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Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison

 
Album Review: Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison

  • Artist: Van Morrison
  • Rating: StarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: October 08, 1996
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Great idea on paper -- invite rock's Van Morrison, his then-organ/vocal-sidekick Georgie Fame, singer/pianist/producer Ben Sidran, and Mose Allison himself to compile a celebration of one of the most delightfully idiosyncratic songwriters of our time. And these are serious Allison buffs indeed, for they chose tunes from the back catalog that Mose rarely performed live in the '90s, with hardly a well-known Allison standard in the batch (the exception being "I Don't Want Much"). The hang-up is that Allison's own performances over the decades are so unique and right for their material that they pose a creative problem for anyone who wants to give these songs a different slant. Accordingly, with one exception, these guys fall back upon imitating the master, bowing low and not really saying anything new. Sidran is an outright Allison vocal clone -- he's got all of the slides, accents, and hip attitudes down pat -- though his piano doesn't sound anything like Allison's. Fame is not quite as literal, and he seems a bit stodgier by comparison. Meanwhile, Van the Man just does his own thing, paying little mind to the Mose manner, bending these tunes to his will, and pulling it off in style. Mose's participation consists of a couple of loose, chummy duets with Morrison on "I Don't Want Much" and "Perfect Moment." The band is a small combo that you can imagine playing in an English pub, with saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and trumpeter Guy Barker giving the sound an R&B flavor. It's a good record actually, but it makes you aware of why there hadn't been many Mose tributes before. How can one compete when the creator is still alive and swinging? ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
One of These Days Mose Allison Van Morrison (3:18)
You Can Count on Me (To Do My Part) Mose Allison Van Morrison (3:22)
If You Live Mose Allison Van Morrison (3:47)
Was Mose Allison Van Morrison (3:28)
Look Here Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:09)
City Home Mose Allison Van Morrison (3:26)
No Trouble Livin' Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:15)
Benediction Mose Allison Van Morrison (3:01)
Back on the Corner Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:23)
Tell Me Something Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:40)
I Don't Want Much Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:03)
News Nightclub Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:43)
Perfect Moment Mose Allison Van Morrison (2:13)

Credits

Pee Wee Ellis (Sax (Tenor)), Mose Allison (Vocals), Robin Aspland (Piano), Des McMahon (Photography), Ben Sidran (Liner Notes), Uwe Martin (Photography), Ralph Salmins (Drums), Van Morrison (Vocals), Ralph Salmins (?), Tim Young (Mastering), Mose Allison (Piano), Ben Sidran (Vocals), Pee Wee Ellis (Horn Arrangements), Ben Sidran (Piano), Georgie Fame (Organ (Hammond)), Georgie Fame (Vocals), Leo Green (Sax (Tenor)), Van Morrison (Harmonica), Van Morrison (Producer), Paul Wood (Photography), John Minihan (Photography), Guy Barker (Trumpet), Abrahams Pants (Design), Alec Dankworth (Bass)
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Wikipedia: Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison
Top
Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison
Studio album by Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Mose Allison, Ben Sidran
Released October 8, 1996
Recorded 1996, The Wool Hall, Bath, England
Genre Jazz
Length 36:48
Label Verve
Producer Van Morrison, Ben Sidran & Georgie Fame
Professional reviews
Van Morrison chronology
How Long Has This Been Going On
(1995)
Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison
(1996)
The Healing Game
(1997)
Mose Allison chronology
Allison Wonderland Anthology
(1994)
Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison
(1996)
Gimcracks and Gewgaws
(1997)

Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison is the twenty-fifth album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, Mose Allison and Ben Sidran, released in 1996 (see 1996 in music). It charted at #1 on Top Jazz Albums.[1]

Contents

Recording history

The entire recording for this album was done in a day and all of the performances were live first or second takes. Featuring the songs of Mose Allison the performers were Allison himself, Georgie Fame, Ben Sidran and Van Morrison, a longtime admirer of Allison's work. The horns were arranged by Pee Wee Ellis. Morrison said he had wanted to make the record for a long time.[2] Liner notes are by Ben Sidran.

Ben Sidran had said this on working with Van Morrison in the studio for the album:

Heʼs exactly as he appears to be onstage. He never does anything the same way twice. Everything put down in the studio is done live, so whatever you play will likely end up on the finished record.[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Mose Allison.

  1. "One of These Days" – 3:18
  2. "You Can Count on Me (To Do My Part)" – 3:22
  3. "If You Live" – 3:47
  4. "Was" – 3:28
  5. "Look Here" – 2:09
  6. "City Home" – 3:26
  7. "No Trouble Livin'" – 2:15
  8. "Benediction" – 3:01
  9. "Back on the Corner" – 2:23
  10. "Tell Me Something" – 2:40
  11. "I Don't Want Much" – 2:03
  12. "News Nightclub" – 2:43
  13. "Perfect Moment" – 2:13

Personnel

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1996 Top Jazz Albums 1

Notes

  1. ^ "Billboard Albums: Tell Me Something". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kxfyxqlhldse~T3. Retrieved 2008-08-09. 
  2. ^ Hinton, Celtic Crossroads, p. 331
  3. ^ Perlich, Tim (2009-01-07). "NOW Magazine - Ben Sidran". nowtoronto.com. http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=166683. Retrieved 2009-01-16. 

References


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison" Read more