Musicians from Whitworth’s Jazz I Ensemble had the opportunity to learn from jazz drummer Carl Allen of New York at a jazz clinic on Feb. 26. From advice and instruction to stories and jokes, Allen gave all who attended a unique learning experience and insight into his mind as a successful and gifted jazz musician.
As a prominent drummer with over 200 recordings, Allen spends his time recording, touring and teaching. Allen said that there are three reasons he always comes back to jazz: it’s the most challenging music he’s ever played, it’s the style where he can be the most honest and it’s the style where he has seen lives changed.
“Every time I play I want to change some lives. I want to touch some lives,” said Allen.
The jazz clinic involved the ensemble playing a couple pieces and Allen giving feedback and guidance. Allen also spent a significant amount of time working with the student drummers and pushed them to explore their role deeper.
A recurring theme Allen focused on was the need for musicians to understand where their peers are coming from and why they play the way they do. Allen said everyone’s style is influenced by specific jazz musicians, which is why he said it’s important for students to listen to records together and understand what influences are mainly impacting them.
“If you don’t know what he likes, you don’t know why he plays the way he does,” Allen said. “[It’s] really important to meet people where they are… you have to be figuring out conceptually, who is he influenced by.”
The ensemble also had the chance to break into smaller combos and improvise some tunes together. To end the session, Allen joined one of the combos and played with them, purposefully adjusting the tempo throughout the piece in order to remind the students that it takes constant concentration, focus and maturity to play well as a group.
“Carl Allen is one of the most in-demand and talented drummers in the world. He’s played with basically every single one of my jazz idols and playing with him was an amazing experience,” said junior Dylan Loew, a member of the Jazz I Ensemble. “Just from this two-hour clinic I feel like I’ve learned so much new information and explored concepts I hadn’t really thought of before.”
Allen encouraged the musicians to actively make themselves uncomfortable, assigning them the task to stay away from their strengths while practicing.
“Music is therapeutic for us… so when we play, we just want to play the stuff we already know how to do. If you continue to do this, you’re not going to get better. Everyone has to be very intimately aware of what your weaknesses are,” Allen said.
The clinic ran longer than two hours, with students trying to glean as much wisdom from Allen as possible. Sophomore Rachel Strauch, classical violinist, said she attended the clinic to support her friends and learn more about jazz.
“I think jazz is often seen as almost ‘less than’ to classical musicians. I personally believe all classical musicians should get to know jazz at least a little bit, especially as an American. Jazz is one of the only true inventions of America, and it’s so important to our history and culture,” Strauch said. “It’s inspiring to watch a group of musicians create their own voice instead of trying to recreate someone else’s. That’s what music is supposed to be about—community and voice.”
Allen also gave advice to everyone in the room, musician or not. In order to be successful, he said we all need relationships and resources. As a “casebook classic example of an introvert,” Allen had to push himself out of his comfort zone in order to make the connections he has today with many renowned jazz musicians. He encouraged students to open themselves up, be persistent and always ask questions.
For more information about Carl Allen, visit his website at carlallen.com.
