Toots Thielemans Apple Dimple

On this unusual CD, the remarkable harmonica player Toots Thielemans explores a variety of mostly French melodies. The music is often nostalgic and wistful but generally swinging, with enough different tempos to hold one's interest throughout. The oddest aspect of the set is that there is an overdubbed vocal apiece by Diana Krall ("La Vie en Rose"), Dianne Reeves, Johnny Mathis, Shirley Horn, and a promising newcomer known here only as Chip; Krall, Reeves, and Chip sing in French. Thielemans plays beautifully throughout the relaxed date, which includes "I Wish You Love," "The Windmills of Your Mind," "Once Upon a Summertime," and "Moulin Rouge." Easily recommended.

Although he plays guitar exclusively on two of the eight selections included on this CD reissue, it is Toots Thielemans' harmonica playing that is most unique. He holds his own on a hard bop blowing date with baritonist Pepper Adams, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Art Taylor, jamming on such songs as "East of the Sun," "Struttin' with Some Barbeque" and "Isn't It Romantic." Even four decades later, no jazz harmonica player has dethroned the great Toots.

Baron Toots Thielemans was born in Brussels on April 29, 1922 and would turn 100 this year. A complete overview of one of the greatest Belgian musicians ever on LP and CD. With his most famous own songs, collaborations with great artists such as Billy Joel, his soundtracks, Brazilian trips and never before released live material.

Although Toots Thielemans is far better-known for his virtuoso harmonica playing, he sticks exclusively to guitar on this pair of studio dates, initially taped in 1961 for Polydor. Accompanied by pianist Georges Arvanitas, bassist Roland Lobligeois, and drummer Philippe Combelle, Thielemans leads a primarily laid-back session with the focus on the leader, covering standards ("Willow Weep for Me" and "We'll be Together Again"), adding a soft wordless background vocal to "Satin Doll," and giving a loping treatment to Milt Jackson's "Bags' Groove." No matter that none of Thielemans' compositions have come close to matching the widespread popularity of his huge hit, "Bluesette"; two blues he wrote for this date, "Le Trottoir" and "Flirt" (the latter of which is the only track to feature his famous whistling), are very enjoyable.

Swiss pianist Thierry Lang has always admired Toots Thielemans with great affection and sincerity. Thus it was only a matter of time for the two to work together. This happened when, in 1989, Toots Thielemans and the Thierry Lang Trio got together for a great concert at Cully Jazz Festival. The result was so special that the promoter of Cully Jazz Festival decided to repeat the experience the following year, something quite rare in the programming of any festival. This never-released-before-material was recorded by Radio Suisse Romande (now the RTS, Radio Télévision Suisse) and contains tracks from both events.

This 1984 studio session finally appeared commercially on the Cymekob label in 1995, featuring violinist Stéphane Grappelli in a rare meeting with harmonica player Toots Thielemans; the rest of the group included guitarists Martin Taylor and Marc Fosset with bassist Brian Torff. Though producer Andy Kulberg claims in his notes that neither musician had recorded any of the songs, this is a bit of a stretch. Things get off to a good start with a swinging "Bye Bye Blackbird" and are only weighed down slightly by the tedious "Just the Two of Us" and Paul Simon's lightweight "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover." The rich ballad "Georgia on My Mind" rekindles the fire within the session and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" is highlighted by Thielemans' matchless whistling. While this release could have been stronger with better chosen songs, it will be an essential acquisition for fans of either Grappelli or Thielemans.

This rather memorable Pablo recording, his only album as a leader for Norman Granz's label (although he made several notable appearances as a sideman), features the great jazz harmonica player Toots Thielemans in a sparse trio with guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels Pedersen. The four main numbers ("Blues in the Closet," "Thriving on a Riff," "Autumn Leaves," and "Someday My Prince Will Come") are pure bebop, and Thielemans' solo guitar rendition of "The Mooche" is also a highlight.

Accomplished harmonica player and whistler whose chromatic harmonic solos were among the most distinctive of any instrument in jazz.
Toots Thielemans virtually introduced the chromatic harmonica as a jazz instrument. In fact, beginning in the mid-'50s, he never had a close competitor. Thielemans simply played the harmonica with the dexterity of a saxophonist and even successfully traded off with the likes of Oscar Peterson.