Carl Allen, a fine drummer who has worked with Freddie Hubbard, Jackie McLean, George Coleman, Art Farmer, and Benny Green, fit right in with the band Message, which recorded The Art of Blakey in the late '80s. He went on to lead his own sessions for Timeless, Atlantic, and Evidence in addition to working on producing albums by other top "Young Lions." In 2007 he paired up with bassist Rodney Whitaker for the soul-inflected People Get Ready. ~ Scott Yanow