The Midnight Cowboy Theme (John Barry) - Toots Thielmans 1978

[@trudginon]

Beautiful, haunting, and deeply touching. In short, a masterpiece.

[@anthonymead4359]

He was so imaginative and innovative - some of the pieces in the film are beyond belief in the way they capture the mood and the moment. He was and is the best!

[@neilloughran4437]

RIP James Leary (Bass) who passed away in March this year.

[@ZvonimirBucevicBuc]

Sad news :(

[@harrietjohnson1930]

Love, peace gratitude & blessings to Brother James.💞

[@dennismurillodennis3079]

This guy is magic.

[@dolemite72]

This is soul affirming!!! Brilliant and once of the saddest songs ever. Johnny Mathis added lyrics and his Soaring voice to this song on his Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head' album, equally sad. The chorus, "Hearts are meant for caring. Life is meant for sharing. Love is all that's left in the end. Love can turn the tide for a friend."😢

[@stoolpigeon4285]

Nice comment

[@anamariaferrari9630]

🫶🏽💫

[@karenreardon5398]

I took my mom back in the late 80s to see Toots live. What a memorable experience. He was extraordinary.

[@wwakathy97]

I had the pleasure of hearing him in concert with the late Mulgrew Miller in Erie, PA. At intermission he sat with me at a table and told me his story. He them autographed a CD of his. I don't have the CD now but I have a great memory.

[@harrietjohnson1930]

What a groove. This is HEAVEN 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@billpresing5568]

YES !!!....the HARMONICA is a VERY REAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT DAMNIT !!!!

[@garyoh5a]

Best jazz harmonica artist ever💪

[@paulgibby6932]

And Stevie

[@keithrichard5280]

The harmonica genius

[@Rman-v6s]

Truly a sad medley performed with heart..

[@gispel7058]

Didn't know one could produce such sweet, mournful sounds from such an unsuspecting instrument. An Harmonica! WOW.

[@GrasshopperRDG]

🎧Exquisite Listening Pleasure❣❣❣❣❣ 💚*🙏🏼

[@oneofmany1087]

it's like the song, it is calling out to us all to stand together to love and help each other.

[@kamarbazarek6460]

Got that right❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@harrietjohnson1930]

I Feel tremendous L❤VE.

[@Melissa-jj2zn]

oh takes me back to happier times, happier music, transcendental, just amazing

[@machinelearng]

Toots was magical

[@ronaldjenkins1946]

Truly appreciate!! The Great Toots!! I could listen to you!! In a basement!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@simodelahoya]

Magic that's it no more words

[@Restfactor]

The Greatest!

[@socialincoming]

La película es extraordinaria. Una que me dejó boquiabierto con ese frío de New York y Voight con Hoffmann extraordinarios. Una bso magnífica y un film que se hunde como un puñal en el corazón.

[@Melissa-jj2zn]

Just so super tranportational to a better realm!

[@Stret173]

Спасибо!

[@nickpritchard7130]

Incredible talent. Wonderful playing. Huge thanks for uploading this master piece.

[@survivalleague179]

Einfach nur geniale und zeitlose Musik. Die Atmosphäre wirkt wie im Wirtshaus um die Ecke aber das was an Emotion rüberkommt lässt mich in anderen Sphären schweben.

[@asuramalta2269]

이러한 명 연주자들을 이렇게 영상으로라도 볼수있다는것이 감사합니다

[@alexandrenoblecourt4368]

Perfection ❤

[@dennismurillodennis3079]

I don't like jazz but I like this.

[@tratney]

very nice

[@ronaldl9085]

magical. pure magic.

[@Melissa-jj2zn]

This

[@100teresa1000]

Such unique jazz...so soothing! Pretty good!!!

[@furufuru4591]

心に残る切ないハーモニカの音色、ジャズ、ポップス系でToots　Thielmansの右に出る ハーモニカ奏者はいないですよね👍

[@nyronut]

gorgeous

[@khadijaboyd6200]

Precious. Tks for sharing. 🥰

[@khadijaboyd6200]

I'll always love Toots ❤️ ko/ok

[@h6yt88gg]

Nice jazzy take on the theme.

[@stoolpigeon4285]

Lovely

[@franklinsmith5914]

nice.... brings me back

[@chrislowry213]

He was a great whistler too!

[@paulgibby6932]

and guitarist ("Bluesette")

[@dariusz879]

this is the most 70s thing I've ever seen

[@normanleach5427]

New to this channel...very impressive videos man.

[@mrbillhicks]

Great tootin

[@NICHOLASCREED-pb5jp]

Like the movie ... Love the song & music \ musician Toots T. .

[@aguilacalva2625]

👍👏👏

[@luizschnellbacher5780]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Svidge_123_]

Excellent chamber jazz adaptation. Very different mood compared to the original. It's totally on its own. It is rare to see Toots playing 64 chromatic. Or maybe I'm hallucinating?

[@jimdartouzos2127]

John Barry...Toots Thielemans...and Tommy Reilly...Three of the greatest harmonica players ever.....All are music legends....Also John Popper should be added to this group of harmonica legends...he is Awesome too.

[@1101atlgirl]

And you don't have Stevie Wonder on that list?

[@jimdartouzos2127]

@@1101atlgirlHello Danielle... Ya know what ?....You're absolutely right. ....I totally forgot about the one and only. ...Mr. Stevie Wonder. ....he certainly should be included in this group of harmonica legends. ....Thank you......and....Mr. Stevie Wonder....definitely. ....One of the All-Time Greatest of harmonica players.

[@chrisdoran5334]

Agree with your list and the addition of my fave mr. S. Wonder. As a wild card how about Paul jones (ex manfred Mann)?

[@billpresing5568]

What model of Hohner is Toots playing here ?? This guy was the Best in his league, such tone and fluidity.

[@staggerlee6794]

Brilliant. But is there a vinyl version of this anywhere?

[@dennismurillodennis3079]

It does not get any better than this. This is wonderful and I don't like jazz.

[@toyman81]

Jazz is so wonderful, and the old-style blues, gets no better.

[@giovanna722]

​@@toyman81 This performance is divine. So sensuous and inspired. Bravo, Toots!!

[@MrJackellison]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Melissa-jj2zn]

@@giovanna722 wow just transports me to happier realms

[@waynewinborne6462]

apparently you do. just find that hits you like this does. 🙂

[@charleswinokoor6023]

Melody, my friend, melody. Where and when was this recorded and for what occasion? Somewhere in Europe I assume.

[@HugeOB]

Norway

[@randyhead1180]

That's what I'm saying.

[@LennyBlue-yo9zo]

Does anyone know what brand chromatic harmonica we played? I’m sure it’s a $1000 harp. Key of C

[@stevecurry6066]

I'm only guessing - Hohner maybe.

[@gabrieln3613]

I have played harmonica 51 years, was full-time by age 20. Given this was 1978, the Chromatic Harmonica is made by Hohner (only brand I believe Toots ever played and I knew that man who tuned/serviced them) a 16 hole (4 octaves) model called a "Super 64". Stevie Wonder has played this model also. These are only made in the Key of C. There is a step up model called the Super 64X that I have seen Stevie play also. The microphone looks like a Shure PE56D or PE 56. Later Toots pretty well exclusively played the M. Hohner model 270 "Super Chromonica" which is a smaller 12 hole model. These come tuned in all keys but Toots mostly played the key of C but he did have an "A" tuned model also. These are things shared with me by the man who worked on his harmonicas.....they need tuning and maintenance.

[@lennyblue4u]

@ wow, what info you have. Thanks. I bought my first Suzuki SCX-64 , 4 octaves C. I love the sound but at $200 some notes sound like a dead moose and some have a delayed note when playing. I have stage 4 lung cancer and will play until my lungs blow out. After 42 yrs playing blues harps, I finally got brave and tried a chromatic. I wish I never waited. Learning a lot of classics. From Bach2Rock. You?

[@tomallen5837]

​@gabrieln3613 wow Gabriel, you could write a book, I can tell... and I'd buy it. Tell us more!! Thank you so much for sharing your information.

[@Lt_Tragg]

@@gabrieln3613 Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.

[@caa42370]

おでこに絆創膏ですか？でも、この演奏は凄くよい音ですね！

[@alvistd2168]

John Barry-You only line Twice?

[@Sundfornuft]

2S

[@JamesComstockCages]

Kinda wrecked it.

[@paulwatts1704]

nope - widely recognised as a masterpiece of interpretation.

[@JamesComstockCages]

@@paulwatts1704 Have been listening to the songs since the movie came out. John Barry owns it. Anything after the fact is less. The song is so sad, perfect as is.

[@michaeljeanbaptiste2587]

Jazz version is ok, but unrecognizable. Original midnight cowboy theme is way better..

[@SapphicTwist]

Unrecognizable? Go over to the soundtrack version, listen four or five times, come back and tell me this isn't the theme to Midnight Cowboy. Thielman's version is very respectful towards the original.

[@michaeljeanbaptiste2587]

@SapphicTwist John Barry on harmonica is true to the midnight cowboy theme. Toots Theilmans version is not as melancholy.

[@gottohavesoul]

Agree with what Sapphic Twist said - you need to get checked... BTW, Toots is who is heard in the film, not John Barry - Tommy Reilly is the harmonica on the album version.

[@SapphicTwist]

@@michaeljeanbaptiste2587 I mean I sorta agree, but no tune should be held captive to its original context? Yes, if you want a melancholy experience, go see the film. But this is an amazing tune, and deserves to come out now and then from under the melancholy context of Midnight Cowboy, IMO...

[@stoolpigeon4285]

Listen from @3:50 if jazz isn't your thing, and tell me it's unrecognisable