Jay McShann – Hootie Swings The Blues 1941-56 – 3CD

Jay McShann was an R&B, blues and jazz pianist, singer, composer and bandleader, originally hailing from Oklahoma but basing himself in Kansas City. He played an important role during the 1940s and ‘50s scene as a leading performer of a particular style of R&B which spanned the various shades of the genre, and provided an important vehicle for top vocalists of the era like Jimmy Witherspoon and Walter Brown, as well as an early staging post for fellow Kansas City luminary Charlie Parker.  

This 77-track 3-CD collection comprises recordings, both solo and with his various line-ups, from these years on the Decca, Capitol, Aladdin, Premier, Mercury, Supreme, Swing Time/Downbeat, Modern, Rex Hollywood and Vee Jay labels. 

It includes the No. 1 R&B hit “Ain’t Nobody’s Business (Pts 1&2)” featuring Jimmy Witherspoon, and his other hits “Get Me On Your Mind”, “Buttermilk”, “Hot Biscuits” and Hands Off”. It features performances by featured vocalists Jimmy Witherspoon, Walter Brown, Julia Lee, Numa Lee Davis, Lois Booker, Maxine Reed and Priscilla Bowman. 

Although he continued performing through the rest of the century, this collection captures an era at which he was at the peak of his influence and relevance, and is a great showcase for his distinctive style of R&B and blues.

Track Listing:

CD1:
Jay McShan: 1. Confessin' The Blues -   Jay McShan & His Orch.: 2. Hootie Blues -   3. Swingmatism -   Jay McShan With Bass And Drums: 4. Vine Street Boogie -   Jay McShan: 5. Hold 'Em Hootie
Jay McShan & His Orch.: 6. Dexter Blues -   Jay McShan: 7. Red River Blues -   Jay McShan Quartet: 8. One Woman's Man -   9. So You Won't Jump -   10. Cryin' Won't Make Me Stay -   11. Baby Heart Blues -   Jay McShan: 12. Fore Day Rider -   Jay McShan & His Orch.: 13. Lonely Boy Blues -   14. Sepian Bounce -   15. The Jumpin' Blues -   16. Wrong Neighborhood -  McShan's Kansas City Stompers: 17. Trouble In Mind -  Julia Lee With Jay McShan: 18. Come On Over To My House -  McShan's Kansas City Stompers: 19. Moten Swing -   Jay McShan & His Jazzmen: 20. McShan's Boogie Blues -   21. Confessin' The Blues -   22. Walking -   23. Hard Working Man Blues -   24. When I've Been Drinking -  

CD2:
Jay McShan: 1. Hootie Boogie -   Jay McShan’s Sextet: 2. Garfield Avenue Blues -   Jay McShan & His Orch.:3. Crown Prince Boogie -   Jay McShan’s Sextet: 4. Shipyard Woman Blues -   5. Roll On, Katy -   6. Ernestine -   Jay McShan: 7. Voodoo Woman Blues -   Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShan: 8. Jimtown Boogie -   Jay McShan: 9. I Want A Little Girl -   10. Gone With The Blues -   11. Have You Ever Loved A Woman? -   12. All My Geets Are Gone -   Jay McShan & His Orchestra: 13. Strange Woman Blues -   Walter Brown & Jay McShan Quartet: 14. W.B. Blues -   Jay McShan And His Orchestra: 15. Please Stop Playing Those Blues, Boy -   Jay McShan Orch.: 16. Barfly Blues -   Walter Brown And Jay McShan Quartet: 17. Just Thinkin' -   18. Lovin' Beggar -   Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShan Orch.: 19. Frogmore Blues -   20. Wee Baby Blues -   21. Ain't Nobody's Business Pt1 -   22. Ain't Nobody's Business -   Jimmy Witherspoon: 23. Third Floor Blues -   24. Back Water Blues -   Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShan: 25. How Long Blues -  

CD3:
Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShan: 1. Skid Row Blues -   Jay McShan: 2. Money Eyes Woman -   3. Thinkin' About My Baby -   4. Spoon Calls Hootie -   5. Call My Baby -   6. The New Look -   7. Big Heart -   8. M.R. Boogie -   9. Drunk Broke And Hungry -   10. Destruction Blues -   11. Funny Style Baby -   12. Cold Blooded Boogie -   13. Long About Dawn -   14. Lush Head Woman -   15. Hot Biscuits -   16. Slow Drag Blues -   17. Buttermilk -   18. Twelve O'clock Whistle -   19. Soft Winds -   20. Mello Drag -   Hootie Mcshan & Jimmy Witherspoon: 21. Same Old Blues -   Jay McShan & His Band: 22. Cover Up -   23. Scotty Can Blow (Kicks) -   24. Way Out    Jay Mc Shann' Orchestra: 25. Hands Off -   26. My Darkest Night -   27. Jay's Jam Jay Mc Shann' Orchestra -   28. Hootie Blues -