I like my jazz without vocals in almost every situation, with one glaring exception: Mose Allison. He's the only one I'll listen to on a regular basis. This guy, who just passed away at the age of 89, was not only one of the smoothest vocalist's of his era, but he was also a phenomenal songwriter. Like many people of my generation, I first heard Mose' name while listening to Pete Townshend's introduction of Young Man's Blues on the Who's Live at Leeds LP, a song that Pete pointed out that Mose wrote at the age of forty. He also wrote songs that were covered by Van Morrison, Blue Cheer, Cactus, The Yardbirds, Hot Tuna, Leon Russell, Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall, The Clash, Elvis Costello, Paul Butterfield, and Johnny Winter among countless others. Here is one of his loungy tunes showcasing his voice and clever lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcGAvTEFh1U
No comments:
Post a Comment