From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Tue Jul 2, 2002  1:16 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Lee Allen
 
LEE ALLEN

Born 2 July 1926, Pittsburg, Kansas
Died 18 October 1994, Los Angeles, California

The blasting tenor saxophone of Lee Allen was every bit as integral a
factor in the sizzling sound of the '50s New Orleans R&B as were the
well-documented contributions of Fats Domino, Lloyd Price, and Little
Richard. As a key member of the studio band at Cosimo's, Allen played
his searing solos that sparked hundreds of Crescent City classics. Allen's
wallpaper-peeling sax solos are instantly identifiable - check out Richard's
"Slippin' and Slidin'" and "Tutti Frutti" for irrefutably exciting evidence.

But despite his sax mastery, Allen failed to sustain a brief solo career.
In 1956, Eddie Mesner approached Lee about making a record on his own.
The result was Aladdin 3354, "Rockin' At Cosimo's"/"Shimmy", both
blistering instrumentals that hardly warranted its poor sales. After signing
with Al Silver's New York-based Ember label in 1957, he managed one
decent-sized hit in 1958, the rocking instrumental "Walkin' with Mr. Lee"
(# 54), while the second-line scorcher "Boppin' at the Hop" inexplicably
never received any national airplay.
When the New Orleans sound shifted to a funkier beat, Allen's muscular
sound fell out of favour on the local recording scene. Lee joined Fats
Domino's band in 1961 and though he still was present on a few isolated
recording sessions, he now concentrated on touring with Fats. However,
the strain of constant travelling dissolved his family and in 1965 Lee decided
to pull up stakes and move to Los Angeles. He got a job working in an
aeronautics factory, but was still playing music. During the mid-seventies
he returned to Fats Domino's band, touring extensively throughout the
United States and Europe. After the 1980 Fats Domino tour concluded,
Lee suddenly found himself being the key figure in the resurgence of
rhythm and blues among the young rock 'n' rollers, primarily through his
work with the Blasters and the Stray Cats. Allen remained active until
his death in 1994, the year in which he recorded the fine CD "Crescent
City Gold", with his old New Orleans buddies Alvin Tyler, Earl Palmer,
Mac Rebennack, Edward Frank and Allen Toussaint.

Further reading: Jeff Hannusch, I Hear You Knockin' : The Sound Of New
Orleans Rhythm and Blues. Ville Platte, LA : Swallow Publications, 1985,
page 239-244.

The original "Walkin' With Mr. Lee" LP from 1958 has been reissued on CD
by Collectables.