Tiger Rag

Valaida

Candace Allen (born 1950) is an American novelist, political activist, cultural critic and screenwriter, who is based in London. She was the first African-American woman to be a member of the Directors Guild of America. She is the niece of actress and drama coach Billie Allen, and the former wife of British conductor Sir Simon Rattle. As a writer, Allen has published work including the novel Valaida and the non-fiction book Soul Music: The Pulse of Race and Music, and she is a contributor to The Guardian and other newspapers. more »