Hermine Duerloo, Laurent Maur and Alexandre Piret join me on episode 150, for a retrospective on the great Toots Thielemans.

Toots was born in 1922 to humble beginnings, in Brussels, Belgium, where his parents ran a cafe. His first instrument was an accordion, which he started playing at age three and showed great promise. He took up guitar and the chromatic harmonica around the age of sixteen. He then went on to tour Europe with Benny Goodman in 1950 before moving to the US in 1951 where landed a seat in the George Shearing Quintet, mainly as a guitar player, but also playing some songs on chromatic.

Toots made his first solo albums from the late 1950s, including the iconic Man Bites Harmonica. From the 1960s Toots was in great demand as a session musician, recording with many giants of the music industry, such as Bill Evans, Paul Simon and Billy Joel. He also made some notable musical collaborations, including with Jaco Pastorius and Quincy Jones, and recorded on numerous film and tv scores, such as Midnight Cowboy and Sesame Street.

Toots had such a long and glorious career that it’s hard to do it justice, but this episode attempts to highlight some of the key moments from the undisputed giant of the chromatic harmonica, and one who has inspired pretty much every chromatic player that has followed.

Links:

Compilation of interviews with Toots put together by a Belgian DJ Nico Kanakaris: https://www.mixcloud.com/bluenote71/toots-thielemans-100/

Articles on Toots from Roger Trobridge's The Archivist site: http://www.the-archivist.co.uk/tag/toots-thielemans/

Videos:

The story of Toots Thielemans by Steven De Bruyn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar7CnZS0m0k

With Paul Simon in 1975: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8v2j4lJJZY&list=RDq8v2j4lJJZY

With Billy Joel in 1983: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Te0DB86-wY&list=RD6Te0DB86-wY

Three Views of a Secret live with Jaco Pastorius: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBhoDaS5SKQ&list=RDyBhoDaS5SKQ

Toots Thielemans 100th Anniversary Official Concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4hqApO5BH8

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Episode 149 is the third compilation of the ten minute question answers from episode 112 to episode 148.

Not every episode had a ten minute question, as there’s been quite a lot of retrospective episodes in this batch. So there are 27 episodes covered here.

I hope you enjoy listening back to this collection as much as I did putting it together. And if you if you missed any of the episodes included then be sure to check them out.

I’ll introduce each person before they respond to the question: “if you had 10 minutes to practise, what would you spend that ten minutes doing”.

Links:

MillionPodcasts Top 100 Music Interview Podcasts: https://www.millionpodcasts.com/music-interview-podcasts/

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show

Hank Shreve joins me on episode 148.

Hank started playing harmonica at age eight, and that has remained his true love despite learning various other instruments. He explains how his drumming background shapes the rhythmic feel of his harmonica playing, and how blues opened the door to everything from Latin influences to funk. Hank reflects on opening for Paul DeLay, working with Curtis Salgado, leading The Hank Shreve Band with his father Bill on bass, and broadening his musical output across albums like Loosen Up, Trouble, and That Way. He also discusses teaching at festivals, exploring jazz standards, winning several music awards, and the importance of always making the audience want to dance.

Links:

The Hank Shreve Band: https://www.hankshreveband.com/

Howard Levy’s Rhythms of The Breath tuition books: https://levyland.com/book-rhythms-of-the-breath

Zack Pomerleau playing rack harmonica with drums and guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke3XUN8agbA

Hank's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hank.shreve

The Hank Shreve Band Band Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HankShreveBand/

Music Masters Teaching Studio: https://www.musicmastersstudio.com/teacher-roster/hank-shreve-guitar-and-drum-lessons-eugene/

Videos:

Hank’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/hankshreve

Mike Moothart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6ZxhIU_es&list=RDLs6ZxhIU_es

Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

Support the show