There are plenty of reasons to root for Ben Allison. He's a commanding bandleader, a virtuoso bassist, a proprietor of his own record label, and now an electric bassist and audio recording engineer. But the most impressive dimension to the artist is the artist himself — his songwriting especially.
In this Checkout podcast, Allison offers an inside glimpse of the mental gymnastics and sometimes magic that unfolds to writing a good melody. His compelling new album, Layers of The City, features more than a few, including "The Detective's Wife," which his band Think Free recently performed in our studio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8GQIYtbKU8
Allison has been composing since 1993, penning almost 100 songs. In this studio session, Think Free — previously a quartet with bass, drums, guitar, and trumpet — also features the irrepressible and perpetually underrated pianist Frank Kimbrough, who plays an explosive solo on "Enter The Dragon."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rgGymZZ8oA
Ben Allison and Think Free perform Layers of the City at Smoke Jazz Club on January 11.
Ben Allison & Think Free:
Ben Allison - electric & acoustic bass
David Neves - trumpet
Steve Cardenas - guitar
Frank Kimbrough - piano
Allan Mednard - drums
Host and Producer - Simon Rentner
Video: Chris Tobin
Audio Mix: Corey Goldberg
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