JD Allen Trio
& Kris Davis
MONK@100 Thursday, October 19, 2017 | 7:00 pm
BUY TICKETS
Thursday, October 19, 2017 | 9:00 pm
BUY TICKETS
The Fruit
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.
MONK@100 is made possible, in part, with support from the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation & the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. MONK@100 is an official event of the N.C. Arts Council’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Kris Davis & Billy Drummond 'Eronel'
Kris Davis & Don Byron 'Prelude To A Kiss'
JD Allen Trio 'Festival Jazz Barceleona'
Kris Davis 'Gallop's Gallop'
Kris Davis 'Evidence'
JD Allen Trio 'Victory!'
"A freethinking, gifted pianist on the scene, Davis lives in each note that she plays. Her range is impeccable; she tackles prepared piano, minimalism, and jazz standards, all under one umbrella. I consider her an honorary descendant of Cecil Taylor and a welcome addition to the fold."