Harry Allen's Trio Had a Sense of Humor at Shanghai Jazz

By: Erin Lockett | February 20th, 2023

I found myself in Madison, NJ at a club with a unique backstory on Wednesday, January 25th, 2023. The tenor saxophone player Harry Allen and his trio were playing at Shanghai Jazz, a club and restaurant with delicious food, marvelous music and interesting history. The owners of the club aimed to paint the scene of Shanghai in the 1920’s for attendants. The historical homage pays tribute to a time when Shanghai saw a great intake of people from around the world looking for a new home without the woes of their former homes. Jazz made its way into the Shanghai scene at this time, inspiring the owners’ creative atmosphere.

Shanghai Jazz is a warm and inviting place. The walls are lined with black and white photos of iconic jazz artists who once took the stage to share their music. The floor is level with the stage, creating an intimate energy between the band and listeners. On this night, Allen and his band told stories to the crowd with their songs including: “Change Partners,” “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Desafinado,” and “When Lights are Low”. Harry Allen’s trio consisted of himself on tenor saxophone, Steve Ash on the piano and Mike Karn on the acoustic bass.

"Change Partners"

The Trio began the set with “Change Partners,” an interpretation of a tune by Irving Berlin. They played it at a medium swing tempo with Harry playing the melody on his tenor saxophone. The form of the song was AABA, breaking into solos after one playthrough of the head. Harry Allen soloed on two full heads. His solo was legato with fluid bursts of sonic imagery. Steve Ash was playing syncopated staccato chords on the piano which was an interesting juxtaposition from Steve’s smooth improvisational choices. Mike Karn was walking on the bass with an impressive steadiness. After Steve improvised on two full lengths of the form, Harry and Steve traded solos of eight bars and then four bars each, breaking into a following bass solo. Steve dropped down in volume to showcase Mike’s bass improvisation while Harry dropped out entirely. Mike’s playing shifted to a more melodic approach while Steve supported him with rhythmic accents, keeping the tempo noticeably implied for the listeners. They finished the tune with another pass through the form and a clean ending.

"What a Little Moonlight Can Do"

Though Harry nor his band were announcing the names of the songs, I recognised, “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” right away from its iconic melody. The tune was performed up tempo in a bebop style. The tune seemed to feature only an A and a B section over which Harry Allen carried the melody. His phrases were buttery smooth with intentional staccato endings like a period at the end of his sentences. Each of the other players' established personalities persisted in regards to the walking bass and syncopated, dynamic piano chords. Each player took a solo again. This time I found Steve Ash’s accents behind the bass solo to be delightfully random and spaced out, but still perfectly in time. There were chuckles from the crowd as Steve playfully framed Mike’s solo.

"Desafinado"

Harry Allen’s trio went on to play “Desafinado” which translates to off-key or out-of-tune. I recognized the rhythmic accents the piano was highlighting to be a bossa nova. I learned the tune’s sarcastic translation from Steve Ash himself after the show. I found it funny and suitable for the band’s playful approach to rhythmic and harmonic conversation.

"When Lights are Low"

Lastly, they played “When Lights are Low” in a down tempo, cool jazz style. I recognized it as cool jazz from the smoother accentuation from all instruments. The song followed a standard AABA form consisting of eight bars per section. Harry’s style was still embodied through the melody and his solos, but the tempo seemed to allow for a more emotional side of his playing to emerge. The tail end of his notes featured a breathy vibrato with a liking to Stan Getz, but shorter in length. His tone felt resonant and consistent, especially after warming up for four songs. Steve Ash followed the band’s cool approach until his solo which was nearly funky with the rhythmic choices he was making—emphasizing beat one. Mike Karn’s solo felt joyful, featuring big leaps in pitch. It was during this solo that I noticed him vocalizing his improvisation, something many great players I have seen do.

A Change in the Form

The night of music was exciting and full of surprises. I found the band to all be exceptional listeners, playing off of each other’s every musical move. Their ability to call and respond, adjust in dynamics and rhythm and support each other was immaculate. I believe for the average listener it can be hard to discern between the head of a jazz song and the beginning of improvisational solos. Every song in the set began the improvisational sections with a solo from Harry Allen. Because Harry also played every melody there was often not a noticeable distinction between the sections unless one knew the melody or was following the form. Though this is a pretty standard choice, it might be nice to hear the trio vary this form occasionally to create an obvious separation between the head and the solos.

Truly Inspiring Musical Communication

I was deeply inspired by the group’s musical communication. Steve Ash was incredibly friendly, even extending an invitation to a public jam at the end of one of his upcoming gigs. A night at Shanghai Jazz featuring Harry Allen on saxophone, Steve Ash on piano and Mike Karn on bass is something I’m glad I did not miss. Though I respectfully asked for an encore, the band thoughtfully and appropriately finished their set with “When Lights are Low.”