Only three out of ten students read at grade level in many inner city Chicago schools. Traditional ways of engaging and teaching students have fallen short in these schools. Searching for ways to reach more of the students not at grade level, the National Academy for Local Schools (NALS) has established an arts and academics approach to reading instruction.

Chicago jazz vocalist and educator Jackie Allen is directing the NALS program. Ms. Allen is personally tutoring inner city students. After engaging a student with music and art, Ms. Allen's program helps to teach students to read and write using her background as an educator.

Greeting Cards (coming soon)

Jackie Allen - CDs

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"The fine art of understatement . . . " ***1/2 Down Beat "...musically sophisticated, artistically daring" Howard Reich, ChicagoTribune "...a sparkling performance" Don Heckman, L.A.Times

Jackie Allen - Love Is Blue $14.99 USD Song List: Lazy Afternoon Play Latouche/Moross Go Play Jackie Allen/Oryna Schiffman, arr. Laurence Hobgood The Performer Play Kaswell/Vance Love is Blue Play Blackburn/Lemaire/Popp, arr. Laurence Hobgood Moon of Deception Play Jackie Allen/Oryna Schiffman, arr. Laurence Hobgood Pavement Cracks Play Annie Lennox, arr. Rob Mathes/Dane Richeson Here Today Play John Moulder Turnin' Round Play Hans Sturm Taste of Honey Play Marlow/Scott, arr. John Moulder You Become My Song Play Bobby Hutcherson/Hans Sturm I'll Be Around Play Alec Wilder, arr. John Moulder/Rob Mathes

Jackie Allen - Vocals | John Moulder - Guitars | Hans Sturm - Double Bass | Dane Richeson - Drums, Percussion, and Marimba Special Guests: Laurence Hobgood - piano | Rob Mathes - piano and keyboards | Frank Glover - clarinet Produced by Rob Mathes

It is as close to a perfect vocalist album as we're likely to hear this year (1999). Kirk Silsbee - New Times Los Angeles Producer: Ralph Jungheim Jackie Allen - vocals | Bill Cunliffe - piano | Red Holloway - tenor sax | Gary Foster - alto sax | Bruce Paulson - trombone | Jim Hughart - bass | Roy McCurdy - drums	Jackie Allen - Which? $14.99 USD Song List: - Get Real One - Too Hot for Words - Day Dream - Doodlin' - Lost in the Stars - Dearly Beloved - My Romance - In You Go - Left Alone - I Was A Little Too Lonely - Which? - Admit It - I'm Just a Woman - It's Bad For Me - The Meaning of the Blues - The Last Dance
Producer: Ralph Jungheim Jackie Allen - vocals | Bill Cunliffe - piano | Red Holloway - tenor sax | Gary Foster - alto sax | Bruce Paulson - trombone | Jim Hughart - bass | Roy McCurdy - drums

"The Most Endearing Holiday Album" - Chicago Tribune Jackie Allen - vocals, | Judy Roberts - piano, vocals

Jackie Allen / Judy Roberts - Santa Baby Collector's Edition $14.99 USD Song List: - Let it Snow Play - Winter Wonderland Play - Christmastime is Here Play - Medley Some Children See Him; A Child is Born Play - This Time of the Year Play - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Play - Why Can't Everyday Be Christmas? Play - Medley Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah;  God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Play - Miracle of Snow Play - Bright, Bright the Hollyberries Play - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? Play - The Christmas Song Play - Santa Baby Play - Call Me Winter* Play - Slippin' Into Christmas* Play - Snow Fall* Play - Snow Bound* Play - Blue Christmas* Play - Snow Bound* Play *Bonus Tracks

"She is, first and foremost, totally honest. You'll believe every word she says. Whatever you call this rare and special quality, Jackie has it, making her one of that select cadre of storytellers." -- Dick LaPalm "An Amazing, amazing CD." --Rick Kogan, WGN Radio "Allen is more breathily sexy, in the Diane Krall mode, than we remembered her. Her varied set included vintage Antonio Carlos Jobim and Paul Simon and, most memorably, an oh-so-slow reading of the 1940 Rube Bloom-Johnny Mercer classic, 'Fools Rush In.'" --Mike Drew, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel www.A440MusicGroup.com

Jackie Allen- The Men in My Life 14.99 USD Song List: Still Crazy (Paul Simon) Play Come Fly With MeFrank Sinatra Play DindiAntonio Carlos Jobim   SpainAl JarreauFred Astaire Play You Could Be FredHerb Alpert Play This Guy's (Girl's) In Love With YouMark Murphy Play The Bad And The BeautifulJames Taylor Play MexicoSting Play Tea In The SaharaRay Charles Play One Mint JulepBilly Eckstine Play Fools Rush In Play

Jackie Allen - Vocals | John Moulder - Guitar | Hans Sturm - Bass | Dane Richeson - Percussion | Ben Lewis - Piano | Orbert Davis - Trumpet | Kurt Elling - Vocal (The Bad and the Beautiful)

"...Allen's light, buoyant voice makes a lovely match with the bright harmonies and bouncy Horace Silver rhythms of Roberts' piano style, and when they both sing, Roberts' polished-brass clarity complements Allen's more etheral, yearning tone..." Neil Tesser, Jazz Critic, Chicago Reader Jackie Allen - vocals | Judy Roberts piano, vocals	Jackie Allen, Judy Roberts- Autumn Leaves 14.99 USD  Song List: Cottontail   Charade Play   An Occasional Man Play Love Comes and Goes   Our Love is Here to Stay   Autumn Leaves Play A Night in Tunisia Play If You Could See Me Now   Centerpiece   Mysterioso/Round Midnight Play Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me   Save That Time For Me   You Don't Know