by Scott YanowThis set is a bit unusual, for one would not automatically expect Jay McShann and John Hicks to record a set of piano duets. Since Hicks has always been a flexible player, he defers to McShann, meeting the older pianist on his own turf. The repertoire is not at all unusual for McShann (particularly since "The Missouri Connection" is a medium-tempo blues). Hicks has Thelonious Monk's "Reflections" as his solo feature, while McShann takes "Sweet Lorraine" as a solo, contributing vocals to a couple of the other selections. While Hicks is a more modern player than McShann, the two pianists blend together quite well and this combination, which may not seem all that logical at first glance, works.