Hello everyone,

We had an incorrect date listed for South Jazz Kitchen, here are the correct dates.

Hope to see you there!

Peace and love, everybody.

Yesterday, I had the joy of celebrating the birthday of my dear friend, the legendary Monty Alexander. We shared a delightful evening together, highlighted by a superb dinner prepared by my wife, Pat.

If you’ve ever spent time with Monty, you know that his genius at the piano is only part of the story. He’s also one of the warmest, funniest, most generous human beings you’ll ever meet. We’ve shared stages, stories, and more than a few laughs over the years.

Monty and I have always bonded over our mutual love of Nat King Cole, Westerns, and the joy of making music together.

One of my favorite memories takes me to Lone Pine, California, the little town where so many classic Westerns were filmed. Think Bad Day at Black Rock with Spencer Tracy and countless cowboy movies. We were there to honor the legendary Herb Jeffries, the Bronze Buckaroo himself.

Monty had made the connection. Here I was, a kid from Brooklyn who fell in love with horses after moving to western Pennsylvania, suddenly sitting down with one of the original Black singing cowboys I’d admired for years. I’ll never forget our long conversation about cowboys, the West, and the stories that history sometimes forgets to tell. Sadly, Herb passed away just days before the concert. But the show went on.

Years later, when Monty came to see Cross That River at 59E59 Theaters, I looked over and saw tears in his eyes. I never forgot that. Happy Birthday, Monty Alexander!

Speaking of friendship, this week has also reminded me that family comes in many forms. Some family you’re born into. Others you find along the road. Pat and I have been fortunate to spend time with both.

We’ve enjoyed time with the Wyatts on Pat’s side and with my father and Sandy on mine. As the years go by, I realize that being together matters more than agreeing on everything. Time is precious.

And then there is the family you choose.

Pat and I recently spent three beautiful days in the Poconos with Bill Soleau and Christine Redpath, working on Cross That River, revisiting the script, making updates and rewrites, and dreaming about the four upcoming shows at the International Black Theatre Festival.

They fed us, encouraged us, and made the entire weekend a joy. Sitting by the lake in the country air, sharing meals and laughter, I was reminded once again how blessed we are by the people who walk beside us.

Oh yeah...family and friends. That’s what life is all about. But lets talk about those Knicks! New York is buzzing after the their incredible win on Friday. Talk about close! I can’t wait for Monday night’s game in the Garden.

I also had a wonderful rehearsal this week with some extraordinary young musicians. I’ve been performing with the talented Ricky Jefferson on piano, bassist Nimrod Speaks from Philadelphia with that soulful sound, drummer Russell Markey, part of the wonderful musical tutelage of Jerome Jennings, and an incredible young Native American tenor saxophonist named Rico Jones. Keep an eye on Rico.

As June unfolds, Juneteenth is very much on my mind. On June 20, I’ll head to Gettysburg to perform at the Majestic Theater. I’m honored to stand on ground so deeply connected to our nation’s struggle toward freedom. I’ve been preparing songs that trace our story, from Negro spirituals to soul and jazz—alongside the words of the Gettysburg Address.

But if you’re reading this, chances are you’re one of them.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

Until next time, hold your people close, celebrate the ones who inspire you, and don’t forget to tell your friends what they mean to you while you still can.

Peace and love,

Allan

Happy Sunday, friends,

This week I had one of those musical experiences that reminds me why I fell in love with jazz in the first place.

Pat and I spent an evening at Birdland celebrating the Miles Davis Centennial with the Gil Evans Project, directed by Ryan Truesdell. Listening to those legendary arrangements come alive in a room that has heard so much jazz history was nothing short of magical. Gil Evans had a genius for orchestration that still sounds fresh today. The way he blended brass, woodwinds, rhythm, and space created entire worlds of sound. The power of the horns was breathtaking, and featured trumpeter Riley Mulherkar delivered a performance that had the audience hanging on every note. They performed songs from Sketches of Spain, Porgy and Bess, Kind of Blue and so many others.

Here’s a link listen to the recording Sketches of Spain.

You could feel the spirit of those historic Miles and Gil collaborations in the room. Shout out to Lewis Hayes on the drums who was back there killin’ it! We took a photo together below with him, Enzo Capua, and my wife Pat.

As inspiring as the week was, it was also marked by the loss of one of the true giants of our music.

The jazz world said goodbye to Sonny Rollins, who passed away at the age of 95. To call Sonny a great saxophonist somehow doesn’t seem like enough. He was one of the architects of modern jazz, a fearless improviser, a seeker, and a musician who never stopped growing. Whether you first encountered him through Saxophone Colossus, The Bridge, Freedom Suite, or one of his countless live performances, you heard an artist who was always searching for deeper truth in the music.

I was thinking about Sonny while listening to the Gil Evans music at Birdland. Both men remind us that jazz is not just about notes and technique, it’s about imagination, courage, and finding your own voice. Sonny’s enormous sound, his humor, his humanity, and his relentless pursuit of excellence influenced generations of musicians and listeners around the world. We mourn his passing, but we also celebrate a remarkable life. Ninety-five years, more than six decades of music, and a legacy that will continue to inspire long after we’re gone. Thank you, Sonny. The music plays on.

The excitement is building by the day for the Rochester International Jazz Festival June 22nd and 23rd. Of course, I’m looking forward to performing, but I’m also excited about something every musician understands, the hang. Seeing old friends, hearing new artists, discovering great players, and spending a week immersed in music. The lineup this year is packed with talent, and if you’re thinking about attending, take a look at the schedule. It’s shaping up to be a wonderful festival.

After Rochester, I’m heading back to one of my favorite rooms in the country—South Jazz Kitchen in Philadelphia, June 26-28, with Harlem After Dark.

Now, I’ll be honest. The first thing I’m looking forward to is the food, especially the cornbread.

If you’ve been there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. They bring it out in its own little cast-iron skillet with a generous dollop of butter melting across the top. It is indescribably delicious. Every time I think about South, that cornbread comes to mind.

But as good as the food is, the audiences are even better. They come to celebrate the music. Every performance there feels like a reunion among friends, and I can’t wait to return with vocalists Maya Azucena and AC Lincoln plus Rick Germanson on piano, Nimrod Speaks on bass, and Damon DueWhite on drums. It will be a weekend of songs from Harlem After Dark in Philadelphia.

I’m also getting ready for a special Juneteenth celebration in Gettysburg called 250 Years of Black Music: From Spirituals to Soul. There’s something deeply meaningful about bringing this music to Gettysburg, the place where Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. I’ve actually been memorizing portions of the address as part of my preparation.

For the last few weeks I’ve been immersed in selecting songs for the program. It’s been a beautiful challenge. There are so many songs that deserve to be included when telling the story of Black music in America. Spirituals, blues, jazz, soul, each genre carries a piece of our collective history.

I’ve also got a new resonator guitar that I’m itching to bring onstage. I can already hear a few blues numbers in my head.

And that brings me to a question for you.

What songs would you include in celebrating 250 years of Black music? Send me your ideas. I’d love to hear them.

Finally, a little recording news.

My next album release is scheduled for August 28. Swingin’ Love Songs was actually recorded 23 years ago and never found its way into the world. The songs were written by the gifted composer Ike Joseph, who had a remarkable understanding of what makes a great jazz vocal song. Listening back, I hear echoes of the great storytellers like Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Arthur Prysock, and Johnny Hartman, but these songs have a voice all their own.

The arrangements swing, the lyrics are intelligent, and the melodies stay with you long after the song ends.

I’m thrilled that these recordings are finally getting their moment. We’ll be releasing singles soon, and I can’t wait to share them with you.

Until then, keep swingin!

See you down the road,

Allan

My father was in the Navy. He met my mother at a USO dance in New York City during the war years. They fell in love, got married, and eventually made their home in Brooklyn. So this weekend, like many families across America, I pause to remember the soldiers and sailors who stood on the front lines and gave their lives in service to this country.

I’m also old enough to remember the draft during the Vietnam War. My family and I sat around waiting to see if my number would be called. We were on pins and needles. Truth be told, if it had happened, my family was prepared to help me cross the border into Canada.

A lot of young people felt that way during those years. And then there was Muhammad Ali, who courageously refused to fight in a war he could not morally accept. He changed the conversation for so many of us. I understood exactly how he felt.

Now here we are again. Another war. More suffering. More young lives lost. More families grieving. You start to wonder: where is the peace humanity keeps promising itself?

That’s why music and the arts feel more important to me than ever before. Art reminds us of our humanity. Music allows us to grieve, protest, heal, laugh, dance, and connect with one another across every divide imaginable. At its best, it tells the truth.

What troubles me deeply right now is watching attempts to erase or diminish the accomplishments of Black Americans from the American story. Our contributions to music, culture, literature, sports, science, and public life are woven into the fabric of this country. They are not footnotes. They are central chapters.

People celebrate Black athletes on Sunday, imitate Black music on Monday, adopt Black style on Tuesday, but too often resist acknowledging Black wisdom, leadership, struggle, and humanity the rest of the week.

And yet our voices are still here. Strong. Creative. Necessary.

The arts have always been one of the great forces pushing America toward a more honest version of itself. From jazz to gospel, from poetry to theater, from protest songs to the blues, our culture has carried truth through generations.

Yes, we have serious cultural problems in this country. But disenfranchisement, inequality, and division did not appear overnight. These wounds run deep through American history. Pretending otherwise solves nothing.

And speaking of the power of music and memory, I’m honored to be bringing a very special concert to Gettysburg on Juneteenth weekend, June 20.

The program is called 250 Years of Black Music: From Spirituals to Soul, a journey through the sounds that carried us through slavery, Reconstruction, jazz, blues, gospel, civil rights, soul, and beyond. These songs are more than entertainment. They are history lessons, survival codes, prayers, love letters, protest marches, and declarations of humanity

As I prepare this music, I’ve been thinking a lot about the songs that helped shape all of us. The songs that gave us courage. The songs that healed us. The songs that opened our eyes.

I’d love to hear from you.

What song speaks to you in times like these?
What song reminds you of freedom, hope, struggle, resilience, or peace?
What song carries the spirit of America at its best?

I wrote a song called I Do Believe for my musical, Cross That River. I wanted to celebrate the contributions of all Americans at the end of the show. The perspective of patriotism coming from a black man is something I wanted to address. I don’t think white America realizes how much we gave for this country and why we value its freedoms so much. Around this same time I was actively supporting a young congressional candidate in Florida, Patrick Erin Murphy. We used the song throughout his campaign, and what a celebration it was when he won!

We really need honest, compassionate, intelligent young men and women stepping forward into leadership today.

The video below comes from our 2023 five week run at 59E59 Theaters in New York. I especially love hearing four voices come together on this song. It features myself with Taylor Elise Jackson, Brook Sterling, Jeffery Lewis, plus pianist Arcoiris Sandoval, violinist Alan Grubner, bassist Paul Beaudry, and drummer Norman Edwards, Jr.

“The musical Cross That River by Allan Harris is a celebrated theatrical production that highlights the untold history of Black cowboys in the 19th-century American West. It is scheduled to be a major featured production at the International Black Theatre Festival (IBTF) in Winston-Salem, NC July 31 & Aug 1.”

Send me your thoughts and your songs. I may even include some of them in the performance. This Memorial Day weekend, I’m thinking about how desperately we still need compassion, truth, music, and community.

The voices of artists matter now more than ever.

Peace,
Allan

TOUR DATES

June 20 - JUNETEENTH: 250 Years of Black Music, Gettysburg, the Majestic Theatre

June 22 & 23 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY

June 26-28 - South Jazz Club, Philadelphia

July 3 - 12 - Umbria Jazz Festival, IT

July 17-19 - Birdland Jazz Club, NYC )

July 31 & Aug 1 - Int’l Black Theater Fest., Winston Salem, NC - Cross That River

Sept 5 - Sonoma Jazz Society, CA

Sept 10 - KCSM Radio on Studio 91 - 1:00 PM

Sept 10 - Piedmont Piano, Oakland, CA - 7 PM

Oct 17 - Queens Theater, NY

Dec 12 - Pinecrest Gardens, FL (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Dec 21-27 - Half Note Jazz Club, Athens, Greece, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

I’ve also been reflecting on the work I do as part of the Guggenheim Museum Education Committee “Learning Through Arts.” One of the great pleasures of my life has been helping bring children from all five boroughs of New York City into one of the greatest museums in the world to see their artwork hanging proudly on those famous walls. Many of these young people don’t always feel museums are spaces where they belong. Then suddenly there they are, standing tall beside their paintings, surrounded by family, seeing themselves differently. That kind of pride can change a life. Check out “ A Year With Children” at the Guggenheim!

This week, many of us in the jazz world are looking forward to the Jazz Foundation of America Gala on May 21, an evening that shines a light on the musicians who have given their lives to this music and sometimes find themselves in need. I’m proud to support the work they do. Jazz musicians spend their lives lifting spirits, building culture, and creating beauty. Organizations like the Jazz Foundation remind us that we must also lift each other up.

As we slip into summer, Pat and I are beginning preparations for the intense rehearsal schedule for Cross That River, which will be performed four times at the International Black Theatre Festival this summer. It is a tremendous honor to have been selected, and I’m especially excited to share this work with audiences of color and theater professionals who may be encountering the show for the very first time.

Rehearsals for Cross That River won’t begin until July, but the creative work is already well underway. We’re having a new score written, and I’ve been composing new music to deepen the story between our two female characters, played by Elizah Knight and Maya Azucena. One of the scenes follows “Annie” as she leaves Ohio by train, heading toward the Western frontier as a mail order bride. Frightened and uncertain, she travels into a world that could be both full of promise and full of danger. I often think about the courage of the women who risked everything in those days. Childbirth alone could take a life, and cruel men or harsh circumstances could destroy another. The women who survived were strong beyond measure. Annie is one of them.

Cross That River is not your typical Broadway musical. It began as a song cycle. I wanted to tell a story inspired by the people of color I worked beside on my grandfather’s farm and the remarkable skills they had with horses and livestock. History often forgets that nearly 40% of the cowboys of the American West were men of color. Their stories deserve to ride again.

Years ago, when I first moved to New York City, it was because Tony Bennett told me, “That’s where you need to be.” At the time, the jazz world could feel very exclusive. Stepping outside the genre sometimes caused trouble. I remember getting into heated conversations at conferences, arguing that artists should support one another across musical boundaries the way country musicians often do. It seems that now many of those musical boundaries have been crossed and I’m happy to see most musicians embracing America’s many genres of music. As Duke Ellington famously said, “There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind.”

You may be surprised to know that the way I began composing Cross That River is tied to the great Dolly Parton. Some summers ago, while I was in Colorado, I listened to her album Little Sparrow. She had returned to her bluegrass roots, and in the middle of it all she sang a Cole Porter tune that swung harder than I ever expected. That moment opened something in me. Right then and there, I decided to begin writing the songs that would eventually become Cross That River and the story of a young enslaved man named Blue who escapes westward in search of freedom and dignity.

LISTEN HERE:

I hope that some old friends will join us in the audience this summer, and I look forward to making many new friends who will help carry this story forward with pride.

Until then, I wish you all a blessed Sunday. Keep music in your lives. Keep supporting the arts. And I hope to see you somewhere out on the road very soon.

Peace and blessing,

TOUR DATES

June 20 - JUNETEENTH: 250 Years of Black Music, Gettysburg, the Majestic Theatre

June 22 & 23 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY

June 26-28 - South Jazz Club, Philadelphia

July 3 - 12 - Umbria Jazz Festival, IT

July 17-19 - Birdland Jazz Club, NYC )

July 31 & Aug 1 - Int’l Black Theater Fest., Winston Salem, NC - Cross That River

Sept 5 - Sonoma Jazz Society, CA

Sept 10 - KCSM Radio on Studio 91 - 1:00 PM

Sept 10 - Piedmont Piano, Oakland, CA - 7 PM

Oct 17 - Queens Theater, NY

Dec 12 - Pinecrest Gardens, FL (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Dec 21-27 - Half Note Jazz Club, Athens, Greece, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Lately something unexpected happened in our home that stirred up a whole wave of memories and possibilities.

My wife Pat was cleaning out old files and recordings we had stored away for years when she came across a project we had worked on together more than twenty years ago. One evening she sat down and listened to it from beginning to end. Afterwards she came to me almost timidly and said, “I fell in love with these songs… and I hadn’t heard them in over twenty years. Would you ever consider releasing this music?”

The project was a collection of songs written by Ike Joseph, a songwriter I met years ago through my friend Eddie Montilla in Miami. Ike was part of that legendary Brill Building songwriting tradition, where songs were built on melody, and great lyrics.

I honestly hadn’t listened to these recordings in a very long time.

So I sat down quietly and pressed play.

And song after song, I found myself surprised, moved, and honestly amazed. The music didn’t feel trapped in another era. The songs felt timeless. Beautifully crafted. Honest. The kind of songs that somehow become even deeper with age.

Sadly Ike passed away before this music ever had the chance to fully find its audience, and for many reasons the recordings remained shelved all these years.

But now I’m wondering if maybe their time has finally come. I’ve been thinking about releasing one song each week digitally, no CDs, no big rollout, no hype, just letting the music arrive organically, one song at a time.

And hey I’d like to get your feedback!

Sometimes music waits patiently for the right moment and the right ears. This is truly one of those moments.

Last night the great Oscar Peterson was celebrated at Jazz at Lincoln Center. I wasn’t able to be there, but I know many of the artists who gathered to honor the life and legacy of that iconic musician. Just knowing that a room full of people came together to celebrate brilliance, swing, artistry, and soul gave me joy. Oscar Peterson’s music still speaks to us because true artistry never disappears. It keeps echoing through generations.

Living in New York City, I’m constantly reminded that music is alive everywhere. The jazz clubs are coming back, and new rooms are opening their doors to artists and audiences hungry for connection. Places like The Pocket Jazz Club, The Five Spot, The Jazz Club, and the new JazzCultural Theatre, owned and operated by Spike Wilner, who also shepherds Mezzrow and Smalls Jazz Club, are helping keep this music and this culture alive.

Live music really does bring people together in a way almost nothing else can. And for musicians, those nights in clubs, theaters, and little neighborhood rooms are still one of the main ways we survive and keep creating.

Whenever I go out to hear live music, I’m recharging my spirit, and reaffirming my connection with folks like you.

May you have a blessed, music filled Sunday.

TOUR DATES

June 20 - JUNETEENTH: 250 Years of Black Music, Gettysburg, the Majestic Theatre

June 22 & 23 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY

June 26-28 - South Jazz Club, Philadelphia

July 3 - 12 - Umbria Jazz Festival, IT

July 17-19 - Birdland Jazz Club, NYC )

July 31 & Aug 1 - Int’l Black Theater Fest., Winston Salem, NC - Cross That River

Sept 5 - Sonoma Jazz Society, CA

Sept 10 - KCSM Radio on Studio 91 - 1:00 PM

Sept 10 - Piedmont Piano, Oakland, CA - 7 PM

Oct 17 - Queens Theater, NY

Dec 12 - Pinecrest Gardens, FL (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Dec 21-27 - Half Note Jazz Club, Athens, Greece, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

International Jazz Day always feels like a reset button. Founded by Herbie Hancock and celebrated around the world each year, it reminds us that this music, our music, travels across borders, lifts spirits, and tells the truth in ways nothing else can. This year’s global celebration centered in Chicago, a city that knows a thing or two about groove and grit, felt especially meaningful.

Pat and I continued our own celebration a little closer to home, on Friday, by taking the ferry out to Governor’s Island to join a gathering of arts supporters hosted by the Doris Duke Foundation. There’s something about being surrounded by people who believe in the power of the arts that just recharges you. After our visit to the island we moved to E. 4th Street. We loved connecting with Patricia McGregor, the Artistic Director at New York Theatre Workshop who will be attending the International Black Theatre Festival in Winston Salem where she will be able to see Cross That River. We also were celebrating La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, an institution that has helped shape the downtown theater scene for generations.

And speaking of downtown, E. 4th Street is still holding it down as one of the most vibrant arts corridors in Manhattan. Years ago, that community made a collective decision: the arts would live there, breathe there, and grow there. And it’s still going strong. That kind of commitment doesn’t just happen, it’s built, protected, and passed forward.

One of the highlights of the day was catching up with actor and writer Kathryn Grody. Her one-woman show, (which she wrote) The Unexpected 3rd, is now running through June 14. It is a gem, smart, offbeat, and laugh-out-loud funny. If you’ve ever seen her Instagram series with her husband Mandy Patinkin, you already know the flavor, quirky, honest, and deeply human. If not, you’re missing out on something quietly brilliant.

Now I’m heading off to Pennsylvania, time to see my father, get my hands a little dirty with some farm work, and reconnect with friends and musicians in Pittsburgh. There’s something grounding about stepping away, even briefly, and returning to where things are simple and real.

Before I go, happy early birthdays this week to our dear friends Cindy Hsu and Debbie Ratliff-Woodberry. We celebrate you both.

I’ll be honest, I’ve been keeping my distance from the news lately. Like many of you, I find it can disrupt the creative flow. I still check in, once a day, usually midday, but I’ve learned that too much, especially at night, can bring a kind of anxiety that lingers. What about you? How are you navigating it?

It can feel like the headlines are stuck on repeat—conflict, fear, division. But the arts offer us another frequency. A place to reflect, to feel, to connect with something deeper.

So here’s the invitation: let’s stay rooted in that. Go hear live music. Sit in a theater. Walk through a museum. Support the artists who are doing the work of lifting us all.

And let’s keep showing up—for creativity, for community, and for each other.

Happy May.

TOUR DATES

April 19 - The Chart House gala (HAD)

April 23 - Downtown NYC Jazz Festival, NYC (HAD)

April 24 - Sunset Center, Poetry of Jazz, Carmel, CA

April 25 & 26 - SF Jazz, CA, Poetry of Jazz (Nat’l Poetry Month)

June 22 & 23 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY

June 26-28 - South Jazz Club, Philadelphia (HAD)

July 3 - 12 - Umbria Jazz Festival, IT (HAD)

July 17-19 - Birdland Jazz Club, NYC (HAD)

July 31 & Aug 1 - Int’l Black Theater Fest., Winston Salem, NC -

Cross That River

Sept 5 - Sonoma Jazz Society, CA (POJ)

Sept 11 - Piedmont Piano, Oakland, CA (POJ)

Oct 17 - Queens Theater, NY (POJ)

Dec 12 - Pinecrest Gardens, FL, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Dec 21-27 - Half Note Jazz Club, Athens, Greece, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

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Hello, tomorrow is International Jazz Day, and what a time it is to be alive in an era that not only celebrates this music, but also recognizes the profound contributions African Americans have made to the cultural fabric of this country. This year’s celebration is being held in Chicago, Illinois, hosted by luminaries like Herbie Hancock and the world renowned jazz vocalist Kurt Elling. It promises to be a powerful gathering, one that continues to shine a light on an art form that is purely American and truly our gift to the world.

Chicago has long been a musical crossroads, a place where the blues, jazz, big band, country, and rock and roll all found fertile ground. More than 150 years ago, a pipeline formed as Black families moved north from the South, joining European immigrants working in factories and stockyards, each bringing their stories, their struggles, and their music. Out of that came a sound, a culture. Dance halls and speakeasies opened their doors, and a new generation of artists, children of pioneers looking for a better life, gave voice to something entirely new. That spirit is still alive in Chicago today. You can hear it in the legacy of greats like Earl “Fatha” Hines, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, and groups like Earth, Wind and Fire, artists whose music did not just define a city, but helped shape the sound of America and carried it around the world.

Over the years, I have had the joy of sharing the stage and trading stories with musicians from the Windy City. It reminds me of what Lou Rawls used to say, they called it the Windy City because of “the Hawk”… the mighty wind that blows through. And of course, Frank Sinatra said it best, “Chicago, Chicago, it is a wonderful town.” Tomorrow, that spirit will be ringing loud and clear.

Happy International Jazz Day, let’s all celebrate.

But every now and then… a voice comes along that doesn’t interrupt, it invites. I’ve been listening to Irma Pany. There’s a kind of soulfulness in her delivery, a lived-in storytelling that feels both grounded and expansive. Her track Black Sun carries that quiet fire—the kind that doesn’t shout, but still moves you. You can feel echoes of artists like Dave Matthews and Tracy Chapman—folks who can sit with a guitar and turn a moment into something timeless.

And then there’s Mohini Dey. Now that’s a different kind of electricity. Precision, groove, imagination—she’s got all of it. I know there’s been noise around her lately, but the music speaks louder than any of that. Check her out with the Spirit Finger Trio and just listen. Really listen.

Meanwhile, I’ve been leaning deeper into poetry, because it’s National Poetry Month, and the timing couldn’t be more right. I’ve been onstage with “The Poetry of Jazz,” weaving words and music together, trying to build something that feels like a shared breath between the band and the audience.

We opened at the Sunset Center in Carmel—sold out, full of warmth, full of connection. Then over to SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco, where the energy just kept rising. Nights like that remind you why you do this.

I’ve been blessed to share the stage with some beautiful souls: Bruce Forman on guitar, Marcus Shelby on bass and Sylvia Cuenca on drums. We have 2 more shows tonight so the music and the blessings continue.

Together, we’re not just playing, we’re reaching. Trying to build a bridge where, for a moment, we can all meet as we are. No pretense. Just rhythm, language, and the spark of something human.

That’s the work. That’s always the work.

And if you happen to be out there in the room one of these nights… I hope our frequencies find each other.

Peace to all,

Allan

Hey everybody,

I hope you are having a wonderful Spring! We are enjoying the open the windows, the fresh air, and the greenery that’s showing up everywhere.

Spring makes me want to spend my time in solitude and simplicity. So I love it when the quiet of a song makes you lean in. When I recorded this song “You Must Believe in Spring” with pianist Takana Miyamoto, I heard Tony Bennett’s version in my head when he sang it with Bill Evans. Simple, elegant, beautiful. Take a listen, let me know what you think.

You Must Believe In Spring (Audio)

I’ve been in a real creative stretch lately, and I’ve learned to respect that space more as I’ve gotten older. Just sitting still long enough to hear something… a melody, a line, an idea. It doesn’t come when you chase it. It shows up when you make room for it and just let it speak to you.

And once it shows up, well… you’ve got to take it out into the world and let it breathe.

So today I’m getting ready for Harlem After Dark at the Hudson River Performing Arts Center’s annual benefit gala. Then next Friday, April 23rd, we bring the show downtown as part of the debut of the Downtown NYC Jazz Festival at The Django. Harlem goes downtown. They’ve got a great line-up I think you’ll want to check out.

As I get ready to take Poetry of Jazz out to California first in Carmel (4/24) and then in San Francisco (4/25 & 26), I stopped by the studio yesterday to record a few of my favorite poems. The audio below is entitled Invictis. This was Nelson Mandela’s favorite poem that helped get him through his long prison sentence.

I also recorded a short song for a Heineken commercial in Amsterdam. They wanted a Sinatra vibe so singing “It Had To Be You” in that style is something right up my alley. The crooners of the 20th century, people like Sinatra, Bennett, Cole, Prysock, Hartman, Crosby, and one of my favorites, Brook Benton have always been my inspiration.

My mother introduced me to the great American Songbook early on. She listened to all those crooners and she even loved country music. I guess that’s what made me more open to all kinds of musical genres. I just heard a quote by Nina Simone “jazz is black people’s classical music” that really resonated with me. She and my mother were both from North Carolina, and she like my mother, wanted to be taken seriously as a “classical” pianist. A black woman in those days didn’t have a shot at the classical schools, but it didn’t stop Nina from becoming one of the most influential black female voices of our century. And my mother, was accepted at the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, my mother walked those halls alongside Arthur Mitchell. They were childhood friends. Co-dreamers. She nudged him toward ballet, she said, and the world got the Dance Theatre of Harlem because of it. She went on and had a family and I am lucky for that. So maybe that’s why North Carolina has been on my mind.

That kind of lineage… that kind of quiet influence… it stays with you.

And it circles back.

Another North Carolina thing…This summer, Cross That River rides into the International Black Theatre Festival, four performances in Winston Salem, North Carolina, for two days, Friday, July 31 at 2PM and 8PM and Saturday, August 1 at 2PM and 8PM. Prime slots. The buzz is beginning with cast and crew and we can’t wait to get started on rehearsals. If you’d like to support our show you can do so through our fiscal sponsor for a tax deductible donation: Fractured Atlas. We sure could use your help!

Because none of this happens in isolation.

It happens because you show up. You listen. You believe in the work enough to carry it forward.

In a world that measures value in dollars and loopholes, we’re still out here measuring it in stories, and in songs shared between artist and audience.

And that feels like the better math to me.

Peace,

Allan

TOUR DATES

April 19 - The Chart House gala (HAD)

April 23 - Downtown NYC Jazz Festival, NYC (HAD)
April 24 - Sunset Center, Poetry of Jazz, Carmel, CA

April 25 & 26 - SF Jazz, CA, Poetry of Jazz (Nat’l Poetry Month)

June 22 & 23 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY
June 26-28 - South Jazz Club, Philadelphia (HAD)

July 3 - 12 - Umbria Jazz Festival, IT (HAD)

July 17-19 - Birdland Jazz Club, NYC (HAD)

July 31 & Aug 1 - Int’l Black Theater Fest., Winston Salem, NC -

Cross That River

Sept 5 - Sonoma Jazz Society, CA (POJ)

Sept 11 - Piedmont Piano, Oakland, CA (POJ)

Oct 17 - Queens Theater, NY (POJ)

Dec 12 - Pinecrest Gardens, FL, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Dec 21-27 - Half Note Jazz Club, Athens, Greece, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

Welcome to my very first Substack.

I have been wanting a space like this for a while now, a place where I can share the stories behind the music, the people we meet along the way, and the moments that stay with me long after the last note fades. I am glad you are here with me at the start of this journey.

I just got back from South Carolina, and I am still carrying the spirit of that trip with me. We were invited to the historic Penn Center for a tour. This magical place is the site of one of the country's first schools for freed slaves and one of the most significant African American historical and cultural institutions in existence today. What we found there was not just history, it was something alive. You could feel it in the air, in the stories, in the land itself. Our guide, Robert Adams, the Executive Director, and Research Coordiantor Angela Dore, who walked us through generations of resilience on St. Helena Island. These are stories that do not just sit in books, they live in people. On these islands, the Gullah people created a world of their own, rich with memory and meaning. I wrote a song about that journey, about those who went on to become Black Seminoles. (Listen below)

Along the way, we met some remarkable souls. Monique DeLaTour, the longtime close companion and photographer of Gil Scott-Heron. That alone would be enough, but then she told us she had been living in a treehouse on the property. No electricity. No running water. Just nature. Now I will be honest… I was thinking about mosquitoes the whole time. But she spoke about it with such calm and clarity, like she had a rhythm with the world that most of us have forgotten how to hear.

And then there was the music.

I enjoyed singing at one of my favorite spots, The Jazz Corner, with Martin Lesch and his Monday night band, tight, swinging, and full of joy. It’s the kind of band that lifts you up and lets you fly. Some of you may remember a wonderful woman we called the “Jazz Angel” her name was Barbara Rawden, and she took me to the Jazz Corner the week it opened. She has since passed away, but her passion for the music continues at this great venue. It is now celebrating its 27th year with music seven nights a week!

Later in the week, I joined pianist John Brackett and his band which featured my old friend Howard Paul from Benedetto Guitars in Savannah. They do Wednesday nights at the Red Fish restaurant and have garnished quite a following.

A special shout out to Judy Costello of JCostello Creative, who’s current exxhibit features the beautiful artwork of Amiri Farris, Amiri has long been part of the Gullah Celebration family, teaching workshops, sharing his work, and helping carry forward the mission of honoring Gullah traditions through creativity. Judy has been carrying Cross That River into the Low Country for years, into schools, churches, and Boys and Girls Clubs, making sure these stories land where they matter most, in the hearts of young people.

Spending time with Lois Mastellar, the 2024 Jazz Hero and owner of The Jazz Corner, reminded me what it means to truly hold space for music. She has kept that club alive through Covid and through the loss of her husband Bob, with grace, grit, and love.

We shared meaningful conversation with Richard Feldman from the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina and his wife Anne, and had the pleasure of meeting Natalie Harvey the Director of Cultural Affairs in Hilton Head . What stayed with me was this, when a community values the arts, it creates a place where stories, history, and people can truly connect.

We also had a meaningful conversation with Nate Pringle, whose Hidden Treasures tours are keeping Black history alive in ways that matter, real stories, real places, real people.

By the time we got back home, we were full, of music, of stories and of purpose.

Now it is time to get back to work.

There is more to share soon.

Stay close,

Allan

I’m excited to play The Downtown Jazz Festival - at The Django April 23rd

California here we come! Tickets are available for Sunset Center and for SFJAZZ

• TOUR DATES:
  April 19 - The Chart House gala (HAD)

  April 23 - Downtown NYC Jazz Festival, NYC (HAD)
  April 24 - Sunset Center, Poetry of Jazz, Carmel, CA

  April 25 & 26 - SF Jazz, CA, Poetry of Jazz (Nat’l Poetry Month)

  June 22 & 23 - Rochester Jazz Festival, NY
  June 26-28 - South Jazz Club, Philadelphia (HAD)

  July 3 - 12 - Umbria Jazz Festival, IT (HAD)

  July 17-19 - Birdland Jazz Club, NYC (HAD)

  July 31 & Aug 1 - Int’l Black Theater Fest., Winston Salem, NC -

  Cross That River

  Sept 5 - Sonoma Jazz Society, CA (POJ)

  Sept 11 - Piedmont Piano, Oakland, CA (POJ)

  Oct 17 - Queens Theater, NY (POJ)

  Dec 12 - Pinecrest Gardens, FL, (Nat King Cole XMAS)

  Dec 21-27 - Half Note Jazz Club, Athens, Greece, Nat King Cole XMAS)

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