Even into his eighties, Toots Thielemans sets the standard for jazz harmonica.
Although he no longer plays guitar or whistles, he remains a formidable force on his best-known instrument.
This CD compiles performances from concerts between 2006 and 2008, all with his European quartet featuring pianist Karel Boehlee (who occasionally adds synthesizer), bassist Hein van de Geyn, and drummer Hans van Oosterhout, a sympathetic group that provides terrific backing and potent solos.
Most of the songs have long been in the harmonica player's repertoire, though they still sound very fresh.
Opening with a Gershwin medley, Thielemans kicks off with a laid-back "I Loves You, Porgy" before launching into a romp through "Summertime" that features the rhythm section vamping on "All Blues" in spots and making a humorous reference to Wayne Shorter's "Footprints." Toots' unaccompanied version of "'Round Midnight" is a masterpiece, full of twists, especially in the breathtaking introduction.
The driving rendition of "On Green Dolphin Street" swings like mad, while the disc concludes with a wide-ranging exploration of his signature composition, "Bluesette," and a loping treatment of his pretty ballad "For My Lady." This live collection is a delightful addition to Toots Thielemans' vast discography.
| Title/Composers | Performer | Listen | Time | Size | Size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Loves You, PorgyGeorge Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward | Toots Thielemans | Play | 03:27 | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| 2 | SummertimeGeorge Gershwin, DuBose Heyward | Toots Thielemans | Play | 05:39 | 12 MB | 40 MB |
| 3 | Começar de NovoIvan Lins | Toots Thielemans | Play | 06:58 | 15 MB | 43 MB |
| 4 | The Days of Wine and RosesHenry Mancini, Johnny Mercer | Toots Thielemans | Play | 05:47 | 13 MB | 36 MB |
| 5 | Circle of Smile (Theme from Baantjer)Jurre Haanstra | Toots Thielemans | Play | 03:16 | 7 MB | 21 MB |
| 6 | 'Round MidnightBernie Hanighen, Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams | Toots Thielemans | Play | 03:07 | 7 MB | 16 MB |
| 7 | Les Feuilles MortesJoseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert | Toots Thielemans | Play | 05:55 | 13 MB | 36 MB |
| 8 | Theme from Midnight CowboyJohn Barry | Toots Thielemans | Play | 04:27 | 10 MB | 28 MB |
| 9 | On Green Dolphin StreetBronislaw Kaper, Ned Washington | Toots Thielemans | Play | 06:01 | 13 MB | 43 MB |
| 10 | Ne Me Quitte PasJacques Brel | Toots Thielemans | Play | 03:55 | 9 MB | 21 MB |
| 11 | BluesetteToots Thielemans | Toots Thielemans | Play | 04:40 | 10 MB | 32 MB |
| 12 | For My LadyToots Thielemans | Toots Thielemans | Play | 03:05 | 7 MB | 18 MB |
| 56 mins | 129 MB | |||||
| 56 mins | 359 MB | |||||
| Artist | Job | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Barry | Composer |
| 2 | Karel Boehlee | Piano, Synthesizer |
| 3 | Jacques Brel | Composer |
| 4 | George Gershwin | Composer |
| 5 | Ira Gershwin | Composer |
| 6 | Jurre Haanstra | Composer |
| 7 | Bernie Hanighen | Composer |
| 8 | DuBose Heyward | Composer |
| 9 | Bronislaw Kaper | Composer |
| 10 | Jos L. Knaepen | Picture |
| 11 | Joseph Kosma | Composer |
| 12 | Ivan Lins | Composer |
| 13 | Henry Mancini | Composer |
| 14 | Johnny Mercer | Composer |
| 15 | Thelonious Monk | Composer |
| 16 | Hans Van Oosterhout | Drums |
| 17 | Jacques Prévert | Composer |
| 18 | Toots Thielemans | Composer, Harmonica, Primary Artist |
| 19 | Hein van de Geyn | Double Bass, Liner Notes, Producer |
| 20 | Marcel van den Broek | Design |
| 21 | Ned Washington | Composer |
| 22 | Chris Weeda | Engineer |
| 23 | Cootie Williams | Composer |
| Quality | Format | Encoding | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | MP3 | 320kps 44.1kHz | MP3 is an audio coding format which uses a form of lossy data compression. The highest bitrate of this format is 320kbps (kbit/s). MP3 Digital audio takes less amount of space (up to 90% reduction in size) and the quality is not as good as the original one. |