Jay McShann - RIP

What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.
W.H. Auden

When word came yesterday that Jay McShann's health was failing, I spent several hours in a fruitless search for a recording I made last year. Here's why I went looking:

The Thelonius Monk Institute sponsored a Tribute to Kansas City jazz at Paseo Academy in April 2005. The day started off with a master class for the jazz band students taught by Bobby Watson and was to conclude with a performance by McShann. I spent most of the morning sticking a microphone in people's faces.

I interviewed T.S. Monk who was in town for the event and is, by the way, a mind-blowing talker. A 25-minute version of that interview with music later aired on KCUR's Just Jazz and may make it to the web someday. I also sat in on the master class and later put together this audio postcard, which aired on KC Currents.

At one point I asked Bobby a lame question about playing with McShann and (paraphrasing here) he said, quite sincerely: "Playing with Hootie always takes you to a special place, a beautiful place."

McShann's one interview of the day went to BET, which was also recording the concert, but I stuck around anyway. Around 11 a.m. the student body assembled (noisily, as student bodies are wont to assemble) in the school's main auditorium. An authority figure came out and told everybody to pipe down, which almost worked. There followed a series of introductions that were tolerated with increased fidgeting until someone finally said "Please welcome Jay McShann" and someone else wheeled Hootie out to the piano. A fitful silence ensued as they helped him onto the bench.

Then McShann's hands moved over the keyboard and something magical happened. From the first notes of a stomp blues, whose title I don't recall, the tension washed out of the room and the kids were up on their feet and with him. He played a short set backed by Gerald Spaits and Tommy Ruskin. Watson joined the trio for one number. They ended with "Jump Your Blues Away," and with the kids still on their feet, ready for more.

Erudite discussions will continue, as they should, about the place of Jay McShann in history of jazz. What bears remembering is that the base of his music's appeal and Hootie's great gift was the transmission of joy.

Follow, poet, follow right
To the bottom of the night,
With your unconstraining voice
Still persuade us to rejoice.

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Also:
KCUR's Laura Spencer put together this fine remembrance.

Happy in Bag has some vintage (and out-of-print) McShann to share.

The Kansas City Star also put together this helpful Hootie history.