Mose Allison - I Love The Life I Live (1960) [vinyl, mono>flac]

Here’s my tribute to a great musician, singer & composer.

Recorded In the mid-1960, this Mose's second album with Columbia Records, captures the artist and his trio as he develops as a pianist, vocalist and composer. With signature passion and prowess, Mose Allison has created another ripe with personality. Known for his work on the trumpet as well as the piano Mose has played with the likes of Stan Getz and Zoot Sims among others as he has spread his own version of blues inflected jazz across the land. Sticking to the piano on this outing Mose sings and plays a few of his own compositions and a nice selection of other works. His piano presence is light and tasty and the blend of the trio sounds just right ever changing directions from song to song as Mose follows his muse.

When this album was recorded in 1960, this laconic Mississippian wasn't the brilliant lyricist he would later become. But he had great taste. The title track, written by Willie Dixon, sure sounds like a Mose song; "Fool's Paradise" is another gem. Mose's four tunes are instrumentals. The production by Teo Macero makes it feel like you're perched on one end of the piano bench. ~ by Mark Allan, AMG.

Columbia Records, CL 1565 [Mono], 1960

Recorded 28^th June, 1960 - 9^th September, 1960

Personnel:

Mose Allison - Piano, Vocals

Henry Grimes - Bass (#A1,A2,B4)

Addison Farmer - Bass (#A3,A4,B1,B3)

Bill Crow - Bass (#A5,B5,B6)

Paul Motian - Drums (#A1,A2,B4)

Jerry Segal - Drums (#A3,A4,B1,B3)

Gus Johnson - Drums (#A5,B5,B6)

Tracks:

A1. I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love {Willie Dixon} (2:29)

A2. News {Mose Allison} (3:21)

A3. Fool's Paradise {Jerry Fuller, Robert Geddins, Dan Rosenbaum} (3:39)

A4. You Turned The Tables On Me {Louis Alter, Sidney Mitchell} (4:01)

A5. Isobel {Al Cohn} (4:09)

A6. You're A Sweetheart {Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh} (2:18)

B1. Night Ride {Mose Allison} (3:16)

B2. Path {Mose Allison} (3:37)

B3. Mad With You {Lightnin' Hopkins} (2:12)

B4. Hittin' On One {Mose Allison} (3:36)

B5. I Ain't Got Nobody {Roger Graham, Don Peyton, Spencer Williams} (1:53)

B6. Can't We Be Friends {Paul James, Kay Swift} (4:31)

Credits:

Producer - Teo Macero

Cover Photo - Bernie Friedman (Columbia Records Studio)

Liner Notes - Mose Allison