[Harp-L] Toots Blues with Les Thompson

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bought this album on harp-l's recommendation.  I have many Toots
records and have seen the Les Thompson video recently posted.  I put
on the CD and listened to the first four cuts, clearly Thompson, very
much in the Larry Adler vein, much straighter almost cartoonish swing,
with flashy harmonica, double stops and plenty of humorous quotes.
And it was incredible!  This Thompson guy was a find!

Then I read the liner notes.  It was Toots in 1950-1952!  Almost no
recognizable Toots elements until a live cut of Stardust.  This blows
my mind that a master could change direction so sharply yet his early
stuff is also incredibly masterful but in a totally different way!

Are there any other earlier Toots besides Man bites Dog, which I still
do not have?  Is Man bites Dog more in this vein?

By the way, the Thompson cuts are very good.  Amazing.  But not as
attractive to me.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com