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| Toots Thielemans Legendary Album, Do Not Leave Me – Digitall Remastered  Milan Records, Inc. has announced the re-release date of Do Not Leave Me from Toots Thielemans for March 8, 2005. Digitally remastered, the album features the living legend of harmonica and guitar player, Toots Thielemans performing songs by the likes of Jacques Brel, Miles Davis and others. Toots Thielmans is accompanied by Fred Hersch (piano), Marc Johnson, and Joey Baron (drums).Quincy Jones said of Toots Thielemans that “he is one of the greatest musician of our time”. He is without a doubt one of the best jazz harmonica player. He began playing the accordion at the age of 3 and received his first harmonica at 17 years old. He also learned the guitar by listening to the recordings of Django Reinhardt. In 1949, Benny Goodman discovered him, and the Belgian musician went to the USA where he gave his first concerts in 1950. Since then, Toots Thielemans has performed and recorded with jazz artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Charlie Parker and Quincy Jones, and pop stars such as Bill Joel, Paul Simon and Julian Lennon. As a soloist, he worked on the legendary soundtracks of Midnight Cowboys, The Getaway and Fried Green Tomatoes. Do Not Leave Me was unavailable for many years. This visionary album at the time of its release defined smooth jazz. However, listening to the cover of Miles Davis’ “Blue ‘N Green” where the harmonica virtuously replaces the master’s trumpet, it becomes very obvious that Toots Thielemans’ works are rich with his addition of the harmonica to the range of typical jazz instruments. Toots Thielemans’ talent is clear when one listens to his original covers of such classics as “Autumn Leaves” and “Do Not Leave Me”. And “Bluesette”, a song written by Toots himself – imagine if Nino Rota had turned jazzman. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Jazz News :: home page |