Fletcher Allen


Fletcher Allen was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.

Biography

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. He started out in his career in the mid 1920s as a member of Lloyd Scott's Band in New York City. In 1927, he travelled to Europe working in a band under the direction of Leon Abbey, a bandleader whose popularity in jazz started off a 1936 tour of India in which Allen also was involved. During this period he also visited Budapest with the Benny Peyton group in 1929 and spent time in Europe the following decade with musical activity involving several collaborations with guitarist Django Reinhardt. In 1938, he started playing with Benny Carter, with both him and Carter playing alto saxophone and clarinet, both had excellent reputations as arrangers.
His composition "Viper's Dream" has become a jazz staple.

Compositions