Re: [Harp-L] Duo Groups -- Thielemans and Werner in Montreal

["John Kerkhoven" <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>
> Ok, seriously... and surprised no one's mentioned them yet - how
about:
> Toots Thielemans & Kenny Werner?

This is too hard to resist writing about since I just saw these two
gentlemen perform this evening at the Montreal Int'l Jazz Festival. Pat
Metheny and Paolo Fresu each took their turn in a guest appearance.

The most remarkable thing about all these players is their ability to
listen to and play with and play off of each other. This isn't news, but
it deserves mention all the same, I think. The first tune was "I loves
you Porgy" and about half way through, Werner started playing the
opening chords of "All Blues" and Thielemans improvised Porgy over top
of this. The show included (among others) a tune by Steve Swallow, a
Brazilian tune, something by LeGrand, Thielemans' "Bluesette", Jacques
Brel's "Ne me quite pas", and ended, for an encore, with Armstrong's
"What a Wonderful World".

Thielemans, 84, explained that he was tired having just flown in from
Belgium. He was dressed in black, sat on a stool, and occasionally
tapped his feet together while he played, almost childlike. He loves the
rapport with the other musicians, and likes to provoke them
good-naturedly. He was good humoured and playful and gracious throughout
the show. An honour to have seen and heard him play.

The other musicians weren't too bad either! :-)

John