Mose Knows

This disk is called Introducing Mose Allison, which seems a strange title to use concerning a guy who has been playing professionally since the late forties. But I guess it's a variant on "best of" or "greatest hits" or "anthology" or whatever. Allison is a bluesy jazz singer and pianist with a distinctive vocal delivery and knack for writing quirky humourous songs with an often satirical bite. from Mississippi, his work has a blues tinge but nothing like the delta or later Chicago blues styles. Pretty much a one off in the furrow he has ploughed, he has nonetheless been influential particularly with sixties British acts. The Yardbirds covered his material, as did John Mayall who used him as a model for a white blues voice. But the most long term disciple in terms of wit and sophistication as well as vocal style was Georgie Fame. Mose Allison has been around a number of different record labels over the years which means there are some gaps in this "best of" since the rights weren't available. It is however, the best available place to make a start.