Man Bites Harmonica!

Man Bites Harmonica! is an album by harmonica player Jean "Toots" Thielemans which was recorded in late 1957 and early 1958 for the Riverside label.^[1] The album showcases the harmonica as an instrument in a similar way in which Miles Davis did throughout his career on the trumpet and Charlie Parker did with the saxophone. The harmonica only does not appear on one track, Thielemans' version of "Imagination".^[2]

Man Bites Harmonica!
Studio album by Jean Thielemans
Released	1958
Recorded	December 30, 1957 and January 7, 1958 Reeves Sound Studios, New York City
Genre	Jazz
Length	38:25
Label	Riverside RLP 12-257
Producer	Orrin Keepnews
Toots Thielemans chronology
The Sound (1955) Man Bites Harmonica! (1958) The Whistler and His Guitar (1964)

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]

Allmusic awarded the album 4½ stars. In his review, Scott Yanow states "Even four decades later, no jazz harmonica player has dethroned the great Toots".^[3]

Track listing

All compositions by Toots Thielemans except as indicated

1. "East of the Sun" (Brooks Bowman) - 7:14
2. "Don't Blame Me" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) - 2:27
3. "18th Century Ballroom" (Ray Bryant) - 3:46
4. "Soul Station" - 6:58
5. "Fundamental Frequency" - 4:54
6. "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" (Lil Hardin Armstrong, Don Raye) - 4:30
7. "Imagination" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) - 4:27
8. "Isn't It Romantic?" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 5:16

• Recorded at Reeves Sound Studios in New York City on December 30, 1957 (tracks 1, 3-6 & 8) and January 7, 1958 (tracks 2 & 7)

Personnel

• Jean "Toots" Thielemans - harmonica, guitar
• Pepper Adams - baritone saxophone (1, 3-6, 8)
• Kenny Drew - piano
• Wilbur Ware - bass
• Art Taylor - drums