Toots Thielemans in New Orleans
Brussels-born guitarist-harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans has played  with the best and brightest jazz musicians in the business, from George  Shearing and Sonny Rollins to Quincy Jones. This 1998 live date captures the  elegant and swinging Thielemans live in New Orleans at Lulu White's  Mahogany Hall on Bourbon Street. With a top-flight band consisting of  pianist Fred Hersch, bassist Harvie Swartz, and drummer Adam Nussbaum,  Thielemans digs into his delicious and eclectic songbook of standards and  originals. Thielemans's mellow Joe Pass-like guitar lines and his poetic and  piercing harmonica strains imbue favorites like "The Days of Wine and Roses"  and "The Meaning of the Blues" with illuminating lyricism.  Thelonious  Monk's tricky "Three in One" is brilliantly navigated, and Thielemans's  signature tune "Bluesette" still retains its haunting melodic colors, musically  painted by timeless genius.--Eugene Holley Jr.