A unique singer-pianist-songwriter, Mose Allison always fit into his own category.

He combined a singing style that looked as much towards the country blues as to jazz, was based in both bop and blues as a pianist, and wrote songs that were full of insightful ideas, wit, and his own homespun wisdom.

Here he is late in his career, performing on a BBC program from May 20, 2005, singing against hypocrisy on his bluesy “Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy.”

-Scott Yanow