Jazz / World Fusion, Bop, Latin Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Adam Nussbaum Drums
Bruno Castellucci Drums
Bruno Castelucci Drums
David Ruffo Engineer
Frank Kleinschmidt Producer
George Gershwin Composer
Gert Van Gelder Picture
Jaco Pastorius Composer
James Van Heusen Composer
Jay Anderson Bass
Jukkis Uotila Drums
Kenny Werner Keyboards, Piano
Manuel Mohino Mastering
Michel Andina Assistant
Michel Hatzigeorgiou Bass (Electric), Bass
Michel Herr Piano, Keyboards
Nathalie Loriers Piano
Patrick Bauwens Selection, Editing
Ray Drummond Bass
Sal La Roca Bass
Sal La Rocca Bass
Toots Thielemans Harmonica
Vincent Tempels Mastering, Remixing, Engineer
Universally acknowledged as the supreme virtuoso of jazz harmonica, Toots Thielemans is a wonderfully creative and imaginative musician - and this is vividly in evidence on this album, a compilation of nine superb tracks recorded in various locations between March 1994 and December 1998. The compositions featured have been carefully selected for their melodic and harmonic sophistication and Thielemans, as ever, demonstrates his well-known ability to bring out the full beauty of a well-crafted romantic ballad.
This is Toots in characteristically inspired form. Unquestionably a must for Thielemans fans.
It stands to reason that Belgian harmonica player Toots Thielemans's main influence was Django Reinhardt. His wispy, wistfully romantic tone immediately suggests nostalgia for another time, when early American jazz filtered through gypsy sensibilities before reaching Thielemans's native country, and the music signified bohemian nonconformity. The Live Takes has Thielemans playing before an audience thirsty for a similar nostalgia. Renditions of "Summertime" and "Body and Soul" are reverently presented as if time had stood still--around 1935, when jazz evoked an escape from narrow, bourgeois minds. Indeed, the entire album has a similar sound and feel, with slow, gently romantic tempos prevailing. Toots Thielemans is not so much an acquired taste as a sui generis musician: he is the jazz harmonica. Whether you find his unique sound evocative or cloying, we probably won't see his like again. --Wally Shoup
Toots Thielemans
Active Decades: '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and '00s
Born: Apr 29, 1922 in Brussels, Belgium
Genre: Jazz
Styles: World Fusion, Bop, Latin Jazz, Post-Bop, Contemporary Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Brazilian Jazz, Standards
Although preceded by Larry Adler (who has actually spent much of his career playing popular and classical music), Toots Thielemans virtually introduced the chromatic harmonica as a jazz instrument. In fact, ever since the mid-'50s, he has had no close competitors. Toots simply plays the harmonica with the dexterity of a saxophonist and has even successfully traded off with the likes of Oscar Peterson.
Toots Thielemans' first instrument was the accordion, which he started when he was three. Although he started playing the harmonica when he was 17, Thielemans' original reputation was made as a guitarist who was influenced by Django Reinhardt. Very much open to bop, Thielemans played in American GI clubs in Europe, visited the U.S. for the first time in 1947, and shared the bandstand with Charlie Parker at the Paris Jazz Festival of 1949. He toured Europe as a guitarist with the Benny Goodman Sextet in 1950, and the following year moved to the U.S. During 1953-1959, Toots was a member of the George Shearing quintet (mostly as a guitarist) and has freelanced ever since. He first recorded his big hit "Bluesette" (which featured his expert whistling and guitar) in 1961, and ever since has been greatly in demand (particularly for his harmonica and his whistling) on pop records (including many dates with Quincy Jones) and as a jazz soloist. Toots' two-volume Brasil Project was popular in the 1990s and found him smoothly interacting on harmonica with top Brazilian musicians.
--- Scott Yanow, Rovi |
