PoZest Audio Samples

" . . . a magnificent slab of free playing, but what may be most worthy of mention about it is that it is, for long periods, quite quiet, full of detail work and careful listening and reacting on the part of the musicians. Allen is extraordinary (attuned as he is to the particular exigencies of the ensemble setting), and Grassi is, once again, amazingly sensitive and right about what he chooses in the moment. A great drummer. A great disc. Don't miss them." Robert Spencer allaboutjazz.com

"If variety is the spice of life, then here's one really tangy recording full of surprises. Lou Grassi's PoBand plus guest Marshall Allen take us on a wild ride of styles . . . While the program may look like a hodge podge, its musical breadth does go a long way in sustaining the listener's interest over the disc's almost 70 minute length. Now almost 80, altoist Allen seems to have found a new lease on life, and few musicians are capable of tossing out phrases with as much ripping intensity as he can."
Marc Chenard  Coda

"Here, (Marshall Allen) joins Lou Grassi's outstanding PoBand, a conglomeration of Grassi on drums with some of the best freestyle improvisers on the scene at the end of the 20th century. Individual solos and collective improvisation blend with carefully orchestrated sections to produce mesmerizing sounds of joy. Formulas are eschewed and the only constant is surprise." Steven Loewy allmusicguidetojazz.com

". . . on PoZest, Allen and New York area drummer Lou Grassi along with artists who represent multiple generations of technical acumen and jazz wisdom coalesce for this hearty set. . .PoZest is a slightly boisterous yet heartfelt convergence of acute musical minds at work."Glenn Astarita All About Jazz

"This most recent Allen session for CIMP finds the interplanetary maestro augmenting drummer Lou Grassi's working group the PoBand, adding a fourth horn to the already impressive front line . . . there's not much fault to find here. An excellent document of a multifaceted ensemble, PoZest enters another quality notch in Allen's extra-Arkestral discography and captures a pivotal moment of development for Grassi's primary musical outlet." Scott Hreha One Final Note

". . . Allen does a fox-trotting dance with Robinson's whimsical clarinet and Smoker's cackling trumpet. It's here that you can really hear beauty in the individual voices, and more importantly, free jazz's collective improvisation linkage to Dixieland." John Murph Jazz Times   

" . . . a meeting that seems as if it was predestined between Allen and Lou Grassi's PoBand . . . Allen, as a consummate improviser, fits right in from the start. . .brilliant capacity for sustained group improvisation. Thrilling statements arise in quick succession from Robinson, Swell and of course, Grassi. . .This most recent effort deserves widespread attention. . ." Derek Taylor Cadence

"Long time Sun Ra alto saxophonist Marshall Allen joins Lou Grassi's PoBand for an hour of passionate and inspiring sounds on PoZest. All told, an excellent encounter, and a special treat for Marshall Allen fans to hear him work outside the Sun Ra context."
Stu Kremsky International Association of Jazz Record Collector's Journal