Allison's prolific Prestige and Columbia recordings are the work of a jazz musician honing his (impressive) chops, only occasionally stepping out as a vocalist. It was under Ertegun's tutelage that Allison really came into his own, comfortable in front of the microphone and fully assured of the power of language as a jazz instrument. Usually, he worked in trio or small group formats, and, generally, the more intimate, the better. At his best, Allison tackled topics ranging from the personal to the cosmic with insight, humor, and economy, and it is the more understated arrangements that allow these marvelous qualities to shine through.

It was a well-seasoned Mose Allison who released his Atlantic debut, I Don't Worry About A Thing, in 1962, but the record was a great leap forward. Mixing sardonic vocal originals such as "Your Mind Is On Vacation" (punch line: "but your mouth is working overtime") with smart covers and deft instrumentals, it set the standard for Allison's many records to come. As he progressed, Allison put more and more emphasis on his songwriting and his vocals, and this approach served him well. Other standouts from his Atlantic catalog include Swingin' Machine (1962), Wild Man On The Loose (1965), I've Been Doing Some Thinkin' (1968), Western Man (1971), and the live set, Mose In Your Ear (1972) (several are available as 2-fers on Collectables).

Your Mind Is On Vacation (1976) marked the end of Mose's tenure at Atlantic, and it contains some topnotch remakes of his best tunes, and it was the only album he recorded during a nearly decade-long span. Earlier, Atlantic had released a 12-song collection, Best Of Mose Allison (1970), as part of an ambitious "Jazz Anthology" series. The LP was expanded to 20 tracks when released on CD in 1988. While it's a good survey of Allison's years at the label, the sound quality is typical of early digital reissues - brittle and harsh.

Mose Allison career resumed in the early 80's, and he has recorded fairly consistently since. Highlights include Middle Class White Boy (Elektra, 1982) and Gimcracks And Geegaws (Blue Note, 1997).

The 47 chronologically-presented, fully-annotated tracks on Rhino Records' Allison Wonderland: The Mose Allison Anthology pretty much render any other such package obsolete. Culling highlights from every label Mose has worked for, it's a beautiful way to take in the broad scope of Allison's talent - his instrumental prowess, his brilliant lyrics, his deep understanding of American music (he covers blues, jazz, and country songs). Certainly, Allison has cut many great records, and he remains active as of this writing; I wouldn't want to discourage you from digging deeper. Rhino's Anthology, though, is a great place to start, and, for the modest collector, an acceptable place to stop.

Many, many people - musicians foremost among them - have sung the praises of Mose Allison. Van Morrison has been the most vocal of the lot, and he put his love of Mose into action in 1996 with a tribute record, Tell Me Something: The Songs Of Mose Allison, featuring cameos by Mose himself. While hardly a substitute for the real thing (as I'm sure Van would agree), it's a spirited, enjoyable display of respect for Mose Allison by one of his more celebrated peers. [top of page]