Sage 300

Nicky Higginbottom departed Paul Brett's Sage after the release of the band's eponymous debut album, and with her went the haunting flute that gave much of the album such a rich, pastoral sound. But the band was already moving in a new direction, exploring rock's roots and the genre's many permutations. Jubilation Foundry welds Sage's varied influences onto their sleeves, from "Cottage Made for Two," an homage to the Everly Brothers, to the gospel fired "Help Me Jesus" and the Stax inspired "Hold My Hand Mother." There are tributes to Southern blues and Southern rock, nods to singer/songwriters Cat Stevens and Harry Nilsson, and even a tip of the hat to the Beatles. With the group here sporting rich harmonies, the emphasis is on great songs in a variety of musical veins and moods, with singalong choruses, memorable melodies, and flashy musicianship evident throughout the album.

Mose Allison - The Sage Of Tippo (1998) {2CD Set, Atlantic–32 Jazz 32068 rec 1961-1968}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 744 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 300 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 20 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1961-68, 1998 Atlantic / 32 Jazz | 32068
Jazz / Blues / Hard Bop / Jazz Blues / Vocal Jazz / Piano

As someone once said, Mose Allison songs are like haiku – each very much like another, and yet each with their own qualities. So you can pretty much get any Mose album, and get a fair sampling. There are a few outliers: his 50s albums only had one or two vocals per album, but this collection is past that. Swinging Machine has horns, and that is included here. Western Man and Middle-Class White Boy favored electric piano, but neither of those are here. Down-home jazzy piano, wry lyrics, easy-going vocals, and an attentive rhythm section – that's basically any Mose album from 1960 onward, and four of them are here.