* En anglais uniquement
This vocalist began his career as
David Allen, then became
David Allyn -- so at least the vowel swapping was done in an alphabetical progression. If the move was made out of frustration with the number of professionals named
David Allen, including a number of rock drummers, record producers, jazz horn players, a film special-effects genius, and one of the world's greatest stick carvers, then
Allyn, or whatever his name was, burned slowly; he had performed since the late '30s, but didn't change his name until the '70s. His most famous affiliations were with the wonderful trombonist
Jack Teagarden, and the forward-thinking band of
Boyd Raeburn (an influence on progressive jazz bandleader and composer
Charles Mingus, among others). As far as
Allen's influences, these began with his family. His mother was a singer, his father played French horn, but it was
Bing Crosby who the boy copied when he began singing professionally in high school.
He began working with
Teagarden in 1940, a gig that was interrupted by military service.
Allen won a Purple Heart in the first World War, and joined the orchestra of
Van Alexander upon his discharge. His next gig was with the superb outfit of
Henry Jerome, a largely forgotten band whose membership included the fine tenor saxophonist
Al Cohn, and
Johnny Mandel writing arrangements. After being featured as a vocalist on several radio stations,
Allen was picked up as a frontman with the
Raeburn band, again with
Mandel scribbling out arrangements. The singer relocated to the West Coast where he began recording an excellent series of releases with the Discovery label. Producer
Dick Bock worked on these sessions, and also helped convince
Allen to begin recording again in the '70s. In between,
Allen put music aside and began working with drug addicts in a treatment program.
Bock's new series in the '70s also featured the
Allyn spelling as well as some new collaborators including pianist
Barry Harris.
Allen/
Allyn is indeed one of those vocalists that jazz instrumentalists tend to admire, based on aspects of his phrasing as well as his superb intonation and often clever timing. ~ Eugene Chadbourne