Air Week: July 20-26, 2026

Jay McShann was a pioneer of Rhythm & Blues, cutting his teeth as a swing bandleader, arriving in Kansas City just as it was becoming a jazz mecca. In 1937, he heard the young Charlie Parker and asked him to join his band. “Bird” was on McShann’s first records, done for Decca in 1941 including the smash, “Confessin’ The Blues,” which featured vocalist Walter Brown. McShann was a discoverer of talented musicians, from vocalists Julia Lee, Al Hibler and Jimmy Witherspoon to drummer Gus Johnson, bassist Gene Ramey and saxophonist Paul Quinichette. His band launched many careers and thankfully McShann had many hits of his own. In 1949, it was his band backing Jimmy Witherspoon on the R&B chart-topper, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” and with the help of Pricilla Bowman, McShann scored another #1 in 1955 with “Hands Off.” Matt The Cat explores Jay McShann’s long and storied career as we boogie, jump, jive and wail on this week’s “Juke In The Back.”

LISTEN BELOW