It is with great sadness that we note the sudden passing of pianist and composer Geri Allen in late June 2016. Allen was slated to return to Durham to play as featured guest with JD Allen Trio in Duke Performances’ MONK@100 series. Pianist and composer Kris Davis has graciously agreed to substitute for Allen on this engagement. Over the past decade, Davis has blossomed as one of the singular talents on the jazz scene, a deeply thoughtful, resolutely individual artist who plays with “uncommon creative adventure” (JazzTimes). The Vancouver-born, Brooklyn-based Davis has been dubbed one of top emerging talents in jazz by the New York Times, who noted: “Over the past couple years in New York, one method for deciding where to hear jazz on a given night has been to track down the pianist Kris Davis.” Davis has, over a clutch of recording projects — including her recently released album of duets, Duopoly — frequently drawn on Monk tunes, including “Gallop’s Gallop,” “Evidence,” and “Eronel.”
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For a decade now, tenor saxophonist JD Allen has anchored his eponymous trio, supported by drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Gregg August. Allen’s ragged, searching tone is redolent of jazz’s blues heritage, and his playing reflects his pedigree as a grandson of the Delta, a son of Detroit, and a leader of modern jazz. The New York Times praised Allen’s “fearless approach to a formidable tradition.” At Duke Performances, Allen, Royston, August, and their guests will test and stretch Monk’s music in two sets each night, fearlessly facing one of the most formidable catalogues in jazz.
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