Harmonica virtuoso Toots Thielemans has recorded dozens of albums and CDs as a leader, but this DVD is a rare opportunity to catch him in concert during a 1988 set at Lulu White's Mahogany Hall in New Orleans. Accompanied by the brilliant Fred Hersch on piano, as well as the superb bassist Harvie Swartz and veteran drummer Adam Nussbaum, Thielemans' well-rounded program flows very nicely. He's a master interpreter of ballads, avoiding the often-maudlin tempo of "The Days of Wine and Roses," adding an incredible coda to the pretty ballad "The Meaning of the Blues," and sharing a memorable duet with Hersch on "If You Go Away." Thielemans' Monk medley begins with a stunning but brief solo rendition of "'Round Midnight" that is left unresolved as it segues into "Little Rootie Tootie" with the group joining him. His furious take of "On Green Dolphin Street" is also a highlight, but it is his finale that steals the show. Putting down his harmonica and switching to guitar and whistling along as well, Thielemans messes around with a little bit of the bop anthem "Anthropology" before moving into his well-known composition, "Bluesette," which has clearly stood the test of time very well. The excellent sound and camera editing are a treat considering that many jazz performance videos almost seem to be shot as afterthoughts. Several enlightening interview excerpts with Thielemans are inserted within the program. Highly recommended. 
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