Jazz Hall-of-Fame member Steve Allee taps IU's Jacobs faculty for Butler University event
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Jazz Hall-of-Fame member Steve Allee is performing at Butler University's Schrott Center for the Arts on Friday with his "band of mentors to students of all ages."
That jazz orchestra include drummer Steve Houghton, who taught jazz drums and percussion at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music for 20 years and has written 30 books on jazz drumming.
"I'm sure that Steve has influenced thousands of drummers all over the world," Allee said in an email. The band's bassist, Jeremy Allen, is David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean (interim) associate professor of music (jazz studies) at the IU Jacobs School.
"Steve and Jeremy and I have recorded multiple albums together and have a special chemistry. I never take that chemistry for granted. We literally can read each other's minds musically and that's a wonderful thing when you are in the middle of a performance."
Usually they don't even have to discuss the music much because they all seem to hear it in a similar way.
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Jazz may appear smooth and calming at times, but there's always a catastrophe lurking when a show is live.
"(It was) one of my very first jobs playing with Jim Edison’s seven-piece ensemble, in downtown Indianapolis at the Murat Shrine Club. The (Chicago) vocalist asked for an introduction chord to start the song."
As Allee pressed the sustain pedal, all of the pedals — and the whole pedal assembly — fell off the piano and crashed to the floor.
"I just laugh now, but at the time it was certainly an embarrassing moment," the Brown County resident said.
Allee received a commission from the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation to feature a 20-piece jazz orchestra at Butler with special guests aldo including Rob Dixon, Sophie Faught, Frank Glover, Chip O’Neil, Amanda Gardier, Michael Stricklin, Joel Tucker, Ansyn Banks and John Raymond.
Allee et al. are proud of Indianapolis' musical heritage, which includes renowned names such as Wes Montgomery, Freddie Hubbard, J.J. Johnson and Slide Hampton.
"However, there are many other ‘jazz masters’ that did not achieve the fame of these icons, but they contributed significantly to the history and legacy of our music," Allee said.
Some of the musicians who influenced Allee were pianist Claude Sifferlen, drummer John Von Ohlen, saxophonists Russell Webster, Jimmy Coe, Pookie Johnson, David Young and Tom Borton. In addition, arranger and trumpeter Jim Edison and vocalist Everett Green were positive influences.
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Allee's uncle owned a record collection that included a variety of styles. But when Allee heard Miles Davis' recording of Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess," something jolted him.
"I asked him to play that track over and over again. He also introduced me to pianist Dave Brubeck, whom I got to see live."
In high school, a band director recommended Allee study arranging with trumpeter and arranger Jim Edison. Edison suggested Allee contact a pianist named Claude Sifferlen.
"I consider Claude to be my life mentor. With him, I learned more than just music. Life lessons were learned, personally and professionally."
Sifferlen introduced Allee to the latest jazz recordings and to significant classical recordings by Stravinsky, Debussy, Toru Takemitsu and Bela Bartok. Sifferlen later recommended Allee to play on the Buddy Rich Band.
When drummer John Von Ohlen left the Stan Kenton Orchestra he heard Sifferlen and Allee performing together and asked if they could form a group. They recorded for Stan Kenton’s Creative World label as the "Baron" Von Ohlen Quartet. Von Ohlen asked Allee to compose and arrange for the band, and that became Allee's "university, my laboratory" to learn and discover how to write for a band of this size and style.
If you go
WHAT: “Vision & Legacy,” new compositions and arrangements of Indiana Jazz Composers inspired by Indy Jazz Masters through the lens of Jazz Hall-of-Fame recipient Steve Allee.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday.
WHERE: Butler University's Schrott Center for the Arts, 610 W. 46th St., Indianapolis.
TICKETS: https://bit.ly/3l2o0TC.
MORE: Find the Indy Jazz Fest at https://indyjazzfest.net.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Allee taps Jacobs faculty for jazz band event at Butler University
