O.C. JAZZ REVIEW : Wholly Mose : His Satire, Keyboard Work Are Pure Allison in Newport Show

Everybody knows Mose Allison for his tongue-in-cheek lyrics on the human condition and the boyish vocal tones in which he delivers them. But his sold-out, late-afternoon show Sunday at the Cafe Lido reminded the audience that he’s a spirited, inventive keyboardist as well.

Allison opened the set with a pianistic display that was impressive in its persistent, gutsy drive and harmonic density. Pushing aside the voice mike, he dived into a pair of blues-based numbers with a thick, insistent attack that balanced melodically smooth passages with intense moments full of edgy dissonance and dynamic peaks.

Rollicking runs were paced by an almost hypertensive left hand that occasionally took over the lead, to right-hand trills or rolling lines seemingly pulled from “Flight of the Bumblebee.” Other times, both hands worked in lock-step to construct powerfully rhythmic statements.

Decent support came from drummer Paul Kreibich, whose on-the-beat style provided as much punch as the keyboardist’s own hard-hitting approach, and young-yet-savvy bassist Larry Steen, who took a brief but richly melodic solo during the opening instrumentals.

Allison applied the same keyboard style during his vocal numbers, bringing a seriousness to his satire and social commentary that, despite the lighthearted nature of his singing, seemed to say, “Hey, this is no joke.” And though there were laughs along the way, it was hard to ignore the message when he crooned such lines as “Everybody’s crying for peace on Earth, just as soon as we win the war.”

As a singer, Allison played nothing straight, squinting out at the crowd as he danced around the rhythms, sometimes waiting for the last possible moment before compressing an entire line into the remaining space.

Or, he would hang on a single note, stretching it for dramatic effect or just out of sheer playfulness. Though the tonal quality of his voice won’t win him comparisons to Joe Williams or Mel Torme, he’s a master at utilizing it to complement a lyric, sliding down to a flat low note for emphasis, or putting a pinch on just the right word.

He pulled from Duke Ellington, Willie Dixon and Johnny Fuller (“Livin’ in a Fool’s Paradise”), carefully crediting each composer and lyricist. Most impressive was his somber approach to Jimmie Davis’ “You Are My Sunshine,” a tune most often heard as an upbeat affirmation. Allison’s considered, minor-key presentation seemed much more appropriate in light of the melancholy lyric.

His own songs were performed without a word of introduction; the best received was “Gettin’ There,” a saga that details 30 years of frustration in the music business in the context of a world gone sour (“I’m not discouraged, but I’m gettin’ there”).

It’s a shame that Allison doesn’t get more respect, especially in these times when even the flimsiest political references win pop musicians accolades for social consciousness. Allison’s biting social commentary, not to mention his work at the keyboard, truly makes him a spokesman for modern times.