Mose Allison, 1927-2016
Nothing’s gonna be alright.
In the past seven days, as “How are you doing?” has undergone its stunning transformation from empty pleasantry to imperative concern, I’ve had more recourse than usual to share with friends this performance of the Mose Allison classic “I Don’t Worry About A Thing,” which has been a longtime personal anthem.
Allison, who died yesterday in South Carolina, was one of the last living links to a world in which traditional jazz and blues forms were still a central part of popular culture. As the passage of time and the emergence of new styles caused that world to be eclipsed Allison’s star necessarily faded, but everything he did still sounds fresh and part of a personal project. Even his instrumental work retains his singular voice.