Re: [Harp-L] ANSWERED!!!!! 15 whole questions for TOOTS from his fan club!

[Emile Damico <oatss_oatflakes@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Randy I enjoyed this very much.




________________________________
From: Randy Singer <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>; Tom Stryker <tstryker1@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, June 11, 2011 1:45:09 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] ANSWERED!!!!! 15 whole questions for TOOTS from his fan club!

FEEL FREE TO WRITE A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO TOOTS!!

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Toots Thielemans  
> Date: June 10, 2011 12:02:12 PM EDT
> To: Randy Singer <randy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: 15 whole questions for TOOTS from his fan club!
> 
> Dear Randy,
> Dear harmonica-friends,
> 
> I will put the answers of Toots below the questions.
> The answer are short, but he took his time to give on all your questions a 
>correct and honest answer.
> 
> Kind regards,
> Veerle
>  
> 
> 
> 
> Op 11 mrt 2011, om 12:21 heeft Randy Singer het volgende geschreven:
> 
>> Dear Toots:
>>  
>> Thank you for the opportunity to ask you a few questions.
>>  
>> I have selected several questions from your fan club which best represent the 
>>most interesting questions that we want to know about TOOTS THIELEMANS, our 
>>beloved jazz harmonica player. You have impacted all of us and we are forever 
>>thankful to you.
>>  
>> Would you allow us to print your answers on Harp-l and other harmonica 
>>publications?
>>  
>> Below are the questions. We are excited to know more about you.
>>  
>> A lifetime of thanks to you, TOOTS!
>>  
>> Most Sincerely,
>>  
>> Randy Singer
>> -----------------------
> First I want to tell you this:
> Listen to music, practice and learn from other musicians around you ..... this 
>is the rule you have to keep in mind if you want to play music.
> Good Luck
> TOOTS
> 
>>  
>>  1.  What artist(s) or producer(s) have you never had a chance to record with 
>>whom you always wanted to?
> I'm a guest on some of my favorite artists recordings: Jaco Pastorius , Shirley 
>Horn , Bill Evans ( of course), Quincy Jones, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner , Oscar 
>Castro-Neves,....
> 
>>  
>>  2.  What type of music project would you have liked to record that you have 
>>not?
> I'm very happy with what I have done in my life, but I'm very impressed with a 
>lot of the contemporary musicians  such as Steve Coleman; there are so many good 
>young musicians. I listen a lot to those guys and try to understand their way of 
>making music.
>>  
>>  3.  How do you record your harmonica in the Studio? Please describe your 
>>recording technique - handheld mic only or combined with the condenser mic?; 
>>Your set-up; types of mics, type of reverb, etc.
> I'm holding 1 mic = SM 58 in my hand and play the harmonica . It's quite the 
>same as I do during a normal concert. I'm always asking for a nice reverb and to 
>to make a nice warm sound.
>>  
>>  4.  Who was your favourite artist whom you have recorded or performed with 
>>(question from Elizabeth Schulz).
> I recorded with many of my friends Bill Evans, Jaco Pastorius, ... and of 
>course my Brazilian Friends 
>
>>  
>>  5.  Tell us about your formative years. Did you study harmony, from records, 
>>or.....?(question from Bob McGraw).
> When I started to play, there was no school, the records were the references. 
>There was one harmonica player, Larry Adler, but played not the kind of music I 
>did.
> Bebob was my first real music and then when time goes by, I listen and studied 
>from Masters as Miles Davis, Coltrane, Bill Evans trying not to be a clone. I 
>like to believe my playing is influenced by all these Masters, but I kept my own 
>( Belgian) accent.
>>  
>>  6.  Which of your many wonderful records is your favourite?
> All records I did during the years were made because I love making music.
> I don't have just one favorite recording, but I like to listen again to the 
>Brazil Project I and II ,the duo record with Kenny Werner and the Affinity 
>record with Bill Evans. I also listen often to the recordings I made with Jaco 
>Pastorius and my latest CD:"Life with the European Quartet" is what I'm playing 
>today.
>>  
>>  7.  What advice would you give to an aspiring harmonica player? 
> Study music and practice, practice, ...listen to what other musicians are doing 
>and try to play as good as you can and.... enjoy making music.
>>  
>>  8.  How do you get big tone and vibrato?
> I don't know. 
>>  
>>  9.  I notice a difference between your style in 1952, perhaps Adler 
>>influenced. When and why did the shift occur? Would you
>> describe your initial sound as more bebop oriented?(question from Michael 
>>Rubin).
> I gave this answer already in question 5  - Larry Adler was the influencing 
>pioneer and very soon I was in to Bebop and playing with Charlie Parker ,....
>>  
>> 10.  How would you describe your practice regime and has this changed/evolved 
>>throughout the years? Are there any techniques that you wish you would have 
>>mastered or avoided? (question from Martin Oldsberg).
> I tried to edit my improvisations and correct some old "clychés". ( musical 
>senses). I'm very happy with the technique I use to play harmonica. 
>
>>  
>> 11.  You once said to Rob Paparozzi that your dream come true would be an album 
>>of Stevie & Toots produced by Quincy...is it still a possibility? (question by 
>>Rob Paparozzi).
> After a concert in Holland ( Europe), Stevie asked Herbie Hancock  to ask 
>Quincy Jones to record an Album with Stevie and myself... It could be still a 
>dream.... you never know.
>>  
>> 12.  How would you describe your experience working with Quincy Jones? 
>>(question from Iceman).
> There is a great affinity and friendship between Quincy and myself, but you 
>could better ask this Quincy Jones himself.
>>  
>> 13.  How do you think jazz harmonica has changed since you began your recording 
>>career,and which players on the current scene excite you the most?(question from 
>>Richard Hunter).
> Years ago I was practically the only one on the "jazz barricade", today there 
>are several very good harmonica players witch I like to listen to.
>>  
>> 14.  How would you describe your basic improvisational approach? For example: 
>>Do you consider yourself an ear player or do you think in terms of tonal centers 
>>and 'appropriate' scales or licks built on those scales or do you approach 
>>improvisation on chord by chord basis, applying a bag of licks to each?
> I like to know to witch scales and cords I build or respond to, but it depends 
>also a little bit of the subject and what is expected from me
>>  
>>  
>> 15.  If you could change anything about the instrument, what would you change? 
>>(question from Jazmaan, David Fairweather).
>  nothing, I'm very happy with my instrument for this moment.
>>  
>> _____________________________________________________
>