The Mose Chronicles

Product Description:

Personnel: Mose Allison (vocals, piano); Roy Babbington (bass); Mark Taylor (drums).

Recorded live at Pizza Express, London, England on January 23, 2000. Includes liner notes by Ben Sidran.

THE MOSE CHRONICLES: LIVE IN LONDON VOL. 1 was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album.

Sand and sun, cookies and milk, movies and popcorn--some things are simply meant for each other. Such is the case with Mose Allison's distinctively hip singing voice and his rhythmically quirky pianism. After gigging tirelessly for 50 years in jazz clubs around the world, he showed no signs of flagging. This set in London's Pizza Express (in January of 2000) marking his performing "demi-centenary," offers new takes on many of his best-known self-penned numbers and favorite covers.

As is his wont, Mose kicks things off with a funky, seat-of-his-trio's-pants impromptu instrumental called INTERLUDE to get his and the audience's juices flowing. Over the years Mr. Allison has gotten looser with his melodic sensibility and punchier with his delivery. One senses this is his way of keeping the material fresh for himself throughout his endless touring. It works in sardonic classics like "Ever Since the World Ended," "How Much Truth," and "No Trouble Livin'." His peerless blues sensibility infuses everything he touches, including his chilling version of "You Are My Sunshine." With fine backing from Brits Roy Babbington and Mark Taylor, THE MOSE CHRONICLES presents an American original in top form.