Geri Allen

Geri Allen (1957–2017) was an American jazz pianist, composer and educator from Pontiac, Michigan, who began her professional career in the late 1970s following formal studies in piano and composition. Her musical approach blended post-bop, avant-garde and free-jazz elements with influences from African-American musical traditions and classical technique, and over her career she recorded as a leader, collaborated in diverse ensembles and taught at higher-education institutions while engaging deeply with improvisation and composition.