Artists in Our Midst: On the Bearing Edge with Buff Allen
Buff Allen has had over fifty years of professional playing experience, in jazz, pop, theatre, recording studios, concert tours, television and movies. He is the recipient of a 1989 Juno award for best jazz album category, as well as the 1987 Laureate in the CBC-Alcan competition at the Montreal Jazz Festival, and was a Juno nominee for 2003.
He’s had the honour of being able to play with a large number of great musicians, both local and international, including Diana Krall, Michael Buble, Daniel Lanois, Lenny Breau, Ed Bickert, Johnny Hartman, Moe Koffman, Rob McConnell, Sam Noto, Eugene Amaro, Hagood Hardy, Kathryn Moses, Peter Appleyard, Phil Nimmons, Hank Jones, Teddy Wilson, Johnny Guenieri, Red Norvo, Joanne Brackeen, Kenny Wheeler, Bob Murphy, Pat Coleman, Hugh Fraser, and many more.
Early influences that steered Buff towards Jazz and away from Rock were when he was introduced to the music of Miles Davis from the 1960's and particularly it was the drummer who made Buff stop in his tracks and ask "what is he doing?" and he was bitten...
"Jazz is not a moneymaking music - It's too complex for most people. In the 30's and 40's it was the art music, it was the dance music, it was the popular music. But it got so complex after WW2 that it lost a lot of the audience and then Rock & Roll kind of evolved and snuck in the back door and took the rug out from under it and kept it that way."
When asked about his routine for staying limber as a drummer Buff confides: "I MEAN to practice four or five hours a day, but it seems to wind up usually being around two hours. There’s too much to learn and accomplish, so I’m thinking maybe a couple of more lifetimes." And when not playing drums, Buff also offers support for Mac computers.
And of course, it wouldn't be a conversation with Buff without a little humour.
"What is the difference between a Jazz musician and a Blues musician? A Blues musician plays three chords in front of thousands of people. A Jazz musician plays thousands of chords in front of three people."
Listen to the complete interview here:
If you would like to catch him live, on December 12, Buff will play a gig with a fabulous band: Miles Hill, Miles Black and Mike Allen (not Buff's son, although they’re both sax players.) 2:00 - 6:00, at Pat’s Pub on East Hastings.
