A Century in Sound: Jazz Legend Marshall Allen Unveils His First Solo Album at 100

It’s an album literally a century in the making — and a moment jazz lovers never thought they’d see.

After more than 30 years of leading the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra, alto saxophonist Marshall Allen is finally stepping into the spotlight with his very first solo album at the remarkable age of 100. The pioneering jazz musician has announced New Dawn, set for release on February 14, according to Okayplayer and Rolling Stone (sources: Okayplayer, Rolling Stone).

Allen, a towering figure in avant-garde jazz, has been the musical director of the Sun Ra Arkestra since 1995, continuing the group’s cosmic, Afrofuturist legacy after its founder Sun Ra passed away in 1993 (The Guardian). Now, with New Dawn, Allen offers his own bold artistic statement — a seven-track album that blends improvisation, spiritual energy, and the interstellar sounds that defined an era. The record features the songs “Prologue,” “African Sunset,” “New Dawn,” “Are You Ready,” “Sonny’s Dance,” “Boma,” and “Angels and Demons at Play.”

Earlier this week, fans were treated to the title track featuring the iconic Neneh Cherry, while “African Sunset” — a glowing, percussive journey — was released last year to critical acclaim (Pitchfork).

From Polishing Lenses to Shaping Galaxies

Marshall Allen’s story reads like a jazz myth. In a 2023 interview with Jazzwise, he recounted how his life changed the day he discovered Sun Ra’s Super-Sonic Jazz album in 1957. At the time, Allen was working at a camera factory polishing lenses. “One day, I got off work and bought that album,” he said. “I took it home and listened to it, and I was like, ‘Boy, what’s that band?’ The stuff they were doing — I’d never heard that before. It was far out and had different kinds of melodies.”

Driven by fascination, Allen sought out the band in Chicago and eventually found them rehearsing just blocks away. He showed up with his saxophone, eager to play. That spontaneous decision marked the beginning of a lifelong collaboration. Allen reportedly stayed out all night with Sun Ra after that first rehearsal — a gesture that cost him a day’s work but changed his future forever (NPR).

A Lifelong Commitment to Cosmic Music

By 1958, Allen officially joined the Sun Ra Arkestra, quickly becoming a key figure in shaping the group’s experimental, boundary-pushing sound. For decades, his signature sharp tone and use of unconventional techniques — such as multiphonics and circular breathing — have inspired generations of musicians (New York Times).

Today, the Arkestra continues to operate from its long-time headquarters, a modest rowhouse in Philadelphia, where Allen has lived and worked since the 1960s. Under his leadership, the band has remained an active force, performing at major festivals around the world and even opening for Solange during her acclaimed A Seat at the Table tour in 2017 (The Guardian).

A New Dawn for Jazz — and for Marshall Allen

At 100, Allen shows no signs of slowing down. New Dawn is more than just an album — it’s a living archive of jazz innovation, endurance, and the refusal to let age define creativity. Critics describe it as a radiant testament to Allen’s lifelong devotion to expanding the sound of the universe itself (Rolling Stone).

“Music keeps me alive,” Allen told NPR in an earlier interview. “As long as there’s breath in me, I’ll be playing, creating, and trying to go somewhere new.”

Indeed, New Dawn feels like both a reflection on a century of experience and a step toward unexplored cosmic territory. It celebrates resilience, imagination, and the timeless power of music to transcend the limits of time and space.

A true pioneer, Marshall Allen’s century-long journey reminds the world that the spirit of jazz — like the stars themselves — never stops shining.