Crib Notes

Street Talk photographer Jeff Slate caught this photo of Mose Allison (piano) and Neal Starky (bass) performing at Blind Willies on Wed., March 4.

At the ripe age of 81, you would think pianist Mose Allison would be content to simply take it easy and enjoy life. Well, he does, but his enjoyment is playing live music on the road — over 100 shows a year. It’s a lifestyle he’s maintained since the 1950s, and even in his ninth decade he shows few signs of slowing down.

A self-taught player, Allison was raised listening to and learning from the deep delta blues, New Orleans jazz and classic boogie woogie of the era. With few constraints to shape his playing style, he absorbed what he heard, and put it all together to create his own unique sound.

Read the rest of James Kelly’s CL brief on Mose Allison.

(Photo by Jeff Slate)

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At the ripe age of 81, you would think pianist Mose Allison would be content to simply take it easy and enjoy life. Well, he does, but his enjoyment is playing live music on the road — over 100 shows a year. It’s a lifestyle he’s maintained since the 1950s, and even in his ninth decade he shows few signs of slowing down.

A self-taught player, Allison was raised listening to and learning from the deep delta blues, New Orleans jazz and classic boogie woogie of the era. With few constraints to shape his playing style, he absorbed what he heard, and put it all together to create his own unique sound.

Allison had little luck finding his true defining niche, but that may have worked in his favor. Defying categorization, he has been marketed as a pop singer, a jazz artist, a blues guy and who knows what else throughout his illustrious career. The labels don’t really matter, its all about the music.
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