[Dixielandjazz] Jay McShann

[Haupt Dave]

Of the various improbable combinations...I once saw
Jay McShann on piano in a rhythm section supporting
Toni Tennile singing standards.  He was a great
accompanist for her.

I just finished listening to the NPR rebroadcast of
Terry Gross' 1987 interview with him:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6597936

Or, in tiny form:

http://tinyurl.com/y5nvhb

Kinda choked me up listening to the old man singing
"When I Grow Too Old to Dream".

Just by happenstance, I acquired a CD of his earlier
this year, called "Hootie Blues", recorded in 2001 in
Canada.  Besides Jay, there's Jim Galloway on assorted
reeds, Rosemary Galloway on bass and Jim Vickery on
drums.  No big-band barnstormers, the whole CD feels
like sitting down and having an intimate conversation
with a true gentleman.  

I'll never understand how a guy can have exactly the
same voice his whole life.  No way I'd have thought
that voice came from an 85 year old.

Thanks for all you did, Jay.

Dave


 
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