Mose Allison - Down Home Piano (1957-59)

Mose Allison - Down Home Piano (1957-59)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB

OJC

Allmusic:
Although Mose Allison is perhaps best known for his enjoyably idiosyncratic vocal style, he is first and foremost a marvelous piano player with a unique style pitched somewhere between a New Orleans bordello and the rhythmic and harmonic experimentation of Thelonious Monk or Sun Ra. This well-chosen 1966 compilation (released after Allison had split for Atlantic Records) pulls together ten of his best instrumentals from four of his six Prestige albums, and it makes a strong case for Allison as one of the most inventive piano players and composers of his generation. The selection runs from the definitive performance of Allison's signature ballad "Crepuscular Air" (which foreshadows nearly the entire career of West Coast cool pianist Vince Guaraldi) to the witty, technically impressive and musically joyous post-bop workouts "Devil in the Cane Field" and "The Minstrels." Throughout, Allison's interplay with his longtime bassist Addison Farmer is fantastic; Allison's left-hand walking bass runs are usually in counterpoint to Farmer's inspired comping, adding greatly to the songs' rhythmic complexity. Mostly, however, Down Home Piano is just enormous fun to listen to.

Tracks
-01. "Dinner on the Ground" - Allison - 3:16
-02. "Crepuscular Air" - Allison - 3:42
-03. "Mule" - Allison - 3:53
-04. "Creek Bank" - Allison - 4:37
-05. "Town" - Allison - 3:20
-06. "Devil in the Cane Field" - Allison - 4:03
-07. "The Minstrels" - Allison - 3:25
-08. "Moon and Cypress" - Allison - 4:03
-09. "Carnival" - Allison - 3:00
-10. "Mojo Woman" - Allison - 4:00

Personnel
* Mose Allison (piano)
* Addison Farmer (bass)
* Ronnie Free, Nick Stabulas (drums)

sample & buy: Down Home Piano

Mose Allison - Autumn Song (1959) (eac-log-cover)

Mose Allison - Autumn Song (1959)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 230MB

OJC

AMG:
Mose Allison recorded six albums as a leader for Prestige during 1957-59, an era when he was better known as a jazz pianist than as a folk/country blues vocalist and masterful lyricist. On this CD reissue of his final Prestige date, Allison (in a trio with bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Ronnie Free) performs seven instrumentals (including "It's Crazy," "Autumn Song" and "Groovin' High") but it is the three vocals ("Eyesight To The Blind," "That's All Right" and Duke Ellington's "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me") that are most memorable. One realizes why Allison was soon emphasizing his vocals; he was a much more distinctive singer than pianist although his piano playing was actually pretty inventive. This is an excellent all-round set.

Tracks
-01 Promenade (Mose Allison) 4:12
-02 Eyesight To The Blind (Sonny Boy Williamson) 1:43
-03 It's Crazy (Dorothy Fields/Richard Rodgers) 3:40
-04 That's All Right (Jimmy Rogers) 2:28
-05 Devil In The Cane Field (Mose Allison) 4:05
-06 Strange (Matthew Fisher/John Latouche) 3:08
-07 Autumn Song (Mose Allison) 3:43
-08 Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me (Duke Ellington/Bob Russell) 3:13
-09 Spires (Mose Allison) 3:05
-10 Groovin' High (Dizzy Gillespie) 5:38

Personnel
*Mose Allison (Piano and Vocal)
*Addison Farmer (Double Bass)
*Ronnie Free (Drums)

sample & buy: Autumn Song