Din Allen A True Survivor

 

By Ralph De Palma

 

Din Allen came to Key West from New York City in 1978 to play jazz at the Rose Tattoo, (the current Bagatelle).   He stayed because he believes Key West is the best place to work. Din has seen other musicians leave Key West and struggle in new environs. Key West has plenty of work, plenty of places to play, he says. “I could work every day if I wanted to.” And, he added, “It’s warm in February.”

 

 

The Survivors started as a trio at the Pier House in 1979, playing calypso and junk-a-noo music.  The trio stayed in town during the lean summer months when most bands would leave and travel north to Maryland and Virginia. The Survivors would play gigs wherever they could find them and just “survived” the summer, thus the name of the band.

 

 

The Survivors grew to a nine-piece band with two vocalists.   The band played mostly reggae and then moved into Latin music, later downsizing to five pieces.  When the Survivors started playing at Mangrove Mamas, a horn was called for, and Marty Stonely and his amazing sax came along.

 

 

One night while playing trombone with brother Woody Allen, and Marty Stonely on sax, with Barry Cuda on keyboards at the Private Ear, Dan Simpson’s recording studio, the Survivors were trying really hard to get the New Orleans R&B sound that Barry wanted. The recording session lasted for hours and required a few libations to complete. Barry said after that night they were called “The Mount Gay Horns.”  Apparently, quantities of the famous Jamaican rum seemed to be the only way to get that sound.

 

 

Roberto’s Cafe was a Mexican food restaurant that occupied part of the property currently called the Smoking Tuna. The Survivors played a regular gig there for quite a while.  Then one night when the band arrived for what was supposed to be their gig, they saw Dave Pike, a jazz bebop legend in the 1960s, already playing the vibraphone. Din asked proprietor Roberto what was going on and he said, “I book him, too, so you will play good together.” Roberto was right. The double booking led to a year-long association between the Survivors and Dave Pike that worked out very well.

 

 

The ownership of the venues can be an important factor in the type of music played there.  In the late 1970s and ‘80s, owners such as Danny Knowles of Captain Hornblower’s really cared about the music in their clubs. Danny would often sit in with his famous flugelhorn. Some owners liked to make a personal statement with their club and its music. Roberto’s Cafe became Boston Billy’s Blues Club, where the current Smoking Tuna is located. The owner was in the club every night making sure the club met his expectations for music. 

 

 

Din’s brother, Woody Allen, left town in 1995 and that was the end of the active Survivors band.

 

 

Din’s two sons, Janiah and Jamiel, and a nephew, Zeph, come down from Virginia, and Din plays bass with their band, the Alliens. They will be in town playing gigs at Virgilio’s on New Year’s Eve, then on Jan. 1 and 2 at Schooners Wharf and at the Green Parrot on the 6th. Last year, Din had three generation of Allens on stage at the same time, including Uncle Billy and a Grandson playing drums.

 

 

Din continues to play gigs with the Paul Cotton Band and others in Key West and remains a survivor.

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