Every Chromatic harmonica player worth his Horner gets on this album to deliver a tip of the hat to pioneer Toots Thielemans. Alex Rossi, Gabriel Grossi, Gregoire Maret, Antonio Serrano, Franco Luciani and Olivier Ker Ourio mix and match in various combinations and variations, ranging from small groups to intimate duets.
There is actually very little to choose from as far as the tone of each artists, although Ourio has a bit of a fuzzy sound and Luciani milks his vibrato. The duets come off like gorgeous sonatas, as Maret and Kevin Hays’ Rhodes dance on “Velas,” and Ourio joins with Manuel Rocheman’s piano on “Eva” and “I Do It For Your Love”. The joyful percussive pieces with Serrano and JR Bandolero on “Better Days Ahead” is a thrill, while vintage Braziliana is tasted with Grossi on quartet pieces “Samba Pro Toots” and the rich “Estate.” Lots of gasps for joy here.
Mirasound Media Services