Mose Allison (Bonus Track Version)

Album Review

This two-LP set has the complete contents of Mose Allison's first two albums: Back Country Suite and Local Color. The former session is dominated by the interesting ten-song "Back Country Suite" but is most memorable for Allison's brief vocals on "Young Man Blues" (here called "Blue Blues") and "One Room Country Shack." While the earlier date has bassist Taylor LaFargue and drummer Frank Isola completing the trio, Local Color finds Allison interacting musically with bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Nick Stabulas and talking a very rare trumpet solo on "Trouble in Mind." However, once again it is Mose's two vocals (on "Lost Mind" and the classic "Parchman Farm") that are the standouts; it seems obvious that his future lay in being a singer who plays piano rather than the other way around.