At the age of 100, Marshall Allen is finally ready to release his first-ever album.
Scheduled for release on February 14, 2025 through Mexican Summer/Week-End Records, Allen has revealed the upcoming album titled "New Dawn." In conjunction with this release, Allen has shared the title track, a collaboration featuring vocals by Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry.
Cherry's lyrics, delivered over Allen's smooth saxophone melodies, include lines such as, "Glistened with rays of the sun / Fashioned sure / Pure out of the one / Arise and seek / Hear spirit speak / New Dawn is waiting for you."
The saxophonist has been part of the jazz band Sun Ra Arkestra since 1958 and later became the band's leader in 1995.
In an announcement, it was revealed that Allen dived into creating "New Dawn" shortly after marking his centennial milestone. This musical project is characterized as "a love letter to spacetime that channels a century of musical transience and transcendence into seven outer-dimensional tracks."
The album, recorded in the city of Philadelphia in May 2024, was a joint venture between Allen and his fellow Arkestra bandmate, Knoel Scott, showing their collaborative talents.
Producer Jan Lankisch credited Scott as the driving force behind the album, saying, "Knoel's energy became the driving force behind the project. He knew Marshall better than anyone, and his deep understanding of Marshall's compositions guided the selection of material for the album."
The album's tracklist includes:
- Prologue
- African Sunset
- New Dawn (feat. Neneh Cherry)
- Are You Ready
- Sonny's Dance
- Boma
- Angels and Demons at Play
Among the musicians contributing to the album are Michael Ray and Cecil Brooks, who featured their trumpet skills; Jamaaladeen Tacuma provides the bass groove; Bruce Edwards rocked out on guitar; and George Gray keeps the beat on drums.
