Man Bites Harmonica! is an album by harmonica player Jean "Toots" Thielemans, his second as a bandleader. It was recorded in late 1957 and early 1958 for the Riverside label.Riverside Records discography accessed September 14, 2012 The album showcases the harmonica, previously little-used in jazz, and demonstrates it could be an improvising jazz instrument on par with trumpet, saxophones or piano. Thielemans plays harmonica on all songs, except for a version of "Imagination" on which he plays guitar.
Reception
Allmusic awarded the album 4½ stars. In his review, Scott Yanow states "Even four decades later, no jazz harmonica player has dethroned the great Toots".Yanow, S. Allmusic Review accessed September 14, 2012
Track listing All compositions by Toots Thielemans except as indicated "East of the Sun" (Brooks Bowman) - 7:14 "Don't Blame Me" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) - 2:27 "18th Century Ballroom" (Ray Bryant) - 3:46 "Soul Station" - 6:58 "Fundamental Frequency" - 4:54 "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" (Lil Hardin Armstrong, Don Raye) - 4:30 "Imagination" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 4:27 "Isn't It Romantic?" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 5:16 Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios in New York City on December 30, 1957 (tracks 1, 3-6 & 8) and January 7, 1958 (tracks 2 & 7)
Personnel Jean "Toots" Thielemans - harmonica, guitar Pepper Adams - baritone saxophone (1, 3–6, 8) Kenny Drew - piano Wilbur Ware - bass Art Taylor - drums
References