Jay McShann Quotes

#1. I had listened to Joe Turner. When they'd book Joe there, I'd play the blues behind him.

Jay McShann

#2. As long as Pete and Joe are there, it's gonna be jumping.

Jay McShann

#3. I was listening to all those lyrics and trying to take in everything that was happening. I was completely excited. It was one of the greatest times that I had listening to music.

Jay McShann

#4. My family was a Christian family. But I had to get to Kansas to play the blues.

Jay McShann

#5. They said Bird played bebop, but Bird could still swing. I've heard a lot of guys play bebop, but they wasn't swinging.

Jay McShann

#6. We used to play the Savoy Ballroom, and we always had a boogie tune in the set. Bands like Tommy Dorsey used to do a little boogie woogie. The big bands.

Jay McShann

#7. It was my first time in Kansas City. In about two or three days I had a gig at a place called The Monroe Inn.

Jay McShann

#8. We didn't let a night go by that we didn't play.

Jay McShann

#9. They had the music being piped right out on the street. I'd be three or four blocks from there and I couldn't get there fast enough because I'd hear old Joe holler them words.

Jay McShann

#10. We had an old Victrola with the old bulldog they used to have there. The horn would come out.

Jay McShann