Mose Allison - The Complete Atlantic / Elektra Albums 1962-1983 (2021)

This six-disc set from Strawberry Records collects 12 of the great Mississippi-born musician's best-known albums from two important stages in his long career. Mose Allison's work for Atlantic with producers Nesuhi Ertegun and later Joel Dorn defined him as a downright virtuoso pianist in his own songs -- as well as the many he covered -- showcasing a signature style that perfectly wed blues, bop, and swing. His songs were delivered in a laconic Southern drawl; the originals offered hip, poetic, humorous, sometimes biting lyrics in insightful, often ironic commentaries on modern life, economics, and relationships, earning him the nickname "the Sage of Tippo." The first five discs contain two albums each, in chronological order: I Don't Worry About a Thing and Swingin' Machine (both 1962); The Word from Mose (1964); Wild Man on the Loose and Mose Alive! (1966); I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin' (1968); Hello There, Universe (1970); Western Man (1971); Mose in Your Ear and Your Mind Is on Vacation (1972). The final disc features his two outings for Bruce Lundvall's short-lived but important Elektra Musician label, 1982's Middle Class White Boy and 1983's live Lessons in Living. There are 104 tracks in all. Some of Allison's sidemen during the Atlantic/Elektra eras included now legendary jazz talent such as drummers Frankie Dunlop, Paul Motian, and Billy Cobham; saxophonists Pepper Adams, Seldon Powell, and Lou Donaldson; and bassists Red Mitchell, Bob Cranshaw, and Chuck Rainey.

This lushly designed package by Michael Robson was produced for release by award-winning engineer Bob Fisher. The latter's lengthy, detailed liner essay covers the entirety of Allison's labyrinthine career. Fisher furnishes quotes and tribute endorsements from artists Allison directly influenced, including Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, Pete Townshend, Georgie Fame, Van Morrison, Ray Davies, and many others. The lavish booklet offers complete recording session details and discographical information, with supporting personnel for each album. It is adorned with many reproductions of magazine advertisements, critical reviews of individual albums, and marketing items and news stories from music industry publications. These discs were all painstakingly mastered for this presentation by Simon Murphy. Unlike many other compilations of this type, it offers uniformly excellent sound throughout. In total, it presents The Complete Atlantic/Elektra Albums 1962-1983 as the definitive collection from the best-known period in Mose Allison's career. ~ Thom Jurek