Fletcher Allen (July 25, 1905 – August 5, 1995) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

clarinetist The clarinet is a single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches. The clarinet family is the largest woodw ...

, and

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Biography

Several published sources have incorrectly stated that Allen was born in Cleveland, Ohio. The Social Security index, the United States Veterans index, Allen's draft registration card, and the Wisconsin Births and Christenings Index all confirm that he was born in

La Crosse, Wisconsin La Crosse ( ) is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin's western border. La Crosse's population was 52,680 as of the 202 ...

. In 1926 he relocated to New York City as a member of the Scott brothers band.

Cecil Scott Cecil Scott (November 22, 1905 in Springfield, Ohio – January 5, 1964 in New York City) was an American jazz clarinetist, tenor saxophonist, and bandleader. Scott played as a teenager with his brother, drummer Lloyd Scott. They played togethe ...

was also a wind instrumentalist and Lloyd Scott was a drummer, and they co-led the band in performances at the

Savoy Ballroom The Savoy Ballroom was a large ballroom for music and public dancing located at 596 Lenox Avenue, between 140th and 141st Streets in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. Lenox Avenue was the main thoroughfare through upper Harlem ...

. In addition to performing with the group, Allen also recorded with the ensemble in 1927. In 1927, he travelled to Europe working in a band under the direction of Leon Abbey, a bandleader whose popularity in jazz started off a 1936 tour of India in which Allen also was involved. In 1938, he started playing with Benny Carter, with both him and Carter playing alto saxophone and clarinet, both had excellent reputations as arrangers. In late 1938 he travelled to Egypt with the Harlem Rhythmakers, and did not return to the United States until 1940. He served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

from January 1943 until August 1945. In the late 1940s he began playing the baritone saxophone. He continued playing in New York City with a variety of band leaders up into the 1970s; including Fred “Taxi” Mitchell in 1970–1971. His composition "Viper's Dream" has become a jazz staple.

Compositions

* "Viper's Dream" – recorded by Freddy Taylor (1935),

Hot Club de France The Hot Club de France (or HCF) is a French organization of jazz fans dedicated to the promotion of "traditional" jazz, swing, and blues. It was founded in 1931 in Paris, France, by five students of the Lycée Carnot. In 1928, Jacques Bureaux, Hu ...

quintet (1937) and Sebastian Giniaux in 2008. * "Swingin' in Paris" (1938)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Fletcher 1905 births 1995 deaths 20th-century American jazz composers 20th-century American saxophonists American jazz clarinetists American male jazz composers American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists 20th-century American male musicians