Frank Beacham Yesterday at 6:28am · . Mose Allison is 87 years old today. Born in Tippo, Tallahatchie County, Mississippi, Allison is a jazz blues pianist and singer. He played piano in grammar school and trumpet in high school. He went to college at the University of Mississippi for a while, then enlisted in the U.S. Army for two years. He then enrolled at Louisiana State University, from which he was graduated in 1952 with a BA in English with a minor in Philosophy. It was at that point that he moved to New York City and launched his jazz career performing with artists such as Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Phil Woods. His debut album, Back Country Suite, was issued on the Prestige label in 1957. He formed his own trio in 1958. It was not until 1963 that his record label allowed him to release an album entirely of vocals. Entitled Mose Allison Sings, it was an inspired collection of songs that paid tribute to artists of the Mojo Triangle: Sonny Boy Williamson (Eyesight to the Blind), Jimmie Rodgers (Thats All Right) and Willie Dixon (The Seventh Son). However, it was an original composition in the album that brought him the most attention, Parchman Farm. For more than two decades, Parchman Farm was his most requested song. He dropped it from his playlist in the 1980s because some critics felt it was politically incorrect. Explained Allison to Nine-O-One Network Magazine: I dont do the cotton sack songs much anymore. You go to the Mississippi Delta and there are no cotton sacks. Its all machines and chemicals. His music has influenced many blues and rock artists, including Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, The Yardbirds, John Mayall, J. J. Cale, The Who (who made Young Man Blues a staple of their live performances and used it to open their original Live at Leeds album) and Georgie Fame. Blue Cheer also recorded a version of his song Parchman Farm on their debut album, as well as the band Cactus,” featuring Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert in the very early seventies. The Yardbirds and The Misunderstood both recorded versions of his song Im Not Talking.” His song Look Here was covered by The Clash on their album Sandinista!. Leon Russell covered Allisons song Smashed! on his album Stop All That Jazz. Van Morrison released an album of his songs entitled Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison, and Elvis Costello recorded Everybodys Cryin Mercy on his album Kojak Variety and Your Mind Is On Vacation on King of America (Bonus Tracks). Here, The Mose Allison Trio performs “I Don’t Worry About a Thing” in 1975.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 03:14:15 +0000
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