KINGSTON, R.I. – March 19, 2024 – The University of Rhode Island will host Carl Allen, one of the preeminent jazz drummers of the past three decades, for a three-day residency, including a public concert with URI jazz faculty on Friday, March 22, at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall.

“He’s probably one of the greatest living jazz drummers today,” said Emmett Goods, head of URI’s jazz program and organizer of Allen’s visit. “From his early influences in gospel, R&B and funk to his immersion in jazz, Allen’s musical journey has been nothing short of remarkable. His visit will be a great learning opportunity for our students and community.”

Born in Milwaukee and now based in New York, Allen is a drummer, sideman, bandleader, entrepreneur, producer and educator. With more than 200 recordings to his credit, he has played alongside some of the greatest names in jazz—Freddie Hubbard, Wayne Shorter, Jackie McLean, Sonny Stitt, Christian McBride, Branford Marsalis, Kenny Garret, and many more.

Beyond the stage, Allen has served as musical director for Hubbard’s band for eight years – joining the group the year before he graduated college. He was also a co-founder of Big Apple Productions, and created Nella Productions, which produces projects and developed an education program, The New York Jazz Symposium, that runs workshops around the world.

At age 63, Allen, who holds an honorary doctorate from Snow College, maintains an exhaustive schedule of recording, touring and teaching. He is bandleader for The Carl Allen Quartet and The Art of Elvin, and a sideman for Christian McBride & Inside Straight, and Benny Golson.

Goods, who meets regularly with Allen at the Jazz Education Network annual conference, arranged his visit, which is being sponsored by the URI Office of the Provost, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Music.

“I’ve known Carl since I was about 15. He played in a group with my brother, the Sterling Place All Stars. And even before that, he was part of a group called The Jazz Futures. Most of the musicians my age were just enamored of them,” said Goods. “He’s always been considered to be one of the elites. Back then, they were calling them the young lions.”

During his visit, Allen will take part in numerous events. He will work with musicians in the Jazz Big Band, which is directed by Goods, on Thursday, March 21, and will conduct a masterclass and workshop with drum students on Friday, March 22. On Friday at 1 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall, he will discuss his long career and answer questions—in a free event open to the URI community.

“This is the first time we’ve had a distinguished visiting artist for this long,” said Goods. “Normally, we would only get a day. But we’re going to have events each day for jazz students, the URI community and the public.”

On Friday night, Allen will perform a set of original and familiar jazz tunes with URI faculty—Joseph Parillo on piano, Jay Azzolina on guitar, Dave Zinno on bass, John McKenna on tenor saxophone, Atla DeChamplain on vocals, and Goods on trombone.

Though he’s known Allen for a long time, Goods will be performing on stage with him for the first time. What’s it like to play alongside a drummer of that caliber?

“When you have someone like that behind you, it’s an extra sense of security,” said Goods. “You have a master of rhythm behind you. As a frontline person, it allows you the freedom to explore and create something that you normally wouldn’t have because you were thinking.”

Tickets for Friday night’s concert in Fine Arts Center, 105 Upper College Road, Kingston, are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors.