The Happiness of Joe Mooney

Joe Mooney was a surprise hit in the mid-to-late '40s, playing standards in a quartet that also included guitar, bass and clarinetist Andy Fitzgerald. However, he only made one record in the '50s (as an organist), choosing to play in Florida. He had largely slipped away into obscurity when he was convinced to try to make a comeback in 1963. Mooney recorded an album for Columbia that year with a larger group and followed up with this LP, which would be his final recording. By 1964-65, Mooney was much more of a nightclub singer-organist than a jazz player, and his accordion paying was almost reduced to the token level. The seven songs from 1964 match Mooney with guitarist Mundell Lowe, bassist George Duvivier, drummer Ed Shaughnessy, sometimes flutist Jerry Dodgion and vibraphonist Joe Venuto. The five tunes from 1965, in addition to Lowe or Kenny Burrell on guitar, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Mousey Alexander, find Mooney having a reunion with Andy Fitzgerald, although Fitzgerald, this time around, plays flute rather than clarinet. In general, the very concise performances (all but "Emily" are under three minutes) put the emphasis on Mooney's voice and, although cheerful, are rather predictable. Among the selections performed during Joe Mooney's swan song are "Cute," "When I Fall in Love," "Honeysuckle Rose" (the only instrumental), "Happiness Is You" and "She's Not for You."