The Juilliard School appoints Carl Allen as Artistic Director of Juilliard Jazz

The Juilliard School has appointed Carl Allen, drummer, bandleader, entrepreneur and educator, as Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at Juilliard, effective immediately. Mr. Allen has been serving as Interim Artistic director of Juilliard’s newest music program since August 2007 and has been a faculty member of Juilliard Jazz since its inception in 2001. The appointment was announced to concert-goers and members of the Juilliard community by Juilliard President Joseph W. Polisi on Monday night, February 4, at a Juilliard Jazz Orchestra concert featuring Grammy Award-winning conductor, composer, and arranger, Maria Schneider. Mr. Allen will lead the program, which is now in its seventh year, and work alongside Laurie A. Carter, Executive Director of Jazz Studies at Juilliard. The program offers bachelor and master of music degree programs, as well as an artist diploma via the pre-professional Juilliard Institute for Jazz Studies, a collaboration of Juilliard and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Commenting on the appointment, President Polisi said: “We are all delighted that Carl Allen has accepted our invitation to be the Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at Juilliard. Carl’s professional experience as a performer, teacher, and administrator will allow him to lead our jazz program into the future with creativity and vision.”

Mr. Allen remarked: “It is with great pleasure that I accept the position as Artistic Director of Jazz Studies at Juilliard. The past few months as the Interim Director have been challenging and rewarding as we are on our way to greatness. Our mission is to develop musicians in the jazz tradition with a knowledge of the past to help build a sound musical future. As Artistic Director, I will strive to see that we educate, encourage, and empower our students to succeed.”

With more than 150 recordings to his credit, Milwaukee-born Carl Allen grew up on gospel, R&B, and funk, but later turned to jazz after hearing an LP by the legendary saxophonist Benny Carter. His first hometown gigs were with sax greats Sonny Stitt and Red Holloway at the young age of 16 years old. Mr. Allen studied at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay from 1979 to 1981, and transferred to William Paterson College in New Jersey, where he graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in jazz studies and performance. He joined trumpeter Freddie Hubbard a year before his graduation, served as his musical director for eight years, and recorded several disks with the trumpeter including Double Take and Life Flight.

Mr. Allen also played with Benny Golson, Jennifer Holliday, J.J. Johnson, Rickie Lee Jones, Sammy Davis Jr., Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, Lena Horne, Ruth Brown, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Mike Stern, Nellie McKay, Terence Blanchard, Phil Woods, Benny Green, Cyrus Chestnut, Joe Henderson, Billy Childs and many others. In 2001, Mr. Allen toured with the first acoustic version of The Brecker Brothers - Michael and Randy Brecker. His phenomenal sideman discography also includes Jackie McLean (Dynasty), Donald Harrison (Indian Blues, Nouveau Swing), Donald Byrd (A City Called Heaven), and Art Farmer (The Company I Keep). Piccadilly Square (Timeless) was Mr. Allen’s first CD as a leader, released in 1989, followed by The Dark Side of Dewey (Evidence), The Pursuer (Atlantic), Testimonial (Atlantic), and Get Ready, his 2007 Mack Avenue gospel/Motown accented debut release with co-leader, bassist Rodney Whitaker.
      
Mr. Allen also is an accomplished businessman. He co-founded Big Apple Productions in 1988 with saxophonist Vincent Herring, produced several recordings for several Japanese labels with future stars Roy Hargrove, Cyrus Chestnut and Nicholas Payton, and created The Art of Elvin, a tribute band dedicated to his two drum influences. He also produced recordings for pianist Eric Reed, Dewey Redman. Pharoah Sanders, Freddie Hubbard and guitarist Lage Lund, the winner of the 2005 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and many others totaling nearly 70 credits as a producer. Currently Mr. Allen is the co-leader of The Allen-Whitaker Project with bassist Rodney Whitaker. He also leads his exceptional quintet, Carl Allen & New Spirit. A talented educator, he has served on the jazz faculty at Julliard since 2001 as coordinator of small ensembles and drum instructor.

The 2007-08 season marks the seventh anniversary of Juilliard Jazz, the newest program of performance education inaugurated by Juilliard, itself commencing its 102nd season. Its music division, world-renowned for the quality of its performance education and its many celebrated alumni musicians, dancers, and actors, offers bachelor and master of music degrees in jazz, as well as an artist diploma via the pre-professional Juilliard Institute for Jazz Studies, a collaboration of Juilliard and Jazz at Lincoln Center. All together, it is a curriculum designed to maximize professional opportunities, onstage and academically, with equal opportunity for performance and tailored studio and coursework. 
      
Juilliard Jazz always tours, and this season they travel to Aiken, SC, Ephraim, Utah, and St. Louis, MO, having recently returned from Detroit and their debut appearance at the Detroit Jazz and Heritage Festival. In March 2007, they were in residence in Doha, Qatar for the American Arts Festival. The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra and its ensembles have traveled to Costa Rica, Japan, the Festival de Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy, and made appearances at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Vermont Craftsbury. Juilliard Jazz faculty and students have taught and performed at the Snow College Rhythm Section workshop in Ephraim, Utah and the Festival de Jazz in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. Juilliard Jazz Ensembles perform regularly at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. For more information on Juilliard Jazz, visit the Web site at www.juilliard.edu.