Open on All Sides in the Middle

Open on All Sides in the Middle is an album by pianist Geri Allen recorded in late 1986 and released on the German Minor Music label.[1]

Open on All Sides in the Middle
Studio album by Geri Allen
Released	1987
Recorded	December 1986 Sound Suite Recording Studio, Detroit
Genre	Jazz
Length	43:47
Label	Minor Music MM 1013
Producer	Geri Allen
Geri Allen chronology
Home Grown (1985) Open on All Sides in the Middle (1987) Twylight (1989)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
The Penguin Guide to Jazz	[3]

Allmusic awarded the album three stars, stating that "the material is comparatively lightweight for a Geri Allen recording, often only bordering on jazz...".[2] The Penguin Guide to Jazz described the album as an attempt to create "some new kind of song-based jazz", but labelled it "dire".[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Geri Allen

1. "Open on All Sides / The Glide Was in the Ride..." - 6:45
2. "Forbidden Place" - 4:24
3. "The Dancer" - 2:33
4. "In the Middle" - 4:01
5. "Ray" - 4:17
6. "I Sang a Bright Green Tear for All of Us This Year..." - 12:46
7. "Drummer's Song" - 2:24
8. "In the Morning" - 5:03
9. "The Dancer Part 2" 1:34

Personnel

• Geri Allen - piano, keyboards, backing vocals
• Rayse Biggs - trumpet, flugelhorn
• Robin Eubanks - trombone
• David McMurray - soprano saxophone, flute
• Steve Coleman - alto saxophone
• Jaribu Shahid - bass
• Tani Tabbal - drums
• Shahida Nurullah - lead vocals
• Marcus Belgrave - flugelhorn (track 8)
• Mino Cinelu - cymbals, bells, congas, timbales, electronic drums, udu
• Lloyd Storey - tap dance

References

1. Geri Allen catalog, accessed June 30, 2014
2. Yanow, S., Allmusic Review, accessed July 3, 2014.
3. Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.