Creek Bank

Product Description:

Personnel: Mose Allison (vocals, trumpet, piano); Addison Farmer (bass); Nick Stabulas, Ronnie Free (drums).

Recorded in Hackensack, New Jersey in January & August 1958. Includes liner notes by Len Lyons.

Digitally remastered by Phil De Lancie (1993, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California).

This Prestige collection combines two 1958 sessions that feature Mose Allison on many cherished standards, and a few early originals. Here the pianist/vocalist divides his time between instrumental piano trio numbers and those that feature his bluesy Southern vocals. Listening to many of these familiar tunes, it is easy to see how Allison was influenced by everyone from Sonny Boy Williamson, to Nat "King" Cole, to Bud Powell.

His astutely swinging piano technique is on striking display on spirited numbers such as the crisply moving "Bye Bye Blues," as well as Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite." Fans of Allison's saucy vocal styling will get a kick out of his lazy read of Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and Ray Noble's "I Hadn't Anyone Till You." In all, these early sessions show why Allison gained so much attention right from the beginning of his long career.