Sun Ra Arkestra leader Marshall Allen to release debut solo album at the age of 100

Marshall Allen – the former Sun Ra Arkestra bandleader – has announced that he will release his debut solo album.

The century-old revered saxophonist and composer, who has been a member of the legendary Sun Ra Arkestra since 1958 and the group’s leader since 1995, solo debut ‘New Dawn’ is set for release on February 14 via Mexican Summer/Week-End Records. You can pre-order it here.

Along with the announcement, Allen has also shared the album’s title track featuring Swedish singer-songwriter Neneh Cherry. “Glistened with rays of the sun / Fashioned sure / Pure out of the one / Arise and seek / Hear spirit speak / New Dawn is waiting for you,” Cherry sings over Allen’s soft and smooth sax playing.

According to a press release, Allen embarked on the creation of ‘New Dawn’ two days after his 100th birthday. The album is described as “a love letter to spacetime that channels a century of musical transience and transcendence into seven outer dimensional tracks.”

Though his career has spanned over 70 years, ‘New Dawn’ marks the first time that the legendary jazz musician has released a project under his own name.

The LP was recorded in May 2024 in Philadelphia and is a collaborative effort with Allen’s Arkestra bandmate Knoel Scott. Speaking about the collaboration, Jan Lankisch – the album’s producer – said: “Knoel’s energy became the driving force behind the project. He knew Marshall better than anyone, and his deep understanding of Marshall’s compositions guided the selection of material for the album.”

Marshall Allen’s ‘New Dawn’ tracklist is: 

1. ‘Prologue’

2. ‘African Sunset’

3. ‘New Dawn (feat. Neneh Cherry)’

4. ‘Are You Ready’

5. ‘Sonny’s Dance’

6. ‘Boma’

7. ‘Angels and Demons at Play’

The likes of musicians Michael Ray and Cecil Brooks (trumpet), Jamaaladeen Tacuma (bass), Bruce Edwards (guitar) and George Gray (drums) are also featured on the album.

In other news, back in 2022, Sun Ra House – the Philadelphia building that has been home to the late Sun Ra’s evolving Arkestra collective since the 1960s, was listed as a historic Philadelphia landmark.