Carl Allen: Tippin'

Drummer Carl Allen's release Tippin' is an opportune occasion, as it is Allen's first album as a leader in over twenty years. For this storytelling experience, Allen brought together two luminaries of modern jazz: the internationally renowned bassist Christian McBride and the phenomenal horn player Chris Potter. The trio created a cohesive and compelling narrative, resulting in an album that stands out in its ability to balance spontaneity and structure. It is a free-flowing experience that feels both natural and profoundly intentional.

The compositions for this session were carefully chosen and sequenced, each contributing to the overarching story while allowing for individual expression. The music book opens with a Charlie Parker aptly-named classic, "Parker's Mood," in which the chordless trio format (no piano/guitar) rises to the challenge. Playing with purpose, Potter elaborates on what the arrangement of the number has to say, while McBride brings his big-toned bass to the story as a testament to his virtuosity. Allen is engaged in the process with subtly graduated dynamics. Wanting to acknowledge one of his friends who has influenced his musical life, he included trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's number "Happy Times" a buoyant affair that fits the bill. All the players enthusiastically participate as their musical rapport shapes the piece's narrative.

The recording took place at the storied Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs on January 13, 2024, under the guidance of engineer Maureen Sickler, a fact that gives auditory substance to this session and honors the listener with awareness of it. Allen contributed two original compositions to the album: "Hidden Agenda" and "Roy's Joy." In the former, Potter is on bass clarinet, and his soulful tone gives the number emotional depth. Allen's drumming is bristling with vitality, accentuating the rhythmic structure of the chart. The latter composition was dedicated to trumpeter Roy Hargrove to acknowledge his playing on Allen's first two releases as leader. Following a robust opening passage from McBride, Potter takes over with a clear-eyed and self-assured improvisation.

For a change in the musical palette, Vancouver Canada-based pianist John Lee is brought in for Kenny Barron's composition "Song For Abdullah." With his brushes dancing over the drum kit, Allen provides a subtle texture to every beat, and Lee's sensitive and lyrical piano furnishes a sense of discovery. McBride picks up his bow for an arco interlude filled with soul and dexterity. Potter is his usual proficient self, with his bass clarinet lines filled with inventiveness and emotional depth.

The final two cuts of this release are both popular songs. The first is Irving Berlin's "They Say It's Wonderful," and the other is "Put On A Happy Face" by Lee Adams and Charles Strouse; the song was introduced by Dick Van Dyke in the musical Bye Bye Birdie. Allen, McBride and Potter perform with a continued heightened sense of interplay and creativity, relying on their deep musical rapport to shape the portrayal of each piece.

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