Mose Allison - Middle Class White Boy (1982)

ELEKTRA/MUSICIAN MONTH (FEBRUARY 2023)

Once he started up the label, Elektra/Musician head Bruce Lundvall signed Mose Allison and quickly released this album, the singer's first in five years; his 19th overall.  

Portrayed in Downbeat magazine as a "streetwise singer from the South," Allison was a singer/songwriter/pianist who, like your humble blogger, was originally from Mississippi. I've heard his music described as "hard to classify but easy to like." I am in full agreement with that statement and will readily admit I'm not as familiar with Allison's œuvre as I should be, especially considering I've enjoyed everything I've heard from him.

The music may be "hard to classify," but that's not gonna stop me from trying. My best vague description is a bluesy, Southern hipster cross between Dr. John, Randy Newman, and Bob Dorough with wry, sardonic lyrics that make you both laugh and think. And if you're in the right mood, it's absolutely perfect. My main beef with this album is the setting Allison chooses to use on the electric piano, which sounds like an early eighties attempt at sampling a banjo. It wouldn't be too bad if we only heard it once, but it appears on a majority of tracks. For what it's worth, the album was recorded in two days (February 2 & 3, 1982) and is half cover tunes, so the three star ratings (below) are spot on.

Allison - piano, electric piano

Joe Farrell - tenor sax, flute

Phil Upchurch - guitar

Putter Smith - bass

John Dentz - drums

Ron Powell - percussion

Brief liner notes written by Allison himself. I wish they would have included a lyrics sheet.

Ratings:

• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart
Peak on Radio & Records Jazz Chart: #11

Tracks: Of the 11 tracks here, my top picks are the title track, a clever 4/4 take on The Tennessee Waltz, Kiddin' On The Square, and the lead track How Does It Feel? (To Be Good Looking) [response from your humble blogger: "It feels great! I've been coasting through life on good genes for decades!"]. Upchurch offers up a great solo on the Muddy Waters classic, Rollin' Stone while Upchurch's best take is on the Ellington tune, I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So. My least favorite track is a "redo" of Allison's 1970 tune, Hello There Universe. 

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None