Jay McShann
was 83 at the time of this CD, but the pianist-singer sounds very much in prime form and had certainly not lost his enthusiasm. He teams up with some of the better Kansas City musicians active in the late '90s (tenor saxophonist
Ahmad Alaadeen
, guitarist
Sonny Kenner
, bassist
Gerald Spaits
, and drummer
Todd Strait
) on a variety of
blues
, originals, and swinging tunes, some of which are taken as
instrumentals
. Even if
"What a Wonderful World"
did not need to be played yet again, there are plenty of high points throughout this joyous set from McShann & friends. ~ Scott Yanow