Brandon Allen: The Stanley TurrEntine project (UBU0111)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of the exceptionally gifted saxophonist, Brandon Allen, for the release of his quartet album, The Stanley Turrentine Project, on 4th March 2022.

 Brandon has established himself as one of the UK’s most in-demand saxophonists and bandleaders. He has performed extensively throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia, both as a leader and sideman. Throughout his career he has worked with top international artists including Eric Clapton, Paloma Faith, Kyle Eastwood, Tony Lakatos, Adam Nussbaum, Gary Husband, Stefano Di Battista, US3, The Blockheads and many others.

The Stanley Turrentine Project came about because of a deep admiration and respect for the

late, great saxophonist’s musical approach and output. Brandon’s highly acclaimed Gene Ammons Project came into existence for the same reasons. Selections from Ammons’ entire catalogue were reinterpreted, seeking to capture the spirit of the music as well as exploring the stylistic changes that occurred throughout the tenor saxophonist’s 30-year career.

The repertoire of The Stanley Turrentine Project is slightly more specific, drawing from Turrentine’s releases on the Blue Note and CTI labels. In addition, some of Turrentine’s renditions of rock & pop hits of the 60s and 70s have been reimagined by Brandon and the quartet. Brandon explains:

“When putting this project together I deliberated over the choice of tunes for some time. Listening to as many albums as I could, discovering some gems along the way, I slowly began to pick out some selections that resonated with me and that would work well with this line-up. I then began to arrange them for the quartet.

“Some of the original versions were orchestral in nature and so I tried to capture the essence of that large ensemble feeling. With the other tracks I have taken all the main elements of the song but have made some small alterations, textural changes here and there and opened up certain sections for solos.”

"His (Brandon’s) four-octave range and flawless command of the altissimo register was nicely offset by his full-bodied yet raucous tonal quality offering something for fans of the entire history of the instrument- from Hawkins to Brecker- he's got ‘em covered."

--London Jazz News

Brandon shares his thoughts on the project, “This is very much a labour of love. My deep respect for Stanley Turrentine’s music has guided me in putting together these arrangements and in my selection of what I believe is my strongest band to date. I believe that we’ve captured some of the ‘spirit’ of the music and I can’t wait to share this album with the world.”

For his band, Brandon carefully selected some of London’s finest to join him on the project, including Will Barry (piano & keys), Conor Chaplin (acoustic & electric bases) And Dave Ingamells (drums).

Regarding his relationship with Ubuntu Music, Brandon elaborates further, “Releasing the Stanley Turrentine Project on Ubuntu is something that has been a long time coming. I have known Martin Hummel for quite some time, and he has always been a strong supporter of my music. Martin is a huge Turrentine fan and so when I mentioned to him about putting this album idea together he was extremely enthusiastic about the prospect. After working on QCBA’s ‘Beauty and Quiet Places’ and OMAR + QCBA’s ‘Live at Last’ together, it was about time that I embarked on a solo project with Martin and the great Ubuntu Music Label. I look forward to this album coming to fruition and I look forward to many more collaborations in the future.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, shares his thoughts: “Brandon is a genuine friend and the real deal, whom I’ve admired for a considerable period of time. And for good reason…he’s undisputedly one of the best in his trade, and his tone is off the charts. The Stanley Turrentine opportunity was a no-brainer. As we are serious, mutual admirers of the man, this release was simply destined to happen. We welcome Brandon with open arms, yet again, to the Ubuntu Music family, and can’t wait to share the project across the planet.”