TOOTS THIELEMAN -Toots
/ Tony Mottola Heart & Soul
AbsoluteDistribution.com BMCD844
Toots Thielman ( gtr . Harmonica )Dick Hyman ( pno / organ ) Al Casamenti, Gene Bertoneini & Bucky Pizzarelli ( gtrs ) Ron Carter ( bass ) Ronnie Zito ( drs ) Herbie Hancock ( pno ) replaces Dick Hyman on three tracks Arrangements by Jack Andrews
Recorded New York City 1966
Of the two albums featured the most interesting from a jazz point of view is the tracks by Toots Thieleman with four capable guitarists and the piano duties split between Herbie Hancock and Dick Hyman there must be something to whet the appetite of most jazz lovers.
Although the Tony Mottola album contains some pleasant and well executed music it borders on the easy listening genre. The jazz credentials of some of the musicians cannot be faulted and the rent has to paid, the standard of the musicianship is excellent as you would expect from players of the quality of Phil Bodner, Dick Hyman, Bob Haggart and Bobby Rosengarden.
The Toots Thieleman album opens with a tongue in the cheek version of the original tune “Oh Susannah” but then moves onto Percy Mayfields “Please send me someone to love” which features Thieleman’s blues filled guitar backed by Dick Hyman at the organ.
Gene Bertoneini’s composition “Preachmanship” lives up to it’s title with Toots Thieleman’s preaching harmonica. Jimmy Webb’s “By the time I get to Phoenix” may seem like an odd choice of material but it works and has some fine guitar playing taken at a slightly latin tempo.
A bit less harmonica and little more guitar might have improved the album but the again the harmonica is the instrument that Toots Thieleman is noted for.
Although there may be reservations as to the jazz content of the Tony Mottola album it is a very pleasant album to relax to. The two Tony Mottola originals are not out of place amongst the fine selection of standards.
Jerry Herman’s “If she walked into my life” is a tune which is becoming very much a standard and this is a very good interpretation of it.
A very pleasant album short on jazz content but not on quality.
Reviewed by Roy Booth
AbsoluteDistribution.com BMCD844
Toots Thielman ( gtr . Harmonica )Dick Hyman ( pno / organ ) Al Casamenti, Gene Bertoneini & Bucky Pizzarelli ( gtrs ) Ron Carter ( bass ) Ronnie Zito ( drs ) Herbie Hancock ( pno ) replaces Dick Hyman on three tracks Arrangements by Jack Andrews
Recorded New York City 1966
Of the two albums featured the most interesting from a jazz point of view is the tracks by Toots Thieleman with four capable guitarists and the piano duties split between Herbie Hancock and Dick Hyman there must be something to whet the appetite of most jazz lovers.
Although the Tony Mottola album contains some pleasant and well executed music it borders on the easy listening genre. The jazz credentials of some of the musicians cannot be faulted and the rent has to paid, the standard of the musicianship is excellent as you would expect from players of the quality of Phil Bodner, Dick Hyman, Bob Haggart and Bobby Rosengarden.
The Toots Thieleman album opens with a tongue in the cheek version of the original tune “Oh Susannah” but then moves onto Percy Mayfields “Please send me someone to love” which features Thieleman’s blues filled guitar backed by Dick Hyman at the organ.
Gene Bertoneini’s composition “Preachmanship” lives up to it’s title with Toots Thieleman’s preaching harmonica. Jimmy Webb’s “By the time I get to Phoenix” may seem like an odd choice of material but it works and has some fine guitar playing taken at a slightly latin tempo.
A bit less harmonica and little more guitar might have improved the album but the again the harmonica is the instrument that Toots Thieleman is noted for.
Although there may be reservations as to the jazz content of the Tony Mottola album it is a very pleasant album to relax to. The two Tony Mottola originals are not out of place amongst the fine selection of standards.
Jerry Herman’s “If she walked into my life” is a tune which is becoming very much a standard and this is a very good interpretation of it.
A very pleasant album short on jazz content but not on quality.
Reviewed by Roy Booth