I had the honor to work with the great Mose Allison on four separate shows in 2004 and 2005.  The article below was written by Curt Yeske of the Times of Trenton.

Allison to play two nights at Odette's

Friday, November 19, 2004

By CURT YESKE

Staff Writer

Mose Allison is beyond categorizing, but the 76-year-old churner of pithy lyrics and enduring melodies does fall into at least one enviable category, even if not of his own choosing: the unintentional creator of crossover material.

Singer-pianist-songwriter-philosopher Allison, who appears tonight and tomorrow at Odette's cabaret in New Hope, Pa., has long been known among jazz musicians as one of the most creative artists in the business. But the essence of what Allison does with his lyrics and songs has been spilling over into other genres for years. The universality of his sometimes caustic lyrics ("Your Mind is on Vacation") and his melodies have had a wide appeal to rock and pop musicians.

Van Morrison has recorded an album of his songs ("Tell Me Something - The Songs of Mose Allison" on Verve) and his other enthusiastic devotees include John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt.

Allison grew up in Tippo, Miss., deep in cotton territory, listening to such musicians as Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Earl Hines while being exposed to jazz and dance music on the riverboats.

He moved to New York in the mid-1950s and was befriended by tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, who introduced him to such heavyweights of the era as Zoot Sims, Bob Brookmeyer, Lennie Tristano, Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan.

That experience led to his first recording contract with Prestige Records. His first album was "Back Country Suite," a collection that reflected life on the Mississippi Delta. The album received wide critical acclaim, but his big payoff came when The Who, a group Allison had never heard of, recorded his "Young Man Blues." He received a check for $7,000 and thought it was a mistake.

He continued to do 120 gigs or so a year, but eventually became more selective about where he would play.

"I used to do concerts in (continental) Europe, but no more. The audiences were great and gave standing ovations at the end of a concert, but they didn't understand irony. When they didn't react to the point of a song, it got a little weird," says Allison. "But in England, they share irony and I just came back from there, where we had some marvelous concerts."

As his fans know, Allison is quick with a quip and has a self-effacing charm. When someone recently asked how he felt about never being part of big-venue jazz festivals, he replied, "Just lucky, I guess."

Referring to relationships in modern ballads, he repeated a favorite quote: "Romantic love is a disease curable by marriage." And as for dealing with life, Allison has written:

"You say the world's a mess/It's anybody's guess/As to who will deliver that low blow/ You suffer from the strain/You don't dig pain/Well, tell me something that I don't know."

Mose Allison will perform with Jim Dragoni and Dylan Taylor today and tomorrow at 8 p.m. at Odette's, 274 S. River Road, New Hope, Pa. $35 plus $10 minimum. (215) 862-3000.

Walter Trout                                              

Walter Trout and Jim Dragoni shared the same roots in Philadelphia.  Jim's roots are in blues and jazz and Walter Trout is considered by many to be one of the greatest  contemporary blues guitarists.  The two met in L.A. and the music was instant magic as they traded licks at Perq's, Walter's hometown gig.   The air sparkled while these two reached a transcendent peak of blues power in their first meeting.

Click on the picture to learn more about Walter Trout.  Photo by Daniel Perales.  '53 Les Paul Courtesy of Pete Sardon of Southland Blues

Bob Kasprzak

We recently performed publicly for the first time at Odette's in New Hope, PA.  Bob focuses on blues, folk and old time songs by Jelly Roll Morton, Big Bill Broonzey, Bob Dylan and other great song writers.  

Odean Pope   and I met periodically over the past year to explore the possibilities of the tenor sax and guitar.  Recordings are available,  Email us.

Ed Watkins

Ed is a drummer, percussionist and painter.  His timing is impeccable and his cymbal work is some of the most expressive you'll ever hear.  Here we have the master with his abstract expressionist art in the background.

Dylan Taylor

Dylan is an incredibly gifted bassist, who writes occasionally and recently released a CD on the Cadence Label with Kelly Meashey.  His bass playing is some of the most rhythmically interesting that you'll hear.

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