With New Dawn, centenarian Marshall Allen hit the Guinness Book, becoming the oldest person to release a debut album and also the oldest person to release an album of new material. Most importantly, these fresh works by the longtime member and current director of the Sun Ra Arkestra cohere into a delightful listen, delving into a variety of styles with the assurance and flair that can only come from a wealth of experience. Allen is in top form, the band is deep, there is a string section, and Neneh Cherry guests on the title track. The record is out now on vinyl, compact disc, and digital through Week-End Records of Cologne, Germany, with Stateside distribution by Mexican Summer.
If it seems odd that Marshall Allen has just gotten around to releasing his debut as a leader in 2025, do keep in mind that two other high-profile Sun Ra Arkestra saxophonists, John Gilmore and Pat Patrick, only managed one LP each as a leader across lengthy careers, Gilmore sharing top billing with saxophonist Clifford Jordan on Blowing in from Chicago in 1957 through Blue Note, and Patrick seeing Sound Advice released in 1977 via Sun Ra’s Saturn label.
Allen has a bunch of recordings in his discography as co-leader including two from his quartet released in 1998 on the CIMP label that are considered collaborations with saxophonist Mark Whitecage. New Dawn is the first release solely credited to Allen, and it’s an achievement of striking ambition. A prologue featuring Allen on the Japanese koto sets the stage for “African Sunset,” a gorgeous ballad with Arkestra associate Knoel Scott on baritone sax.
Allen plays the EWI (Electronic Wind Instrument) for “African Sunset,” a distinctive element in an instrumental scheme that’s largeness of scale includes the aforementioned string section and Bruce Edwards’ clean toned guitar, as a highly accessible whole is established. And then the strings turn lush on the title track, a second balladic entry with bold sweep and impeccable execution in terms of atmosphere as Cherry contributes a superb vocal.
Notable is that “New Dawn” doesn’t connect like a dusted off relic of smoldering virtuosity. The same is true for the following blues number “Are You Ready,” with the string arrangement maintaining an air of sophistication in contrast to Scott’s gruff baritone. As the trumpet solos, the strings drop out and the delivery toughens.
“Sonny’s Dance” takes a clear turn toward the avant-garde while still being nearer to free-bop than a full-on skronk fest. Next is “Boma,” a hearty composition for large ensemble that excels through flights of individual expressiveness (the band includes some heavyweights including Cecil Brooks and Michael Ray on trumpets and Jamaaladeen Tacuma on bass) and collective groove propulsion.
Closing New Dawn is a fresh version of a Sun Ra staple, “Angels and Demons at Play,” a composition credited to Allen and Arkestra bassist Ronnie Boykins. The piece is a reminder of the background that led to Allen making this quite remarkable album, but the playing never falls back onto the familiarity of the Arkestra sound. Instead, the gist is nearer to some ’90s post-rockers with Miles Davis on their mind. New Dawn’s greatest success is that the whole stands as its own unique thing.
GRADED ON A CURVE:
A
