Photo: Pablosecca / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Geri Allen is one of those pianists I wish more casual listeners knew by name. A composer, producer, and educator out of Detroit's Cass Tech and Howard University, she moved between the avant-garde and the tradition with a touch that was both cerebral and deeply lyrical. The Guggenheim Fellowship only confirms what the playing already told you. What moves me most is the teaching - her years at Michigan and Pittsburgh mean her ideas live on in other people's hands. Losing her in 2017 at just sixty felt far too early, but few artists leave a legacy this generous.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Geri Allen
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェリ・アレン
- Reading
- じぇり・あれん
- Born
- June 12, 1957 – June 27, 2017
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
- Origin
- Pontiac, Michigan, United States
- Occupation
- jazz pianist / music educator / university teacher / record producer / composer
2. Background
- High school
- Cass Technical High School
- University
- Howard University
Awards & achievements
- Guggenheim Fellowship
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Geri Allen born?
June 12, 1957 – June 27, 2017.
Where is Geri Allen from?
Geri Allen is from Pontiac, Michigan, United States.
What does Geri Allen do?
Geri Allen works as jazz pianist, music educator, university teacher, record producer, composer.
Jazz pianist — see all → · Music educator — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.