Search - Mcshann, Tate :: Going to Kansas City

More Doc needed

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 10/17/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"A strange CD, with Jay McShann venturing into unusual territory for him. Anyone who is familiar with McShann's brand of blues-inflected, Kansas City riffing music will be thrown for a loop with the first track, CRAZY LEGS & FRIDAY STRUT: it's got a disco rhythm beat to it with Herbie Mann coming across like Kenny G on soprano sax! GEORGIA ON MY MIND maintains the same lineup, though Gerry Mulligan is featured on baritone sax, and McShann sings. It's taken way too slow, though. Herbie Mann surprises again with his clarinet work, which is very similar to Jimmy Giuffre's subtonic displays - it's actually very good. Another guy on this CD who plays wonderfully, in fact, the best, when he's heard is trumpeter Doc Cheatham, but he's hardly heard; he's terrific on JUMPIN' THE BLUES and DICKIE'S DREAM. On most of the tunes the music sounds heavy and laborious, as if the musicians didn't have their hearts in it. Not one of Jay's better albums."

She's apples

K. R. Williams | melbourne, australia | 09/20/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This, for me, is one of the most pleasing albums in Jay McShann's long career. A friend was kind enough to give it to me as a birthday present in the late 1970s and I fell in love with it. It has seemed to take forever to appear on CD. Jay is in good form vocally and instrumentally and his duet with Janis Siegel ("Ain't Misbehaving") is a joy. The young John Scofield shines and the piano-guitar interplay on "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water" is outstanding.

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