Jay McShann discusses his band post-war.

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Jay McShann discusses his work in the '50s and '60s.

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Jay McShann on keeping busy.

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Q: “Have you ever had a time in your career where you haven’t played much and then you felt the chops were starting to go or anything, or have you always kept busy enough?

A: Jay McShann: “Well, you know, if you say ... if you lay off, say, like four or five days, you'll catch yourself finding the piano and you're going to play. Or whatever, you know, I imagine it's that way with all cats, you know, horn players, too.”

Interviewer: “Yeah, yeah.”

Jay McShann: “You know, we used to see guys come out of the woods and they say, "Man, where have you been?" So I've been cooling. He always got his sax with him. He's ready to blow, you see.”

Interviewer: “Yeah, yeah.”

Jay McShann: “He figures it's time.”