One year ago this month, the music world lost Geri Allen, a highly regarded and influential pianist, composer and educator who died of cancer at age 60 on June 27, 2017.

A vital contributor to contemporary jazz, she was known for uniting disparate styles of jazz, and her style found its roots everywhere from Motown and James Brown to the music of Fats Waller and Thelonious Monk. In 2008, on her third appearance on Piano Jazz, Allen and McPartland perform a spontaneous composition. Allen solos on originals, including "Brilliant Veracity."

Originally broadcast Fall 2008.

Set list:

"Avatar" (Allen)

"Brilliant Veracity" (Allen)

"Stranger in a Dream" (McPartland)

"Free Piece" (McPartland, Allen)

"Lush Life" (Strayhorn)

"Threnody" (McPartland)

"Thank You, Madam" (Bock, Harnick)

"Another Hairdo" (Parker)

Copyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

300x250 Ad

300x250 Ad

Support quality journalism, like the story above, with your gift right now.

Donate