Label: Atlantic Records
Release Date: 1978
Recording Time: 47 minutes
Recording Date: June 29, 1977 - July 1, 1977
Releases: September 21, 1999 (Koch Jazz); January 4, 2000 (WEA International); July 26, 2005 (Atlantic); August 23, 2005 (Rhino Atlantic); September 4, 2006 (Collectables); September 26, 2006 (Collectables); January 29, 2013 (WEA Japan)
Styles: Piano Blues, Jazz Blues, Jazz Instrument, Piano Jazz
When Charlie Parker first came to New York in 1942, he was a sideman in Jay McShann's big band. Every jazz fan knows what happened after that -- Parker changed the world and McShann became a footnote in Parker's biography. That's too bad, and not just for him; if the 1978 session remastered and reissued on this disc is anything to go by, McShann had much more to offer the world than his role as caregiver to the inventor of bebop. Leading an all-star cast that includes saxophonist Paul Quinichette, the ubiquitous Milt Hinton on bass, and a young, up-and-coming guitarist named John Scofield, McShann teaches an entire course on the history of blues-based jazz, going from his own "Confessin' the Blues" through "Hootie Blues" (which he co-wrote with Parker and Walter Brown) and an intensely swinging version of Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside." He goes off on a welcome tangent with Pete Johnson's sweet stride ballad "Just for You" and comes on home with the boogie-woogie composition "'Fore Day Rider" and Leiber and Stoller's "Kansas City." Highly recommended.
by Rick Anderson
Recorded at RCA Recording Studios, Studio B, New York, New York in June 29 & 30 & July 1, 1977. Includes liner notes by Stanley Dance.
Digitally remastered by Gene Paul (DB Plus, New York, New York).
Reissue producers: Donald Elfman, Naomi Yoshii.
Producer: Ilhan Mimaroglu.
Personnel: Jay McShann (vocals, piano); Paul Quinichette, Buddy Tate (tenor saxophone); Joe Newman (trumpet); John Scofield (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Jackie Williams (drums).
Credits: Wayne Addleman - dobro, pedal steel; Count Basie - composer; Keith Bennett - harmonica; Lynn Dreese Breslin - design; Lisa Brokop - vocals (background); Walter Brown - composer; Paul Chapman - guitar (electric); Leo Corday - composer; Jim Crotty - engineer; Stanley Dance - liner notes; Bob Defrin - art direction, artwork; Patrick Duffy - design; John Dymond - bass; Ahmet Ertegun - executive producer; Ken Friesen - engineer; Percy Grainger - composer; Porter Grainger - composer; Tania Hancheroff - vocals (background); Milt Hinton - bass, guest artist; Pete Johnson - composer; Mike Kennedy - drums; Jerry Leiber - composer; Andrew MacNaughtan - photography; Gord Maxwell - vocals (background); Nikki McGee - photography; Tom McKillip - mixing, producer; Jay McShann - composer, piano, piano (electric), primary artist, vocals; Ilhan Mimaroglu - producer; Joe Newman - trumpet; Joe Newman Quartet - trumpet; Charlie Parker - composer; Geen Paul - mastering; George Piros - mastering; Robert Prince - composer; Paul Quinichette - composer, sax (tenor); Everett Robbins - composer; John Scofield - guest artist, guitar (electric); Morry Stearns - vocals (background); Robbie Steininger - guitar (acoustic); Mike Stoller - composer; Buddy Tate - guest artist, sax (tenor); Craig Waddell - mastering; Herman Walder - composer; Bobby Warner - remixing; Booker T. Washington - composer; Clarence Williams - composer; Jack Williams - drums; Jackie Williams - drums; Stanislaw Zagorski - cover illustration, illustrations; Craig Zurba - mixing.
Tracks: 1) Confessin' the Blues; 2) 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do; 3) Hootie Blues; 4) Blue Devil Jump; 5) My Chile; 6) Jumpin' at the Woodside; 7) Just for You; 8) Hot Biscuits; 9) 'Fore Day Rider; 10) Kansas City.
Notes: Just For You is a solo piano performance by Jay McShann.