with sets of 'Feeling Drowsy' and 'Swing Out'.

'It Should Be You'   Henry Allen & His New York Orchestra

Recorded 16 July 1929 in NYC   Matrix 55133-3   Victor V38073

Third of 3 takes from Allen's first session as a leader

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

Clarinet / alto sax: Albert Nicholas / Charlie Holmes (also soprano)

Tenor sax: Teddy Hill

Piano / celeste / arrangement: Luis Russell

Banjo / guitar: Will Johnson   String bass: Pops Foster

Drums / vibes: Paul Barbarin

Composition: Allen

'Feeling Drowsy'   Henry Allen & His New York Orchestra

Recorded 17 July 1929 in NYC

1 of 3 takes third of which was issued on Victor V38080 / Bluebird B10702 / HMV B4970

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

Clarinet: Albert Nicholas / Charlie Holmes / Teddy Hill

Various sax: Charlie Holmes / Teddy Hill

Piano / celeste: Luis Russell

Banjo / guitar: Will Johnson   String bass: Pops Foster

Drums / vibes: Paul Barbarin

Composition: Allen

'Jersey Lightning'   Henry Allen w Luis Russell and His Orchestra

Recorded 6 Sep 1929 in NYC (9 Sep per Columbia)   Matrix 402940-B

Okeh 8734 / Columbia 35680

1 of 3 takes third of which was issued on Victor V38080 / Bluebird B10702 / HMV B4970

Trumpet: Allen / Bill Coleman   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

Clarinet: Albert Nicholas

Various sax: Albert Nicholas / Charlie Holmes / Teddy Hill

Piano: Luis Russell

Banjo / guitar: Will Johnson   String bass: Pops Foster

Drums / vibes: Paul Barbarin

Composition: Luis Russell

'Doggin' That Thing'   Henry Allen w Walter Fats Pichon

Recorded 16 Sep 1929 in NYC (9 Sep per Columbia)   55843-2   Victor V38544

Trumpet: Allen   Piano / vocal: Pichon   Guitar: Teddy Bunn

Composition: Fred Skinner / Irving Bibo / William Weldon / Pichon

'Make a Country Bird Fly Wild'   Henry Allen & His New York Orchestra

Recorded 24 Sep 1929 in NYC   Matrix 55852-2

Second of 2 takes   Victor V38107

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

Clarinet: Albert Nicholas / Charlie Holmes / Teddy Hill

Various sax: Albert Nicholas / Charlie Holmes / Teddy Hill

Piano / celeste: Luis Russell

Banjo / guitar: Will Johnson   String bass: Pops Foster

Drums: Paul Barbarin

Vocals by the Four Wanderers:

Herman Hugues / Charles Clinkscales / Maceo Johnson / Olivier Childs

Composition: Allen / Barbarin

'Won't You Get Off It Please'   Henry Allen w Fats Waller and His Buddies

Recorded 18 Dec 1929 in NYC   Matrix 57928-1   Victor V38119

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

Clarinet / alto sax: Albert Nicholas / Charlie Holmes

Tenor sax: Larry Binyon   Piano: Waller

Banjo: Will Johnson   String bass: Pops Foster

Drums: Kaiser Marshall

Music: Waller   Lyrics: Ken Macomber

In 1933 Allen shared duties as a leader with Coleman Hawkins on numerous titles beginning in March. They both supported British string bassist, Spike Hughes, visiting New York City in May. Allen and his Orchestra placed nine recordings in the Top Twenty of the popularity charts from 1934 to 1937. 'When My Dream Boat Comes Home' was his most popular at #10 in 1937 [Music VF]. Per 'Body and Soul' below, several discographies have that recorded in 1935 (not 1934).

'Sweet Sue'   Henry Allen w Spike Hughes & His Negro Orchestra

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: Dicky Wells

Alto sax: Benny Carter / Wayman Carver (also flute)

Tenor sax: Chu Berry / Coleman Hawkins   Piano: Red Rodriguez

Guitar: Lawrence "Larry" Lucie   String bass: Hughes

Drums: Sidney Catlett   Composition: Victor Young / Will Harris

'Body and Soul'   Henry Allen & His Orchestra

Recorded 29 April 1935 in NYC   Matrix 17396-1   Vocalion 2965

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Trombone: Dicky Wells

Clarinet: Cecil Scott   Tenor sax: Chu Berry

Piano: Horace Henderson   Guitar: Bernard Addison

String bass: John Kirby   Drums: George Stafford

Composition: Edward Heyman / Robert Sour / Frank Eyton / Johnny Green

'Truckin''   Henry Allen w the Mills Blue Rhythm Band

Recorded 1 Aug 1935 in NYC   Matrix 17925-1

Columbia 3078-D / Columbia FB 1153 (Europe)

Trumpet / vocal: Allen

Music: Rube Bloom   Lyrics: Ted Koehler

'When My Dreamboat Comes Home'   Henry Allen & His Orchestra

Recorded 17 Nov 1936 in NYC   Matrix 20270-1   Vocalion 3389

Highest charting title at #10 in 1937

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Clarinet: Cecil Scott

Alto sax: Tab Smith   Tenor sax: Cecil Scott

Piano: Clyde Hart   Guitar: Danny Barker

String bass: John Kirby   Drums: Cozy Cole

Composition: Cliff Friend / Dave Franklin

'Sentimental & Melancholy'   Henry Allen w Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra

Recorded 18 Feb 1937 in NYC   Matrix B20700-2

Brunswick 7844 / Blue Ace 263 / Columbia C3L40

Trumpet: Allen   Clarinet: Cecil Scott

Tenor sax: Prince Robinson   Piano: Teddy Wilson   Guitar: Jimmy McLin

String bass: John Kirby   Drums: Cozy Cole   Vocal: Billie Holiday

Composition: Richard Whiting / Johnny Mercer

In 1940 Allen recorded 'Down in Jungle Town' and 'Canal Street Blues' with pianist and wife of Louis Armstrong, Lil Armstrong (Hardin), and clarinetist, Edmond Hall.

'Down In Jungle Town'   Henry Allen & His Orchestra

Recorded 28 May 1940 in NYC   Matrix 67839-A   Decca 18092

Trumpet: Allen   Clarinet: Edmond Hall

Piano: Lil Hardin Armstrong   Guitar: Bernard Addison

String bass: Pops Foster   Drums: Zutty Singleton

Composition: Theodore Morese / Edward Madden

'Canal Street Blues'   Henry Allen & His Orchestra

Recorded 28 May 1940 in NYC   Matrix 67840-A   Decca 18092

Trumpet: Allen   Clarinet: Edmond Hall

Piano: Lil Hardin Armstrong   Guitar: Bernard Addison

String bass: Pops Foster   Drums: Zutty Singleton

Composition: Joe King Oliver

'Jack the Bellboy'   Henry Allen & His Orchestra

Recorded 22 July 1941 in NYC   1 of 2 takes both issued on Merritt #13/14

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham   Clarinet: Edmond Hall

Piano: Ken Kersey   Drums: Jim Hoskins

Composition: Lionel Hampton

'Drink Hearty'   Henry Allen   Film by Soundies 

Recorded 28 Jan 1946 in NYC   See Storyville SLP6003

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Composition: Allen

From 1954 to 1965 Allen's was the house band at the Metropole Cafe in New York City. He didn't tour Europe until 1959 with Kid Ory. Allen's final tour of England was in 1967 where he made his last recordings. On 19 February he performed at the Manchester Sports Guild which titles are available on Jazzology JCD-388. On 21 February he recorded live at the Hermitage Ballroom in Hitchin which release is unidentified. Come another performance at the Manchester Sports Guild on 4 March with the Alex Welsh Band, most tracks released on Jazzology JCD-318. Welsh was a Scottish cornetist and trumpeter but doesn't perform on tracks below.

'Rosetta'   Henry Allen All Stars   CBS Television

'Sound of Jazz' television broadcast of 8 Dec 1957 from NYC

See Phoenix LP24 / Pumpkin 116

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Cornet: Rex Stewart

Trombone: Vic Dickenson   Clarinet: Pee Wee Russell

Tenor sax: Coleman Hawkins   Piano: Nat Pierce   Guitar: Danny Barker

String bass: Milt Hinton   Drums: Papa Jo Jones

Composition: Earl Hines / Henri Woode

'Them There Eyes'   Henry Allen All Stars   Television

'Art Ford Jazz Party' television broadcast of 26 June 1958 from NYC

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: J.C. Higginbotham

Clarinet: Buster Bailey   Tenor sax: Hal Singer

Piano: Willie the Lion Smith   Vibes: Harry Sheppard

Violin: Anthony Di Girolamo   Guitar: Chuck Wayne

String bass: Vinnie Burke   Drums: Cliff Leeman

Plus members of the WNTA-TV studio band:

 Trumpet: Buddy Iannone   Trombone: Frank Higgins

Composition: Doris Tauber / Maceo Pinkard / William Tracey

'Sugar Foot Stomp'   Henry Allen w the Kid Ory Creole Jazz Band

Recorded 22 Sep 1959 at the Sportpalast in Berlin   Jazz Crusade JCCD-3126

Trumpet: Allen   Trombone: Kid Ory   Clarinet: Bob McCracken

Piano: Cedric Heywood   String bass: Squire Gersh   Drums: Alton Redd

Composition: Joe King Oliver

'Rosetta'   Henry Allen w the Alex Welsh Band   BBC Television

'Jazz 625' television broadcast of 5 May 1964 from Shepard's Bush, England

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Trombone: Roy Crimmins

Clarinet / tenor sax: Al Gay

Piano: Fred Hunt   Guitar: Jim Douglas

String bass: Ron Mathewson   Drums: Lennie Hastings

Composition: Earl Hines / Henri Woode

'St. James Infirmary'   Henry Allen w the Alex Welsh Band   BBC Television

'Jazz 625' television broadcast of 5 May 1964 from Shepard's Bush, England

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Trombone: Roy Crimmins

Clarinet / tenor sax: Al Gay

Piano: Fred Hunt   Guitar: Jim Douglas

String bass: Ron Mathewson   Drums: Lennie Hastings

Composition: Wikipedia

'All of Me'   Henry Red Allen   Television

Television broadcast of 4 July 1966 from the Newport Jazz Festival in RI

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Flugelhorn: Clark Terry   Cornet: Ruby Braff

Piano: George Wein   String bass: Ron Mathewson

Drums: Vince Schaeffer or Billy Kay or Mike de Loise

Composition:   Gerald Marks / Seymour Simons   1931

Medley of 'When the Saints Go Marching In' w 'Oh Didn't He Ramble'

Henry Allen w the Alex Welsh Band

Live on 19 Feb 1967at the Manchester Sports Guild in the UK

Trumpet / vocal: Allen   Trombone: Roy Williams

Clarinet / tenor sax: Al Gay

Piano: Fred Hunt   Guitar: Jim Douglas

String bass: Ron Rae   Drums: Lennie Hastings

Compositions: 'Oh Didn't He Ramble'   'When the Saints Go Marching In'

Returning from the United Kingdom to New York City, Allen there died several weeks later on 17 April 1967.