TOOTS THIELEMANS - THE KING OF HARMONICA

Elvis Presley was the "King of Rock and Roll."  Michael Jackson was the "King of Pop."  For all intents and purposes, Jimi Hendrix was the "King of Guitar."  But who is the "King of Harmonica?"  Without a doubt, in my book, the King of Harmonica is Jean "Toots" Thielemans.

Toots Thielemans (1922—)

Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1922, Jean "Toots" Thielemans' standing as the "King of the Harmonica" is almost beyond question.  No other player has elevated the harmonica from something used to simply augment a song to a  lead instrument of such indescribable beauty.  Thielemans is also a virtuoso whistler, if there ever was one.  

Surprisingly, Toots Thielemans began his professional career as a guitar player—and what a guitar player he is.  We're not talking about somebody who noodled around in local clubs.  We're talking about an accomplished guitarist who graced the stages with Charlie Parker and the Bennie Goodman Sextet and worked with such legends as Miles Davis!

In 1961, Toots added whistling to the guitar playing and scored a big worldwide hit with his own composition called "Bluesette."   Very impressive!

"Bluesette" by Toots Thielemans

Try doing that in the shower! But we were supposed to talk about harmonica, weren't we? Oh yeah, briliant harmonica player—If not the King, then the Don.  If not the Don, then the Chief.  If not the Chief, then the number one main man.  Whichever way you want to put it, Toots Thielemans is amazing.   Here's one of my favorite records of his.  I think you will love this.  It has the power to instantly put you in a good mood.

"Man Bites Harmonica" by Jean Thielemans

But Thielmans doesn't just appear on jazz records.  He's played with pop artists like Paul Simon and Billy Joel, but chances are many of you will know him from this:

SINGLES GOING STEADY: "SUITE FOR 20 G" BY JAMES TAYLO

James Taylor

It was December 1969 and James Taylor had to have been feeling blue.  It had been a rough couple of years for him, to say the least. Though he was signed to Warner Bros. Records, Taylor had been in a mental institution, lost his girlfriend to a plane crash and was a drug addict—heroin was his poision.  That, and he watched as his debut record went nowhere.  Dammit, it wasn't just a debut record.  Released in 1968, the album James Taylor was the only non Beatles record to ever be released on Apple Records.  That the album didn't do "jack shit" probably really haunted him.  Taylor could sing, he could play guitar and he could write songs! He knew he was a talent.  Paul McCartney knew it, too.  Would he have to spend the rest of his life wondering "what if?"

Furthermore, James Taylor was broke—"essentially homeless," actually.  Night after night, he slept on friend's couches while he recorded his follow up to James Taylor, an album later known as Sweet Baby James.  He had actually finished the record.  The problem was Warner Bros. Records didn't think so.  Even for those days, the album was too short—under 28 minutes! He needed at least one more song.

James Taylor had an incentive to finish the album as soon as possible—a cash incentive, an advance amounting to $20,000.  So the homeless Taylor combined a few unfinished songs into a complete song.  The result was appropriately titled "Suite for 20 G."  It's perhaps the most autobiographical song title ever penned.  For the record, it's actually one of my favorite James Taylor songs and, to this day, remains totally overrated.

Simultaneously, the young people of the USA were also feeling blue.  All that optimism of the 1960s was dead.  The ideals of the "summer of love"  couldn't penetrate through an unforgiving reality.  The public fell in love with James Taylor andSweet Baby James, which became a HUGE hit.  In 1971, it was nominated for a Grammy for "Album of The Year" .  If 1971 wasn't one of the best years in music, he absolutely would have won the award.  One more thing—the success of Sweet Baby James made his debut record a hit, as well.  You could say 'the times were-a-changin' for James Taylor.  He was still a heroin addict though—I guess you can't win 'em all. 

Though "Fire And Rain" was the hit, "Suite for 20 G" is probably an even stronger example of Taylor's gift.  He sang  every harmony, which were nearly as good as Crosby Stills & Nash's.  Perhaps the most moving section of the suite is the third section.  When Taylor sings "You can say I want to be free/ I can say someday I will be," it's almost impossible not to picture the heros of the 60s: the late John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, etc.  Taylor gave listeners a hint of optimism, a possibility that the dreams of the decade were still alive.  Whether he liked it or not, JT was becoming a voice of a generation.

"Suite For 20 G" by James Taylor (That's Carole King on piano, by the way!)

When it came to his career, Taylor never had to say "What if?" ever again.  However, after listening to his later songs—songs which were arguably suited for elevators— fans were probably saying "what if?" quite often. Sadly, James Taylor never recorded an album as good as Sweet Baby James ever again.  Fact is, Taylor never really became the voice of a generation he was projected to be.  But you should still listen to this album.  It's one of the best ever.

Sweet Baby James by James Taylor

GEEK THE GIRL: AN ALBUM BY LISA GERMANO

Geek The Girl by Lisa Germano

Lisa Germano's 1994 masterpiece Geek The Girl  is a concept album about a girl going through puberty.  Unlike the bookAre You There God? It's Me, Margaret, this is a work that can be enjoyed equally by both men and women.  There is such imagination and artistry here, it's amazing that an album about such a touchy subject is so listenable.   The lyrics are wonderful, but this is definitely an album which could survive on its sonics, which are varied yet accessible and mostly created by Germano herself, who plays the majority of the instruments and acts as a coproducer.  

The best example of the artist utilizing outside help is on Geek The Girl's centerpiece, the brilliant "...A Psychopath." Underneath Germano's captivating lyrics and quiet arrangement is an actual 911 call from a horrified woman who is being taunted by the presence of an intruder in her home.  You can make out some of the conversation between the woman and the dispacther—which is terrifying enough—but the most eerie element of the song is hearing her scream "why?" repeadetly, moments before the phone disconnects, leaving us with the telling, sustaining sound of a dial tone.  Absolutely chilling.  Don't be surprised if you play this song twice in a row.  

Though Germano was in her mid 30s when she recorded Geek The Girl, she is able to play the part of a preteen girl with the amazing confidence and accuracy of a trained actor.  None of the album's 12 songs mention puberty directly, but the emotions which are commonly associated with the human body's transition period are always present.  There is anger, confusion and self-hatred.  But, from time to time, there are moments of heartbreaking tenderness.  The result is a beautiful and consistent album and the universal critical acclaim it received immediately after its release is totally justified.  

I suggest you find a quiet moment to enjoy this one.