Geri Allen at Kimmel
When Geri Allen opened her Kimmel Center show Saturday night, the nascent weekend nor'easter raged outside, but the currents within the music of Allen and her quartet raged as well.
The Detroit-born pianist, representing the city of her birth in the center's "One Nation Under Jazz" series, introduced the spiritual "Oh, Freedom" with fast, harmonically complicated runs and stately declarations that revealed an intimate knowledge of classical piano.
Allen flew solo for several minutes, and by the time drummer Mark Johnson entered the fray with a nearly silent, sparklike touch of his crash/sizzle cymbal, the effect was startling, almost electronic. Allen, with the help of some great lighting, had created a mysterious, dark ambience.
Click here to read the rest of Kevin L. Carter's review at the Philadelphia Inquirer.
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