This 1997 CD reissues harmonica great
Toots Thielemans' Choice LP Captured Alive and adds previously unreleased versions of "Stella By Starlight" and
Toots' "Revol" from the same session.
Thielemans, who single-handedly turned the chromatic harmonica into a jazz instrument (his only predecessor was
Larry Adler, who legitimized the instrument by often playing classical music), shows on such numbers as "Giant Steps," "Airegin," and "Days of Wine and Roses" that the harmonica is a viable device for jazz improvising.
Toots is assisted by the great pianist
Joanne Brackeen (who contributed "Images" and "Snooze"), bassist
Cecil McBee, and drummer Freddie Waits. A particularly strong outing that can serve as a perfect introduction to the harmonica wizard. ~ Scott Yanow