About

I was born in 1977 (Capricorn, Leo moon) in Topeka, Kansas and currently reside in the Hudson Valley. Other places I have lived, worked, and studied include Missoula, MT; Lawrence, KS; Manhattan, NY; Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; Austin, TX; and Brooklyn, NY. Currently I am the Director of Archives for the Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation, which administers the archives of theater director and visual artist Robert Wilson as well as the space and activities of the Watermill Center, an artist residency program on the East End of Long Island founded by Wilson in 1992. As an archivist and information professional I have worked for other artist-centered archives as well as technology companies, religious archives, museums, and in university settings.

Education: 

The University of Kansas (BA, 2000)

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MA, Art History, 2003)

The University of Texas at Austin (MS, Information Science, Archives emphasis, 2007)

A professional CV is available on request.

Music:

I grew up around modern jazz; my father, Jon G. Allen, PhD, is a jazz pianist and composer in addition to being a world-renowned psychologist and author. It wasn’t until college that the jazz bug bit, but when it did, it never let go. Quick fascination and obsession with such artists as Albert Ayler, Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp and Bill Dixon led to hosting jazz/free music radio programming at KJHK (University of Kansas) and in Chicago at WNUR (Northwestern University). I also did radio hosting in Austin at KOOP and KVRX. It’s something I hope to do again over the airwaves, but I’m able to DJ jazz records in bars in Brooklyn to fill that gap.

In 2002, I began interviewing musicians and reviewing recordings in earnest. The first interview I ever did was with Peter Brötzmann — followed by Sunny Murray, Buell Neidlinger, Charlie Haden, and Dave Burrell, all in quick succession. Other interviewees have included Bill Dixon, Jackie McLean, Ornette Coleman, Dickie Landry, Archie Shepp, Kees Hazevoet, Misha Mengelberg, Alvin Fielder, Prince Lasha, Sonny Simmons, Bobby Bradford, Burton Greene, Ted Daniel, Linda Sharrock, Joe McPhee, Whit Dickey, Michael Bisio, Matthew Shipp, Ivo Perelman, Weasel Walter, Tomeka Reid, Thomas Heberer, Irène Schweizer, François Tusques, and Fred Van Hove. Some of these artists have been interviewed multiple times.

Though I do not currently write a byline for any particular publication, my work has appeared regularly in The New York City Jazz Record, All About Jazz, Paris Transatlantic Magazine, Point of Departure, Signal To Noise Magazine, Tiny Mix Tapes, Bagatellen, One Final Note, Jazz Right Now, Burning Ambulance, Austinist, City Pages (Minneapolis), Line Magazine, and Dye, in addition to my former blog Ni Kantu (which is moving here). I’m sure I’ve forgotten one or two.

I’ve also written liner notes for quite a few records, which is probably some of the most rewarding work I’ve done. These recordings have appeared on a variety of labels including NowAgain, ESP-Disk’, FMP, NoBusiness, Clean Feed, Intakt, Leo, ENJA, New World, Astral Spirits, Cosmic Myth, Nuscope, Unseen Worlds, Firehouse12, Porter Records, Tin Angel, pfMentum, Speetones, 612 Sides, UpTee, and Valley of Search. There are a few more in the pipeline for later this year. Actually, check out the Discogs page and see for yourself!

There’s a fun interview with me here.

Concert Curation:

Jazz Right Now House Concert (2015): Cooper-Moore/Newman Taylor-Baker duo; Kristin Slipp/Dov Manski duo; Ben Stapp solo tuba.

The Way Ahead: A Brooklyn-centric concert series in 2018 held at Wonders of Nature (RIP) and at Footlight that included performances from artists like Razorlegs (with Jim Sauter), Marc Edwards’ Slipstream Time Travel, Tamio Shiraishi, Weasel Walter, if,bwana, Jason Kahn, BLOAR, and White Out (with Richard Edson), among others.

Discover Watermill Day at The Watermill Center: Summer open house duos have included Michael Foster/Ben Bennett and Luke Stewart/James Brandon Lewis (2018, 2019). The first installment of the Center’s Viewpoints lecture series in New York (March 2020) featured noise duo the New York Review of Cocksucking (Foster & Richard Kamerman) in performance and live talkback.

STAND: The 30th Annual Watermill Center Summer Benefit (2022). Curated music by Matthew Shipp, Ava Mendoza, and Joanna Mattrey amidst the visual work & performance art of Christopher Knowles, Robert Nava, Tsubasa Kato, Deniz + Yeliz Celebic, Hollie Miller, and many others.

Tubby’s (Kingston, NY): “So, What Do You Think?” is a monthly series focusing on improvised music at the noted Kingston bar and venue which began in March 2022. Artists have included James Brandon Lewis, Arnold Hammerschlag, Michael Foster, Guillermo Gregorio, Sandy Ewen, Chris Williams, Jessica Pavone, Sam Weinberg, Bill Nace, Chris Corsano, Patrick Holmes, Tara Jane O’Neil, Ryan Sawyer, Sarah Hennies, and Queer Trash.