Back Country Suite
| Back Country Suite | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1957 | |||
| Recorded | March 7, 1957 | |||
| Studio | Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey | |||
| Genre | Blues, jazz | |||
| Length | 38:32 | |||
| Label | Prestige PRLP 7091 | |||
| Producer | Bob Weinstock | |||
| Mose Allison chronology | ||||
| ||||
Back Country Suite is the debut album by blues/jazz pianist and vocalist Mose Allison which was recorded in 1957 and later released on the Prestige label.[1] The album features the first recording of Allison's "Young Man Blues" (titled simply "Blues") which was later covered by The Who on their album Live at Leeds.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
| The Penguin Guide to Jazz |  [3] |
Scott Yanow, in his review for Allmusic, says "Mose Allison's very first recording finds the 29-year-old pianist taking just two vocals but those are actually the most memorable selections... The centerpiece of this trio outing... is Allison's ten-part "Back Country Suite," a series of short concise folk melodies that puts the focus on his somewhat unusual piano style which, although boppish, also looked back at the country blues tradition. Very interesting music".[2] The Penguin Guide to Jazz wrote that "The deft miniatures are winsome and rocking by turns, and LaFargue and Isola read the leader's moves beautifully."[3]
Track listing
All compositions by Mose Allison except where noted.
- "Back Country Suite: New Ground" – 2:05
- "Back Country Suite: Train" – 1:50
- "Back Country Suite: Warm Night" – 1:47
- "Back Country Suite: Blues" – 1:28
- "Back Country Suite: Saturday" – 1:24
- "Back Country Suite: Scamper" – 2:15
- "Back Country Suite: January" – 1:38
- "Back Country Suite: Promised Land" – 2:03
- "Back Country Suite: Spring Song" – 1:23
- "Back Country Suite: Highway 49" – 1:39
- "Blueberry Hill" (Al Lewis, Vincent Rose, Larry Stock) – 3:00
- "You Won't Let Me Go" (Buddy Johnson) – 3:46
- "I Thought About You" (Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer) – 3:53
- "One Room Country Shack" (Mercy Dee Walton) – 3:05
- "In Salah" – 3:45
Personnel
- Mose Allison – piano, vocals
- Taylor LaFargue – bass
- Frank Isola – drums
References
- ^ Prestige Records discography accessed May 16, 2013
- ^ a b Yanow, S. Allmusic listing accessed May 16, 2013
- ^ a b Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 26. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.