He led like a demanding and yet friendly scholar, teaching in every single moment.
It was important to him and many of his generation, those before, and many after, that being the best, and often better than that, meant a chance to be equal. His work in the Canadian premiere of Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill in Toronto was an introduction for many to Archie’s artistry and indeed the steps of a giant he made; just one of many significant steps. His career saw him on stands with legendary jazz superstars. His spirited social activism, in the name of the music and its people, too often challenged and left out, blazed necessary change; it’s the stuff of all- Canadian legendary status.
Alleyne demanded integrity in performance, and integrity in the presentation of this truly sophisticated art form. If you play jazz, your responsibility is its legacy and integrity. Integrity, that’s the shoe the giants wear.