Ride, Red, Ride: The Life of Henry 'red' Allen

This is the first biography of jazz trumpeter and singer, Henry Red Allen, Louis Armstrong's chief rival in the early days of New Orleans jazz. Both men were born in New Orleans, but the similarities stopped there.While Armstrong recorded many best-selling records, Allen was sometimes daringly experimental and never achieved hit parade success. Gradually, however, his music won him an international following, and, during the 1960's, he frequently toured Europe to wide acclaim. Years after his death in 1967 his popularity continues to grow. Many of his recordings are still available and this volume provides a selected discography.Musician and veteran jazz writer, John Chilton, was a close friend of Allen's and conveys the trumpeter's complex personality while recounting his stints with bands led by Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, King Oliver, and others. Previously unknown details of Allen's early years in New Orleans and on the Mississippi riverboats are revealed and Chilton contrasts Allen's spectacular performance showmanship with his off-stage reticence to create a rich portrait of the man.