Mose Allison © Andrea Canter

Known as "The William Faulkner of Jazz," multi-Grammy winner Mose Allison has enjoyed a long career as pianist, singer and songwriter. Beyond his reputation as an engaging and “hip” entertainer, there are few living musicians who have had such a strong influence on the development of other artists. When many other jazzers were taking the music down a more intellectual path, Allison, like Art Blakey and Horace Silver, put great emphasis on his Southern Blues and folk traditions. Still touring about 40 weeks per year, Allison has attained icon status among the blues and pop communities. This weekend he celebrates his 80th birthday at Jazz Standard in Manhattan (November 8-11).

Born on his grandfather’s farm near the Mississippi Delta village of Tippo, Mose Allison taught himself to play piano by ear and at five was playing blues and boogie tunes he heard on the jukebox at the nearby gas station. He remembers writing his first song at age 12. Later he would listen to the music of the jazz greats of they day—Ellington, Armstrong, Waller, and his main source of inspiration, Nat King Cole. By high school he was also playing trumpet in dance and marching bands, as well as writing his own songs.

Enlisting in the Army in 1946, Mose toured the country in the Army Band. After his discharge he returned home to Mississippi where he briefly served as arranger, pianist and trumpeter for a dance band. Soon he had formed his own trio, playing under the influence of Nat Cole, Louis Jordan and Erroll Garner. During this time he also earned his BA degree in English and philosophy from Louisiana State University. Through the mid-50s, Mose appeared in clubs in the South and West, now melding the influences of modern pianists John Lewis, Thelonious Monk and Al Haig with the vocal styles of bluesmen Percy Mayfield and Charles Brown. Relocating to New York in 1956, he recorded with Al Cohn and a year later, his own Back Country Suite. In addition to appearances with his Mose Allison Trio, he worked with sax stars Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Gerry Mulligan, among the stars he met through roommate, singer/songwriter Bob Dorough. He continued to meld diverse styles at the piano, now reflecting the influences of Bud Powell and Lenny Tristano as well as classical composers Bartok, Ives, Schoenberg and Hindemith, always tinged with the blues.

Mose Allison © Andrea Canter

Mose Allison’s discography is extensive. Many of his classics from the 50s and 60s have been re-released, and a new two-volume set was recently released on Concord/Prestige. And the BBC has recently completed the documentary film, Mose Allison: Ever Since I Stole The Blues.

"With his unorthodox, urgent sound and personalized harmonic voicings, he may remind you of Thelonious Monk, but only in the sense that he is the eternal maverick, eschewing more rules than he observes." --Washington Post

It's always a party when Mose Allison is on stage, but this gig at Jazz Standard will be a very special celebration. Come sing Happy Birthday to Mose, and he'll return the favor with four nights of his unique song and piano.

Mose Allison performs two sets per night, 7:30 and 9:30 pm, November 8-11; www.jazzstandard.com